Engage in or with

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.
Could you please correct my sentence? Should I use ''in'' or ''with'' in it?

1. ''She moved to the countryside and became engaged with/in gardering.''

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

In.

Of course, you can also say: "She moved to the country and started gardening."

 

[Rachel Adams]

In.

Of course, you can also say: "She moved to the country and started gardening."

Is 'with' also possible?

 

[emsr2d2]

"engaged" really doesn't work there.

She became interested in gardening.
She became involved in/with gardening.
She took up gardening.
She started gardening.
She discovered gardening.

 

[Rachel Adams]

"engaged" really doesn't work there.

She became interested in gardening.
She became involved in/with gardening.
She took up gardening.
She started gardening.
She discovered gardening.

Oh, no! I used with and the countryside in my essay. ''She moved to the countryside and became engaged with/in gardering.''

 

[emsr2d2]

There's nothing wrong with "to the countryside" in BrE. "to the country" works too.

 

[Rachel Adams]

There's nothing wrong with "to the countryside" in BrE. "to the country" works too.

I could only find one mention of ''become engaged with''.

 

[emsr2d2]

It's a shame you didn't do that search before using it in your essay. ;-)

 

[Rachel Adams]

It's a shame you didn't do that search before using it in your essay. ;-)

You are right! I should be more careful with my choice of prepositions. But it's still a relief that this mention exists.

 

[emsr2d2]

The preposition wasn't really the problem. The problem was "engaged" connected to "gardening". They just don't collocate well.

 

[jutfrank]

You are right! I should be more careful with my choice of prepositions. But it's still a relief that this mention exists.

It shouldn't be a relief. You should not assume that the prepositions can be used interchangeably and that one is more natural than the other. That is not the case.

As I see it, your use of engaged with shows two inaccuracies. The first was using the word engaged (a relatively minor inaccuracy) and the second was using the preposition with (a very minor error).

Are you implying that your essay is to be assessed? By whom? Are you a student?

 

[GoesStation]

I could only find one mention of ''become engaged with''.

And it's used in a sense which was appropriate in 1832 but is now archaic. In the quote, it means "commenced a military engagement/battle with".

 

[Rachel Adams]

It shouldn't be a relief. You should not assume that the prepositions can be used interchangeably and that one is more natural than the other. That is not the case.

As I see it, your use of engaged with shows two inaccuracies. The first was using the word engaged (a relatively minor inaccuracy) and the second was using the preposition with (a very minor error).

Are you implying that your essay is to be assessed? By whom? Are you a student?

I am not a student. I use English File and Reading Challenge. Both books have many writing exercises. I find them very useful.