h) Prepositions at a glance!
(My comment: Many people, even native speakers,
often may not use the proper preposition that fits better. You can
easily distinguish a native speaker from the proper use of prepositions and
prepositional verbs!)
On:
My comment: Many use ‘on’ when it is not needed.
‘On’ means something placed on a surface, e.g., ''My dish is on
the table'' or ''Α picture on the wall.''
Main TIPS: on + days (e.g., on Monday); dates (e.g.,
on the 1st of January), days & part of the day (e.g.,
on Sunday afternoon); on Xmas day/ Eve; on New Year's Day; on this
occasion; based on; on holiday; go on foot; on the corner; on the 2nd floor;
spend/waste money on something; on the internet/ the web/ my social media/ TV;
on this site.
Used for: days (e.g., on Monday); date (e.g., on the 1st of January; on October 15th;; on Tuesday, March 5th ; on July 11th; on August 9; on the 4th of June; on September 3rd;; on August the 26th) (note: but for months without a date we use ‘in,’ e.g., ‘in August, ‘in March,’ in May 2019); days & part of the day (e.g., on Sunday afternoon); with the word ‘day’ for birthdays/ name days/ anniversaries (e.g., on my birthday/ on my wedding day/ on our anniversary); on + adjective + day/season + part of day (e.g., on a cool Tuesday night; on a hot summer afternoon); for an action that continues (e.g., ‘War went on for 6 years’); direction/ side (on the right/ left); page (e.g., on page 56); something attached (e.g., ‘A picture on the wall’); a place with a river (e.g., ‘London lies on the Thames’); on a surface (e.g., ‘It is on the table’); floor (e.g., ‘My apartment is on the 2nd floor’); for a farm (e.g., ‘Milk is produced on farms’); for public transportation means (and also for horses, bicycles, and motorbikes; on foot/ horseback; but: by train/ car/ bus/ plane/ ship./// e.g., (on the bus, on the plane; e.g., ‘As soon as the bus arrived, she got on it,’ but we say ‘in the car/ taxi’;); on a surface or a line that attaches (e.g., My glasses are on my desk’; ‘On the road’; e.g., He is living on the street since he has lost his job; e.g., On the east coast; e.g., ‘On the horizon’; e.g., ‘The boat is floating on the sea’); on the corner (when we speak about where 2 or more streets meet, e.g., ‘On the corner of St. George Street’); ‘on the weekend’ (in North American English, but it is ''at the weekend'' in British English).
Other examples:
‘Let the light on.’
''Let the tap on.'' (tap = a device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or
container can be controlled)
Wear (e.g., ‘I
had my jacket on’).
On Xmas day/ Eve (but we say ‘at Xmas’)
On New Year's Day (not ''on New Year Day'')
A picture on the wall.
‘Have you got any money on you?’
On this occasion.
‘A ring on my finger.’
On the internet/ the web/ my social media/
TV (without ‘the’ e.g., ‘I saw it on TV’).
On my/ this site.
He speaks on the phone (But we use ''Speak/tell/say/talk/discuss over the
phone when we tell someone something. e.g. ''I told her the news over the
phone'')
On his uncle’s death
On my arrival (e.g., ‘He was dead on arrival’ (at the
hospital)).
On admission (e.g. at the hospital).
On time (=
punctual; punctually (= at the agreed or proper time; promptly)) e.g., I arrived at the airport on time).
A lecture on science
Turn my back on someone.
A smile on somebody.
Based on.
Act on his advice (not ‘advise,’ as ‘advise’ is the verb)
On penalty of death (but ''convicted goes with ''of'' e.g., He was
convicted of robbery').
On my honor.
On no account.
A tax on tobacco.
Interest on money.
A city on the coast.
A town on the frontier.
On holiday.
Set on fire.
On business.
On the radio.
On the balcony
Also, we spend/waste money on something
In:
My comment: Many use ‘in’ when it is not needed.
‘In’ means inside an enclosed space, e.g., ‘In the kitchen.’
Main TIPS: in + dates (e.g., in 2020); months (e.g., in March); seasons (e.g.,
in the winter); century (e.g., in the 19th century); city (e.g.,
in London); country (e.g., in the UK); time (e.g.,
in the morning); in infancy/ childhood/ adulthood/ old age; places (e.g.,
in Oxford); in the street (e.g., in Oxford Street); for
private transport means (and also for cars; vans; lorries; taxis; ambulances; e.g.,
‘She got into the taxi/ car); in an enclosed space (e.g.,
in the hospital); square (e.g., in Times Square); in my
sleep; in the sky/ air; in war (period),
Used for: dates (e.g., in 2020; in 1854); months (e.g., in
March; in June 2020; but we say ‘on the 1st of
June’); seasons (e.g., in the winter/ in
the summer); century (e.g., in the 19th century); city (e.g., in
London; in Berlin); country (e.g., in
the UK; in the US; for the 2 previous we use ‘the’); continent (e.g., in
Europe); time [in the morning; in the afternoon; in
the evening (but we say ‘at noon/ night’); in
the daytime]; in infancy/ childhood/ adulthood/ old age (but: at birth); places (e.g., in
Oxford (as a place; but we say ‘at Oxford’ as a
university e.g., ‘He is a professor at the Oxford University’); color (e.g., in
black); occupation (e.g., in the army; in
politics); spend/ waste time (spend/ waste time
in/ on something (but we spend/waste money on something)); direction
[in the middle; in the background; in the corner (e.g., in
the corner of my room; but we say 'on the
corner’ when we refer to a place where 2 or more streets meet)]; shape (e.g., in
different sizes; in circle); room (e.g., in
the Kitchen); in the street (e.g., in
Oxford Street.// e.g., The number of coffee shops in
our city streets has multiplied in the last few years’); book (in
the book), world (in the world); picture (in
the picture); mountain (e.g., ''I lived in
the Rocky Mountain''); for private transport means (and also
for cars; vans; lorries; taxis; ambulances; e.g., ‘She got into
the taxi/ car; He is in the ambulance; but we
use ‘on’ for public transportation, e.g., on the bus, on the plane);); in
bed; in the reception; in the pool; in an enclosed space (in hospital; in
court; in prison; in the church)(but we say at to
refer to a point regardless of its size as space e.g., at the office; at
home; at school; at work; at the church; at the airport); in the
square (e.g., in (without ''the'') Times
Square; in Trafalgar Square); in war
(period) [e.g., ‘Canada's role in the Second World War’.///
But we say: be at war/ peace [e.g.,
The Greeks and Trojans have been at war for many years)]
Other examples:
‘I lived in a hut (= a small single-story building of simple or crude construction, serving as a poor, rough, or temporary house or shelter).’
