Inglês

Inglês

 
 

PREPOSITIONS (1): introduction

§448, p. 425

 
 

1 - meaning and use

It is difficult to learn to use prepositions correctly in a foreign language. Most English prepositions have several different functions - for instance, one well-known dictionary lists eighteen main uses of at -, and these may correspond to several different prepositions in another language. At the same time, different prepositions can have very similar uses - in the morning, on Monday morning, at night. Many nouns, verbs and adjectives are normally used with particular prepositions: we say the reason for, arrive at, angry with someone, on a bus. Often the correct preposition cannot be guessed, and one has to learn the expression as a whole. In some expressions, English has no preposition where one may be used in another language; in other expressions, the opposite is true. For details of some difficult cases of prepositions usage, see §§ 449-454.

 
 

2 - word order

In English, prepositions can come at the ends of clauses, in certain structures, especially, in an informal style. For details, see § 452.

What are you thinking about?	She's not very easy to talk to.
You're just the person I was looking for.	I hate being shouted at.

3 - -ing forms

When we use verbs after prepositions, we use -ing forms, not infinitives. For details, see §§ 298, 454.

She saved money by giving up cigarettes.

When to is a preposition, it is also followed by -ing forms. (see §298.2)

I look forward to seeing you soon.

 
 

4 - prepositions before conjunctions

Prepositions are, sometimes, dropped before conjunctions and, sometimes, not. For details, see § 453.

I'm not certain (of) what I'm supposed to do.

The question (of) whether they should turn back was never discussed.

 
 

5 - prepositions and adverb particles

Words like on, off, up, down can function both as prepositions and as adverb particles. For the difference, see § 20. For verbs with prepositions and particles, see §§ 599, 600.

She ran up the stairs. (preposition)

She rang me up. (adverb particle)

 
 

PREPOSITIONS (2):

after particular words and expressions

§ 449, p. 426

Its not always easy to know which preposition to use after a particular noun, verb or adjective. Hera are some of the most common combinations which cause difficulty to students of English. Alternatives are sometimes possible, and American and British usage, sometimes, differ. There is only room for very brief notes here; for more complete information about usage with a particular word, consult a good dictionary.

 
 

accuse somebody of something (NOT for)

She accused me of poisoning her dog.

afraid of (NOT by)

Are you afraid of spiders?

agree with a person, opinion or policy

He left the firm because he didn't agree with their sales policy.

I entirely agree with you.

agree about a subject of discussion

We agree about most things.

agree on a matter for decision

Let's try to agree on a date.

agree to a suggestion

I'll agree to your if you lower the price.

angry with (sometimes, at) a person for doing something

I'm angry with her for lying to me.

angry about (sometimes, at)

What are you so angry about?

anxious about (= worried about)

I'm getting anxious about money.

anxious for (= eager to have)

We're all anxious for an end to this misunderstanding

anxious + infinitive (= eager, wanting)

She's anxious to find a better job.

apologise to somebody for something

I think we should apologise to the Smiths.

I must apologise for disturbing you.

arrive at or in (NOT to)

What time do we arrive at Cardiff?

When did you arrive in England?

ask for (= ask somebody to give something)

Don't ask me for money. (NOT Don't ask me money)

- Ask for the menu.

ask (= ask somebody to tell something)

Don't ask my name.

Ask the price.

ask (somebody) + infinitive (= ask permission to)

I asked to go home.

I asked John to go home.

bad at (NOT in)

I'm not bad at tennis.

believe somebody or something that is said (= accept as true)

Don't believe her.

I don't believe a word she says.

believe in (= believe that ... exists; trust)

I half believe in life after death.

If you believe in me I can do anything.

belong in/on/etc (= go, fit, have its place in/on/etc)

Those glasses belong on the top shelf.

belong to (= be a member of)

I belong to a local athletics club.

blue with cold, red with anger etc

My hands were blue with cold when I got home.

clever at (NOT in)

I'm not very clever at cooking.

congratulate/congratulations on something

I must congratulate you on your exam results.

Congratulations on your new job.

crash into (NOT USUALLY against)

I crashed into the car in front.

depend/dependent on (NOT from OR on)

He doesn't want to be dependent on his parents.

die of or from

More people died of flu, in 1919, than were killed in the First World War.

