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GRAMMAR SELF-STUDY
PREPOSITIONS

DEFINITION
A preposition is a structural (function) word indicating by its meaning a relation between two
notional words. Prepositions usually precede a noun, but they can also be followed by:
 a pronoun, e.g. Give this letter to her to type.
 a gerundial phrase, e.g. Lily insisted on going there at once.
 a clause, e.g. He was not surprised at what he saw.
The semantic significance of prepositions becomes evident when different prepositions are used
with one and the same word, e.g.
 to go to the park
 to go across the park
 to go round the park
 to go out of the park
 to go through the park, etc
A preposition may altogether change the meaning of the verb, e.g. he shot the officer (he aimed at
him and hit him) # he shot at the officer (he aimed at him but probably missed).
Although the tradition of differentiating prepositions from other word classes (conjunctions, and
in some cases adverbs) is well established, it is not always easy to draw the dividing line; nearly all one-
word prepositions can also function as adverbs or as conjunctions, their status being determined only
syntactically.
A few words like after, before, since, for (with the change of meaning), behind mау function not
only as adverbs, adverbial postpositions, or conjunctions, but also as prepositions. Compare the
following groups of sentences:
 They sailed up (adverbial postposition). # They sailed up the river (preposition). # Everybody
was up at the sound of the bell (adverb).
 The milk boiled over (adverbial postposition – part of a phrasal verb). # He presided over the
meeting (preposition).
 Such men as he are intolerable (conjunction). # I can't tolerate such men as him (preposition).
 The house is near (adverb). # The house is near the river (preposition).
 No one saw him but me (preposition). # But no one saw him (conjunction).
 He is stronger than me (preposition). # He is stronger than I am (conjunction).

MORPHOLOGICAL COMPOSITION
Prepositions may be of different morphological structure. They are:
1. simple prepositions, e.g. out, in, for, on, about, but (в значении «кроме, исключая»), against
2. derivative prepositions, that is formed from other words, mainly participles), e.g. excepting,
concerning, considering, following, including, during, depending, granted, past, except
3. compound prepositions: within, outside, upon, onto, throughout, alongside, wherewith, whereof,
whereupon, herein, hereafter, withall
4. composite or phrasal prepositions include a word of another class and one or two prepositions, e.g.
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 by virtue of  thanks to  for the sake of
 but for  with reference  except for
 because of to  due to
 by means of  opposite to  in addition to
 instead of  in front of  with regard to
 in lieu of  for the sake of  on behalf of
 prior to  in view of  in line with
 on account of  in spite of  at variance with
 abreast of  in preference to  regardless of
 in unison with
A composite preposition is indivisible both syntactically and semantically, that is, no
element of it can be varied, abbreviated or extended according to the normal rules of syntax.
Thus, in the composite preposition for the sake of neither the definite article nor the preposition
can be replaced by words of similar meaning.

SEMANTIC CHARACTERISTICS
Most prepositions are polysemantic, and they can have different meanings, e.g. in, to,
for, at, fro. Others are monosemantic and have the same meaning in all situations, e.g. down,
over, across, off, till, until, save, near, along, among, despite, during, etc. This also applies to
prepositions borrowed from Latin: versus, via, plus, minus.
Some prepositions are synonymous with others, e.g. notwithstanding = despite; instead
of = in lieu of
Relations expressed by prepositions may be of various types:
 agentive (showing the doer of the action), e.g. The letter was sent by a friend of mine.
 attributive, e.g. The drawing was done in crayon, The people in question were absent.
(люди, о которых идет речь);
 possessive and partial relations, e.g. One of my friends lives in Bristol. The roof of the
house was leaking. He gave her a glass of brandy. There is a decline in waste. There was
a noticeable rise in production.
 relation indicating origin, material, or source, e.g. The presentation was made by a girl
from Brighton. Is your ring made of gold?
 objective relation, e.g. Don't be angry with me. Don’t worry, I'll look into the matter.
What book are you working at/on now? Let’s speak on/about/of this matter later.
 relation indicating to whom the action is directed, e.g. Don’t show it to him. I enjoy
giving lessons to these children.
 instrumental relation, e.g. My sister likes writing with a pencil. Cut the twig off with a
knife;
 relation of subordination, e.g. Horace is a secretary to a Minister.
 relation defining the sphere or field of activity, e.g. The country depends on exports for
its food. Mike is good at football.
 relation of involvement or association, e.g. I wish to cooperate with somebody in this
matter. I like coffee with cream. Let’s compare the prices in ‘Harrods’ with those in
‘Tesco’. Don’t get involved in this discussion.
 respective relation, e.g. This boy is too big for a youngster. I did not know I had a
blackguard for a son.
 relation of resemblance, e.g. He is like his father.
 relation of dissociation and differentiation, e.g. If you disburden yourself of one's past,
you’ll feel much better. His face was devoid of any warmth or humour. It's very difficult
to disentangle fact from fiction in what she's saying. At what age do children start to
know right from wrong? What did Darwin deduce from the presence of these species?
There also can be various adverbial relations:
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 of manner, means, style and language, e.g. They worked with diligence all the morning.
They were informed about the tragedy by telegram. In the company of adults, the kids
preferred to communicate in slang. The paper is written in such a bad print that I can’t
understand it. Please, copy your work in a neat hand and give it in on Monday. Sampras
won the title in fine style, not losing a single game. Here again are today's headlines in
brief.
 of purpose or aim, e.g. Don’t forget to send for the doctor. Don’t punish him; he did it for
fun. The police were after the criminal.
 temporal relations, which may be subdivided into those denoting precedence, sequence,
duration, etc. You will be given an answer in good time. The attack will start before the
dawn.
 of cause or reason, e.g. I did it out of fear. The mistake was made through his negligence.
I despise you for this.
 spatial relation, including directional relation, e.g. There are parking spaces over there,
just past (=a little further than) the garage. She stood by the window. We gazed across
the river, There are two tall trees at the gate.
 concessive relation, e.g. In spite of the bad weather, we went for a walk. Despite our
protests, the chemical plant was built. For all his attempts to control the inflation, it has
risen. She did that work with all her diligence.
The relations enumerated above do not exhaust all the possible meanings expressed by
prepositions. Sometimes the relation indicated by a preposition is too abstract to be defined in
words, as its use is often figurative or metaphorical, e.g. He broke away from them on some
vague pretext.
POSITION OF PREPOSITIONS
Normally a preposition precedes the word it belongs to. However, there are cases when it
is used in the final position. These cases are:
1. special questions, both direct and indirect, e.g.
What are you driving at? What train shall I go by?
Who shall I send it to? I asked him what the flowers were for.
2. colloquial style, e.g.
‘It was brought yesterday,’ I said. – ‘Who by?’ she asked.
‘Apologize?’ she said. ‘What about?’
3. clauses beginning with conjunctive and relative pronouns, e.g.
What I am thinking of is how he got there.
The man I told you about is my relative.
The girl he is in love with studies at the University.
It is his talents he relies on.
4. some passive constructions, e.g.
The doctor was immediately sent for.
How strange it is to be talked to in this way.
5. some syntactical patterns with the infinitive or gerund, e.g.
He is difficult to deal with.
It is not worth worrying about.
This is not a suitable house to live in.
6. exclamatory sentences, e.g.
What a nice place to live in! What an object to make fun of!

However a preposition precedes the interrogative word in:

 more formal context, e.g.
To whom shall I send this? By what train shall I go?
He did not know to whom he should turn for help.
The man about whom I told you is a relative of mine.
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 when it forms a set phrase with a noun, e.g.
In what respect was he suspicious?
To what extent is this true?
 in abbreviated sentences and clauses consisting only of a preposition and an
interrogative word, a preposition precedes the interrogative word e.g.
But to whom? About what?

