The words
at,
in,
of,
on and
to are examples of prepositions.
A word such as a noun, pronoun or gerund following a preposition is said
to be the
object of the preposition. As pointed out previously, a
personal pronoun following a preposition must be in the objective case.
A phrase beginning with a preposition can be referred to as a
prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrases in the following
examples are underlined.
e.g. He owns the house
on the corner.
We are waiting
for her.
She has read many books
about flying.
In the first example, the noun
corner is the object of the preposition
on. In the second example, the personal pronoun
her is the object of
the preposition
for. It can be seen that the personal pronoun
her is
in the objective case. In the third example, the gerund
flying is the
object of the preposition
about.
A preposition serves to connect its object with the rest of a sentence.
In doing so, a preposition indicates the relationship of the idea
expressed in the prepositional phrase to the ideas expressed In the
rest of the sentence.
For instance in the sentence
He owns the house on the corner, the
preposition
on indicates that the words
the corner express the
location of the house referred to in the rest of the sentence. Similarly,
in the sentence
We are waiting for her, the preposition
for indicates
that the word
her expresses the reason for the action of waiting referred
to in the rest of the sentence.
Although there are fewer than one hundred English prepositions, although
prepositions do not take endings, and although the structure of most
prepositional phrases is simple, the use of English prepositions is
very complex. The reasons for this are that most prepositions have
more than one meaning, many prepositions can also be used as adverbs,
prepositions are used in hundreds of idioms, many adjectives, nouns,
and verbs must usually be followed by certain prepositions, and there
are hundreds of phrasal verbs formed from combinations of verbs with
adverbs and prepositions.
It should also be noted that the use of prepositions varies somewhat
among the different dialects of English. For instance, as illustrated
in the following example, there are some differences between British
and North American English in the use of prepositions.
e.g.
British Usage: There is a fence
about the garden.
American Usage: There is a fence
around the garden.
The discussion below emphasizes the North American usage of English
prepositions.
1. The meanings of prepositions
The table below gives the most usual meanings of English
prepositions. Each meaning is illustrated by an example.
About
1. On the subject of: This is a story
about elephants.
2. Approximately: He is
about ten years old.
Above
1. Higher than; over: The plane flew
above the clouds.
2. Earlier on a page: There is a heading
above each diagram.
Across
1. From one side to the other: We walked
across the field.
2. On the other side of: There is a store
across the street.
After
1. Later in time:
after ten o'clock;
after lunch
2. Later in a series: Q comes
after P in the alphabet.
3. In pursuit of: The dog ran
after the cat.
Against
1. In opposition to: Theft is
against the law.
2. Touching; supported by: I leaned my bicycle
against the wall.
Along
1. Following the length of: We walked
along the road.
Among
1. Within a group: The money was shared
among three people.
Note: In formal English,
among is usually used only when referring
to
more than two persons or things. In contrast,
between is used
when referring to
two persons or things.
Around
1. Circling something: We walked
around the block.
2. Surrounding: There is a fence
around the garden.
3. In different parts of: I looked
around the house for the keys.
4. In the other direction: We turned
around and went back home.
5. Approximately: He is
around six feet tall.
At
1. A specific location:
at 23 Chestnut Street;
at the park
2. A point in time:
at 5 o'clock;
at Christmas
3. A condition:
at peace;
at war;
at rest
4. An activity:
at work;
at school;
at play
5. Towards: Look
at someone; wave
at someone
Note: When referring to a specific location or to a point in time,
at is usually used. When referring to a certain street or a certain day,
on is usually used. When referring to a location as an area, or when
referring to a unit of time longer than a day,
in is usually used.
e.g.
at Christmas;
on Christmas day;
in the Christmas holidays
Before
1. Earlier in time:
before two o'clock;
before Christmas
2. Earlier in a series: S comes
before T in the alphabet.
Behind
1. At the back of: The little girl hid
behind her mother.