Expressed in many manners.
In public places.
In my
sleep.
In the
sky/ air.
In the street.
In a few days.
In the
world
In the IELTS exams
At:
My comment: Many use ‘at’ when it is not needed.
‘At’ means ‘be somewhere, at a place’; e.g., ‘Yesterday morning I was at
school.’
Main TIPS: at + time (e.g., at 12 p.m.); at Xmas/Easter; place (e.g.,
at the park); to refer to a point regardless of its
size as space (e.g., at the office); distance (e.g.,
at 56 meters); time (at night); place (e.g.,
at the station); at the age of; arrive (e.g., ‘I
arrived at work early in the morning’); at birth; be at
war/ peace; at the beginning; at the weekend; at first/ last; the
train stopped at X (e.g., The train stopped at Liverpool); at
the university; email (e.g., email me at hhh@yahoo.com); at meal/ lunch/
dinner time
Used for: time (e.g., at 12 p.m.; at 9.30 a.m.; at
3 a.m..); events (at Xmas; at Easter (but we say ‘on Xmas
Eve/ Day’)); place (e.g., at the club/ park); to
refer to a point regardless of its size as space (at the office; at
home; at school; at work; at the church; at
the airport)(but we use 'in' for an enclosed
space e.g., in hospital; in court; in prison;
in the church); at the top/ bottom; at the back/ front; at
+ full address; at the university (e.g., ‘He
is a professor at the Oxford University’; but we say ‘in Oxford’
when we speak of the place; e.g., He lives in Oxford); distance (e.g., at
56 meters); time (at night; at midday; at dawn; at
noon; at midnight; but we say ‘in the
morning/afternoon/evening’)); cost (e.g., ‘The
cost is put at $6’); email (e.g., email
me at hhh@yahoo.com); activity (good/
bad at; e.g., ‘I am good/ bad at drawing/math’); place (e.g., at
the station; at a concert; at a party; at the cinema); age (e.g., ‘She
learned English at 45’)/ at the age of (e.g., ‘She
learned to play piano at the age of 12’); arrive (e.g., ‘I
arrived at work early in the morning’); at birth (but: in infancy/
childhood/ adulthood/ old age); be at war/ peace [e.g. The
Greeks and Trojans have been at war for many years), but we say
‘in war’ (period) e.g., ‘Canada's role in the Second World War’]; at
the beginning (e.g., They left at the beginning of
February.// e.g., She received a letter at the beginning of this
week canceling the meeting)
Other examples:
At the weekend.
Look at something/ somebody
At the seaside
At the sunset
At first/ last
At a stroke (= by a single action
having an immediate effect, e.g., Attitudes cannot be changed at a
stroke)
Stay at a hotel
At profit
At the news
At meal/ lunch/dinner time
At someone’s command
At someone’s invitation
Laugh at somebody
At someone’s house
At the baker’s shop
The train stopped at X (e.g., The train stopped at Liverpool)
To:
My comment: Many use ‘to’ when it is not needed.
‘To’ means towards a specific direction, e.g., ‘I am going to work now.’
Main TIPS: go/come to (e.g., go to work; go to bed); position (e.g.,
‘In the photo, my father is in the middle with me to his right/ left’); movements
from one place to another with the verbs ‘drive’, ‘walk,’ ‘go,’ ‘hike,’ ‘fly,’
‘sail’ (e.g., ‘We are flying to New York); a repair to my
machine’; ‘they brought a radical government to power’; ‘10 days to Xmas’; to
our advantage.
Used for: position (e.g., ‘In the photo, my father is in the middle with
me to his right/ left’); measurements (e.g., ‘There
are 17.60 yards to the mile’); go/come to (e.g., go
to work; go to bed (we do not say ‘I go to
sleep’)); meaning ‘in order to’ (e.g., ‘He worked too
hard to give up’); movements from one place to another
with the verbs ‘drive,’ ‘walk,’ ‘go,’ ‘hike,’ ‘fly,’ ‘sail’ (e.g., ‘We
are flying to New York’; however, we always use ‘at’ for ‘arrive’ e.g.,
‘I arrived at work early in the
morning’); to refer the time as ‘until’ (e.g., ‘He
worked to 7 pm and then left’); from X to Y as time (e.g.,
‘She played violin from 10 to 11 am’)
Other examples:
‘I had to pay $6.’
‘A repair to my machine.’
‘They brought a radical government to power.’
‘He lived to a great age.’
‘10 days to Xmas!’
‘Return to reality!’
To our advantage.
Notes
Work
We say, ‘I go to work,’ not
‘go to job’; as we ‘have/ seek/ find a job.’ For
work, we may also use ‘for’; e.g., ‘She works for a
group of judges’. We do not say I ‘go at work,’
but we can say, ‘She goes to work on foot,’ ‘I am at work now,’ or ‘I am in the
office.’
Transportation means ('on' or 'by')
On foot/
horseback./// But: By train/
car/ bus/ plane/ ship/ bike
When we use the verbs go, come, arrive, and travel for public transportation means, we use ‘by’ without the article: by car, by bus,
by plane, by train (e.g., ‘John came by bus’;
‘Mary is going back by car’). But we say, ‘on foot’
and ‘on horseback’ (e.g., ‘She goes to
work on foot’). For 'arrive,' see also below.
Arrive at/in
We always use ‘at’ for ‘arrive,’ e.g., ‘I arrived at work early in the
morning.’// e.g. ‘We arrived at the station very
early’ (^^). But for cities, we write ‘arrive in’ e.g., ‘Armed
forces arrived in London after the terror attack.’//
e.g. ‘We arrived in Prague later that day’ (^^).
