1988 olds 88 shift on column

My 1988 olds 88 is having shifter issues. The shifter on the cumn will mive but it dont always go into gear. Getting more common. At times it will jump out gear any where when decellerating pressing break pedal. At times it wont go in gear to begin with. I have to keep sliding it thru the gears till it engages or turn it off and restart it. Is there a bad linkage? Is therea short on the column? Help. Idk what to do.

Basically, your column is attached to a cable....the cable is attached to the shift lever on the tranny.......with hood open, have someone shift through the gears while you watch the cable on the lever......check to see that the cable moves the lever, and that the cable is fastened correctly on the bracket to the tranny.....if the cable is attached correctly, and you "feel" the detents in the tranny as you move the shifter through P-R-N-D, and the transmission does not engage, then you have an internal transmission problem....

Have you checked the fluid level and condition of it?