2. Late: I am
behind in my work.
3. Cause; origin: Who was
behind that idea?
Below
1. Lower than; under:
below freezing;
below sea level
2. Later on a page: Footnotes are provided
below the text.
Beneath
1. Lower than; below:
beneath the earth
Beside
1. Next to; at the side of: I sit
beside her in class.
Besides
1. Also; as well as: We study other languages
besides English.
Note the differing meanings of
beside and
besides.
Beside is
usually used with reference to a physical location.
Between
1. An intermediate location: Toronto lies
between Montreal and Vancouver.
2. An intermediate time:
between Christmas and New Year's Day
3. Intermediate in a series: B comes
between A and C in the alphabet.
4. An intermediate amount:
between five and ten people
5. Within a group of two: The money was shared
between two people.
Beyond
1. Farther than: The mountains lie
beyond the horizon.
2. Further than; exceeding: That was
beyond my expectations.
But
1. Except: I have read all
but the last chapter.
Note: But is used more often as a conjunction than as a preposition.
By
1. Near: a house
by the sea
2. Past: He waved as he drove
by the house.
3. Not later than: Try to finish the work
by next week.
4. In units of: cheaper
by the dozen; sold
by weight
5. Through the means of: travel
by plane; written
by him
Note: By is often used in combination with verbs in the Passive Voice.
Concerning
1. Connected with; about: He studies everything
concerning trees.
Despite
1. In spite of: We walked downtown
despite the rain.
Down
1. To a lower position: The ball rolled
down the hill.
2. Further along: He lives
down the street.
During
1. Throughout a period: She works
during the day.
2. Sometime within a period: An accident occurred
during the night.
Except
1. Not including: I have visited everyone
except him.
For
1. Duration of time: We walked
for two hours.
2. Distance: I walked
for five kilometers.
3. Purpose: I bought this jacket
for you.
4. In the direction of: She left
for New York.
5. In favor of: We are
for the proposal.
6. Considering: The boy is clever
for his age.
From
1. Place of origin: We left
from Boston; he comes
from Mexico
2. Start of a period of time:
from now on;
from yesterday until today
3. Start of a range:
From 20 to 30 people were present.
4. Cause: He suffers
from nervousness.
5. Source: I first heard the story
from you.
In
1. Place thought of as an area:
in London;
in Europe
2. Within a location:
in the room;
in the building
3. Large units of time: That happened
in March,
in 1992.
4. Within a certain time: I will return
in an hour.
5. By means of: write
in pencil; speak in English
6. Condition:
in doubt;
in a hurry;
in secret
7. A member of: He is
in the orchestra;
in the navy
8. Wearing: the boy
in the blue shirt
9. With reference to: lacking
in ideas; rich
in oil
Inside
1. Within: They are
inside the house.
Into
1. To the inside of: We stepped
into the room.
2. Change of condition: The boy changed
into a man.
Like
1. Resembling: That looks
like him.
2. Appearing possible: It looks
like rain.
3. Be in a suitable mood for: I feel
like going swimming.
Minus
1. Less: Three
minus two equals one.
Near
1. Close to:
near the school;
near the ocean
Of
1. Location: east
of here; the middle
of the road
2. Possession: a friend
of mine; the sound
of music
3. Part of a group: one
of us; a member
of the team
4. Measurement: a cup
of milk; two meters
of snow
Off
1. Not on; away from: Please keep
off the grass.
2. At some distance from: There are islands
off the coast.
On
1. Touching the surface of:
on the table;
on the wall
2. A certain day: That happened
on Sunday,
on the 6th of June.
3. A certain street:
on South Street
4. About: a book
on engineering
5. A state or condition:
on strike;
on fire;
on holiday
6. By means of: live
on a pension; shown
on television
Onto
1. To a position on: The child climbed
onto the table.
Opposite
1. Facing: The library is
opposite the fire station.
Out of
1. To the outside of: She went
out of the room.