On bike (vs.) By bike
‘By bike’ shows how you got somewhere, e.g., ‘How did you come here so fast?’ ‘I came/
got here by bike.’ // e.g., Many arrived by bicycle.
‘On bike’ means that someone sits on the
top of a bicycle, e.g., ‘It
is difficult to sit on a bicycle that is too
large for me.’ // e.g., The clown in the circus was
sitting on a child’s bicycle.
Money/ time
Main TIPS:
Time: We spend/ waste time in/on something (also spend time with somebody and at an
activity)
Money: We spend/waste/squander money on something
Money or other resources: We squander
something on something
We spend/waste time in something (e.g., ‘You need to spend your time in a
relaxed way') or on something (e.g., ‘I
am far too busy to waste time on frivolities (=
silly, unimportant things) like going to the cinema’
(^^). We also spend time with a person and at an
activity.
But we spend/waste money on something.
Instead of ‘waste time/ money’ we may use the
phrase ‘fritter something away’ = waste time, money, or energy on trifling (trifle = unimportant or trivial; pronounced ˈtraɪ.fəl) matters, e.g., ‘I
wish we hadn't frittered the money away so easily.’//
e.g., ‘She fritters much money away on
expensive make-up’ (^^).
For money or other resources, we may also use
the verb ‘squander’ = to waste
money or supplies or to waste opportunities by not using them to your advantage
(*), e.g., Continuing their protest
tomorrow will only squander what dwindling (1) public
support they have left.
We squander something on something, e.g., $100m (m = million) of taxpayers’ money has been squandered on administering the tax.// e.g., He says too much tax revenue (*) is being squandered on bureaucracy and inefficiency.
(1) Dwindle = dwindle = diminish gradually in size, amount, or strength.
(2) Revenue = income, especially when of a
company or organization and of a substantial nature; here it means a state's
annual income from which public expenses are met.
In/on the street
''In the street'' describes an action taking place on the street's surface,
in the space between houses or sidewalks; e.g., Kids should not play in the
street.// e.g., We danced in the
street celebrating the New Year.
''On the street'' describes a location that is NOT physically in the middle of
the street but is at the side of the street, or even a house or a
building beside a specific street. On the street is more American English, e.g., ‘Diana's
house is in Cherry Street.’ but in North American
English, it would be ‘‘Diana’s house is on Cherry Street’ (^^)).
// e.g., Many children in Ghana live on the streets (=
street children).// e.g., Two men were beaten up by protesters on the
streets of Hong Kong.// e.g., ''I am sure he lives
somewhere on this street.''
Often ''in'' and ''on'' are used interchangeably
with ''street''; e.g., In Oxford
Street.// e.g., The number of coffee shops in our
city streets has multiplied in the last few years.’ // e.g., Sherlock Holmes’
home was on Baker Street.// e.g., ‘Her
handbag was snatched from her in the street.’
We may also use ‘at’ when we
refer to the number of the street, e.g.,
‘The Prime Minister lives at 10 Downing Street (^^).
Square
For the word 'square,' it seems that
'in' is the best option, e.g., ‘There
is a statue of Nelson in the main square in Bridgetown that
pre-dates the one in Trafalgar Square.’// e.g. ‘A
band were playing (not ‘a band was playing’) in the
town square (^^). However, we may also use
'at’ when we refer to the number, e.g., ‘Are they still living at 6 Eaton Square?’
(^^).
Reference (Retrieved: February 16, 2017):
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/square
In/on/at the corner
For the word ‘corner,’ we use 'in' when
the corner means 'the area within a room or other space near the
place where two walls or other surfaces meet'; e.g., ‘The TV set is in the corner of
the room.’// e.g., ‘A piano was in the corner of
the room.’
However, we use 'on' when we refer to a
place where two or more streets meet; e.g., ‘The bookshop is on the corner’//
e.g. ‘And there is the building on the corner of Coney
Street that is being built now.’// e.g., ‘There is a postbox on the
corner’ (^^). On the corner means
"occupying the surface," e.g. ‘The shop in the picture is on the street corner.’ // e.g., ‘A person is
standing on the corner’ (occupying a space).
‘At’ the corner means near or
adjacent to a corner. For example, you can say, ‘Let's meet at the corner of my street.’// e.g.,
‘The shop is at the corner of High Street and Station
Road’ (you give the name of the two streets that intersect each
other; here, ‘at’ is used instead of ‘on’ because you don't refer to the surface
but the point of intersection).
In/at the office
‘At’ the office' is a more general term,
whereas ‘in the office’ usually refers to a specific
physical location (which means inside an
office). Someone is ‘at’ the office if he/she is at a place
of work but not emphasizing a specific room, e.g., ‘Where is
Ann?’, asked George. ‘She is at the office,’ I replied.//
e.g., ‘Darling, I’m at the office right now, but I will
come home to see you soon.’ // e.g., Back at the
office, janitor (= caretaker) Jim Smith was taking care of
some lighting repair.
On the other hand, ‘in the office’
is used to emphasize a room where someone works, e.g., ‘I need to have a desktop in the
office.’ // e.g., ‘I left my purse in my office.’
‘At’ or ‘on’ the desk
‘At’ is used to specify a location as a
point in space, and here it means ''where your desk is,'' e.g., ‘Students sitting at their desk’ (not ‘on their desk,’ although some do it during the break!) // e.g., ‘Your
guest is at your desk’// e.g., ‘The
umbrella is at your desk.’// e.g., ‘You
should be at your desk during office hours’// e.g., ‘She
sat at her desk writing letters’ (^^).
The preposition ‘on’ is used when we
refer to something being in contact with the surface of an object. That often
means ‘on top of a surface,’ such as a desk. (It can also refer to a vertical surface e.g., ‘The
fly is on the wall’). ‘On the desk’ would
usually mean ‘on top of the desk,’ e.g., ‘The
paper is on your desk.’.// e.g. ‘He had a pile
of papers on his desk.’ (^^)// e.g., My
glasses are on my desk.’
An example in which we can notice the difference
is: e.g., ‘He found the paper at his desk. I
don’t know if he found it on, under, or beside his desk, but it
is on his desk now.’
