"Within" or "In"

What's up with all of y'all?

The high majority of people who wrote me an e-mail last week requested some topics and lessons on prepositions, so when my friend Hugo asked me to talk about the difference between "within" and "in", I got really excited about it because I could sort out both requests. 

Both of the prepositions highlighted above are very similar so I will focus on "WITHIN" for it is more uncommon.

Basically we can use "within" such as in the examples below:

I will finish the job in 5 days = it will take you 5 days to finish the job.
I will finish the job within 5 days = yes, by the 5th day, the job will be finished, but it may be finished sooner than that - the job will be finished within the time period of 5 days, so it could be 4 days or even 3.

"WITHIN" is used in these situations:

within = inside the range of an area or boundary
The main tourist areas are within the city walls. 
• inside the range of a specified action or perception 
within reach
• not further off than (used with distances) 
Bob lives within a few miles of his job.
• occurring inside a particular period of time 
"The new product sold out within two hours."
"One-third of the prisoners were rearrested within two years of their release."
• inside the bounds set by a concept, argument, etc.
"I want to concentrate on the physiological data relating to stem-cell research Discussion of the ethics of this is not within the scope of my expertise."

Definitions for the word "WITHIN"

1. In or into the inner part; inside.

2. Inside the mind, heart, or soul; inwardly.

Well, I hope it may have helped you solve any doubts you have had. 

Lil' Dawg

ESL Teacher

rphingles@yahoo.com.br