2. From among: We won two games
out of three.
3. Motive: We spoke to them
out of politeness.
4. Material: The bridge is made
out of steel.
5. Beyond:
out of control;
out of danger
Outside
1. On the outer side of:
outside the house
2. Beyond the limits of:
outside my experience
Over
1. Above; higher than: There are cupboards
over the sink.
2. Covering: We spread an extra blanket
over the bed.
3. Across: I jumped
over a puddle.
4. More than: It cost
over ten dollars; it took
over an hour
5. During: I saw him several times
over the past week.
6. By means of: We made plans
over the telephone.
Past
1. Up to and beyond: I walked
past the house.
2. After (in time): It was
past 2 o'clock; half
past two
3. Beyond:
past belief
Per
1. For each: 60 kilometers
per hour; price
per liter
Plus
1. With the addition of: Six
plus four equals ten.
Since
1. From a specific time in the past: I had been waiting
since two o'clock.
2. From a past time until now: I have been waiting here
since noon.
Note: Because of its meaning, the preposition
since is usually
used in combination with a perfect tense. It should be noted that
the preposition
for can also be used with a perfect tense.
However, when used with reference to time,
for is usually followed
by a phrase referring to a
period of time; whereas
since is usually
followed by a phrase referring to a
specific time.
e.g. I have known him
for six months.
I have known him
since January.
In the first example,
for is followed by
six months, which refers
to a period of time. In the second example,
since is followed by
January, which refers to a specific time.
Through
1. Across; from end to end of: the main road
through town
2. For the whole of a period: I slept
through the night.
3. By means of: Skill improves
through practice.
Throughout
1. In every part of:
throughout the world
2. For the whole of a period:
throughout the winter
Till
Note: Till can be used instead of
until. However, at the beginning
of a sentence,
until is usually used.
To
1. In the direction of: Turn
to the right.
2. Destination: I am going
to Rome.
3. Until: from Monday
to Friday; five minutes
to ten
4. Compared with: They prefer hockey
to soccer.
5. With indirect object: Please give it
to me.
6. As part of infinitive: I like
to ski; he wants
to help.
7. In order to: We went to the store
to buy soap.
Toward (or
Towards)
1. In the direction of: We walked
toward the center of town.
2. Near; just before (time): It rained
towards evening.
Under
1. Beneath:
under the desk;
under the trees
2. Less than:
Under 100 people were present.
3. In circumstances of:
under repair;
under way;
under discussion
Underneath
1. Below, under:
underneath the carpet
Until
1. Up to a certain time: She will stay
until Friday;
until 5 p.m.
Upon
Note: On and
upon have similar meanings.
Upon may be used
in certain expressions, as in
once upon a time, and following
certain verbs, as in to
rely upon someone.
Up
1. To a higher place: We went
up the stairs.
2. In a higher place: She lives
up the hill.
Up to
1. As far as:
up to now; I have read
up to page 100.
2. Depending on: The decision is
up to you.
3. As good as; ready for: His work is
up to standard.
Versus
1. Against (sports, legal): The next game is England
versus Australia.
Via
1. By way of: He went to Los Angeles
via San Francisco.
With
1. Accompanying: He came
with her; I have my keys
with me.
2. Having; containing: Here is a book
with a map of the island.
3. By means of; using: I repaired the shoes
with glue.
4. Manner:
with pleasure;
with ease;
with difficulty
5. Because of: We were paralyzed
with fear.
Within
1. Inside of:
within twenty minutes;
within one kilometer
Without
1. Not having: Do not leave
without your coat;
without money
See
Exercises 1 and
2.
2. Prepositions used in idioms
Below are examples of idioms consisting of prepositional phrases.
The following selection of idioms emphasizes those used in North
American English. The meaning of each idiom is indicated after the colon.
