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Prepositions after shatter

Shatter by, into, in, on, or like

Shatter commonly appears with into to show pieces or fragments. Other prepositions usually have different grammatical roles.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with shatter?

Use shatter into to describe breaking into pieces. By can introduce the cause of shattering. In and on are usually separate place expressions, not fixed patterns. Like is used in comparisons.

The vase shattered into pieces.
The window was shattered by the explosion.
Her voice shattered like glass.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
shatter into + pieces

Showing the result of breaking

Use into to show what something becomes after breaking.

The mirror shattered into tiny fragments.
The ice shattered into pieces under pressure.
2
shatter by + cause

Naming the cause

By can introduce what caused the damage, especially in passive sentences.

The doors were shattered by the blast.
Several windows were shattered by falling rocks.
3
shatter in + place

Referring to location

In is usually a location adjunct, not a fixed verb-preposition pattern.

A bottle shattered in the kitchen.
The glass shattered in his hand.
4
shatter like + noun

Making comparisons

Like compares the sound or effect of shattering to something else.

The silence shattered like thin ice.
The plate shattered like crystal.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
shatter into
The sculpture shattered into several parts.
break and become pieces
shatter by
The wall was shattered by artillery fire.
show the cause in a passive structure
shatter in
The glass shattered in the hallway.
state where the event happened
shatter on
The bottle shattered on the floor.
state the surface where impact happened
shatter like
The calm shattered like glass.
make a comparison

Common mistakes

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

Using into for a place

Into after shatter usually refers to pieces, not location.

✕ The cup shattered into the kitchen. ✓ The cup shattered in the kitchen.

Confusing cause and result

By gives the cause. Into gives the result.

✕ The vase shattered by pieces. ✓ The vase shattered into pieces.

Using like as a direct object

Like introduces a comparison.

✕ The glass shattered like pieces. ✓ The glass shattered into pieces.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The mirror shattered ___ hundreds of fragments.
2. The windows were shattered ___ the storm.
3. The plate shattered ___ the tile floor.

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Frequently asked questions

Is shatter into the most common pattern?

It is the standard pattern for describing broken pieces.

Can I say shatter on the floor?

Yes. On the floor describes the surface where something breaks.

Does shatter like mean the same as shatter into?

No. Like introduces a comparison, while into shows the result of breaking.

sack, by, sack, for, sack, from "sacrifice for" or "sacrifice to"? sail from, in, for, to or through? "salvage from" or "salvage in"? sanction by, for, in, with or according? satisfy with, by, in, about or after? "saturate with" or "saturate in"? save by, for, from, on or in? "say in", "say about" or "say to"? "scan for", "scan in" or "scan through"? "scar by" or "scar on"? scatter in, across, around, throughout or on?

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