Weekend
At the weekend (it may be ‘on the
weekend’ in North American English) (My comment: I recommend using only
the form ‘at the weekend’ in the IELTS exams that are British English-based).
War/ Peace
For war, we
say: be at war/ peace (e.g. The Greeks and
Trojans have been at war for many years); but we
say in war (period); e.g., ‘Canada’s role in the Second
World War.’
In the exam
'Exam' goes with 'in,' e.g., He did worse than he expected in the exams (**). We may use 'at' for being present at an exam, as an event, e.g., At the exam, there was an invigilator to ensure the students will not cheat. We may also use 'on' the exam, for example, 'In/On the exam, there was a question about the graph' or 'You can score high marks in/on the exam.'
Reference – links
(Retrieved:
February 16, 2017)
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/corner
(Retrieved:
June 4, 2017)
http://inmadom-myenglishclass.blogspot.gr/2014/05/in-on-or-at-corner.html
(Retrieved:
February 16, 2017):
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/street
(Retrieved:
September 14, 2017):
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/299483/on-your-desk-or-at-your-desk
(Retrieved:
October 22, 2017):
https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/preposition-in-the-street-on-the-street-at-the-street.176928/
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/street
Cambridge
Advanced Learning Dictionary, paperback with CD-ROM, 4th edition, edited by
Colin McIntosh, Cambridge University Press, 2013 (^^) (^^^ for the examples)
Verbs & the Prepositions (phrasal/prepositional verbs) that follow them
My comment: You can distinguish a native
speaker using prepositions and prepositional verbs properly! For
instance, a common mistake is to use ''at'' after the verb ‘engage’ related to
an activity when it properly is followed by ''in.''
In the following list, there are also referred some nouns & adjectives along with the prepositional verbs
About
argue about
agree about/ to
care about
complain about
forget about
worry about
dream about/ of
speak about/ to
Against
decide/ warn against
As
regard as
At
excel in/ at
laugh at
balk at (= to
be unwilling to do something or allow something to happen, e.g., ‘I balked at the
prospect of spending five hours on a train with him’ (^^))
rejoice at (= feel or show great joy or delight; e.g., ''We spent the
evening rejoicing at our victory.''// e.g., He
quickly set her down as soon as she was done rejoicing at his
presence)
peak at/ to (but
as a noun: reach a peak at/ of)
good/ bad at
appall (‘appal’ in British English) at (=
greatly dismay (= concern and distress caused by something unexpected) or
horrify, e.g., Bankers are appalled at the economic
incompetence of some ministers)
expert at/ on/ in [e.g., ‘Expert’ usually
goes with ‘on’; e.g., ‘I am an expert on viruses’. On some
occasions, we may use expert with ‘in,’ which makes the emphasis slightly
heavier on the person who has an expertise, while on places some emphasis on
the subject in which expertise is shown, e.g., ‘My brother is an
expert in foreign policy.’/// ''Expert'' may also go with ‘at’; e.g., My
mother is an expert at dress-making ((^^^) for this
example)].
aim at/ for/ to = (transitive or intransitive verb) To point or direct a
weapon towards someone or something that you want to hit; e.g., He
aimed (= directed) a kick at my shins (shin
= the front of the leg below the knee).
target at
Away
hide from/ in/ away e.g., They swept up the pieces and hid them away.
By
promoted by
connected by
expressed by
subsidize by (subsidise in
British English) (= support (an organization or activity) financially;
e.g., The question was about whether a business should be
subsidized by another business.// e.g., Farmers carry on in a
loss-making business, subsidized by the rest of us)
characterized by
attend by (when it means to
provide service to someone, especially as part of your job; e.g., ‘The
Queen was attended by her ladies-in-waiting.’// But it
is ‘attend to’ when it means ‘notice’; e.g. ‘I am
afraid I wasn’t attending to what was being said’)
absorbed by/ into
rise by (= amount of increase, e.g., ‘Inflation rose by 8
percent’)
increased/ decreased by (amount of decrease, e.g., ‘Inflation decreased by 3
percent’)
supported on/ by
disappointed by (often after disappointed, we use ‘by’) (e.g., He
was disappointed by the treatment of asylum seekers in Britain) [Note:
disappointed (as an adjective) may go ‘with’; e.g., ‘I am
bitterly disappointed with our overall performance’]
accompanied by
For
apologize for
blame for
opt for/ to (= make a choice from a
range of possibilities, e.g., Consumers will opt for low-priced
goods.// e.g., Mary opted for a piece of
cherry cake)
care for
stand for (= be an abbreviation of
or symbol for; e.g., NASA stands for National
Aeronautics and Space Administration.// e.g., He showed me
which Arabic symbol stood for Allah.//// (informal
with negative) Refuse to endure (= suffer something painful or difficult patiently)
or tolerate; e.g., ‘I won't stand for any
nonsense.’ // e.g., It is getting to the point where hunt
supporters will not stand for it./// Support a
cause or principle, e.g., ‘We stand for animal
welfare.’ // e.g., If parties need cash, let them go out and
convince people that they stand for something worth
supporting)
stand up for/ to (stand up for = speak or act in support of; e.g., She
learned to stand up for herself.// e.g., The
larger man began pushing the smaller man, who seemed hesitant to stand up for himself.////
Act as best man for in a wedding; e.g., ‘I was asked to stand
up for my brother’)
criticized for
apply for
account for (something) = (give a satisfactory record of something, typically money,
that one is responsible for; e.g., ‘I had to account for every
penny I spent.’/// Provide or serve as a satisfactory explanation for;
e.g., He was brought before the Board to account for his
behavior./// Supply or makeup a specified amount or proportion;
e.g., Social security accounts for 1/3 of total
public spending.// Succeed in killing, destroying, or defeating;
e.g., A mishit (= hitting or kicking a ball badly or in the
wrong direction) drive accounted for Smith,
who had scored 30).
arrested for
contend for/ with [(pronounced kənˈtend) (contend for) compete
with others in a struggle to achieve something; e.g., Factions
within the government were contending for the succession to
the presidency.// e.g., More than once he contended for the
Championship.// e.g., Beijing is contending for the
leadership of the twenty-first century]
reproach (someone) for/ with (reproach for = address someone in such a way as to express disapproval or disappointment; e.g., Critics of the administration reproached the president for his failure to tackle the deficiency) (but ''reproach with'' = accuse someone of; e.g., ‘His wife reproached him with cowardice (pronounced ˈkaʊ.ə.dɪs)’).