At
not
at all
: not in any way
at all times
: always
at any rate
: whatever happens
keep someone
at arm's length
: avoid becoming closely involved with someone
at close quarters
: very near
at one's disposal
: to be used as one wishes
at a distance
: not near
at fault
: causing something wrong
at first
: at the beginning
see
at a glance
: see immediately
at hand
: near; readily available
at last
: finally, after some delay
at a loss
: uncertain what to do or say
at the mercy of
: without defense against
at the moment
: now
at once
: immediately
at present
: now
at rest
: not moving
at risk
: threatened by danger or loss
at short notice
: with little warning
at stake
: to be won or lost
at a stretch
: continuously
at that rate
: under those circumstances
at this point
: at this place; at this moment
at the wheel
: in control
Behind
behind the scenes
: (of persons) influencing events secretly; (in a theater) behind the stage
behind schedule
: not on time
Beside
be
beside oneself
: lose one's self-control
beside the point
: irrelevant
Between
read
between the lines
: deduce a meaning that is not actually expressed
Beyond
beyond help
: unable to be helped
beyond a joke
: too annoying to be amusing
beyond reproach
: perfect; blameless
By
by accident
: not deliberately
by all means
: by any possible method
bit
by bit
: gradually
by chance
: by accident; without planning
by courtesy of
: with the help or permission of
win
by default
: win because of lack of competition
by degrees
: gradually
perform
by ear
: perform (music) by listening to the sound, without referring to written music
by hand
: without the use of machinery
by heart
: from memory
little
by little
: gradually
by means of
: by using
by mistake
: accidentally
by no means
: not at all
one
by one
: one at a time
by oneself
: alone
side
by side
: beside one another
by the way
: incidentally (used to introduce an unrelated topic of conversation)
by word of mouth
: orally
For
once and
for all
: for the last time (e.g. used when giving someone a final warning)
for certain
: definitely; without doubt
for a change
: for the sake of variety
for example
: as an illustration
for fun
: for the sake of enjoyment
for good
: permanently
for good measure
: in addition to the necessary amount
for instance
: for example; as an illustration
for keeps
: (colloquial) permanently
for a living
: as a profession
for now
: temporarily
run
for office
: compete for an elected position
for one thing
: because of one reason (out of several)
for the sake of
: for the benefit of; for the purpose of
for sale
: intended to be sold
for sure
: definitely (more colloquial than
for certain)
food
for thought
: something which makes one think
play
for time
: delay doing something in the hope that the situation will improve
for the time being
: until some other arrangement is made
ask
for trouble
: act in a dangerous or foolish way
for a while
: for a period of time
word
for word
: exactly as said or written
From
from afar
: from a distance
from all sides
: from all directions
from head to foot
: (of a person) completely; all over
from scratch
: from the beginning
from time to time
: occasionally
In
in addition to
: as well as
in advance
: before
be
in agreement with
: have the same opinion as
in any case
: whatever happens
in brief
: in a few words
in bulk
: (of goods) in large amounts; not in packages
be
in charge of
: have responsibility for
in common
: shared by all members of a group
in control
: having the power to direct something
in the course of
: during
in danger
: likely to be harmed
in a daze
: unable to think clearly; confused
in debt
: owing money
in demand
: (of goods or persons) desired by many people
in depth
: (investigate something) thoroughly
in detail
: (explain something) thoroughly
in disgrace
: regarded with disapproval because of having done something wrong
in the distance
: far away
in doubt
: uncertain
in duplicate
: so that there are two identical copies (of a document)
in earnest
: seriously; in a determined way
in effect
: (of rules) operating
in the end
: finally
in fact
: in reality; really
in fashion
: fashionable; accepted as being the most desirable and up to date
in favor of
: supporting (an idea)
in flames
: burning, with visible flames
in a flash
: very quickly; suddenly
in full
: without omitting anything
in general
: usually; as a whole
hand
in hand
: (of persons) holding hands; (of related situations) occurring together
