Ask & Learn闻问切英语口语:Inspection of/ on/ in/ at

读者 Leo 来电邮问：下面两句，应采用哪一个 preposition？

1. Inspections of/on/in/at food establishments were conducted yesterday.

2. An inspection is conducted of/on/in/at a food establishment.

最普遍的用法是 of，但改用 on、in或 at 也未尝不可，只不过意思略有不同。

Inspections of the food establishments 和 an inspection is conducted of a food establishment 都是指检查饮食场所，一般会看看处理食品的过程是否卫生清洁。如果使用on、in或at 等前置词，重点就落在被检查的地点上，而没有说明检查的目的。例如食物及卫生局检查的是食物卫生，但入境处也可以检查一所餐厅是否有雇用非法劳工，而警察也可以怀疑餐厅内有别的非法活动，特别来检查一下。

如果说 "An inspection is conducted at/ in a food establishment"，我们只知道检查是在餐厅进行，但餐厅本身不一定是调查对象，这跟 "Inspections of food establishments were conducted yesterday" 和 "the inspection is conducted of a food establishment" 检查餐厅的饮食状况的意思不太一样。

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