responsible (as an adjective) for
aim for/ to/ at = ((intransitive verb) to intend; e.g., We are
aiming for (= planning to achieve) a 40
percent share of the UK market./// (transitive or intransitive verb) To
point or direct a weapon towards someone or something that you want to hit;
e.g., ''Aim for the middle of the target''.// ‘Let's
aim for (= go in the direction of) Coventry first, and then
we'll have a look at the map’ (^^). Aim for something =
to plan or hope to achieve something, e.g., The former Senator
now aims for a political appointment in Washington DC ((*)
for the last definition and example))
provide someone for/ with (e.g., The UN (United
Nations) Joint Global Program provides essential services for women
and girls subject to violence (from the web))
invite for/to
From
suffer from
refrain from (= stop oneself from doing something, e.g., It seems
they are refraining from labeling the people they are looking
at as suspects.// e.g., He refrained from comment)
stop from
hide in/ away/ from (e.g., Then Joseph finds gold in a creek, first
hides this from his family, then abandons them to
go prospecting)
apart from
prohibited from
deter from (discourage someone from
doing something, typically by instilling doubt or fear of the consequences,
e.g., Only a health problem would deter him from seeking
re-election)
aged from
discourage someone from doing something (but ‘encourage someone to do something’)
distract from (e.g., ‘The internet distracts me from my
homework/ studies’)
originates from
In
excel at/ in
believe in
engage in an activity
interested in
give in
participate/take part in
specialize in
result in
succeed in
incorporate in/ into
support in
assist in/ with
indulge in (= allow oneself to
enjoy the pleasure of, e.g., We indulged in ice
cream)
hide from/ away/ in (e.g., He hid the money in the
house)
apparent (as an adjective) in something [= clearly
visible or understood; obvious; e.g., The Athenian mix of culture
and commerce was as apparent in art as architecture.//
e.g., Similar interest in evidence-based public policy is
apparent in other countries].
(be/ get) involved in (= be or become occupied or engrossed (engross = absorb all the attention or interest of) in something;
e.g., Her husband had been very involved in his
work.// e.g., She said that her daughter was clean living and that
there was no suggestion she was involved in the drug scene) (but
‘be involved with’ = be engaged in an emotional or
personal relationship; e.g., Ann told me she was involved with
someone else)
invest in
expert in/on/at [e.g., ‘Expert’ usually
goes with on’; e.g., ‘I am an expert on viruses.’ /// On some
occasions, we may use ‘expert in’ that makes the emphasis
slightly heavier on the person who has expertise while on places some
emphasis on the subject in which expertise is shown, e.g., ‘My
brother is an expert in foreign policy.’// e.g., Economist
is an expert in economics.// e.g., Colleagues widely regarded him as one of the leading experts in his
field.// e.g., Experts in child
development./// ''Expert'' may also go with ‘at’; e.g., My
mother is an expert at dress-making (^^^ for this example)].
meddle in (=
interfere in something that is not one's concern e.g., ‘I do not
want her meddling in our affairs’)
persist with/ in
abundant (pronounced
əˈbʌnd(ə)nt) in (= having plenty of,
e.g., The riverbanks were abundant in beautiful
wild plants).
Into
take on/ into
incorporate in/ into (= take in or contain something as part of a
whole; include, e.g., He has
incorporated in his proposals several measures)
absorbed by/ into
Of
accuse someone of (e.g., He was accused of murdering
his wife's lover)
approve of
dream of
in charge of
take care of
think of
dispose of (= get rid of by throwing away or giving or selling to someone
else, e.g., The waste is disposed of in the North
Sea)
rise of/ to (‘rise of’ with 'rise' as a noun) (point reached) e.g., (A rise (as a noun) in
sales of 4 percent)
in favor of
[‘as a matter of (e.g., ‘As a matter of debate/
discussion/ fact’)]
consider of
at the expense of
capable of (but
‘able to’)
in spite of
fond of (= (predicative) having affection or liking for, e.g., ‘I'm
very fond of George.’ // e.g., He was
not too fond of dancing./// (attributive)
Affectionate; loving, e.g., Reading it brought many fond
memories of our childhood)
consist of
regardless of
convicted of
composed of
On
agree on
concentrate on
congratulate on
continue on
keen on someone/ something (we are ‘keen on
someone/ something, e.g. ‘I am keen on playing
tennis’ or ‘He is keen on a girl in his
school’ (^^), but we may use ''keen to do
something'' e.g., ‘Young people are keen to question things’
// e.g., ‘They were very keen to start work as soon as possible’
(^^))
expert on/ in/ at [e.g., ‘I am an expert
on viruses’.// e.g., ‘I am an expert on American
history.’ // We've asked to interview an expert on foreign
policy.’/// On some occasions, we may use ‘expert
in’ which makes the emphasis slightly heavier on the person who has the expertise while on places some emphasis on the subject in which expertise is
shown, e.g., ‘My brother is an expert in foreign policy.’ ///
''Expert'' may also go with ‘at’ e.g., My mother is an
expert at dressmaking (^^^ for this example)].
depend on/upon
go on
on no account
insist on (= demand forcefully to
have something, e.g., ''He insisted on answers to
his allegations.'' // e.g., The filmmaker insists on having
all of them present to get a ‘good effect.’ //// Persist in
doing something, e.g., Despite his business commitments, Mike
insists on milking his 30 cows at least once daily./// The
press insists on telling us how many soldiers have died since
April 1st)
detrimental (= harmful) to/ on (e.g., Moving her could have a detrimental effect on her health.// e.g., These chemicals have a detrimental effect/impact on the environment./// It may also go with 'to,' e.g., Releasing the documents would be detrimental to national security// e.g., Some of these compounds have been detrimental to the environment) ((**) for the first 2 examples and the last example)
keep on
based on
take on/ into
plan on
rely on/ upon
focus on
agree on/ with/ to
speculate on/ about/ that/ in/ with [speculate on/ about/ that: form a theory or conjecture (= an opinion or conclusion formed on the basis of incomplete information) about a subject without firm evidence, e.g., My colleagues speculate about my private life.// e.g., (with clause) Observers speculated that the authorities wished to improve their image.// e.g., A spokesperson declined to speculate on the cause of the train crash]./// [speculate on/ in/ with: invest in stocks, property, or other ventures in the hope of gain but with the risk of loss; e.g., He didn't look as though he had the money to speculate in stocks.// e.g., Hedge funds (1) make money by speculating on the stock market.// e.g., ‘You should only speculate with risk capital (= money you can afford to lose)’ (1) Hedge funds = a limited partnership of investors that uses high-risk methods, such as investing with borrowed money, in hopes of realizing large capital gains.