TIME PREPOSITIONS
1. time indication
 all of a sudden = suddenly, e.g. All of a sudden the lights went out.
 at Christmas; at Easter
 at first sight /glance; at a glance, e.g. Do you believe in love at first sight? At first
glance, the place seemed deserted. He saw at a glance what had happened.
 at once (= immediately), e.g. Please, call her at once.
 at present, , e.g. The item you want is not available at present.
 at six; at half past one; at a quarter to eleven; at five past three
 at the moment (= at present) # for the moment (used to say that something is
happening or is true now but will probably change in the future), e.g. Julia's on
holiday in Spain at the moment. Well, for the moment we're just friends.
 at the weekends; on the weekend (Am. E.)
 at this time; at that time # this time; that time, e.g. What will you be doing at this
time tomorrow? This time you are right.
 at times (occasionally) At times, it is difficult to understand him, because he speaks
too fast.
 from time to time = off and on = on and off, e.g. We've been going out together for
five years, off and on.
 in no time at all (very quickly), in a very short time, e.g. Don’t worry, I will finish
painting the house in no time at all.
 in the meantime (= meanwhile), e.g. We are starting school in several days, but in
the meantime we can take a trip.
 in the past; in the future; BUT: at some time in the past; at some time in the
future, e.g. In the past women had no right to vote. Don’t throw these papers away.
They may be useful at some time in the future.
 in three days (reference to the future), e.g. Don’t worry, I will finish painting the
house in three days.
 in those days = then, e.g. Not much was known about the dangers of smoking in
those days.
 off and on (infrequently), e.g. It rained off and on all the day yesterday.
 once in a while, e.g. Once in a while we have dinner in a Chinese restaurant.
 the first time, the last time, e.g. When was the last time you saw Jim?
 three days later (reference to the future in past narration), e.g. Three days later he
finished painting the house.
2. age indication
 at a certain age; at an early age; at the age of seven; at sixteen, e.g. She was rather
bright and could play chess very well at the age of 5.
 in her teens; in his middle age, e.g. In her teens she was quite a naughty girl.
3. day and date indication
 on + (all nouns containing the element ‘day’) = on Monday; on weekday; on holiday;
on Christmas Day
 on the morning (evening, afternoon, night) of the sixth of May, e.g. The ship was due
on the evening of the 9th of December.
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 on 15 August 2007 = on the fifteenth of August two thousand and seven = on August
the fifteenth two thousand and seven
4. part of the day indication
 at dawn; at dusk; at midnight; at midday; at noon; at night, e.g. We decided to
set off at dawn.
 in the morning (evening, afternoon); in the night
 on Monday morning
Note: no preposition! - this evening; last night, next morning, every afternoon,
5. period indication
 after + time/date = after Christmas
 afterwards; soon afterwards; immediately afterwards; not long afterwards
 at breakfast, at lunch, at dinner, e.g. I'm afraid he's at lunch until two.
 at first (initially), at last (finally), e.g. Kate was nervous at first, but later she felt
more relaxed. At last it was time to leave.
 at the beginning of the day; at the end of the week, e.g. There's a short poem at the
beginning of every chapter.
 before + time/date = before Christmas
 during (when?) during the winter; during the night; during the weekend; during the
Middle Ages, e.g. I went to sleep (when?) during the film.
 for (for how long?) for three hours (weeks, months, years); for ever
 for ever (= forever = for good = for all future time), e.g. Many valuable works of art
were lost forever.
 for now (for a short time), e.g. Just leave your shoes on the back porch for now. I
wanted that moment to last forever.
 for the most part of the day (year, week, etc), e.g. For the most part of the day he
went to the forest. (for how long?)
 from 3 to 5; from time to time; from an early age
 from the beginning, e.g. From the beginning of my career as a journalist, I've been
writing about gender issues.
 in the beginning (= at first); in the end (= at last; eventually), e.g. In the end, it was
decided not to go to the cinema at all. I thought he loved me; perhaps he did in the
beginning.
 on arrival; on arriving; on reaching London, on getting to London, e.g. On
reaching London, he immediately went to see the Stricklands.
 on holiday = on leave = on vacation, e.g. Julie isn’t at work this week, she is on
holiday.
 since childhood; since we moved to Bristol
 since the beginning, e.g. She's been here since the beginning of the year.
 since the last time (= the most recent occasion), e.g. Things have changed since the
last time you were here.
 while (not a preposition but a conjunction, introducing a subordinate clause of time),
e.g. They didn’t say a single word while they were eating.
6. punctuality
 in time; in time for; in good time; in good time for = not to be late
 on time = at the time arranged
7. time limit
 by + time/date = by 6.00; by noon; by the end of July; by Friday
 by now, e.g. Sonia should have been home by now. Do you think she's OK?
 by then; by 19 July, e.g. I will have graduated from the university by 19 July; I hope
to find a job by then.
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 so far, e.g. So far we have not had to borrow any money.
 till /until midnight; till 8 o’clock
 to the last moment, e.g. She always leaves everything to the last moment.
 to the point of, e.g. Some children are bullied to the point of suicide.
 until now; up to now, e.g. Until now, doctors have been able to do very little to treat
this disease.
8. succession
 at first (used to say what happened at the beginning of a period of time, when this
changed later) # first (used to say what happens first in a series of actions), e.g. At
first I was nervous, but I soon started to relax. First I fed the baby. Then I made
myself a sandwich.
 first of all = first , e.g. First of all we'd better make sure we've got everything we
need. First, I'd like to thank everyone for coming.
 for the first time = first, e.g. For the first time in his life he felt truly happy. The
book was first published in 2000.
 (for) the last time # last time, e.g. It was (for) the last time that he had lost a game.
The last time (= the most recent time) I saw Jonathan was Thursday evening.
 in a row, e.g. She's been out four nights in a row.
 in the first place (used to talk about the beginning of a situation, or the situation
before something happened), e.g. He wouldn't have given you the job in the first
place if he didn't think you could do it.
 last (most recently before now = в последний раз) # last time (в прошлый раз), e.g.
When I last saw her, she was working in New York. Last time we discussed the use
of gerund as the subject of the sentence.
 last of all (used when giving a final point or piece of information), e.g. Last of all, I'd
like to thank everyone for coming.
 one after another/one after the other, e.g. One after another, tropical storms
battered the Pacific coastline.
 one by one, e.g. One by one each soldier approached the general’s coffin and gave a
final salute.
 the first / second, etc, e.g. The first time I flew on a plane I was really nervous.