in a hurry
: trying to accomplish something quickly
in jest
: as a joke
in kind
: (payment) in goods rather than in money
in itself
: without reference to anything else
in league with
: (of persons) joined together with (usually for a dishonest purpose)
be
in the limelight
: be the focus of attention; receive great publicity
in the long run
: in the end; eventually
in the long term
: looking ahead to the distant future
leave someone
in the lurch
: abandon someone who is in a difficult situation
be
in the minority
: be in the smaller of two groups
in mint condition
: (of manufactured goods) perfect; brand-new
in a minute
: soon
in a moment
: soon; quickly
set something
in motion
: start something going
nip something
in the bud
: put an end to something before it gets properly started
in no time
: very soon; very quickly
in order of
: arranged according to
in order to
: for the purpose of
in part
: to some degree
in particular
: especially
in power
: (of a political party) holding office
in practice
: able to do something well because of recent practice; in reality (opposite of
in theory)
in print
: (of a book) printed and available from the publisher
in private
: not in front of other people
in public
: openly; not in private
in reality
: really
in reserve
: saved for later use
in retrospect
: looking back over past events
in return for
: as repayment for
be
in the right
: be correct
in season
: (of fruit or vegetables) readily available at that time of year
in a second
: soon; quickly
in short supply
: scarce; not easily obtainable
in sight
: able to be seen
in stock
: (of goods at a store) present and available
in that case
: if that is true
in theory
: ideally; according to theoretical considerations
be
in time
: not be late
in touch with in
: communication with; informed about
in triplicate
: so that there are three identical copies (of a document)
be
in trouble
: be in a difficult situation; be blamed or punished for doing something wrong
in tune
: at the correct pitch
act
in unison
: act together
in vain
: without success
in the vicinity of
: near
once
in a while
: occasionally
in words of one syllable
: (explain something) clearly and simply
in working order
: able to function properly
in the wrong
: responsible for an error; guilty
Inside
inside out
: with the inner side out; thoroughly
Into
paint oneself
into a corner
: take a course of action which greatly narrows one's future choices of action
go
into hiding
: hide oneself
get
into a rut
: get into a fixed and uninteresting way of life
get
into trouble
: get into a difficult situation; do something deserving blame or punishment
Of
of course
: certainly; as one would expect; as everyone knows
hard
of hearing
: somewhat deaf
next
of kin
: nearest relative or relatives
of one's own accord
: voluntarily; on one's own initiative
of one's own free will
: voluntarily; by choice
one's point
of view
: one's opinion about something
right
of way
: public right to use a path or road; (of road traffic) right to proceed before others
rule
of thumb
: a simple way to calculate what procedure to follow, based on extensive experience, rather than on theoretical considerations
Off
go
off the air
: (of radio or television) stop broadcasting
off duty
: not engaged in one's regular work
off one's hands
: no longer one's responsibility
off and on
: from time to time
off the record
: say something privately, that is not to be officially recorded
off the track
: following a wrong line of thought or action
On
on account of
: because of
be
on the air
: (of radio or television) be in the process of broadcasting
on the alert
: ready to act
be
on all fours
: (of a person) be on hands and knees
on the average
: usually; normally
on behalf of
: for; in the interests of
on board
: on a ship or airplane
on business
: as part of one's work
on condition that
: only if; provided that
on demand
: when asked for
on display
: being exhibited
on duty
: engaged in one's regular work
on fire
: burning
to go
on foot
: to walk
be
on one's guard
: be alert and ready to meet an attack
on hand
: available
on loan
: lent and not yet returned
shoot
on location
: (of a movie) film in natural surroundings, not in a studio
on the lookout
: watchful
put something
on the map
: cause something to become well-known
get
on one's nerves
: annoy; irritate
on no account
: absolutely not
on the one hand
: (used to introduce one side of an argument)
