Comparative

How to make comparative adjectives

             Do you know how to make comparative adjectives? Here you will find the rules that you need to know:

The key to making comparative adjectives is counting the syllables in the word. Every word is made up of units of speech, usually containing vowel sounds.

Use -er for one-syllable words

        For one-syllable words we add -er to the adjective to make it a comparative. The following are all one syllable adjectives:
Small becomes smaller
Cheap becomes cheaper
Quick becomes quicker

Use more / less for two+ syllable words

Adjectives with two or more syllables take more / less:
Beautiful becomes more beautiful
Sensitive becomes more sensitive
Dangerous becomes more dangerous
Note - If the adjective ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant combination (CVC), double the final consonant before adding –er:
Big becomes bigger
Hot becomes hotter
Wet becomes wetter

Use -ier for adjectives ending with y

For most adjectives that end with a y we change the y to i and add er:
Dirty becomes dirtier
Smelly becomes smellier
Ugly becomes uglier

Some adjectives take both forms

Some two-syllable adjectives can take either -er or more:
Simple becomes simpler or more simple
Narrow becomes narrower or more narrow
Quiet becomes quieter or more quiet

Irregular forms

Some adjectives don't follow any of the above rules. Here are some of the most common irregular forms:
good becomes better
bad becomes worse
far becomes farther
Link: -ed and -ing adjectives to describe feelings and things


Exercse.

1.   Jeremy is 10 years old.  Julie is 8 years old.  Jeremy is (old)__________________Julie

2.   The Alps are very high.  They are (high) ____________________ mountains in Europe.
 
3.   An ocean is (large) _____________________ a sea.
4.   A Rolls Royce costs a lot of money.   A Twingo costs less money. 
        A Rolls Royce is (expensive) ________________________ a Twingo.
 
5.   John's results were bad.  Fred's results were very poor.  Fred's results were (bad) _______________ John's.
 
6.   This exercise is not difficult.  It's (easy) _____________________ I expected.
7.   The weather is not good today - it's raining.   I hope the weather will be (good) _______________ next week.
8.   People are not friendly in big cities.  They are usually (friendly) ____________________ in small towns.
9.   In the government of a country, the President is (important) _____________________ person.
 
10.  People say that Chinese is (difficult) ____________________to learn than English.
 




อ้างอิง
http://www.ecenglish.com/learnenglish/lessons/comparative-adjectives
http://www.learn-english-today.com/lessons/lesson_contents/adjectives-ex.html

Imperative Sentence

                                                       Imperative Sentence



             You can use the imperative form to give an order, to give a warning or advice, and
(if you use "please") to make a request.

            To make the imperative, use the infinitive of the verb without 'to':
                  "Come here!"
                  "Sit down!"

           To make a negative imperative, put "do not" or "don't" before the verb:
                 "Don't go!"
                 "Do not walk on the grass."

           The imperative can be used for all subjects (you, he, they and we), but you can also use "let's" before the verb if you are including yourself in the imperative:
                "Let's stop now."
                "Let's have some lunch."
      
           The negative of "let's" is "let's not":
               "Let's not argue!
              "Let's not tell her about it."

     Orders
                     Adults do not usually give each other orders, unless they are in a position of authority.       The intonation of an order is important: each word is stressed, and the tone falls at the end of the sentence:
"Sit down now!" ('Sit', 'down' and 'now' are all stressed, and the tone falls on 'now'.)
However, adults can give orders to children and to animals:
Here are some orders you could give your pet dog:
"Come here!"
"Sit!"
"Heel!"
"Fetch!"

    Warnings

           You can use the imperative to warn someone of danger. All the words in the warning are stressed, but the last word has a higher tone than the first word:
"Watch out!"
"Look out!"
"Don't cross!"

     Advice

             When you give advice using the imperative, the words are stressed normally:
"Eat an apple – it's much better for you than a biscuit!"
"Don't tell him you're resigning now! Wait until Monday when he's in a better mood."
You can often read articles in magazines that give advice on a subject. Sometimes, this advice is presented as "Dos and don'ts".
For example:

      Travelling long-distance
Do try to sleep well the night before
Do drink plenty of water
Do try to walk about the plane during the flight
Don't drink alcohol
Don't eat heavy meals
Don't wear restrictive clothing

      Requests
                  You can also use the imperative to make a request, but you should use a polite word before the verb:
"Please take a seat."
"Please wait here."
"Please hold the line."
"Please don't smoke here."
In written English, you might also see "Kindly" used as a polite word:
"Kindly return the documents as soon as possible."
"Kindly forward this to the Sales and Marketing department."
"Kindly send me 2 copies of your brochure."

