prepositions after particular words and expressions

prepositions after particular words and expressions

(This is a list of expressions which often cause problems.
For the use of of with determiners, )
ability at (NOT in) afraid of (not -by-) agree with a person
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 suggestion if you lower the price.
angry with (sometimes at) a person for doing something
I'm angry with her for not telling me.
angry about (sometimes at) something What are you so angry about?
apologize for I must apologize for disturbing you.
arrive at or in (NOT to-) ask:
bad at (NOT to)
I 'm not bad at tennis.
believe in God, Father Christmas etc ( = believe that_. . . exists)
I half believe in life after death.
believe a person or something that is said ( = accept as true)
Don't believe her. I don't believe a word she says.
blue with cold, red with anger
My hands were blue with cold when I got home.
borrow:
call after
We called him Thomas, after his grandfather.
clever at (NOT in)
I'm not very clever at cooking.
congratulate/congratulations on (NOT for)
I must congratulate you on your exam results.
Congratulations on your new job!
crash into (NOT against)
I wasn't looking where I was going, and crashed into the car in front.
depend/dependent on (not from or -of)
We may play football — it depends on the weather.
He doesn't want to be dependent on his parents.
But: independent of
different from (sometimes to; American from or than)
You're very different from your brother.
difficulty with something, (in) doing something (not difficulties to ...)
I'm having difficulty with my travel arrangements.
You won't have much difficulty (in) getting to know people in Italy.
disappointed with somebody
My father never showed it if he was disappointed with me. disappointed with/at/about something
You must be pretty disappointed with/at/about your exam results.
a discussion about something
We had a long discussion about politics. to discuss something (no preposition)
We'd better discuss your travel plans.
divide into (NOT m)
The book is divided into three parts.
dream of ( = think of, imagine)
I often dreamed of being famous when I was younger. dream about
Wha t does it mean if you dream about mountains ?
dress in (not with)
Who's the woman dressed in green?
drive into
Granny drove into a tree again yesterday.
example of (not ter)
Sherry is an example of a fortified wine.
explain something to somebody (NOT explain somebody something)
Could you explain this rule to me?
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 bus, train, plane or ship
We'll be getting off the train in ten minutes.
good at (NOT -ht)
A re you any good at tennis ?
the idea of ... -ing (not the idea to ...)
I don t like the idea of getting married yet.
ill with
The boss has been ill with flu this week. impressed with/by
I'm very impressed with/by your work. independent of; independence of/from
She got a job so that she could be independent of her parents. When did India get her independence from Britain? insist on (not to- ...)
George's father insisted on paying. interest/interested in (NOT ter)
When did your interest in social work begin?
Not many people are interested in grammar.
kind to (NOT iwttfr)
People have always been very kind to me.
laugh at
/ hate being laughed at. listen to
If you don't listen to people, they won't listen to you. 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?
marriage to; get married to (NOT wtttt)
Her marriage to Philip didn't last very long.
How long have you been married to Sheila?
nice to (not -with-)
You weren 't very nice to me last night.
pay for something (NOT pay something)
Excuse me, sir. You haven't paid for your drink.
pleased with somebody
The boss is very pleased with you. pleased with/about/at something I wasn't very pleased with/about/at my exam results. polite to (NOT wtttt)
Try to be polite to Uncle Richard for once. prevent from -ing (NOT te . . .)
The noise of your party prevented me from sleeping proof of (NOT ter)
I want proof of your love. Lend me some money.
reason for (NOT of)
Nobody knows the reason for the accident.
remind of
She reminds me of a girl I was at school with.
responsible/responsibility for
Who's responsible for the shopping this week?
rude to (NOT wtttt)
Peggy was pretty rude to my family last weekend.
run into ( = meet)
I ran into Philip at Victoria Station this morning.
search for ( = look for)
The customs were searching for drugs at the airport. search without preposition ( = look through; look everywhere in/on)
They searched everybody's luggage.
They searched the man in front of me from head to foot.
shocked by/at
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.
suffer from
My wife is suffering from hepatitis.
surprised at/by
Everybody was surprised at/by the weather.
take part in (not «t)
I don't want to take part in any more conferences.
think of/about (NOT usually think to . . . )
I'm thinking of studying medicine.
I've also thought about studying dentistry.
the thought of ... (NOT the thought to ...)
I hate the thought of going back to work. throw ... at (aggressive)
Stop throwing stones at the cars.
throw ... to (in a game etc)
If you get the ball, throw it to me. typical of (NOT for)
The wine's typical of the region. write: wrong with What's wrong with Rachel today?
