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I am writing a summary for a facebook campaign, and I want to say "each post reaches over 1000 viewers in average", does it sound right? Should I use "on average" or "in average"?

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  • This question appears to be off-topic because it needs to be asked on ELL. The OP's suggestion of the preposition in seems to be based on a non-native tendency.
    – Kris
    Oct 13, 2013 at 11:15

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If you do a Google ngram search you'll realize starting in the '60s more people had the tendency to use the preposition on before average although a search in Corpus Contemporary American English would suggest that the expression in average can still be seen in published books nowadays, but they are normally used with average as an adjective in sentences like "There is an increase in average sale."

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Therefore I would advice you to go for the expression "on average" instead.

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  • On average and on the average are identical and mean the same thing. They are adverbial idioms and may appear first, last, or in most adverb niches.
    – John Lawler
    Oct 12, 2013 at 20:31
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"on (or : on an) average" is sole in use.

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    What that opinion, or do you have a reference?
    – GEdgar
    Oct 12, 2013 at 20:29
  • @GEdgar Yes, Oxford, Collins, and Harrap's
    – ex-user2728
    Oct 12, 2013 at 20:48
  • Then please link to them or otherwise indicate a source. What does "is sole in use mean?
    – TrevorD
    Oct 12, 2013 at 23:23

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