He died from his injuries.

different from/to

American football is different from/to soccer.

different than (OR from and to) (before a clause)

The job's different than I expected.

disappointed with somebody

My father never showed if he was disappointed with me.

disappointed with/at/about something

You must be pretty disappointed with/at/about your exam results.

divide into (NOT in)

The book is divided into three parts.

dream of (= think of, imagine)

I often dreamed of being famous when I was younger.

dream about/of (= while asleep)

What does it mean if you dream of mountains?

dress in (NOT with)

Who's the woman dressed in red?

drive into (NOT against)

Granny drove into a tree again yesterday.

enter into an agreement, a discussion etc

We've just entered into an agreement with Carsons Ltd.

example of (NOT for)

Sherry is an example of a fortified wine.

get in(to) and out of a car, taxi or small boat

When I got into my car, I found the radio had been stolen.

get on(to) and off a train, plane, bus, ship, (motor)bike, horse

We'll be getting off the train in ten minutes.

good at (NOT in)

Are you good at tennis?

ill with

The boss has been ill with flu this week.

impressed with/by

I'm very impressed by your work.

increase in activity, output etc (NOT of)

I'd like to see a big increase in productivity.

insist on (NOT to)

George's father insisted on paying.

interest/interested in (NOT for)

When did your interest in social work begin?

interested to do (= to talk about reactions to things one learns)

I was interested to read in the paper that scientists have found out how to talk to whales.

I shall be interested to see how long it lasts.

interested to do/in doing something (= to talk about a wish to find out something)

Aren't you interested in knowing whether I'm pregnant?

I'm interested to find out what she did with all that money.

interested in doing something (= to talk about a wish to do something)

I'm interested in working in Switzerland.

kind to (NOT with)

People have always been very kind to me.

lack (noun) of

Lack of time prevented me from writing.

lack (verb)

Your mother lacks tact.

to be lacking in

She is lacking in tact.

laugh at

I hate being laughed at.

laugh about

We'll laugh about this one day.

leave somewhere (the action of leaving)

I left London early, before the traffic got too heavy.

leave from somewhere

Does the plane leave from Liverpool or Manchester?

look at (= point one's eyes at)

Stop looking at me like that.

look after (= take care of)

Thanks for looking after me when I was ill.

look for (= try to find)

Can you help me look for my keys?

nice to (NOT with)

You weren't very nice to me last night.

operate on a patient

They operated on her yesterday evening.

pay for something that is bought (NOT pay something)

Excuse me, sir. You haven't paid for your drink.

pleased with somebody

The boss is pleased with you.

pleased with/about/at something

I wasn't very pleased at my exam results.

polite to (NOT with)

Try to be polite to Uncle Richard, for once.

prevent somebody from
doing (NOT to)

The noise from downstairs prevented me from sleeping.

proof of (NOT for)

I want proof of your love; lend me some money.

reason for (NOT of)

Nobody knows the reason for the accident.

responsible/responsibility for (NOT of)

Who's responsible for the shopping this week?

rude to (NOT with)

Peggy was pretty rude to my family last weekend.

run into (= meet)

I ran into Philip at Victoria Station this morning.

search (= look through; look everywhere in/on)

They searched everybody's luggage.

They searched the man in front of me, head to foot.

search for (= look for)

The customs were searching for drugs at the airport.

shocked at/by

I was terribly shocked at/by the news of Peter's accident.

shout at (aggressive)

If you don't stop shouting at me I'll come and hit you.

shout to (= call to)

Mary shouted to us to come in and swim.

smile at

If you smile at me like that I'll give you anything you want.

sorry about something that has happened

I'm sorry about your exam results.

sorry for/about something that one has done

I'm sorry for/about breaking your window.

sorry for a person

I feel really sorry for her children.

speak to

Could I speak to you father, for a moment?

suffer from

My wife is suffering from hepatitis.

surprised at/by

Everybody was surprised at/by the weather.

take part in (NOT at OR of)

I don't want to take part in any more conferences.

translate into (NOT in)

Could you translate this into Greek for me?