TRAVEL, MOVEMENT AND PLACE PREPOSITIONS

1. position
 above = ‘earlier’ (in the book; on the page; in the chapter, etc)
 above = ‘higher than’, e.g. The sky above their heads was dark red.
 against = next to and touching an upright surface, especially for support, e.g. There
was a ladder propped up against the wall.
 at 55 Green Street – to indicate the address, e.g. Lee lives at 10 Kent Street in
Plymouth.
 behind = Don’t forget to lock the door behind you when you leave. What is behind
his smile? She glanced behind her and saw a stranger. The sun disappeared behind the
clouds.
 below = 'much lower than’= indicates that there is a space between the two surfaces,
e.g. They live below us. (We live on the fourth floor and they live on the third.)
 beneath (a rather old-fashioned word) can sometimes be used instead of under, but it
is safer to keep it for abstract meanings, e.g. He would think it beneath him to tell a
lie. (unworthy of him) She married beneath her. (into a lower social class)
 beside # besides (which means ‘in addition to’ as well as’), e.g. I like reading and
besides that I enjoy embroidering. Besides reading, I enjoy embroidering.
 beside = next to, e.g. In class Mary sits beside John.
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 between (two things or people) # among (more than two things or people), e.g. The
ball rolled between his feet. Jim relaxed, knowing he was among friends.
 between = There is a coffee table between two armchairs.
 beyond (on or to the further side of something), e.g. They crossed the mountains and
headed for the valleys beyond.
 from behind, e.g. There's a man watching us from behind that fence.
 in = inside smth, e.g. I keep my pens is in the first drawer.
 in front of = The car in front of me stopped suddenly and I had to brake. She spends
all day sitting in front of her computer. She is now entitled to put ‘Professor’ in front
of her name.
 in the centre of / in the middle of; in the corner; in the right-hand/left-hand
 in a suburb, e.g. Don't you get bored living out here in the suburbs?
 in corner of the room, e.g. There was an armchair in the left-hand corner of the
room.
 in the corner # on the corner # at the corner, e.g. The TV station's name appears in
the corner of the screen. A tear appeared in the corner of his eye. Their initials were
sewn on the corner of every pillow. Jessie sat on the corner of her bed. The hotel is on
the corner of 5th and Maine. Several women were standing at the corner, talking to
two police officers.
 near (a short distance away) # next to (very close to someone or something, with
nothing in between = beside), e.g. They live near London. There was a little girl
sitting next to him.
 on = on the surface of smth, e.g. There is a book on the table.
 on the outskirts (of something), e.g They live on the outskirts of Paris.
 on the left/right, e.g. Take the next road on the left. On your left you can see the
Houses of Parliament.
 on the left-hand/right-hand side e.g. We live about halfway down the street on the
left-hand side.
 on top of = She put the papers down on the top of the piano.
 opposite = I sat opposite him during the meal (= on the other side of the table). The
bank is opposite the supermarket (= on the other side of the road). Write your address
opposite (= next to) your name.
 over = ‘higher than’, e.g. The helicopter hovered over (above) their heads.
 over = on the other side, e.g. He lives over the mountains.
 round = around (surrounding or on all sides of something or someone), e.g. We sat
round the table playing cards.
 round the corner, e.g. The shop is just round the corner.
 through = She smiled at him as he walked through the door. We made our way
through the village to the farm.
 to the left/right of the door, e.g. Our house is just to the left of the school.
 under = 'lower than’= indicates contact, e.g. She put the letter under her pillow. The
ice crackled under his feet.
 under or below can sometimes be used in the same context, e.g. The fields under
(below) the plane looked like a patch quilt.
2. destination/direction
 across, e.g. They ran straight across the road
 along = from one place on something such as a line, road, or edge towards the other
end of it, e.g. We were driving along Follyfoot Road.
 at = to arrive at a small place, Eventually they arrived at the station.
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 from … to = to travel (drive; fly; ride; swim; walk); e.g. They flew from London to
Bristol.
 in = to arrive in a big place, Eventually they arrived in London.
 through to, e.g. I went through to the kitchen to see who was there.
 to = to get to; to return to, e.g. Eventually they got to London.
 to = to go to, to run to, to walk to, to come to, to send; e.g. She sent a letter to
London.
 to = toward (used to say that someone or something moves, looks, faces etc in the
direction of someone or something), e.g. He noticed two policemen coming towards
him.
Note: no preposition is used with to get (arrive, come, go) home; to reach some place
3. to stay/to be/to stand/to go
 at home; at work; at an address; at the office; at school; at the theatre; at the cinema;
at a concert; at a party; at the bus stop; at the station; at the airport; at the bridge;
 at sea = on a ship
 at the sea, at the river; at the lake = near, beside
 at/in a hotel;
 in (something that has boundaries) = in a country; in a village; in the city; in the
country; in town; in a square; in a street; in a room; in a forest (wood) in a desert; in
the workplace; etc
 in bed, e.g. Stay in bed and drink plenty of liquids.
 in the sea, in the river, in the lake = inside
 to stay to dinner/stay for lunch, e.g. Why don't you stay for supper?
 to go away on holiday
4. transport
 by bus (mode of travel) # on the bus (some particular means of transport), e.g. He
usually goes to work by bus. She came to school on the bus this morning.
 by car (bus, train, taxi, plane, helicopter, etc)
 by sea, air, land; by M25 (route)
 on foot, e.g. How far is it to the station? - It takes about 30 minutes on foot, or 10
minutes by car.
 to cycle /go on (by) bicycle;
 to get into /out of the car
 to get on / off the bus (train, plane)
 to go on board the ship
 to ride / go on horseback;
 via = by way of, e.g. We are driving to Berlin via (= by way of) Poland.
5. direction
 from around the corner, e.g. Suddenly a big car came from around the corner of the
street and hit the old man.
 from under, e.g. The child looked from under the bed where he was hiding.
 in # into; in = position, e.g. The book is in my bag.
into = movement, e.g. She poured some milk into a cup.
Note: with the verb ‘put’ either ‘in’ and ‘into’ can be used, e.g. Don’t put your hands
in/into you pockets when you speak with adults.
 on # onto; on = both for position and movement, e.g. He got on his horse. Onto = to
show movement that involves a change of level, e.g. The cat jumped onto the table.
 on the way, on one’s way, e.g. We can stop at the grocery store on the way to their
house and buy some food.
 out of = to come (go) into the room; to come (go) out of the room
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 over, e.g. He climbed over the wall.
6. giving directions
 Get off the bus and walk on till you come to some traffic lights.
 Get out of the bus at the tube station and walk on till you come to a pub.
 Go along the Strand till you see the Savoy on your right.
 Go on past the post office.
 Go on to the end of the road.
 Take the first/second turning on/to the right (on/to your right).
 The bus stop is just round the corner.
 Turn right/left at the Post Office (at the second traffic lights).
 Turn right/left into Fleet Street.
 When you come out of the station, you will find the bank opposite you (in front of
you).
 You will find the bank on your left halfway down the street.

PREPOSITIONS AFTER PARTICULAR WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS

Noun + preposition
Noun + preposition Examples
ability at She shows remarkable ability at mathematics and science.
attitude to/towards Pete's attitude to / towards women really scares me.
congratulations on Congratulations on your new job!
confidence in The players had confidence in their coach.
dependence on Our dependence on oil as a source of energy is still great.
difficulty in + gerund You won't have much difficulty in getting to know people in Italy.
difficulty with smth I'm having difficulty with my daughter's maths homework.
discussion about / on / We ought to have another discussion about this year's budget.
of) smth
effect on Pop music has a very bad effect on me.
enthusiasm for He shares my enthusiasm for jazz.
example of Sherry is an example of a fortified wine.
explanation of / for I can’t think of any explanation of what has happened.
smth I want an explanation of your behaviour.
grip on She was losing her grip on reality.
idea of + gerund I don’t like the idea of going to the mountains in this weather.
independence from Nigeria gained independence from Britain in 1960
(political freedom)
independence of + I like his independence of thinking.
gerund
influence on /over Gayle's mother said I was a bad influence on her daughter. The Council
had influence over many government decisions.
key to Working well as a team is the key to success.
marriage to Her marriage to John didn’t last very long.
proof of smth I want some proof of your innocence.
reason for smth Nobody knows the reason for his disappearance.
responsibility for The Minister will have responsibility for coordinating childcare
policy.
success in smth He has already had a lot of success in his career.
threat to smb / smth The fighting is a major threat to stability in the region.
vulnerability to He was intensely aware of his own vulnerability to cold.

