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Preposition after verb

Sow with different prepositions

Sow is most commonly used with in, on, and into when talking about planting or causing ideas and feelings.

Quick answer

Common prepositions after sow

Use sow in or sow on for planting seeds in soil or on a surface. Use sow into for putting seeds into the ground or for causing ideas or feelings to develop in someone. By and for are usually not direct partners of sow.

Farmers sow in early spring.
They sowed the seeds into moist soil.
The speech sowed doubt in the audience.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
sow + seeds + in + place

Planting seeds in an area

Use in for fields, soil, or containers where seeds are planted.

They sowed seeds in the garden.
We sowed wheat in large fields.
2
sow + seeds + on + surface

Scattering seeds over a surface

On is used when seeds are spread over the top of the ground or another surface.

The volunteers sowed grass seed on the slope.
She sowed wildflowers on the hillside.
3
sow + object + into + place

Putting something into the ground

Into emphasises movement from outside to inside a place.

They sowed the grains into damp earth.
Workers sowed rice into flooded fields.
4
sow + feeling + in + person

Causing an idea or feeling

Sow is often used figuratively with emotions, ideas, or conflict.

The rumours sowed fear in the town.
The campaign sowed confidence in voters.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
sow in
Farmers sow in spring.
plant during a period or plant in a place
sow into
They sowed the seeds into the soil.
put seeds into something
sow on
She sowed grass seed on the lawn.
spread seeds over a surface
sow by
The field was sown by hand.
by can introduce the method or agent, not a fixed verb-preposition pattern
sow for
They sowed wheat for animal feed.
for expresses purpose, not a standard combination with sow

Common mistakes

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

Using by as the main preposition after sow

By usually introduces the agent or method, not the thing planted or location.

✕ They sowed by the field. ✓ They sowed seeds in the field.

Confusing in and into

In describes location, while into emphasises movement.

✕ They sowed the seeds in the soil carefully. ✓ They sowed the seeds into the soil carefully.

Using on for enclosed places

On is for surfaces, not containers or enclosed areas.

✕ She sowed herbs on a pot. ✓ She sowed herbs in a pot.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The farmer sowed the seeds ___ the soil.
2. They sowed grass seed ___ the football field.
3. The speech sowed doubt ___ many listeners.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say sow by hand?

Yes. Here by hand describes the method, not a fixed preposition after sow.

Is sow into common in figurative meaning?

It appears in figurative contexts, but sow in is more common for emotions and ideas.

What is the difference between sow in and sow on?

In refers to planting within soil or an area, while on focuses on spreading seeds across a surface.

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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