in the middle of

Meaning

This expression has two primary uses. It can describe being physically positioned in the center of an area or object. More commonly in daily conversation, it means being busy or deeply involved in an ongoing activity, suggesting that you should not be interrupted.

Examples

• I'm in the middle of cooking dinner right now, so can I call you back in ten minutes?

  I'm in the middle of cooking dinner right now, so can I call you back in ten minutes?

• The kids left all their toys right in the middle of the living room floor.

  The kids left all their toys right in the middle of the living room floor.

• Sorry to interrupt, but I know you're in the middle of a meeting.

  Sorry to interrupt, but I know you're in the middle of a meeting.

• He stopped in the middle of his sentence and stared out the window.

  He stopped in the middle of his sentence and stared out the window.

• We got stuck in the middle of a massive traffic jam on the highway.

  We got stuck in the middle of a massive traffic jam on the highway.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I am in middle of a movie.

  ✓ I am in the middle of a movie.

  'Middle' requires the definite article 'the' and the preposition 'of' in this phrasal structure.

• ✗ She is in the middle to write her essay.

  ✓ She is in the middle of writing her essay.

  When followed by an action, 'in the middle of' must be followed by a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Can we talk later? I'm ___ writing an important email.

  💡 Busy doing something right now.

  Show answer

  in the middle of

• There is a beautiful old fountain ___ the town square.

  💡 In the center of.

  Show answer

  in the middle of