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  • 'copula1 verbs
  • 'social' language
  • (a) few and (a) little
  • (a)round and about
  • (be) used to + noun or... -ing
  • (Great) Britain, the United Kingdom, the British Isles and England
  • -ing form ('gerund')
  • -ing form after to
  • -ing form or infinitive?
  • abbreviations
  • about to
  • above and over
  • across and over
  • across and through
  • active verb forms
  • actual(ly)
  • adjectives ending in -Iy
  • adjectives without nouns
  • adjectives: order
  • adjectives: position
  • adverbs of manner
  • adverbs: position (details)
  • adverbs: position (general)
  • after (conjunction)
  • after (preposition); afterwards (adverb)
  • after all
  • afternoon, evening and night
  • ages
  • ago
  • all (of) with nouns and pronouns
  • all and every
  • all and whole
  • all right
  • all with verbs
  • all, everybody and everything
  • almost and nearly
  • also, as well and too
  • although and though
  • among and between
  • and
  • and after try, wait, go etc
  • another
  • any (= 'it doesn't matter which')
  • any and no: adverbs
  • appear
  • articles: a and an; pronunciation of the
  • articles: a/an
  • articles: countable and uncountable nouns
  • articles: introduction
  • articles: special rules and exceptions
  • articles: talking in general
  • articles: the
  • articles: the difference between a/an and the
  • as and like
  • as if and as though
  • as much/many ... as ...
  • as well as
  • as, because and since (reason)
  • as, when and while (things happening at the same time)
  • as...as ...
  • ask
  • at all
  • at, in and on (place)
  • at, in and on (time)
  • be + infinitive
  • be with auxiliary do
  • be: progressive tenses
  • because and because of
  • before (adverb)
  • before (conjunction)
  • before (preposition) and in front of
  • begin and start
  • big, large, great and tall
  • born
  • borrow and lend
  • both (of) with nouns and pronouns
  • both with verbs
  • both... and...
  • bring and take
  • British and American English
  • broad and wide
  • but = except
  • by: time
  • can and could: ability
  • can and could: forms
  • can with remember, understand, speak, play, see, hear, feel, taste and smell
  • can: permission, offers, requests and orders
  • can: possibility and probability
  • close and shut
  • come and go
  • comparison: comparative and superlative adjectives
  • comparison: comparative and superlative adverbs
  • comparison: much, far etc with comparatives
  • comparison: using comparatives and superlatives
  • conditional
  • conjunctions
  • contractions
  • countable and uncountable nouns
  • country
  • dare
  • dates
  • determiners
  • discourse markers
  • do + -ing
  • do and make
  • do: auxiliary verb
  • during and for
  • during and in
  • each and every
  • each other and one another
  • each: grammar
  • either... or...
  • either: determiner
  • ellipsis (leaving words out)
  • else
  • emphasis
  • emphatic structures with it and what
  • enjoy
  • enough
  • even
  • eventual(ly)
  • ever
  • every and every one
  • except
  • except and except for
  • exclamations
  • excuse me, pardon and sorry
  • expect, hope, look forward, wait, want and wish
  • explain
  • fairly, quite, rather and pretty
  • far and a long way
  • farther and further
  • fast
  • feel
  • fewer and less
  • for + object + infinitive
  • for, since, from, ago and before
  • for: purpose
  • future perfect
  • future progressive
  • future: introduction
  • future: present progressive and going to
  • future: shall and will (interpersonal uses)
  • future: shall/will (predictions)
  • future: simple present
  • gender (masculine and feminine language)
  • get (+ object) + verb form
  • get + noun, adjective, adverb particle or preposition
  • get and go: movement
  • go ... -ing
  • go meaning'become'
  • go: been and gone
  • had better
  • half (of)
  • hard and hardly
  • have (got) to
  • have (got): possession, relationships etc
  • have + object + verb form
  • have: actions
  • have: auxiliary verb
  • have: introduction
  • hear and listen (to)
  • help
  • here and there
  • holiday and holidays
  • home
  • hope
  • how and what... like?
