Particle guide
Phrasal verbs with in
The particle in starts from one core idea — inward motion. Sink In groups its verbs by the recurring ways that idea plays out, so verbs that look unrelated line up into patterns.
121 phrasal verbs · 13 meaning groups
Take the in quizInside
A person or thing enters or remains within a space, limit, activity, or feeling.
Usual verb + particle uses
The verb keeps its normal meaning. The particle adds its usual direction or relation.
box in
Surround tightly with little room
“A van had boxed my car in at the kerb.”
“Two cars boxed his van in.”
chain in
Hold someone or something in place using chains
“The dog was chained in the yard.”
“The gate was chained in place.”
close in
Surround so escape becomes harder
“The fog was closing in around us.”
“The police were closing in on the house.”
crowd in
Move into a small space in large numbers
“People crowded in beside Maya and Leo when the club opened.”
“People crowded in around the stall.”
fall in
Collapse inward
“The roof fell in.”
“The old ceiling fell in.”
fence in
Enclose with a barrier
“They fenced in the back garden.”
“The farmer fenced in the field.”
hem in
Surround so movement is limited
“I felt hemmed in by the rules.”
“Tall buildings hemmed in the square.”
hold in
Keep contained, refusing to release
“He could no longer hold in his anger.”
“She held in her tears during the speech.”
keep in
Force someone to stay indoors as punishment
“The teacher kept him in at break.”
“Dad kept us in for breaking the window.”
knock in
Hit something so it goes into a surface
“Knock the nails in firmly.”
“Knock the peg in with a hammer.”
pen in
Confine in a small area
“The sheep were penned in for shearing.”
“The chickens were penned in at night.”
reel in
Pull a fish or line in by winding a reel
“He reeled in a big trout.”
“She reeled in the fishing line.”
shut in
Enclose by closing a door
“The cat got shut in the cupboard.”
“The keys were shut in the car.”
stick in
Push something firmly into a place
“Stick the key in the lock.”
“Stick the thermometer in the soil.”
trap in
Confine so escape is impossible
“The miners were trapped in by the rockfall.”
“The hikers were trapped in the hut by the snow.”
wall in
Enclose with a wall
“The old garden was walled in on three sides.”
“The small yard was walled in on all sides.”
Inclusion
A person, idea, effort, or item becomes part of a group, activity, or plan.
Beginning
In marks the start of an action or change. It can also mean slowly using something new until it feels comfortable.
Submission
An item, answer, or decision is given to a person, office, business, or system.
Yielding
A person stops resisting pressure, defeat, or a strong feeling.
Deception
A false story enters someone's mind and makes them believe it.
Arrival
A person, vehicle, message, or result reaches a place or becomes present there.
Absorption
Something moves inward or becomes hidden. Air enters the body, and ideas or experiences enter the mind.
Installation
A part or device is fitted or connected into place. It joins the setup and is ready to work.
Commitment
A price, date or plan is made firm. Once it is set, it stays fixed and cannot change.
Focus
Attention or movement narrows towards one exact target and stays fixed there.
At Home
A person remains in a place or activity instead of leaving it. This can mean home, work, sleep, or a difficult effort.
Sink In — iOS & Android
Practice the in patterns in Sink In
The app turns each meaning group into short review cards: recognition, particle cloze, meaning-to-particle recall, and schema matching.
- Learn the pattern behind dozens of verbs at once — not one-off translations.
- Spaced repetition (SM-2) brings each meaning back right before you forget.
- Four practice modes train recall and discrimination, not just recognition.