ADJECTIVE + PREPOSITION
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Adjective + Examples
preposition
absent from He is regularly absent from school.
accustomed to We were accustomed to working together.
afraid of + noun / Are you afraid of spiders? Are you afraid of riding horses?
gerund
allergic to smth I'm allergic to penicillin.
amazed at / by We were absolutely amazed at his rapid recovery.
angry with / at smb/ 'Please don't be angry with me,' she said.
about smth Kate's still so angry about the whole thing.
David was angry with/at himself for letting the others see his true
feelings.
annoyed with / She was annoyed with Duncan for forgetting to phone.
about /by He was annoyed by her apparent indifference.
anxious about ( = I'm getting anxious about money.
worried about) He was a bit anxious about the safety of the machinery.
anxious about / for (= He was a bit anxious about the safety of the machinery.
eager for, wanting) We're all anxious for an end to this misunderstanding.

apprehensive of/about We'd been a little apprehensive about their visit.

ashamed of You have nothing to be ashamed of.
astonished at / by We were all astonished at your failure in the exam. I was astonished by
the result.
aware of The children are aware of the danger of taking drugs.
bad at Matt's bad at handling people.
bad for smth / smb Smoking is bad for your health.
bored with Are you bored with your present job?
clever at He was clever at finding bargains. I'm not very clever at cooking.
comfortable with (= She's never felt very comfortable with men.
confident)
concerned with (= It refers to all the people concerned with children's education.
involved) / in (= There was no evidence that he was concerned in any criminal activity.
connected) / about (= She is concerned about how little food I eat.
worried) / for He called the police because he was concerned for Gemma's safety.
cross with / about /at Why were you cross with the child? She was cross at being interrupted.
dependent on smb / I don't want to be dependent on my parents for another three
smth years.
different from smb / You're very different from your brother.
smth
disappointed at / with / Local residents were disappointed with the decision.
about / in The girl's parents were bitterly disappointed at the jury's verdict. I'm
very disappointed in you.
disappointed with smb My father never showed it if he was disappointed with me. You must
/ with / at / about smth be pretty disappointed with/at/about your exam results.
disgusted with smb / Most locals are disgusted by the anti-foreigner violence.
with / at / about / by I was absolutely disgusted with the way our fans behaved.
smth Many people are disgusted at the continuing slaughter of dolphins.
I'm disgusted with Stephen /disgusted at the way Stephen treats Julia.
dressed in Who's the old lady all dressed in green?
engaged to Kate's engaged to Mark.
excited about / by / at Maria's starting to get pretty excited about the wedding.
 11
We're all excited by the prospect of a party.
familiar with / to The signs of drug addiction are familiar to most doctors.
Are you familiar with this type of machine?
famous for France is famous for its wine.
fitted with Is your car fitted with an alarm?
frightened of / by I was frightened of being left by myself in the house.
The baby was frightened by the loud bolt of thunder.
furious with / about /at Residents in the area are furious at the decision to build a gas station.
She was furious with herself for letting things get out of hand.
good at I've always been good at maths.
grateful to smb for I am grateful to everybody for all their help
smth
guilty at / of / about I feel really guilty at forgetting her birthday again.
He was found not guilty of the death of PC Jones.
Some journalists are guilty of reporting scandal in order to sell papers.
happy for / about / What a wonderful opportunity! I'm so happy for you.
with On the whole, I'm happy with the way I look.
Mom wasn't happy about Tess going off travelling on her own.
ill with Our boss has been ill with flu for the last week.
impressed with / about We were very impressed by the standard of work.
/ by I am very much impressed with your work.
independent of smb / We need a central bank that is independent of the government.
smth
jealous of Why are you so jealous of his success?
keen on + gerund I wasn't keen on going there on my own.
keen for + inf The government is keen for peace talks to start again.
kind to People have always been kind to me.
lacking in She is lacking in tact.
late for Cheryl was late for school.
married to How long has he been married to Sarah?
nervous of / about She was so nervous about her exams that she couldn't sleep.
We were all a bit nervous of him at first (=frightened of him).
pleased / displeased She seemed pleased by the compliment.
with / about / by /for I could tell she was pleased about something.
smb Gwinn was pleased with the results.
That's wonderful! I'm really pleased for you.
polite to smb Try to be polite to Uncle Richard just for once.
ready for / with I don't feel that I'm ready for my driving test yet.
At the end of the lecture, I was ready with questions.
related to He suffers with memory loss related to his disease.
responsible for Who is responsible for the shopping this week?
rude to smb Peggy was pretty rude to her granny last week.
sad about I was sad about the friends I was leaving behind.
scared of I've always been scared of dogs. Don't be scared of asking for help.
shocked at / by I was deeply shocked by Jo's death.
He is shocked at what happened to his son.
similar to / in Her ideas are quite similar to mine.
The two cars are very similar in size and design.
sorry for smb / for It's no good feeling sorry for yourself. It's all your own fault. She was
doing smth / about genuinely sorry for what she had done.
smth I'm sorry for making such a fuss.
 12
Sorry about the mess - I'll clean it up.
successful in / at Were you successful in persuading him to change his mind?
sure of / about He wasn't even sure of his mother's name.
'That's the man I saw in the building last night.' 'Are you quite sure
about that?'
surprised at / by We were greatly surprised at/by the news.
terrified of / by Sid is terrified of heights. She was terrified of being caught. The child
was terrified by the stranger’s booming voice.
tired of I'm tired of watching television; let's go for a walk.
upset with / about / by She was really upset about the way her father treated her.
You're not still upset with me, are you?
weak in / on She speaks quite fluently but she's weak in/on grammar.
well-read at/on smth David, exceptionally bright and personable, was probably as well-read
on the game as any player I have known.
worthy of These new strategies are worthy of note.

