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Prepositions with nouns

Of plastic or in plastic?

Use of plastic to describe material. Use in plastic when something is wrapped, packaged, or enclosed in plastic.

Quick answer

Main difference

Of plastic describes material or composition. In plastic usually means enclosed, wrapped, or packaged in plastic. The two expressions are not interchangeable.

The toy is made of plastic.
The sandwiches came in plastic containers.
Many cheap decorations are of plastic.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
made of plastic

Describing material

Use made of plastic when plastic is the material something consists of.

The chair is made of plastic.
They sell cups made of plastic.
2
in plastic

Describing packaging or covering

Use in plastic when something is enclosed or wrapped in plastic.

The documents arrived in plastic sleeves.
The flowers were sealed in plastic.
3
plastic + noun

Using plastic as an adjective

Plastic often directly modifies another noun without a preposition.

plastic bag
plastic bottle

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
of plastic
The model is made of plastic.
describes the material
in plastic
The magazine was wrapped in plastic.
describes covering or packaging
plastic noun
She bought a plastic container.
uses plastic as an adjective

Common mistakes

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

Using in plastic for material

In plastic does not normally mean the material itself.

✕ The chair is in plastic. ✓ The chair is made of plastic.

Forgetting made of

Of plastic usually follows made or another noun describing composition.

✕ The toy is of plastic. ✓ The toy is made of plastic.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The cups are made ___ plastic.
2. The newspapers arrived ___ plastic wrapping.
3. She bought a ___ bottle.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say of plastic without made?

Usually made of plastic is more natural when describing material.

Does in plastic mean the same as plastic?

No. In plastic means enclosed or wrapped in plastic.

Is plastic often used as an adjective?

Yes. English commonly uses plastic before another noun, such as plastic bag or plastic chair.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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