PREPOSITIONS

Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition.

1.
1. The factory owner is not in the habit of fraternizing ………… his workers.
2. All the animals in the forest fled ………… the fire.
3. If you have a grievance ………… tec company, please lodge a formal written complaint.
4. My car is guaranteed ………… rust for eight years.
5. The teacher told me to stop fidgeting ………… and to sit still and concentrate.
6. I was furious ………… my sister ………… her always borrowing my clothes without my permission.
7. His glee ………… the news of his success was a joy to see.
8. You mustn’t grieve ………… one trivial mistake.
9. He has a fixation ………… becoming the best doctor in the world.
10. She does nothing but fret ………… her being overweight yet never tries to diet.
11. His fidelity ………… the firm has won him great respect.
12. He is always gloating ………… his meteoric rise as an actor.
13. He is certainly good ………… Mathematics, if not much else.
14. Her sales methods have been criticized as being ………… odds with company policy.
15. I found the ring in the street purely ………… luck.
16. I didn’t go to see him ………… fear of catching his cold.
17. That house has been up ………… sale for two years.
18. Come to the party, ………… all means.
19. We regard this atrocity as an offence ………… humanity.
20. ………… all, I spent £500 on holiday.
2.
1. Surgeons operated ………… her last night; her condition is said to be satisfactory.
2. The teacher was deaf ………… Nick’s explanation of why he hadn’t done his homework.
3. It was so cold in the tent that the children had to huddle up ………… to keep warm.
4. She haggled ………… the shopkeeper over the price of the souvenir.
5. We still haven’t heard ………… the insurance company about our claim.
6. Commuters found themselves faced ………… a lengthy public transport strike.
7. I’ve received an invitation ………… the annual nurses’ conference in Glasgow.
8. Mr Smith is becoming increasingly impatient ………… this class as they never pay attention.
9. I’m indebted ………… my husband for his support in my new business venture.
10. The computer in the reception is inferior ………… the one in my office.
11. He says he's feeling a bit ………… colour today.
12. I'm afraid ………… regard to your request, m a rot there’s nothing I can do about it.
13. She wasn’t allowed in the cinema because she was ………… age.
14. The castaways were stranded ………… an island for nearly a week.
15. He is a solicitor ………… profession.
16. This coat was ………… a sale when I bought it so it was very cheap.
17. He is ………… arrears with his loan repayments.
18. I will lend you the money ………… condition that you pay it back within the month.
19. Strawberries are only ………… season in May and June.
20. He is an expert ………… name only; hie actually knows very little about the subject.
3.
1. Terry Mc Woddle has been named ………… the new chairman of the football club.
2. Several flights were delayed and so the departure lounge was jam-packed ………… angry travellers.
3. The harassed mother juggled ………… four bags of shopping, a pushchair and a dog in the middle of
the busy high Street.
4. Many vegetarians argue that there is no justification ………… eating meat in this day and age.
5. I’ve been asked to key this information ………… the computer immediately.
6. The businessman insisted that he had no knowledge ………… the missing currency.
7. When I was abroad I longed ………… a traditional English Sunday lunch.
8. My husband’s always lazing ………… while I’m always busy.
9. The donkey climbed the steep track laden ………… bags of oranges.
10. Sarah is jealous ………… her sister because she is much more popular.
11. She is looking ………… for a new job, but hasn’t found anything yet.
12. No one is kinder ………… children than he is.
13. I think we should limit this discussion ………… the facts.
14. My uncle lectures ………… the History of Art at the university.
15. You mustn’t judge people ………… the way they dress.
16. Their new baby is being named ………… his father.
17. The man kept his child ………… his side throughout the journey.
18. He's not very clever academically but he’s good ………… D.I.Y.
19. Margot prefers not to buy goods ………… credit.
20. He went to the meeting ………… disguise so as not to be recognized.
4.
1. I muddled ………… the jigsaw pieces and the children did the puzzle again.
2. I waved at a complete stranger in the Street whom I mistook ………… my cousin.
3. Nobody likes Rick because he’s so mean ………… money.
4. I asked the assistant which make ………… hi-fi he recommended.
5. All the evidence militated ………… a conclusion ns our favour.
6. I was born in Britain but was naturalized ………… Italy.
7. I’ve been asked to notify the personnel department ………… my new address.
8. The doctor is not noted ………… his tact when it comes to dealing with patients.
9. The swimming pool attendant was negligent ………… his duties and the little girl almost drowned.
10. There were a lot of problems at the beginning of the school year, but ………… the end everything
was all right.