  • if only
  • if so and if not
  • if-sentences with could and might
  • if: ordinary tenses
  • if: special tenses
  • ill and sick
  • imperative
  • in and into (prepositions)
  • in case
  • in spite of
  • indeed
  • infinitive after who, what, how etc
  • infinitive of purpose
  • infinitive without to
  • infinitive: negative, progressive, perfect, passive
  • infinitive: use
  • instead of... -ing
  • inversion: auxiliary verb before subject
  • inversion: whole verb before subject
  • irregular verbs
  • it's time
  • it: preparatory object
  • it: preparatory subject
  • last and the last
  • let's
  • letters
  • likely
  • long and for a long time
  • look
  • look (at), watch and see
  • marry and divorce
  • may and might: forms
  • may and might: permission
  • may and might: probability
  • mind
  • modal auxiliary verbs
  • more (of): determiner
  • most (of): determiner
  • much (of), many (of): determiners
  • much, many, a lot etc
  • must and have to; mustn't, haven't got to, don't have to, don't need to and needn't
  • must: deduction
  • must: forms
  • must: obligation
  • names and titles
  • nationality words
  • need
  • negative questions
  • negative structures
  • neither (of): determiner
  • neither, nor and not... either
  • neither... nor...
  • next and nearest
  • next and the next
  • no and none
  • no and not
  • no and not a/not any
  • no more, not any more, no longer, not any longer
  • non-progressive verbs
  • noun + noun
  • numbers
  • once
  • one and you: indefinite personal pronouns
  • one: substitute word
  • other and others
  • ought
  • own
  • participle clauses
  • participles used as adjectives
  • participles: 'present' and 'past' participles (-ing and -ed)
  • passive structures: introduction
  • passive verb forms
  • past tense with present or future meaning
  • past time: past perfect simple and progressive
  • past time: past progressive
  • past time: present perfect progressive
  • past time: present perfect simple
  • past time: simple past
  • past time: the past and perfect tenses (introduction)
  • perfect tenses with this is the first time..., etc
  • personal pronouns (I, me, it etc)
  • play and game
  • please and thank you
  • possessive with determiners (a friend of mine, etc)
  • possessive's: forms
  • possessive's: use
  • possessives: my and mine, etc
  • prepositional verbs and phrasal verbs
  • prepositions after particular words and expressions
  • prepositions and adverb particles
  • prepositions at the end of clauses
  • prepositions before particular words and expressions
  • prepositions: expressions without prepositions
  • present tenses: introduction
  • present tenses: present progressive
  • present tenses: simple present
  • progressive tenses with always
  • punctuation: apostrophe
  • punctuation: colon
  • punctuation: comma
  • punctuation: dash
  • punctuation: quotation marks
  • punctuation: semi-colons and full stops
  • question tags
  • questions: basic rules
  • questions: reply questions
  • questions: word order in spoken questions
  • quite
  • real(ly)
  • reflexive pronouns
  • relative pronouns
  • relative pronouns: what
  • relative pronouns: whose
  • relatives: identifying and non-identifying clauses
  • remind
  • reported speech and direct speech
  • reported speech: orders, requests, advice etc
  • reported speech: pronouns; 'here and now' words; tenses
  • reported speech: questions
  • requests
  • road and street
  • say and tell
  • see
  • seem
  • shall
  • short answers
  • should
  • should after why and how
  • should and would
  • should, ought and must
  • should: (If I were you) I should ...
  • similar words
  • since (conjunction of time): tenses
  • singular and plural: anybody etc
  • singular and plural: irregular plurals
  • singular and plural: plural expressions with singular verbs
  • singular and plural: pronunciation of plural nouns
  • singular and plural: singular words ending in -s
  • singular and plural: singular words with plural verbs
  • singular and plural: spelling of plural nouns
  • slow(ly)
  • small and little
  • smell
  • so am I, so do I etc
  • so and not with hope, believe etc
  • some and any
  • some/any and no article
  • some: special uses
  • somebody and anybody, something and anything, etc
  • sound
  • spelling and pronunciation
  • spelling: -ise and -ize
  • spelling: -ly
  • spelling: capital letters
  • spelling: ch and tch, k and ck
  • spelling: doubling final consonants
  • spelling: final -e
  • spelling: full stops with abbreviations
  • spelling: hyphens
  • spelling: ie and ei
  • spelling: y and i
  • still, yet and already
  • subject and object forms
  • subjunctive
  • such and so
  • suggest
  • surely
  • sympathetic
  • take
  • take (time)
  • tall and high
  • taste
  • telephoning
  • telling the time
  • tenses in subordinate clauses
  • that: omission
  • the same
  • there is
  • think
  • this and that
  • too
  • travel, journey and trip
  • unless and if not
  • until and by
  • until and to
  • used to + infinitive
  • verbs with object complements
  • verbs with two objects
  • way
  • weak and strong forms
  • well
  • when and if
  • whether and if
  • whether... or...
  • which, what and who: question words
  • who ever, what ever, how ever etc
  • whoever, whatever, whichever, however, whenever and wherever
  • will
  • wish
  • worth ... -ing
  • would
  • would rather
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