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Prepositions after verbs

Mention in, by, on, to, or about?

Different prepositions with mention express different relationships. Mention in refers to a source, mention to introduces a listener, and mention about is usually nonstandard.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with mention?

Use mention in for a document, speech, or source. Use mention to before the person who hears the information. Mention of is also common for referring to something briefly. Mention about is usually considered incorrect in standard English.

She mentioned the problem to her manager.
The topic was mentioned in the report yesterday.
There was no mention of delays in the email.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
mention + topic + to + person

Saying who heard the information

Mention to introduces the listener or recipient.

I mentioned the change to Alex this morning.
She never mentioned it to her parents.
2
mention in + source

Referring to a text or speech

Mention in identifies where something appears.

The issue was mentioned in the article.
His name was mentioned in the announcement.
3
mention of + noun

Referring to a brief reference

Mention of is common after nouns and passive structures.

There was no mention of the budget during the meeting.
4
mention on + platform/topic

Referring to media or communication channels

Mention on is used for platforms, programmes, or surfaces.

Her work was mentioned on the podcast last week.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
mention in
The error was mentioned in the memo.
shows where something was referred to
mention to
He mentioned the idea to me.
shows the listener
mention on
They mentioned the campaign on television.
shows a platform or channel
mention by
The book mentions the artist by name.
by is part of the phrase by name, by title, and similar expressions
mention about
They mentioned the issue.
about is usually unnecessary or nonstandard after mention

Common mistakes

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

Using mention about in standard English

Mention already includes the idea of referring to a topic.

✕ She mentioned about the delay. ✓ She mentioned the delay.

Confusing mention in and mention to

In refers to the source, while to refers to the listener.

✕ He mentioned the news in me. ✓ He mentioned the news to me.

Adding unnecessary prepositions

Mention can take a direct object without a preposition.

✕ They mentioned about the plan in class. ✓ They mentioned the plan in class.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The policy was mentioned ___ the handbook.
2. Did you mention the schedule ___ Carla?
3. There was no mention ___ extra fees.

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Frequently asked questions

Is mention about correct?

In standard English, mention about is usually avoided. Use mention something instead.

When do we use mention in?

Use mention in when referring to a document, article, speech, or other source.

Can mention be followed directly by a noun?

Yes. For example: She mentioned the problem during dinner.

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