Exercise

 Put the words in brackets into the gaps. Mind the positive or the negative forms.
Example: _____ your books. (to open)Answer: Open your books.
                    

1)  .....................upstairs.  (to go)

2)  .....................in this lake. (not/to swim)

3)  ......................your homework. (to do)

4) ....................... football in the yard. (not/to play)

5)  ......................your teeth. (to brush)

6)  ......................during the lesson. (not/to talk)

7) ....................... the animals in the zoo. (not/to feed)

8) ......................  the instructions. (to read)

9) ....................... late for school. (not/to be)

10) ..................... your mobiles. (to switch off)

                




อ้างอิง
http://www.english-at-home.com/grammar/using-the-imperative-form/
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/various/imperative.htm

Present Simple

                                                 

                     

                                                               Present Simple

              The Present Simple is the most basic and common tense in the English language. It is also an interesting tense because it can express both the present and the future.

Use

1. Facts and generalization
2. Habits and routines
3. Permanent situations
4. State verbs (e.g. be, have, think, know)
5. Fixed / official arrangement that we can't change
6. Narrations (e.g. telling a story or a joke)

Note

Apart from the above uses, this tense is also used in:

• Zero Conditional - If it rains, I go play football.
• First Conditional - We won't get our pocket money, if we don't pass this exam.
• In sentences after "when", "before", "till", "after", "as soon as" ("Before you leave, please take the keys").

USE 1: Facts and Generalizations

          The first and most important use of the Present Simple is to talk about things we believe are (or are not) true. It's also used to generalize about somebody or something.

Examples:

• It is a big house.
• He talks a lot.
• Berlin is the capital city of Germany.
• Buenos Aires is a large city.
• The Elephant doesn't fly.
• Dogs don't smoke cigarettes.
• A dog is not large than an elephant
• London is the capital city of France. (Remember: the sentence doesn't have to be true)

---

To understand this use better, watch this interactive animation:

[ Scientist: The Earth goes around the Sun (Use 1) ]

In this cartoon, you can see a scientist who says: "The Earth goes around the Sun".

• Why is this in Present Simple? Because the scientist expresses a fact, something that he believes is true (in this case, he is right: the Earth really goes around the Sun).

USE 2: Habits and Routines

       We also use this tense to indicate that an activity is a habit or a routine.

Examples:

• We leave for work at 7.30 every morning.
• Susan often meets with her friends after school.
• They usually play football on Sunday.
• Mark rarely visits his sick grandmother.

     The Present Simple tense is often used with the frequency adverbs:

Adverbs of frequency

Adverbs of frequency say how often an activity happens. We can use one word or a phrase.
Examples:

• always
• never
• frequently/often
• usually
• seldom/rarely
• nowadays
• every week/year
• sometimes/occasionally
• from time to time

Here are a few examples of how to use them in sentences:

• I always go to church on Sundays.
• I never eat anything after 10 p.m.

Read more...

To understand this use better, watch this interactive animation:

[ John: I play basketball every Friday ]

In this cartoon, you can see a boy who says: "I play basketball every Friday" (click on the now button to see this).

• Why is this in Present Simple? Because the boy talks about a habit, something that he does regularly.

USE 3: Pernament Situations

             Use the Present Simple to talk about situations in life that last a relatively long time.

Examples:

• I live in Boston
• He works as a fireman.
• Margaret drives a Porshe.
• Jerry doesn't teach maths at highschool.

USE 4: State Verbs

     You should use the Present Simple with state verbs.

Examples:

• I like swimming.
• We know this man.
• Margaret drives a Porshe.
• Jerry doesn't teach maths at highschool.

Speaker 1: Ronaldinho, do you like football? (Use 4)
Ronaldinho: Yes, I do.

USE 5: Fixed / Official arrangements

            Use the Present Simple to talk about events that we can't change (for example, an official meeting or a train departure).

Examples:

• The meeting starts at 4 pm.
• The train leaves at the noon.
• When does the plane take off?
• Jerry doesn't teach maths at highschool.