declare war on
spend money on
supported on/ by
hooked on (=
addicted, e.g., A girl who got hooked on cocaine)
To (verb + full infinitive)
opt for/ to (= make a choice from a range of possibilities, e.g., Students
opting to continue with physics.// e.g., The judge opts to decide
later on what to do about the infuriating man)
go to
subscribe to (e.g., ''Subscribe to YouTube'')
fall to (e.g., fall to sleep)
prefer to
adapt to
live to (e.g., He
lived to a great age)
pay to
repair to
turn to
bring to
adjust to
agree to/ with/ on
devote to
get/ be used to
object to
travel to
point to
incline/ decline to
detrimental (= harmful) to/ on (e.g., Releasing the documents would be detrimental to national security// e.g., Some of these compounds have been detrimental to the environment.// It may also go with 'on,' e.g., Moving her could have a detrimental effect on her health.// e.g., These chemicals have a detrimental effect/impact on the environment) ((**) for the last 3 examples)
able to (but ‘capable of’)
keen to do something (e.g., ‘Young people are keen to question things’ //
e.g., ‘They were very keen to start work as soon as possible’ (^^))
(but we are ‘keen on someone/ something; e.g.,
‘He is keen on a girl in his school’ (^^))
prefer to
rise to/ of (point reached, e.g., Sales rose to 3
percent) (‘rise of’ with 'rise' as a noun (point reached)
e.g., (A rise (as a noun) in sales of 4 percent)
relate to
addicted to
prone to
according to
appear to
compare to
intend to
encourage someone to do
something (but ‘discourage
someone from doing something’)
entitled to
be apt to (= tending to do something,
e.g., The (political) party’s views were apt to discord (= (of
things) be different or in disharmony; pronounced dɪsˈkɔːd) with
those of the leading members of the administration)
stand up to/ for = (stand up to = make a spirited defense against;
e.g., Giving workers the confidence to stand up to their employers.//
e.g., Covertly (= secretly, or in a hidden way (*)), then
with more confidence, he stands up to the school bully.//// Be
resistant to the harmful effects of prolonged wear (*) or use; e.g., ''But
unfortunately, I don’t really think his legs would stand up to any more racing.'' //
e.g., Cotton stands up to abrasion and wears well) ((*) Wear
(pronounced weə(r)) = to become weaker, damaged, or thinner
because of continuous use)
assent to (= express
approval or agreement, typically officially, e.g. The US President
assented to the agreement)
conform to/ with something (= comply with rules, standards, or laws; e.g., The
kitchen does not conform to hygiene (= conditions or practices
conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through
cleanliness; pronounced ˈhaɪ.dʒiːn/) regulations.//
e.g., This information is not computer-readable because such publications do not conform to standardized rules.//// (of a person) behave
according to socially acceptable conventions or standards; e.g., ‘I
could never conform to what other people wanted me to be for the sake of
fitting in.’ // e.g., There’s
an increasing passion to make men conform to a (male) pattern.//// Be similar in form or type; agree; e.g., The
countryside should conform to a certain idea of the picturesque (=
visually attractive, especially in a quaint or pretty style).// e.g., They
will not conform to the academic worldview or the organizational development
paradigm (= a typical example or pattern of something; a model;
pronounced ˈpær.ə.daɪm))
listen/ speak to
be deemed to (= regard or consider in a specified way.// 'Deem' often goes without a preposition, but it may go with to-(full) infinitive e.g., Anyone not paying the registration fee by 31 May will be deemed to have withdrawn from the offer (**))
belong to
(something is) familiar to (us)
add to
ascribe something to/ be ascribed to (= attribute something to a cause, e.g., He
ascribed Helen’s short temper to her upset stomach)
attend to (when it means ‘notice’
e.g. ‘I am afraid I wasn’t attending to what was being said’.// But ‘attend by’ means
‘to provide service to someone, especially as part of your job’; e.g., ‘The
Queen was attended by her ladies-in-waiting’)
amount to
increase/ decreased to (point reached e.g., Sales decreased to 3 percent)
help to/ with
predicted to/ that/ when
expected to/ that
plummeted to/ down (= fall or drop straight
down at high speed, e.g., He plummeted to the ground ((**) for this example).// e.g., A climber (pronounced ˈklaɪ.mə(r)) was
killed when he plummeted 300 feet down an icy gully (= a water-worn
ravine (1); pronounced ˈɡʌl.i). (1)
account to (somebody) for (something) (= explain the
reason or the cause of something)
apply to
alert to (''alert'' as a verb goes with or without ‘to’; e.g., ‘I
alert people to the dangers of smoking.’// e.g., Mr.