on one's own
: alone; without help
act
on one's own initiative
: act independently, without orders from anyone else
on order
: requested but not yet delivered
on the other hand
: (used to introduce a contrasting side of an argument)
act
on principle
: do something to support a policy
on purpose
: deliberately
go
on record
: say something which is to be officially recorded
on sale
: being sold at a lower price than usual
on schedule
: at the correct time; as planned or predicted
on second thoughts
: after thinking further about something
on a shoestring
: with a very small amount of money
be
on the spot
: be where important events are taking place; be placed in an awkward situation
on the spur of the moment
: on a sudden impulse
go off
on a tangent
: change suddenly to a new line of thought or action
on time
: at the correct time
walk
on tiptoe
: walk on the toes and balls of the feet
accept something
on trust
: accept something without proof
on the verge of
: very close to; about to
on the whole
: taking everything into consideration
Out of
out of the blue
: unexpectedly
out of breath
: (after running) panting from a shortage of oxygen
out of character
: unlike a person's known character
out of control
: not able to be regulated or guided
out of danger
: safe
out of date
: no longer used; old-fashioned; (of news) no longer true
out of debt
: having paid one's debts
be
out of one's depth
: be unable to handle a situation because of lack of experience
out of doors
: in the open air; not in a building
out of fashion
: not fashionable; not presently in common use
out of hand
: not under control
out of harm's way
: safe
out of line with
: in disagreement with
be
out of one's mind
: be insane
out of order
: not functioning properly; (at a formal meeting) not behaving according to the rules
out of the ordinary
: unusual
out of place
: unsuitable
out of practice
: unable to do something as well as one has in past, because of lack of recent practice
out of print
: (of a book) no longer available from the publisher
out of proportion
: too big or too small; not having the appropriate relationship to something
out of the question
: impossible; not to be considered
out of season
: (of fruit or vegetables) not readily available at that time of year
out of shape
: (of persons) not in top condition because of lack of exercise
out of sight
: hidden, not able to be seen
out of stock
: (of goods at a store) temporarily unavailable
out of style
: not fashionable
out of touch
: with not in communication with; not informed about
out of town
: having temporarily left town
out of trouble
: not in trouble
out of tune
: not at the correct pitch
out of work
: no longer having employment
To
to all intents and purposes
: in all important ways
to a certain extent
: partly
to date
: so far; until now
up
to date
: current; modern
see eye
to eye with
: agree entirely with
take something
to heart
: be much affected by something
made
to measure
: exactly suitable; (of clothes) made for a certain person
keep something
to oneself
: not tell anyone
to the point
: relevant
Under
under age
: below the age of being legally permitted to do something
be
under arrest
: be held prisoner and charged with wrongdoing
under the auspices of
: with the patronage of; supported by
under one's breath
: in a whisper
under the circumstances
: because this is true
under consideration
: being thought about
under control
: able to be regulated or guided
under cover of
: protected by; undetected because of
under fire
: being shot at; being criticized
under the impression that
: having the idea that
be
under the influence of
: be affected by
be
under oath
: have sworn to tell the truth
under observation
: being watched carefully
under restraint
: prevented from doing something
Up
have something
up one's sleeve
: have a secret idea or plan in reserve
With
with impunity
: without risk of injury or punishment
with the naked eye
: without using a magnifying lens
with no strings attached
: (of help given) with no conditions; to be used freely
take
with a pinch of salt
: not believe completely
with regard to
: concerning; about
with respect to
: concerning; about
tarred
with the same brush
: having the same faults
with a vengeance
: very much; more than usual
Within
within limits
: to a certain extent; not too much
within living memory
: within the memory of people now alive
Without
go
without saying
: be obvious
See
Exercises 3 and
4.
