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Prepositions after verbs

graze on or graze in?

Graze on is the standard pattern for the food animals eat. Graze in usually refers to the location where grazing happens, not the food itself.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with graze?

Use graze on when naming grass, plants, or other food. Use graze in when referring to a field, area, or location where animals are grazing. The two prepositions have different functions.

The sheep grazed on fresh grass all morning.
The horses grazed in the lower field.
Deer often graze on young plants at night.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
graze on + food

Naming what animals eat

Use graze on to identify the plants or food being eaten.

Cattle graze on dry pasture during the summer.
Goats graze on shrubs and weeds.
2
graze in + place

Naming the grazing location

Use graze in when referring to the field, area, or enclosure where animals feed.

The sheep grazed in the valley all afternoon.
Several horses grazed in the open meadow.
3
graze + object

Using graze transitively

Graze can take a direct object when someone allows animals to feed in an area.

Farmers graze cattle on the hillside.
They grazed sheep near the river.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
graze on
The cows grazed on wet grass after the rain.
Standard pattern for the food being eaten.
graze in
The cattle grazed in the northern field.
Standard when in introduces the place of grazing.
graze at
The deer grazed at dawn near the trees.
At here refers to time, not the food or place pattern selected by graze.
feed on
Rabbits feed on leaves and bark.
Another common verb for eating a particular kind of food.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using in for food

Use on, not in, before the thing being eaten.

✕ The sheep grazed in grass. ✓ The sheep grazed on grass.

Confusing food and location

In introduces the place where grazing happens.

✕ The horses grazed on the eastern field. ✓ The horses grazed in the eastern field.

Omitting the needed preposition

Graze usually needs on before the food source.

✕ The cattle grazed wild plants. ✓ The cattle grazed on wild plants.

Using graze for all kinds of eating

Graze mainly refers to animals feeding over an area.

✕ We grazed on dinner at the restaurant. ✓ We snacked during dinner at the restaurant.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The goats ___ bushes along the hillside.
2. The cattle ___ the southern pasture.
3. Deer often ___ young plants in spring.

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Frequently asked questions

Is graze on the normal expression?

Yes. Graze on is the standard pattern when referring to grass, plants, or other food animals eat.

Can graze in be correct?

Yes. Graze in is correct when in introduces the field, meadow, or area where the animals are feeding.

Can graze be used without a preposition?

Yes. Graze can take a direct object, especially in farming contexts, such as graze cattle or graze sheep.

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