11. He was so surprised by the news that he was ………… a loss for words.
12. Our teacher was ………… a bad mood today; he shouted ………… everyone.
13. Try to get the photograph ………… focus this time.
14. They were ………… the trial of the Yeti when the blizzard started.
15 ………… answer to your question, the meeting will take place next Tuesday
16. Railway engineers joined three additional carriages ………… the train to accommodate the extra
passengers.
17. Classes have increased ………… size since falling levels of government funding have reduced the
number of teachers in the school.
18. He joined ………… when he was seventeen and he’s been in the army ever since.
19. Impatient ………… her arrival, he kept running to the window every time a car passed.
20. The organisers tried to get everyone to join ………… the games.
5.
1. They spent the summer ………… a cruise traveling round the world.
2 We are ………… favour of abolishing experiments on live animals.
3. When they got home, their house was ………… fire.
4. ………… her boss’s request , she has worked overtime nearly every day this month.
5. They estimated the candidates’ popularity ………… means of opinion polls.
6. ………… a guess, I’d say he weighs about 70 kilos.
7. Very short skirts worn with thick woollen tights are ………… vogue at the moment.
8. She was brought up ………… a farm so she is used to living in the countryside.
9. Paul has been ………… leave from work for the past month.
10. ………… second thoughts, I don’t think I want to go to the concert.
11. Being new ………… the neighborhood, they were unable to find where the greengrocer’s was.
12. That’s typical ………… Peter to refuse to help!
13. I’m having trouble ………… my car; it keeps stalling.
14. Jenny is terrified ………… flying.
15. Our neighbours are very tolerant ………… the noise we make.
16. My father is fascinated with cars. In fact, he’s in the garage tinkering ………… the old Ford right now.
17. Tuck your shirt ………… your trousers!
18. The river was teeming ………… trout.
19. She is so thirsty ………… success that she would do anything.
20. He triumphed ………… his competitors by flooding the market place with advertising.
6.
1. Mary was impatient ………… the Christmas holidays to arrive.
2. Their school building is ………… repair, so they are having lessons in the old library.
3. She was ………… the point of leaving when the phone rang.
4. People were chosen ………… random to try the new product.
5. ………… answer to your question, the meeting will take place next Tuesday.
6. Don’t be so impatient ………… Sue. She’s only 10 and doesn’t understand things quickly.
7. ………… no account must you open your book during the test.
8. Gill wasn’t her usual cheerful self today. She was ………… the weather.
9. ………… the whole, I think your work is quite satisfactory.
10. As there was little time left, he outlined his plans ………… brief.
11. Jam oozed ………… the doughnut when she bit into it.
12. He is proud ………… his new sports car.
13. The driver was oblivious ………… the red light and went straight through it.
14. The schoolchildren were overburdened ………… homework.
15. My mother has an obsession ………… cleanliness and is forever doing the housework.
16. The surgeon operated ………… the woman with the fractured hip.
17. My brother is so mean that he hates to part ………… a single penny!
18. The villagers left their homes in the valley and moved to higher grounds as a precaution……flooding.
19. The shop sent me the cooker ………… approval as I wasn’t sure it was the model I wanted.
20. He has a proclivity ………… being dishonest in business.
7.
1. We had to queue ………… before we could get into the cinema last night.
2. Heavy rain resulted ………… widespread flooding.
3. I was reminded ………… my childhood when I heard that nursery rhyme.
4. Green vegetables are rich ………… vitamins and minerals.
5. She is quick ………… doing mental arithmetic.
6. Queen Victoria reigned ………… Britain and Ireland for more than sixty years.
7. The sight of the snake made him recoil ………… horror.
8. His style of writing is reminiscent ………… Thomas Hardy’s.
9. There has been a sharp rise ………… unemployment this year.
10. Please keep ………… touch after you’ve gone back to America.
11. As she didn’t have a lot of cash, she bought the fridge ………… credit.
12. They live ………… the outskirts of a large industrial town.
13. ………… average, English students study at university for three years.
14. Mike is not really ………… tune with the rest of the group.
15. The writer is very much ………… favour with the public at the moment.
16. What is ………… the agenda for today’s meeting?
17. ………… the one hand, he’s a dependable worker, but he is also very slow.
18. Are you ………… the mood for a walk on the beach?
19. Jackie is hopeless ………… mathematics.
20. Mrs. Heath pleaded ………… her husband not to resign from his job.
8.