3. Nouns followed by prepositions
The following are examples of nouns which are usually followed by
certain prepositions. In the case of phrases which are idioms, the
meanings of the phrases are indicated in brackets.
| Against | |
| take precautions against | |
| | |
| For | |
| have affection for | make allowances for |
| have compassion for | an excuse for |
| a reason for | have a reputation for |
| have respect for | have sympathy for |
| have a talent for | lie in wait for (ambush) |
| pave the way for (prepare for) | |
| | |
| From | |
| absence from | |
| | |
| In | |
| have confidence in | have faith in |
| have an interest in | take part in |
| make progress in | |
| | |
| Into | |
| have insight into | |
| | |
| Of | |
| have an abhorrence of | an acknowledgement of |
| take advantage of | take care of |
| take command of | evidence of |
| an example of | an excess of |
| make a fool of | make fun of (ridicule) |
| have an impression of | a lack of |
| neglect of | a number of |
| a pair of | be part of |
| a possibility of | make a practice of (do often) |
| a proof of | a quantity of |
| recognition of | a recollection of |
| a result of | run the risk of (risk) |
| catch sight of (see suddenly) | a sign of |
| a survey of | a symbol of |
| a symptom of | a token of |
| make use of | a way of |
| wash one's hands of (stop caring | |
| about and dealing with) | |
| | |
| On | |
| an attack on | dependence on |
| make an impression on | play a joke on |
| shed light on (explain) | have pity on |
| | |
| To | |
| have access to | pay attention to |
| an objection to | a reply to |
| a response to | lay siege to (besiege) |
| shut one's eyes to (deliberately | |
| ignore a problem) | |
| | |
| Toward or Towards | |
| animosity toward(s) | an attitude toward(s) |
| | |
| With | |
| have a connection with | find fault with (criticize) |
| fall in love with | change places with |
See
Exercise 5.
4. Adjectives and verbs in the passive voice followed by prepositions
In some cases different prepositions can be
used without causing a change in meaning. For instance, the following
examples both have the same meaning.
e.g. I was angry
at them.
I was angry
with them.
However, in many cases, the use of different prepositions causes a
change in meaning. For instance, the past participle
protected is
typically followed by the preposition
from. However, like many other
past participles,
protected may also be followed by the preposition
by, where
by serves to introduce the performer of the action
expressed by the past participle.
e.g. The city is protected
from the soldiers.
The city is protected
by the soldiers.
The first example indicates that the soldiers are a
threat to
the city; whereas the second example indicates that the soldiers are
protecting the city.
The following are examples of predicate adjectives and past participles
of verbs in the Passive Voice which are usually followed by certain
prepositions. In addition, it should be kept in mind that most verbs in the Passive Voice can be followed by a phrase
beginning with the preposition
by.
| About | |
| anxious about | concerned about |
| curious about | depressed about |
| doubtful about | enthusiastic about |
| excited about | happy about |
| pleased about | wrong about |
| worried about | |
| | |
| At | |
| adept at | alarmed at |
| amazed at | overjoyed at |
| shocked at | surprised at |
| | |
| Between | |
| torn between | |
| | |
| By | |
| accompanied by | caused by |
| guided by | manufactured by |
| obsessed by | written by |
| | |
| For | |
| blamed for | eligible for |
| famous for | fit for |
| known for | late for |
| noted for | praised for |
| punished for | qualified for |
| ready for | responsible for |
| ripe for | sorry for |
| suitable for | |
| | |
| From | |
| absent from | apart from |
| derived from | descended from |
| detached from | different from |
| distinct from | exempt from |
| far from | isolated from |
| omitted from | protected from |
| removed from | safe from |
| separated from | |
| | |
| In | |
| absorbed in | disappointed in |
| engaged in | immersed in |
| interested in | involved in |
| | |
| Of | |
| accused of | afraid of |
| ashamed of | aware of |
| capable of | certain of |