Smith did the game a service by alerting us to the dangers.// e.g., Marriages
broke up, alerting women to the disadvantages of being financially dependent)
accustom (yourself) to (something) (= To make yourself familiar with new conditions; e.g., ‘It’ll
take time for me to accustom myself to the changes (^^).//
e.g., ‘I was accustomed to being lapped (= swathed (1) in
luxury). (1)
endeavor to (= try hard to do or achieve something, e.g., She
is endeavoring to help the Third World)
aim to/ for/ at = (intransitive verb) to intend e.g., (+ to (full
infinitive)) 'I aim to be a millionaire by the time
I'm 30' (^^).
available (adjective) to
invite to/for
Up
stand up = (of
an argument, claim, evidence, etc.) remain valid after close scrutiny (= critical observation or examination) or
analysis, e.g., ‘You need to have hard evidence that will stand up
in court.’ // e.g., The argument does not stand up to analysis)
stand up for/ to (stand up for = speak or act in support of;
e.g., She learned to stand up for herself.// e.g., The
larger man began pushing the smaller man, who seemed hesitant to stand up for
himself.//// Act as best man for in a wedding; e.g., ‘After
being asked to stand up for your brother or best friend, you may feel you need
a best man guide to help you’)
stand up to/ for = (stand up to = make a spirited defense
against; e.g., Giving workers the confidence to stand up to their
employers.// e.g., Covertly,(= secretly, or in a hidden way (*)) then with more confidence, he stands up to the school bully.//// Be resistant to the harmful effects of
prolonged wear (= to become weaker, damaged, or thinner because of continuous
use; pronounced weə(r)) or use; e.g., ''But unfortunately,
I don’t really think his legs would stand up to any more racing.'' //
e.g., Cotton stands up to abrasion and wears well)
to sum (something/ somebody) up
Upon
rely upon/on
insist upon/on (e.g., She insisted upon knowing the truth (**))
depend upon/on (e.g., That depends upon the circumstances (**))
place upon (e.g., You
can never place enough emphasis upon the importance of safety (**))
With
agree with/ to/ on
charge with
mess with
trust with
provide someone for/ with (e.g., We have concerns about whether the government will
be able to provide poorer families with viable social services (**))
cope with
in accordance with (but ‘according to’)
occupied with/ preoccupied with
disappointed with/ by (‘disappointed’ as an adjective may go ‘with’;
e.g., ‘I am bitterly disappointed with our overall performance’) (but
‘disappointed’ as a verb often goes with ‘by’;
e.g., While disappointed by the delay he was glad the operation had
commenced)
content (oneself) with (= accept as adequate despite wanting more or better,
e.g., ‘We contented ourselves with a few small purchases’)
reproach (someone) for/ with (reproach with = accuse someone of, e.g., ‘His wife reproached him with cowardice (pronounced ˈkaʊ.ə.dɪs)’).
deal with (e.g., The Greek government was unable to deal with
the economic crisis)
familiar with something
conform with/ to something (= comply with rules, standards, or laws, e.g., The
changes were introduced to conform with international classifications.// e.g., The
usual excuse is that it does not conform with the European law)
assist with/ in
satisfied/ dissatisfied with
(being) updated/ up to date with
be involved with (= be engaged in an emotional or personal
relationship; e.g., Jane told me she was involved with someone else)(but
‘be/ get involved (in)’ = be or become occupied or engrossed (1) in something;
e.g., Her husband had been very involved in his work.//
e.g., She said that her daughter was clean living and was not
involved in the drug scene) (*). (1) engross = absorb all the attention or interest of/// Produce a
legal document in its final or definitive form.
acquaint (pronounced əˈkweɪnt) someone
with (= make someone aware of or familiar with; e.g., New
staff should be acquainted with fire exit routes.//
e.g., ‘You must acquaint yourself with the house style.’// e.g., ‘I
was already well acquainted with his work’)
discord with (pronounced dɪsˈkɔːd)(=
(of things) be different or in disharmony, e.g., The (political)
party’s views were apt to (= tending to do something) discord
with those of the leading members of the administration)
contend for/ with (contend with= struggle
to surmount (= overcome a difficulty or obstacle) a difficulty; e.g., She
had to contend with his uncertain temper.// e.g., Both had
to contend with the disadvantage of their sex.// e.g., They
are contending with the sudden temperature drop.//// But contend
for = compete with others in a struggle to achieve something;
e.g., Factions within the government were contending for the
succession to the presidency
persist in/ with
help with/ to
Notes:
Familiar:
Familiar (to) = well known from long or close association, e.g., ''Their
faces will be familiar to many of you.'' // e.g., Her distinctive voice
has long been familiar to Chinese audiences.
Familiar with = having a good knowledge
of, e.g., ''Ensure that you are familiar with the heating controls.''
// e.g., ''We are really concentrating on him playing the new stuff that he
is not as familiar with.'' /// Informal or intimate to an
inappropriate degree, e.g., He was being overly familiar with
Sarah.
Engage:
Engage to (full infinitive) / with/ (engage
someone) in/ of = engage in something =
(phrasal verb) to take part in something; e.g., The
two governments have agreed to engage in a comprehensive
dialogue to resolve the issue./// Engage someone in a
conversation = to start a conversation with someone; e.g., ‘Once
Mrs. Smith engages you in conversation, you are stuck with
him for half an hour!’ ((^^) for the previous 2 meanings).//// Engage in =
(verb; no object) Participate or become involved in; e.g., Organizations
engage in a variety of activities.// e.g., Some are actively
engaged in crime./// Engage with = establish a
meaningful contact or connection with; e.g., The teams needed to
engage with local communities./// (Engage + to (full infinitive)) Pledge
(= to make a serious or formal promise to give or do something (*) or enter into a contract to do something; e.g., He engaged to pay
them $12,800 against a bond./// (transitive verb) (mainly UK
English) To employ someone (Engage + to (full infinitive))
e.g., ‘I have engaged a secretary to deal with all my paperwork.’//
(without infinitive) e.g., We are engaging the services of a
professional administrator ((^^^) for this example)./// (transitive
or intransitive verb) To attack or begin to fight someone;
e.g., Enemy planes engaged the troops as they advanced into the
mountains ((^^) for this meaning)./// (transitive
verb) To interest someone in something and keep them thinking
about it; e.g., The debate about food safety has engaged the whole
nation.// e.g., ‘If a book doesn’t engage my interest in the
first pages, I don’t usually read it’ ((^^) for
this meaning)./// (transitive or intransitive verb) To make one part
of a machine fit into and move together with another part of a machine;
e.g., When the large cogwheel engages (with the smaller
one), the millstone will start to go round ((^^) for this
meaning).
Aim
Aim for/ to/ at = (intransitive verb) to intend, e.g., (+
to (full infinitive)) 'I aim to be a millionaire by
the time I'm 30.' // e.g., We are aiming for (=
planning to achieve) a 40 percent share of the UK market.///
(transitive or intransitive verb) To point or direct a weapon towards someone
or something that you want to hit; e.g., He aimed (=
directed) a kick at my shins (shin =
the front of the leg below the knee).// e.g., ''Aim for the
middle of the target.''// ‘Let's aim for (= go in
the direction of) Coventry first, and then we'll have a look at the
map’ (^^).