VERB + PREPOSITION
VERB + EXAMPLES
PREPOSITION
to account for Recent pressure at work may account for his behavior.
to accuse smb of smth Mr. Smith accused her of lying to him.
to agree about smth My friend and I agree about most things.
They never agree about politics.
to agree on smth Let's try to agree on a date for the next meeting.
to agree to smth I'll agree to your proposal if you lower the price.
He’s agreed to our suggestion about the holidays.
to agree with smb I entirely agree with you on this question.
It’s a good idea to agree with your boss most of the time.
to answer smth You must always answer out clients’ letters as soon as possible.
to apologize for smth I must apologize for disturbing you.
to smb Did Mary apologize for her rudeness last night?
The US has apologized to Britain for the accident that cost nine British
lives.
to apply for smth You can apply for a job in any pub.
to approve of/ to Catherine's parents now approve of her marriage.
disapprove of
to arrive at (a small When they arrived at hospital, she called Nurse Smith at once.
place/ in (a big place) On arriving in France, they planned all their stay day by day.
to ask for smth Don't ask me for another drink, please.
to ask smth He's always asking silly questions. Ask him the time, please.
to attend smth Please let us know if you are unable to attend classes.
to attend to (= to deal I may be late - I have got one or two things to attend to.
with)
to benefit from/by Many thousands have benefited from the new treatment.
They would benefit by reducing their labour costs.
to blame smb for Marie still blames herself for Patrick's death.
to blame smth on smb I didn’t break this cup! Don’t blame it on me!
to boast of/about He's boasting about how much money he has made. The company is
inclined to boast of its success.
to borrow from I don’t like borrowing money from my friends. You can borrow this
book from the local library.
 13
to bump into smb / I bumped into Lewis in Upper Street yesterday.
smth I wasn’t looking where I was going and bumped into a lamp-post.
to call smb after smb Who are you going to call your son after? After my father.
to care about (to I don’t care about your problems; I’ve got enough of my own.
consider important)
to care for (to like) Would you care for a cup of tea?
I care for you. I really do!
to care for (to look There was no one to care for him when he got old.
after) Who is going to care for the kids while we are on holiday?
to catch up with smth/ He really lagged behind the group and it was difficult for him to catch
smb up with them.
to compensate for Her intelligence more than compensates for her lack of experience.
to commit smb to smth Meeting them doesn't commit us to anything.
to compete with They found themselves competing with foreign companies for a share
against smb of the market.
The Renault Clio competes against such cars as the Peugeot 206.
to complain to smb Neighbours complained to the police about the dogs barking.
about smth
to confess to Edwards confessed to being a spy. Occasionally people confess to
crimes they haven't committed just to get attention.
to confide in smb/ to Sue regretted that she confided in Liz. He confided to his friends that
confide to smb that… he didn't have much hope for his marriage.
to congratulate smb I must congratulate you on your design for the new building.
on smth
to cope with She feared she wouldn't be able to cope with two new babies.
to crash into smth Some fool crashed into me from behind at the traffic lights.
to cringe at / away She cringed at the sound of her own voice. She cringed away from him.
from
to date back to The college dates back to medieval times.
to depend on smb/ We may go sailing - it depends on the weather.
smth
deprive smb of smth A lot of these children have been deprived of a normal home life.
to despair of smb My teachers began to despair of me.
to devote smb / smth She devoted herself full-time to her business.
to smb/smth
to die of /from smth Far more smokers than non-smokers die of lung-cancer. The animals
died of starvation in the snow. These patients are dying from cancer.
to divide smth into Western Germany was divided into three different occupation zones
after the war.
to dream about + What does it mean if you dream about a fire?
gerund / noun (while
asleep)
to dream of + gerund / I often dreamed of being famous when I was younger.
noun (= to think of, to I never dreamt of happiness like this.
imagine smth
impossible)
to drive into smth Granny drove into a tree again yesterday. They drove deep into the
enemy’s territory.
to emerge from / from She emerged from the divorce a stronger person. The sun emerged from
behind behind the clouds.
to exchange smth for Don’t exchange dollars for pounds.
 14
smth
to explain smth to smb Please, could you explain this rule to me once again?
Can you explain to me why you didn’t turn up last night?
to expose smb to smth The report revealed that workers had been exposed to high levels of
radiation.
to force smb into smth Bad health forced him into taking early retirement.
to forgive smb for I've tried to forgive him for what he said.
smth He never forgave her for walking out on him.
to happen to Whatever has happened to Steve? I haven't seen him for years.
to hope for / against We were hoping for good weather.
In any case, let’s hope for the best
I rang my parents, hoping against hope that they would be at home.
to indulge in Eva had never been one to indulge in self-pity.
to integrate into / with Colourful illustrations are integrated into the text.
We're looking for people who can integrate with a team.
Many children with learning difficulties are integrated into ordinary
schools.
to interfere with # to Anxiety can interfere with children's performance at school. It's not the
interfere in church's job to interfere in politics.
to involve in Try to involve as many children as possible in the game.
to lack smth Your new girl-friend lacks tact.
to lag behind She stopped to wait for Ian who was lagging behind.
to laugh at / about 'I didn't know what I was doing,' she said, laughing at the memory.
smb/smth
to lead to A nurse took her arm and led her to a chair.
to long for smb/smth She longed for him all the time, especially at night.
to marry smb (but to Last year she married a rich businessman. She got married to her
get married to smb) parents’ worst enemy.
to move to/into/from He had to move his mother into a nursing home. At this stage, children
smth move further away from the influence of their parents, and depend
more on their friends.
to mull over smth He's mulling over the proposals before making any changes.
to object to Robson strongly objected to the terms of the contract.
to operate on smb The surgeon is going to operate on our dog tomorrow morning.
to persist in doing He persisted in smoking even after having a heart attack.
smth
to plead with smb (to Moira pleaded with him to stay.
do smth)
to prevent smth / smb Your party prevented everybody from sleeping last night.
from + gerund
to pride oneself on She prides herself on being a good listener.
smth / on doing smth
to prime smb with Did you prime her with what to say? He had a shower and primed
smth / for smth himself for action.
to provide smb with The project is designed to provide young people with work.
smth
to puzzle over smth (to The class puzzled over a poem by Shakespeare.
think for a long time
about something
because you cannot
understand or solve it)
 15
to rebel against Teenage boys often rebel against their parents.
to rely on / upon Many people now rely on the Internet for news.
to remind smb of / The girls constantly had to be reminded about their chores.
about smth / smb That song always reminds me of our first date.
to rob smb of smth Alas! Friends really rob you of your time!
to run into smb / smb I ran into Phil at Victoria Station yesterday.
We ran into thick fog on our way home.
The bus went out of control and ran into a line of people.
to scoff at (=laugh at) David scoffed at her fears.
to search for smth / The customs were searching for drugs when I came through the airport.
smb Bad weather is hampering the search for survivors.
to search smb The custom officer searched the man in front of me from head to foot.
to see to Go on, you go out. I'll see to the washing up.
to shake with Mary shook with rage.
to shiver with She shivered with fear and anger.
to shoot at Two guys walked in and started shooting at people.
to shout at I wish you'd stop shouting at the children.
(aggressive) / to (to We could hear them shouting for help.
communicate) / for 'He's down here!' she shouted to Alison.
to smell of (BR.E.) / My clothes smelt of smoke. It smells like rotten eggs.
like (Am.E.) smth
to smile at If you smile at her like that, she will give you everything you want.
to specialize in Simmons specialized in contract law.
to speculate on / about Jones refused to speculate about what might happen.
to spend smth on More money should be spent on education.
to succeed in + gerund Scientists claim they have succeeded in finding a cure for cancer.
to suffer from Mary's suffering from ill health at the moment.
to switch from smth to Duval could switch easily from French to English.
smth
to take pleasure in I shall take great pleasure in telling everyone the truth.
smth
to tell smb to face I told him to his face just what I thought of him.
to throw smth at smb The boys were throwing stones at each other
(aggressive)
to throw smth to smb The pop star threw his shirt to someone in the crowd.
(in a game)
to tremble with Green was on his feet now, his body trembling with rage.
to trust smb with smth Don’t trust her with your secret, she is a gossip.
to tuck smth Jack tucked his shirt in. She tucked an unruly lock of hair behind her
in/into/behind smth ear.
to vote for smb/smth Which candidate are you going to vote for?
to warn smb Can you warn her of the danger? The police have warned tourists
of/about/against smth against leaving the main tourist centres.
to wave to/at smb She turned to wave to the approaching soldiers.
Enid waved at us and we waved back.

SET EXPRESSIONS WITH PREPOSITIONS

Common expressions with ‘at’
Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
at a loss When her son finally left home, Emily felt completely at a loss. He
 16
seemed, for once, at a loss for words.
at all costs We must avoid a scandal at all costs.
at first At first, Gregory was shy and hardly spoke.
at least It will take you at least 20 minutes to get there.
at random The gang picked their victims at random.
at risk We must stop these rumours; the firm's reputation is at risk.
at the bus stop I had to wait for 20 minutes at the bus stop.
at the station/ airport/ Were there many people at the party? I met him at my brother’s
concert/ party/ at my yesterday.
sister’s
at the table/desk Julia is working at her desk now.
at the top / bottom Look for this word at the bottom of page 72.
at the traffic lights She slowed down at the traffic lights by Sloane Street.
at war / at peace In 1920 Poland and Russia were stillat war. The country is at peace
with its neighbours for the first time in years.