1. He has an excellent lawyer acting ………… him and is bound to win the case.
2. The board of directors is meeting today to appoint a replacement ………… the retiring chairman.
3. He was very solicitous ……… our comfort and made every effort to ensure we had a pleasant journey.
4. We’d better go out for dinner; the food we have in the house isn’t sufficient ………… the six of us.
5. When the dam broke, a surge ………… water rushed down the mountain.
6. As soon as they met Joe and Elizabeth were smitten ………… each other.
7. I can’t pay the electricity bill ………… next week as money is short right now.
8. The manager was sympathetic ………… their request for a non-smoking area.
9. Her colleagues intend to support her ………… her fight against discrimination in the workplace.
10. They’re bringing out a sequel ………… this television series next summer.
11. I acted ………… impulse and bought my wife a large bunch of flowers.
12. He’s not only a comedian, but also an expert ………… ventriloquism.
13. We agreed ………… his plan and started making preparations immediately.
14. None of us could agree ………… what to buy our teacher as a present.
15. Sam’s views ate often so outrageous that people rarely agree ………… him.
16. The secretary's argument ………… her boss led to her being fired.
17. There are strong arguments ………… banning the use of aerosol sprays.
18. On our honeymoon, we argued ………… everything; from the food to the weather!
19. The explorer arrived ………… the conclusion that he was the first person to teach the ancient site.
20. You must show yout passport as soon as you arrive ………… a new country.
9.
1. Don’t tell me you like his taste ………… clothes! He looks terrible!
2. Working flexitime has many advantages ………… regular working hours.
3. This summer, admission ………… most cinemas is double what it was last year.
4. The customer was very angry ………… the assistant's casual attitude towards him.
5. Young children ate awkward ………… dancing as they can’t co-ordinate their movements well.
6. Her admission ………… guilt shocked everyone; no one thought she was capable of fraud.
7. My husband is so awkward ………… a needle and thread that I have to sew on all his shirt buttons
myself.
8. I was very angry ………… being woken up at the middle of the night by an alarm bell.
9. My new computer has the advantage ………… being more compact than my old one.
10. The government was anxious ………… the influx of refugees into the country.
11. Out visa is valid ………… one year and will subsequently need renewing.
12. She felt very uneasy ………… having the baby with Miriam for the evening.
13. After suffering a major illness, he was very vulnerable ………… minor ailments such as colds.
14. He didn’t just express his aversion ………… cloning but also argued ………… it in a very
persuasive way.
15. I can vouch ………… Sandra’s integrity, so I recommend we include her in our discussions.
16. The boys ran down to the garden and vaulted ………… the fence at the bottom.
17. Clara is unswerving ………… her determination to become a lawyer.
18. While running to answer the telephone, I tripped ………… my brother’s briefcase.
19. She’s patient ………… children and so is a very good teacher.
20. The food at that restaurant was labelled “unfit ………… human consumption” by the environmental
health officer.
10.
1. I’m very wary ………… riding that horse; it’s been known to shy at traffic.
2. The schoolboy winced ………… the sight of the cane in the headmaster’s hand.
3. She yearns ………… a relaxing holiday in the sun.
4. You won’t solve your problems by wallowing ………… self-pity.
5. The student wrestled ………… the difficult mathematics problem.
6. Wind and rain have whittled away ………… the old stone wall for the past three centuries.
7. Ray winked ………… us to show that he wasn’t being serious.
8. After six months in the countryside, Alan has a yen ………… the bright lights of the city.
9. The woman yelled ………… the boys when they ran through her garden.
10. She tried not to yield ………… temptation and have another piece of cake.
11. The spy had little choice ………… the matter but to destroy the microfilm.
12. There’s no point crying ………… things you can’t change.
13. We had to choose ………… a hotel in Rome and a villa in Tuscany for our last holiday.
14. The restaurant menu offered a choice ………… trout, beef or chicken.
15. Membership of the society has decreased ………… number since last year.
16. The national debt has been decreased ………… £10 billion this year.
17. Do you mean you still haven’t decided ………… your holiday yet?
18. She can’t decide ………… what style of wedding dress to buy.
19. If you clean the hall, we’ll deal ………… the kitchen together.
20. My uncle deals ………… antique furniture.
11.
1. He doesn’t seem to be very happy ………… his new job; he always looks rather worried and
depressed these days.
2. As she handed over the gift, she said that she hoped we would be very happy ………… our new home.
3. It will be good ………… Thomas to have a strict teacher; he’s never had any discipline at home.
4. The dispute occurred because the manager is so hopeless ………… people; he has absolutely no idea
of how to handle his workforce.