Assist:
Assist in/ with/ at = (verb with object) Help someone, typically by doing a
share of the work; e.g., A senior academic would assist him in his
work.// (verb; no object) e.g., Their presence would
assist in keeping the peace./// Help by providing
money or information; e.g., They assisted police with their
inquiries (inquiry = an act of asking for information).// (verb; no
object) e.g., Funds to assist with capital
investment./// (verb; no object) Be present as a helper;
e.g., The two midwives assisted at the water birth.//
e.g., He has also assisted at blood donor sessions in
the town.
Excel
To excel in/ at, e.g., Mary always
excelled in languages at school ((^^^) for the 2nd example).//
e.g., ''I happen to excel in all subjects.''//
e.g., By all reports, he is well adjusted, excelling in his
academic and sports activities.//
Divide
Divide into = separate into parts or
groups; e.g., ‘At the end of the lecture, I’d like all the students
to divide into small discussion groups.’/// Divide up =
to share; e.g., ‘I think we should divide (up) the costs equally
among/ between us.’ /// Divide on/ over = to
cause a group of people to disagree about something;
e.g., The party is divided on/over the issue of capital punishment./// Divide
between = to use different amounts of something for different purposes
or activities; e.g., She divides her time between her
apartment in London and her cottage in Yorkshire (^^).
Made:
Made from/ of/ out of/ with:
Made from = when we talk about how something is manufactured, e.g.,
The earliest canoes were made from trees.// e.g., Plastic
is made from oil (*)
Made of = when we talk about the basic material or qualities of
something. It has a meaning similar to ‘composed of,’; e.g., What
is this table made of? It is oak.// e.g., She wore (wear -
wore - worn) a beautiful necklace made of gold (*) //
e.g., An article (= item, object) made of clay.
Made out of = when we talk about something that has been changed
or transformed from one thing into another; e.g., They
were living in tents made out of an old plastic sheet.// e.g., In
the 1970s, it was popular to have candle holders made out of wine bottles (*).
Made with = we use it more often to talk about food and drink ingredients, e.g., Sushi is made with raw fish.//
e.g., This dish is made with corned beef and vegetables (*).
Verbs that are NOT followed by a preposition:
Contact (it is NOT followed by a preposition, e.g., ‘I
contacted him about a serious matter’)
Regarding (it is NOT followed by a preposition e.g., ‘Regarding
unemployment in Spain, it has recently increased’)
Lack (it is NOT followed by a preposition, e.g.,
‘I lack confidence’)
Attend (it is NOT followed by a preposition, e.g., ‘I
attended the course’) (We do NOT say attend to/ at the meeting’))
Resist (= withstand the action or effect of) (resist is NOT followed by a preposition (Note: resist does NOT go with ‘in’ – You may confuse it with ‘insist’ that goes with ‘on’ or ‘that’ or ‘persist’ that goes with ‘with’ or ‘in’); e.g., One important measure in resisting infection is to quit smoking.// e.g., Manufacturers design equipment to resist the effects of freezing.// e.g., Antibodies help us to resist infection)
Suggest (it is NOT followed by a preposition// it goes
with or without ‘that’; e.g., ‘Are you suggesting (that) I look fat
in these trousers (*)?”// e.g., All the evidence suggests (that) he
is not guilty (^^)). (*) in North American English, they use 'pants' instead of 'trousers.'
Exaggerate ((pronounced ɪɡˈzædʒ.ə.reɪt) as a verb is usually NOT accompanied by a preposition. It goes with or without an object. a) (verb with object) e.g., ‘Furthermore, there are no legal penalties for taking a false or exaggerated claim to court.’ // b) (verb; no object) e.g., ‘I couldn't sleep for three days—I'm not exaggerating.’ // e.g., ‘I don’t think it will be exaggerating to say that the composers' new work is a masterpiece ((**) for the last example).// e.g., ‘I think I rather exaggerate the time (not ‘in the time’) I spend working out at the gym’ (my own example))
For
a verb + preposition list:
- https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/EnglishVerbsPrepositionsDictionary.pdf
- http://www.teflsites.com/VERB%20PREPOSITIONS.pdf
Reference – Links
(Retrieved: February 16, 2017):
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/phrasals.htm
https://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/phrasal-verbs-list.htm
http://www.gingersoftware.com/content/grammar-rules/verbs/list-of-phrasal-verbs/
https://www.easypacelearning.com/all-lessons/grammar/1219-phrasal-verbs-list-meanings-and-examples
https://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/phrasal-verbs/list
https://www.usingenglish.com/reference/phrasal-verbs/list.html
https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-at-in-on-time.htm
https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/prepositions-place-at-in-on.htm
http://www.onestopenglish.com/grammar/grammar-reference/nouns-and-phrases/prepositions-of-time-and-place-article/152825.article
https://www.espressoenglish.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/EnglishVerbsPrepositionsDictionary.pdf
http://www.teflsites.com/VERB%20PREPOSITIONS.pdf
http://www.grammarbank.com/prepositions.html
http://wc.bracu.ac.bd/sites/default/files/resources/Prepositions%20%26%20Verbals%20%5BWalden%20U%20Writing%20Center%5D.pdf
http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/gerund2c.html
http://kisi.deu.edu.tr/binnur.kavlak/ingilizce/belgeler/prepositionlist.pdf
http://cst.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/wc-common-preposition-combinations.pdf
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/preposition.pdf
(Retrieved:
November 2, 2017):
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/word-order-and-focus/made-from-made-of-made-out-of-made-with
Cambridge
Advanced Learning Dictionary, paperback with CD-ROM, 4th edition, edited by
Colin McIntosh, Cambridge University Press, 2013 (^^) (^^^ for the examples.
(Retrieved:
September 30, 2019):
https://www.quora.com/English-language-What-is-the-difference-between-on-the-street-and-in-the-street-Theyre-dancing-in-on-the-street-We-live-in-on-this-street
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