Common expressions with ‘by’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
by/from all accounts = It has, from all accounts, been a successful marriage.
according to what a lot
of people say
by all means (= of 'Can I bring Alan?' 'By all means!'
course)
by chance I bumped into her quite by chance in Oxford Street.
by far ( = better than Godard's first film was by far the best he made.
anything else)
by mistake Someone must have left the door open by mistake.
by no means = by ant It is by no means certain that the game will take place. She's not a bad
means (= not at all) kid, by any means.
by sight # on sight (as I only know her by sight (= I often see her but have not really spoken to
soon as you see her).The army has been ordered to shoot rebel soldiers on sight.
someone)
by surprise His unexpected arrival took her by surprise.

Common expressions with ‘in’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
in a hurry It won’t do to do such things in a hurry.
in a low (loud, high, Stop talking to me in that stupid voice!
quiet) voice
in a way/in no way In a way, you are right. This should in no way be seen as a defeat.
in a whisper / in 'Where are we going?' he asked in a whisper.
whispers They were speaking in whispers.
in debt Dickens’s father was constantly in debt.
in difficulties; in The business is in financial difficulty.
trouble
in one’s opinion It's a terrible shame, in my opinion, that the building was knocked
down.
in particular (= It was a good concert - I enjoyed the last song in particular.
especially)
 17
in pen (pencil, ink) Please, fill in the form in ink.
in place of = instead John is going to the meeting in place of Mr. Savage.
in private; in public It’s advisable to discuss such question in private not in public.
in the hope of = in We came to the island in the hope of finding a simpler way of life.
hopes (Am.E.)
in the north (south, Milan is in the north of Italy.
east, west)
in the picture / photo You look very happy in this photo.
in the rain (snow) I like walking in the rain.
in the shade (shadow) She was sitting in the shade of a large oak tree. It was hot, and we
of / in shadow decided to walk in the shadow of the wall. The side of the valley was in
shadow.
in the sun We sat in the sun, eating ice cream.
in turn/ in turns Each of us in turn had to describe how alcohol had affected our lives.
not in the slightest (= 'Did he mind lending you the car?' 'Not in the slightest.'
not at all)
once in a while (= not I do get a little anxious once in a while.
often)
to catch smb in the act The gang was caught in the act of unloading the smuggled cigarettes.
of doing smth
to get in touch with/to I’ll get in touch with him as soon as I come to London.
keep in touch
to have smth in I found I had a lot in common with these people.
common
to take pride in smth He takes great pride in his children's achievements.

Common expressions with ‘for’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
for a change How about dinner out for a change?
for a reason My sister decided to take up this job for several different reasons.
for a while At last, he could relax for a while.
for breakfast (lunch, What did you have for dinner yesterday?
dinner)
for good = for ever And they parted for good.
for hire Do you have any boats for hire?
for luck She crossed her fingers for luck.
to go for a walk (run, Taylor took me for a drive through the town.
swim, drive)

Common expressions with ‘from’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
by/from all accounts = It has, from all accounts, been a successful marriage.
according to what a lot
of people say
from one’s point of From my point of view, there is no way they can win.
view From an economic point of view, the new development will benefit the
town greatly.
from bad to worse When she arrived, things just went from bad to worse.
from morning to night/ Farmers work on the fields from morning to night.
 18
from dawn to dusk
from now on From now on, I will only be working in the mornings.
from day to day My health is improving from day to day.

Common expressions with ‘on’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
on the whole On the whole, I thought the film was pretty good.
on average On average, men still earn more than women.
on board the ship I met Mr. Stuart on board the ship ‘QE – 2’
on business Are you travelling on business or for pleasure?
on holiday; on leave What do you prefer doing on holiday?
on purpose You make it sound as if I did it on purpose!
to go on strike Half the workforce decided to go on strike.
on the way (to) She always buys a newspaper on the way to work.
on sale (= offered for The house will go on sale next week.
sale)
on a diet Lyn always seems to be on a diet.
on fire (= is burning) The house is on fire!
on a bus / plane/ train/ Did you come here on the bus?
ship
on the contrary It wasn't a good thing; on the contrary, it was a huge mistake.

Common expressions with ‘out’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions

out of breath She was out of breath as if she had run a mile.
out of control The truck ran out of control and hit a house.
out of dander At last they were out of danger and could take a breath.
out of sight Karen waved until the car was out of sight.
out of date Don’t use this dictionary, it’s out of date.
out of order Oh, my! The lift is out of order again!
out of the question You can't go in that old shirt - it's out of the question.
out of town Mr. Black can’t see you today, he is out of town.
out of (smth) She went to the shop because she was out of milk.
out of work He has been out of work for a year now and is very unhappy.
out of the ordinary Anything out of the ordinary made her nervous.
(unusual)

Common expressions with ‘to’

Set expressions with Examples
prepositions
due to She has been absent from work due to illness.
to be used to doing She is used to having coffee in the morning.
smth
to get used to doing You will soon get used to riding on the left side.
smth
to look forward to I always look forward to seeing this person.
smt / doing smth
 19
PRACTICE
TASK 1. Fill in the gaps with correct prepositions.
1. I'm not very good _____ history; I'm more interested _____ physics.
2. When I got _____ the horse after my ride, I wished I'd gone _____ foot.
3. He explained _____ me that he wasn't really fond _____ children.
4. She is jealous _____ me because I don't have to go _____ a diet.
5. Everyone _____ board the ship felt seasick _____ first.
6. When I went to Greece, I was surprised _____ how cold it was.
7. I tried to get _____ the bus, but it was full _____ people.
8. He was found guilty _____ murder, though he killed her _____ accident.
9. She sat in the kitchen _____ herself, learning the poem _____ heart.
10. Their house is _____ sale because they are _____ debt.
11. That country is _____ war, and you can't send things there _____ post.
12. I was _____ school _____ the same time that you were.
13. _____ private he admitted that it all happened _____ mistake.
14. Before the policeman went _____ duty, he went shopping _____ town.
15. The books we use have not changed _____ years and are really _____ _____ date.
16. I know her _____ sight, but I don't actually know her name.
17. He broke the bar of chocolate _____ pieces, and they each had a piece.
18. Bill was engaged _____ Liz _____ two years and then got married _____ Jane!
19. I'll never forgive Bill _____ the way he treated his fiancée.
20. Our new sofa was uncomfortable so we exchanged it _____ a different one.
21. I said I could move the furniture _____ myself, but she insisted _____ helping me.
22. Helen, I'd like to introduce you _____ George, our next-door neighbour.
23. Now that George has been elected we all hope _____ better things in the future.
24. Many residents don't have much confidence _____ our new mayor.
25. Some of the tenants are angry _____ the lack _____ car parking spaces _____ the area.
26. She's longing _____ the day when they can move _____ of the city.
27. I have just washed my hands and they pleasantly smell _____ soap.

