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Prepositions after verbs

Recount in or recount of?

Recount is usually a transitive verb without a following preposition. Recount of is generally nonstandard after the verb.

Quick answer

Correct use of recount

Use recount directly with an object: recount a story, recount events. Recount in can appear when in introduces a separate detail such as a language or style. Recount of is usually incorrect after the verb, although account of is correct as a noun phrase.

She recounted the accident clearly.
The witness recounted the events in detail.
He recounted the story in Spanish.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
recount + event/story

Describing past events

Recount normally takes a direct object without a preposition.

The author recounted his experiences in the memoir.
She recounted the conversation to the police.
2
recount in + manner/language

Adding detail about how something is told

In introduces manner, style, or language, not the object of recount.

He recounted the journey in vivid detail.
The speech was recounted in English for the audience.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
recount
She recounted the incident calmly.
tell or describe past events
recount in
He recounted the events in chronological order.
in adds manner or format information
recount of
They recounted of the battle.
generally nonstandard after the verb recount
account of
She gave an account of the meeting.
correct noun pattern with of
recount to
He recounted the story to his children.
to introduces the listener

Common mistakes

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

Adding of after recount

Recount already takes a direct object.

✕ She recounted of her childhood. ✓ She recounted her childhood experiences.

Using in as the main object marker

In usually adds extra information, not the thing being recounted.

✕ He recounted in the accident. ✓ He recounted the accident.

Confusing recount with account

Account often combines with of, but recount usually does not.

✕ They recounted of the trip in detail. ✓ They gave an account of the trip in detail.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The witness recounted ___ events of that night.
2. She recounted the story ___ detail.
3. Which phrase is standard?

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Frequently asked questions

Is recount of ever correct?

It is generally not standard after the verb recount. Use recount something or use the noun phrase account of.

Can recount be followed by to?

Yes. To can introduce the listener, as in recount the story to friends.

What is the difference between recount and describe?

Recount focuses on telling events in sequence, while describe focuses more on details and characteristics.

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