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Prepositions with traffic

Of traffic or in traffic?

In traffic is common for vehicles and movement on roads. Of traffic usually appears after another noun in formal expressions.

Quick answer

How to use traffic with prepositions

Use in traffic for movement among vehicles on the road. Use of traffic after another noun, such as volume of traffic or flow of traffic.

We were stuck in traffic for an hour.
The city measured the flow of traffic downtown.
Cyclists must stay alert in traffic.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
in traffic

Moving among vehicles

In traffic describes a situation on busy roads.

Drivers became frustrated in traffic during the storm.
She feels nervous in traffic at night.
2
of traffic

After nouns about movement or quantity

Of traffic appears in formal phrases about transport and road use.

The city studied the volume of traffic near schools.
Police monitored the flow of traffic after the accident.
3
traffic on + road

Describing where vehicles are

On is commonly used with roads and streets.

There was heavy traffic on the motorway this morning.
Traffic on Main Street was delayed by construction.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
in traffic
We sat in traffic for forty minutes.
among moving or stopped vehicles
of traffic
The noise of traffic kept me awake.
used after another noun
traffic on
Traffic on the bridge was slow.
vehicles using a road or route
traffic through
The town reduced traffic through the centre.
movement passing across an area

Common mistakes

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

Using of traffic as a general location phrase

Of traffic is not used to mean among vehicles.

✕ We were of traffic all morning. ✓ We were in traffic all morning.

Forgetting the main noun before of traffic

Of traffic usually follows another noun.

✕ The city analysed of traffic. ✓ The city analysed traffic patterns.

Confusing in traffic with on the road

In traffic focuses on surrounding vehicles.

✕ There were many cars in the motorway. ✓ There was heavy traffic on the motorway.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We got stuck ___ traffic after work.
2. The report examined the flow ___ traffic downtown.
3. There was heavy traffic ___ the bridge.

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Frequently asked questions

Is in traffic correct?

Yes. It is the normal phrase for being among vehicles on the road.

When do we use of traffic?

Usually after another noun, such as flow of traffic or volume of traffic.

Can traffic be used without a preposition?

Yes. For example: Traffic was very heavy today.

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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