5. We’ve just heard ………… his unexpected promotion.
6. Nervous about facing an interview panel, she hesitated ………… the door and took a deep breath
before entering the room.
7. A strong draught blew into the room through the gap ………… the door.
8. Ruth was a genius ………… mathematics and was awarded a scholarship to Cambridge when she was
only fourteen years old.
9. Have you heard ………… the take “Loch Ness’’ in Scotland?
10. He’s a genius ………… a pencil and can capture a likeness in a few deft strokes.
11. His new stereo system was expensive but it’s guaranteed ………… fifteen years so it was worthwhile
paying more.
12. My friend is worried because she hasn’t heard ………… her sister for days.
13. She has a real genius ………… languages and has already mastered the rudiments of Greek!
14. There is a popular superstition which says that anyone who has a gap ………… their two front teeth
will be lucky throughout their life.
15. She hesitated ………… taking any action, hoping that there was no real cause for alarm.
16. I can’t honestly say that I’m happy ………… your decision to emigrate to France.
17. She’s very good ………… animals and takes food out to the stray dogs in the street every morning.
18. The new wonder watch from Seiko is guaranteed ………… any type of breakage, including water
damage and accident.
19. The baby was crying ………… its milk.
20. Having always been good ………… at maths, he decided to study it at university.
12.
1. Although we were all rather irritated by the situation at the time, we laughed ………… it afterward.
2. Tom lectured his son ………… the dangers of riding a motorcycle.
3. The summer dress was lined ………… light cotton to make it less transparent.
4. He was listening ………… the radio when he heard the news of the earthquake.
5. I’m expecting an important call; could you listen ………… the telephone while I pop out to the shops?
6. He doesn’t have any savings and, since being made redundant, has been living ………… his family.
7. The neighbors are very anxious ………… their missing daughter to phone home.
8. Mark was saved ………… drowning by the heroic action of his brother.
9. Since passing his accountancy exams, George has had his salary increased ………… 10%.
10. Susan’s quest ………… a satisfying job was at last realised.
11. ………… everyone’s astonishment, she arrived at the party in a Rolls Royce.
12. My cousin has a flair ………… languages and can speak more than six.
13. You should not use aerosols because they’re harmful ………… the environment.
14. I’m sure there’s a jinx ………… this dress. Whenever I wear it I have a terrible time.
15. I began to get impatient ………… his continual lack of punctuality.
13.
1. Tom’s absorption ………… his studies means he has no social life.
2. Eating too much fat and sugar is detrimental ………… your health.
3. The amount of water absorbed ………… cotton wool is greater than that ………… paper.
4. The bank wrote to me to advise me ………… their new overdraft facilities.
5. If you need advice ………… exam techniques, any of our trained staff will help you.
6. He cared ………… the environment and gave an inspiring speech ………… the issue.
7. At the Chinese restaurant we started ………… spare ribs, then had chicken soup and coconut ice
cream to finish.
8. The doctor advised us ………… travelling to Egypt without having the proper inoculations first.
14.
For questions 1-12 read the text below and think of the word which best fits each gap. Use only one
word in each gap. In this exercise, each missing word is a proposition. There is an example at the
beginning (0).
GIFT OF THE GAB
Chatting to babies in a particular way boosts their intelligence and gives them a head start (0) in life, a
new study has found. Speech and language therapist Dr Sally Ward selected 140 nine-month-old children from
Manchester. She then gave 70 of the parents detailed advice (1) ………… the best way to communicate (2)
………… their child and left the other 70 without guidance. The “communicating” parents were told to spend
at least 30 minutes every day talking to their child, (3) ………… any background noise, about subjects
which their infant might take an interest (4) …………. More than six years later, and after regular checks
had been kept (5) ………… their progress, the children had IQ tests. Those in the talking group were, (6)
………… average, a year and three months ahead (7) ………… the other group. Nine children had IQs in
the gifted category, whereas none in the nontalking group was as bright.
In a separate study at the American Academy of Pediatrics, experts have warned (8) ………… the
dangers of children under the age of two watching television. Research has shown that exposure to television
is responsible (9) ………… anything from delayed speech to Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. The
problem (10) ………… television is that it confuses infants, who block out the background noise coming
from it. They consequently learn to ignore all noise, and this includes speech. Pediatric and language
specialists also disapprove (11 ) ………… radio, which has much the same effect (12) …………
a child’s language development.