TASK 2. To read Jack’s conversation with his boss put the correct preposition into each
blank.
Roger: Well, Jack. How long have you been _____ the company now?
Jack: _____ ten years. But as you know, I've only been working _____ the Sales Department
_____ the beginning of the year.
Roger: Yes, I remember you joined ____ the Sales Department _____ the 3rd _____ January.
And we recognize that you have done a lot of good work.
Would you like to attend the sales conference _____ July? It's _____ Cairo ___ this year.
Jack: That would be marvellous! What date is it _____ exactly?
Roger: It begins _____ the 22nd _____ July. It goes on then _____ nearly a week, _____ the 28th
of July. You could be back here _____ the end of the month.
Jack: Well, I'd very much like to go then. Thanks.
Roger: _____ the conference, I'd like you to take notes of the main decisions. Then, _____ the
conference, when you get back, I'd like you to send me a report.
Jack: Yes, of course. I'll do that. I'd better start making travel arrangements.
Roger: Well, that shouldn't be difficult. There's a convenient flight _____ Cairo every Sunday
_____ 11.15 am.
Jack: OK. I suppose I'd better buy a summer suit. It must be hot _____ Cairo _____ summer.
Roger: Oh, one other thing. There's a meeting of all sales staff _____ Friday this week, _____
10.00 am _____ 3.00 pm. You'll be there, won't you?
Jack: Yes, of course.
 20
TASK 3. Fill in the gaps with correct prepositions.
1. I'm afraid I don't agree _____ you _____ the meeting.
2. Quite a lot of people I know believe ____ the supernatural.
3. The secretary eventually confessed _____ stealing the money.
4. I've been waiting _____ ages _____ the chance to talk to you.
5. She says she is looking forward _____ meeting us _____ Easter.
6. They accused the journalist _____ blackmailing the politician.
7. Nobody warned them _____ the dangers involved _____ the experiment.
8. I'm sorry, but I must insist _____ seeing the manager _____ once.
9. The poet died _____ tuberculosis _____ the early age _____ 32.
10. She was there _____ the time but didn't take part ____ the discussion.
11. There's nothing I like better than listening _____ good music.
12. She saw the job advertised and applied _____ it _____ once.
13. The trouble is that there is no one I can confide _____.
14. _____ my job I have to deal _____ people most of the time.
15. To be honest, I'm not used ____ getting up as early as this.
16. I wish you would make up your mind _____ what you want.
17. No one would admit _____ taking the book _____ my desk.
18. While she was ill, her neighbours cared _____ her.
19. She doesn't approve ____ my staying out so late.
20. He's always boasting ____ his rich relatives.
21. I don't object _____ your smoking, as long as you open the window.
22. She trusted her friend _____ all her secrets.
23. _____ the way there, he was involved _____ an accident.
24. I prefer swimming _____ playing tennis.
25. When things go wrong, they always blame everything _____ me.
26. I must congratulate you ____ passing the exam. Well done!
27. After several attempts, they finally succeeded ____ opening the trunk.
28. When you start work here, we'll provide you _____ a uniform.
29. Our company specializes _____ helping overseas clients.
30. He keeps promising to do things, but you just can't rely _____ him.
31. _____ the way to the hotel, they were robbed _____ all their money.
32. I decided to vote _____ him at the last election.
33. Don't worry, I'll cope _____ the problem. You can go home.
34. He was unhappy _____ work and decided to hunt _____ a new job.
35. If you really want to catch _____ _____ your group, you will have to work very hard.
36. Because of her long illness, she fell _____ the group and had to turn _____ a tutor _____
help.

TASK 4. Fill the gaps with prepositions to read about an unpleasant dream Alison had last
night.
Last night I was dreaming _____ the small town where I lived when I was a child.
Somehow I had arrived _____ Spring Creek _____ plane, although there was no airport _____
the town. The sun was shining brightly, but _____ the sunshine, I felt very cold. I met a man who
looked _____ my husband, but he said he was my old schoolteacher.
He said, 'Speaking _____ your teacher, I must tell you that you have no hope _____
passing the exam.' However, he offered to drive me _____ the examination room. So we went
_____ his car, but we were late _____ _____ the traffic.
_____ fact, there was such a bad traffic jam that I had to get _____ _____ the car and
finish the journey _____ foot. But I was so late that the examiner wouldn't let me go _____ the
examination room. I started to cry and then I woke up.
 21
TASK 5. Fill in the gaps with correct prepositions and tick the statements you agree with.
1. I admire people who can take advantage _____ other people.
2. I enjoy working _____ people who are enthusiastic _____ what they are doing.
3. I dislike people who always disagree _____ me.
4. I avoid people who can’t take pleasure _____ simple things.
5. I prefer dealing _____ people who I can depend _____.
6. I like people who can remember others not only _____ sight but also _____ name.
7. I respect people who tell you what they think about you _____ your face and not _____
your back.
8. I hate people who need to have a reason _____ everything.
9. I despise people who laugh _____ other people’s misfortunes or physical disabilities.
10. I am apprehensive _____ people who frequently get out of control.

TASK 6. Fill in the gaps with correct prepositions. Options are possible.
_____ the summer, we went _____ the beach every day. We stayed _____ a lovely motel
right _____ the beach. _____ the morning we would get up _____ 9.30, have breakfast, and then
spend four hours _____ the pool _____ all the other guests. _____ 1:00 we would have lunch
_____ our room. _____ lunch we would eat something light like sandwiches and fruit, _____ the
afternoon we would return _____ the pool area and sit _____ the sun _____ a while. _____ night
we would take long walks _____ the beach or visit some friends who lived _____ 520 Sunset
Avenue in San Remo.
Many people _____ town stayed _____ that motel. Like us, they had been coming _____
that same motel _____ 1975. Most _____ them were _____ Ohio. _____ time _____ time, we
would eat out _____ a nice restaurant, where we did not have to wait long _____ the waitress to
serve us. _____ July, it is usually very crowded, but this year _____ least, it was not as crowded
as _____ the past.
Once _____ a while we went _____ the movies _____ the theater _____ the corner _____
Las Olas Boulevard and Castillo Avenue. _____ car we arrived there _____ no time _____ all.
We sat _____ the middle _____ the theater, _____ the twelfth row. The movie started _____
7:00 sharp, so we got there just _____ time to buy some popcorn and find our seats _____ it
started. _____ first, I thought I would not enjoy it, but _____ the end, it turned out to be a very
interesting movie. _____ the whole, it was an enjoyable evening.
We decided to get a Coke _____ the machine, but unfortunately, it was _____ _____
order. So _____ place _____ the Coke, we decided to get some ice cream _____ the Dairy Isle
which was located _____ the corner _____ Harper Ave. and Washington St.
_____ returning _____ our motel, I decided to finish reading my novel. It is _____ far the
most exciting book that Victoria Holt has ever written. _____ the most part, her book deals
_____ a group of archaeologists who go _____ Egypt _____ hopes _____ discovering some
pharaoh’s tomb. _____ accident, they uncover a plot to smuggle the treasures _____ Egypt. Of
course, the archaeologists get _____ touch _____ the authorities, who heard some rumors about
smuggling off and _____. All _____ a sudden, one day the police show up, catch them _____ the
act and arrest them.

TASK 7. Fill in the gaps with correct preposition.

PEACE AND QUIET
I moved ____ (1) this area seven years ago. ____ (2) years I have had noisy neighbours.
Ever ____ (3) I moved ____ (4) this flat, I've had to put up with noise ______ (5) the night. I
decided I'd had enough and I've been looking for a new flat ______ (6) the beginning of the year.
I haven't found anything ______ (7) now. Every week I go to the local estate agent's office, but
it's the same story. 'I might have something ______ (8) the end of the week,' he says, or, 'Wait
______ (9) next week. I think I might have a few flats ______ (10) then.' I've seen a few flats
______ (11) my search, but I don't like any of them. One flat I saw has been empty ______ (12)
 22
two years. 'It's got a busy road ____ (13) one side and a railway ____ (14) the other!' I
exclaimed. 'I want peace and quiet.'
Last week I visited the agent again. 'I won't leave ______ (15) you show me something,' I
said, He smiled and said, 'I've got just the flat for you.'
I went to see it and I was horrified. 'But it's ____ ____ (16) a cemetery!' I cried. 'But you
won't have noisy neighbours,' my agent said. 'It's ideal ____ (17) peace and quiet!