| composed of | conscious of |
| convinced of | deprived of |
| devoid of | fond of |
| ignorant of | independent of |
| jealous of | proud of |
| regardless of | reminded of |
| sure of | suspicious of |
| suspected of | terrified of |
| tired of | worthy of |
| | |
| On | |
| based on | dependent on |
| intent on |
| | |
| To | |
| acceptable to | accessible to |
| accustomed to | adapted to |
| addicted to | adjacent to |
| attached to | attributable to |
| close to | committed to |
| comparable to | dedicated to |
| detrimental to | devoted to |
| due to | equal to |
| equivalent to | essential to |
| exposed to | faithful to |
| favorable to | foreign to |
| impervious to | indifferent to |
| indispensable to | inferior to |
| kind to | loyal to |
| next to | obedient to |
| obliged to | oblivious to |
| opposed to | parallel to |
| partial to | peculiar to |
| preferable to | prior to |
| proportional to | reconciled to |
| reduced to | related to |
| relative to | relevant to |
| resigned to | resistant to |
| restricted to | senior to |
| sensitive to | similar to |
| subject to | subordinate to |
| suited to | superior to |
| susceptible to | tied to |
| | |
| Toward or Towards | |
| protective toward(s) | |
| | |
| With | |
| acquainted with | affiliated with |
| associated with | besieged with |
| compared with | compatible with |
| confronted with | consistent with |
| covered with | cursed with |
| exasperated with | familiar with |
| finished with | identified with |
| infatuated with | patient with |
| pleased with | satisfied with |
| synonymous with | threatened with |
See
Exercise 6.
5. Verbs followed by prepositions
The following are examples of verbs which are often followed by certain
prepositions.
| About | |
| care about | complain about |
| forget about | lie about (tell a lie) |
| reminisce about | talk about |
| think about | wonder about |
| worry about | |
| | |
| Against | |
| discriminate against | protest against |
| react against | rebel against |
| turn against | |
| | |
| At | |
| aim at | bark at |
| connive at | frown at |
| gaze at | glare at |
| growl at | hint at |
| look at | point at |
| shoot at | smile at |
| snap at | sneer at |
| stare at | wave at |
| wink at | |
| | |
| For | |
| apply for | apologize for |
| beg for | blame for |
| budget for | hope for |
| long for | look for |
| mourn for | pay for |
| plead for | pose for |
| pray for | prepare for |
| press for | register for |
| search for | shop for |
| substitute for | vouch for |
| wait for | wish for |
| | |
| From | |
| abstain from | benefit from |
| deduct from | derive from |
| desist from | deter from |
| detract from | deviate from |
| differ from | divert from |
| escape from | extricate from |
| flee from | infer from |
| profit from | protect from |
| quote from | radiate from |
| recoil from | recover from |
| refrain from | shrink from |
| stem from | suffer from |
| | |
| In | |
| believe in | engage in |
| indulge in | intervene in |
| invest in | participate in |
| persist in | succeed in |
| | |
| Into | |
| change into | convert into |
| delve into | dip into |
| develop into | divide into |
| fall into | merge into |
| plunge into | pry into |
| sink into | transform into |
| | |
| Of | |
| approve of | beware of |
| conceive of | consist of |
| deprive of | die of |
| disapprove of | smell of |
| | |
| On | |
| blame on | concentrate on |
| depend on | impinge on |
| impose on | insist on |
| intrude on | pounce on |
| reflect on | rely on |
| report on | spy on |
| subsist on | thrive on |
| | |
| Over | |
| preside over | trip over |
| | |
| To | |
| adapt to | adhere to |
| adjust to | amount to |
| belong to | conform to |
| contribute to | correspond to |
| listen to | object to |
| pertain to | prefer to |
| refer to | relate to |
| respond to | resort to |
| revert to | submit to |
| subscribe to | succumb to |
| surrender to | yield to |
| | |
| With | |
| agree with | associate with |
| collaborate with | combine with |
| communicate with | comply with |
| concur with | consort with |
| contend with | cooperate with |
| cope with | correspond with |
| flirt with | mingle with |
| share with | sympathize with |
| | |
See
Exercise 7.