TASK 8. Fill in the sentences below with correct prepositions.

1. Moral and social responsibility should be integrated _____ every child's schooling.
2. It's impossible to attend _____ a task properly if you're worrying _____ something else.
3. Kelly has great confidence _____ her children's abilities.
4. It's a good idea to make notes _____ what you're reading if you want to remember it.
5. Unfortunately, many university courses do not provide students _____ the basic study
skills they really need.
6. Jack took early retirement as he was losing his grip _____ the job.
7. Apparently, an interest in reading _____ later life is closely related _____ how much
your parents read _____ you as a child.
8. Ron usually primes himself _____ plenty _____ black coffee _____ starting the night
shift.
9. I find it very hard to commit historical dates _____ memory.
10. Lack of sleep can seriously interfere _____ your ability to think rationally.
11. Exercising without first warming up can lead _____ injury.
12. John takes a very irresponsible attitude _____ his own safety, because he never wears a
crash helmet.
13. We sat there speculating _____ how the accident might have happened.
14. There were so many people queuing _____ a go on the 'Wall of Death' that we decided
to try the 'Ghost Train'.
15. Fiona's twisted ankle prevented her _____ going skating.
16. Many people seem to enjoy exposing themselves _____ risk.
17. You need to be able to devote a lot of time _____ practice if you want to become a top
athlete.
18. We spent loads of money _____ new equipment _____ our camping holiday.
19. _____ weekends, their husbands indulge _____ war games. They're like big kids really.
20. All new models have been fitted _____ a safety lock.
21. You look really scruffy. Can't you tuck your shirt _____ your trousers _____ least?
22. The main part _____ the church is very old. It dates _____ the 13th century.
23. The school ran _____ financial trouble when 80% _____ the staff went _____ strike.
24. As soon as the President stepped _____ _____ the car, guards moved _____ action to
hold back the crowds.
25. The price _____ shares _____ the company went up by over 50% when they announced
the discovery _____ the new oilfield.
26. We've decided to switch _____ electricity _____ solar power _____ an attempt to be
more eco-friendly.
27. The over-use _____ fertilizers and pesticides is one _____ the greatest threats _____
wildlife today.

TASK 9. Spot and correct mistakes in the wrong prepositions in the sentences below.
1. You can reduce your vulnerability for stress by taking a nap at the afternoon.
2. I play in tennis, but just in fun. I'm not very good in it.
3. I've no idea why Tony is so angry at you. He never confides with me.
4. Jane's out in the garden mulling through a problem to do with work.
5. There's no need to exercise at the point of exhaustion.
 23
6. In weekends, I like to immerse myself with the peace and quiet of the countryside.
7. Bob's finding it hard to focus his mind at his studies in the moment.
8. Dentists fall on the category of high-stress occupations.
9. One of the greatest causes of stress at the workplace is the feeling of being undervalued.
10. Moving house often has a negative effect for people's mental health.

TASK 10. Put the correct prepositions in the gaps in the text below.
I must admit that I cringe _____ (1) the prospect _____ (2) going to see my brother. He
is, I suppose, fairly well-read _____ (3) his field, which is medicine. However, the way he insists
_____ (4) always being right all the time, regardless _____ (5) how well-informed his
conversational adversary may be, makes me quite angry. Whenever anything concerned _____
(6) medicine crops up _____ (7) conversation, he puffs himself up and prepares to 'inform'
people. His attitude _____ (8) people who get their facts slightly wrong is insufferable. He
cannot just let things go, he is just not comfortable _____ (9) inaccuracies. It is almost as if he is
dropping _____ (10) status if he fails to pick someone up _____ (11) a point. I remember him
once arguing _____ (12) a dinner guest _____ (13) over an hour _____ (14) the difference _____
(15) the hard and soft palate! No wonder his wife is always complaining _____ (16) him!

TASK 11. Write the correct preposition in each gap.

TO JOIN OR NOT TO JOIN?
_____ (1) no point in my life have I been keen _____ (2) the idea of joining any kind of
club or group. I rebelled _____ (3) it _____ (4) a very early age, when my mother tried to force
me _____ (5) becoming a member of the Girl Guides. I went once, or _____ (6) least, I got as far
as looking _____ (7) the door of the church hall, but I couldn't cope _____ (8) the sight of all
those confident-looking girls in blue, competing so heartily _____ (9) each other _____ (10) all
those games and activities, so I ran home _____ (11) tears. My mother despaired _____ (12) me,
but persisted _____ (13) her attempts to get me to join _____ (14) something. She was keen
_____ (15) my going to ballet classes. I actually got _____ (16) the door this time, and, _____
(17) the whole, this was more successful than the guides. I emerged _____ (18) my first lesson,
eyes shining with the dream _____ (19) being a prima ballerina. Unfortunately my enthusiasm
_____ (20) ballet lasted a little less than a year.
Later _____ (21) life I puzzled _____ (22) my friends' desire to join tennis clubs, bridge
clubs, Young Wives Clubs, Old Wives Clubs, pottery classes and the like. They pleaded _____
(23) me to go with them, but I couldn't bear to. Such clubs didn't interest me _____ (24) the
slightest. Why am I so allergic _____ (25) groups? I don't suffer _____ (26) shyness. I can't
really understand it.
Perhaps the key _____ (75) my problem lies in the fact that I'm an only child. I just don't
know.

TASK 12. Fill in the missing prepositions in the passage below.

THE CURSE OF TUTANKHAMUN
Most people scoff _____ the idea _____ curses coming true, but the events that followed
the opening _____ Tutankhamun's tomb _____ Howard Carter _____ 1922 may make them
think twice _____ laughing.
The story _____ the curse began when the last man climbed _____ _____ the tomb. It is
said that a sudden sandstorm blew up and that the men _____ the party saw a hawk, the ancient
royal symbol _____ Egypt, fly overhead.
Local Egyptians took this to mean that the spirit _____ the dead king had left his tomb,
cursing those who had opened it. Five months later, the man who financed the expedition, Lord
Caernarvon, was bitten _____ the cheek _____ a mosquito. Normally nothing too serious! But
the bite became infected and Caernarvon caught pneumonia and died _____ an Egyptian
hospital. _____ the precise moment _____ his death, all the lights _____ Cairo went out, and
 24
thousands miles away _____ the Caernarvon mansion _____ Hampshire, England, his dog began
to howl - and died _____ the night. Doctors who examined the mummified body _____
Tutankhamun reported that he had a small depression _____ his cheek, just like a mosquito bite,
_____ exactly the same spot where Caernarvon had been bitten. Many people who visited the
tomb also died _____ strange circumstances. Lord Caernarvon's half brother died _____ a burst
appendix. An Egyptian prince whose family claimed they were descended _____ the pharaohs
was murdered _____ London and his brother committed suicide. An American railway tycoon
caught a cold while looking _____ the tomb and died _____ pneumonia.
The man who helped Howard Carter to catalogue the items found _____ the tomb
committed suicide, and a few months later his father jumped _____ his death _____ the balcony
_____ his London flat. There was an alabaster vase _____ the tomb _____ the room that he
jumped _____ _____.
1966 the government _____ Egypt agreed to lend the treasures _____ France _____ an
important exhibition. The Director _____ the Antiquities fought _____ the decision, because he
had dreamed that he would die if he allowed the treasures to go _____ _____Egypt. When he
left the last meeting, still trying to make the authorities change their minds, he was knocked
down _____ a car and died two days later.
And Howard Carter who was the first man to climb down _____ the tomb? He died
_____ natural causes _____ 1939.