USE 6: Narrations

         The Present Simple is also used in narrations (e.g. to tell a story or a joke).

Examples:

• A man goes to visit a friend and is amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watches the game in astonishment for a while [...]

(read more)

   Good to know...

Some of the verbs used in the simple form can also appear in the continuous form. This is typically when they have an active meaning or exphasize change.

Examples:

• I'm thinking of moving to San Francisco
• I'm loving your new hairdo!

(read more)

Forming a sentence in the Present Simple is easy. To form a declarative sentence, all you need is the subject of the sentence (e.g. I, you, he, a dog) and the verb (e.g. be, talk, swim). Questions and negative sentences are only a little more difficult, because they require an auxiliary verb.

Declarative Sentences

Subject	+	Verb
e.g. I/a dog etc.		e.g. work/go/make

Examples		Use
	A dog is an animal	(Use 1)
	I learn English twice a week	(Use 2)
	I have two eggs	(Use 4)
	The course starts in April	(Use 5)
	I come from Basil	(Use 3)
	I'm having two eggs

Questions

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

Auxiliary Verb	+	Subject	+	Verb
do or does		e.g. I/a dog etc.		e.g. work/go/make

Questions require the auxiliary verb to do or, in the third person singular, does.

Compare these examples:

• A: Does she like going to the mountains?
• B: Yes, she does.

• A: Does John have a dog?
• B: No, he doesn't.

Keep in mind that when you ask a question, the verb does not conjugate:

• Does she have a dog?
• Does she has a dog?

For the verb to be, we do not use an auxiliary:

• Is he tall?
• Does he be tall?

Negative Sentences

Subject	+	Auxiliary verb+not	+	Verb
e.g. I/a dog etc.		do not (don't) / does not (doesn't)		e.g. work/go/make

Contracted forms (more)

• do + not = don't
• does + not = doesn't

Examples		Use
	They don't live in New York anymore	(Use 3)
	I don't like winter	(Use 4)
	They don't live in New York anymore	(Use 3)
	He doesn't go to the cinema at all	(Use 2)

  Exercise : Present Simple Tense
  1) They........the students.                    is    am    are    was    2) Dang.........a farmer.              is    was    are    were    3) ........you and Joe students here ?             Is    Are    Do    Does  4) Where......your house, Prateep ?         are    was    do    is  5) The bird always...........in the sky.           fly    flys    flyes    flies   6) My father......to the church every Sunday.              go    goes    going    went  7) Wilai ........... the watch for her mother.            buy    buies    buys    buyes   8) I and my sister always .......... six o'clock every morning.              get up    gets up    got up    gots up  9) .........she ....... to the market everyday ?               Is , go    Is , goes    Does , go    Does , goes  10) I and you ........ close friends.                     am    are    we    was
 อ้างอิง
http://www.englishtenseswithcartoons.com/tenses/present_simple http://www.kr.ac.th/ebook2/renu/t01.html

 

Preposition

                        

 

                 

 

                      The Prepositional Phrase

          
               A preposition is a word used to show the relationship of a noun to something else, usually a location in space or time. A preposition is one type of a larger grammatical category referred to as adpositions. Virtually all adpositions in English are prepositions — with a few exceptions that can be used as postpositions, such as hence and thereafter.

Recognize a prepositional phrase when you see one.

At the minimum, a prepositional phrase will begin with a preposition and end with a noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause, the "object" of the preposition.
The object of the preposition will often have one or more modifiers to describe it. These are the patterns for a prepositional phrase:

preposition + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause

preposition + modifier(s) + noun, pronoun, gerund, or clause

Here are some examples of the most basic prepositional phrase:

At home

At = preposition; home = noun.

In time

In = preposition; time = noun.

From Richie

From = preposition; Richie = noun.

With me

With = preposition; me = pronoun.

By singing

By = preposition; singing = gerund.

About what we need

About = preposition; what we need = noun clause.

Most prepositional phrases are longer, like these:

From my grandmother

From = preposition; my = modifier; grandmother = noun.

Under the warm blanket

Under = preposition; the, warm = modifiers; blanket = noun.

In the weedy, overgrown garden

In = preposition; the, weedy, overgrown = modifiers; garden = noun.

Along the busy, six-lane highway

Along = preposition; the, busy, six-lane = modifiers; highway = noun.

By writing furiously

By = preposition; writing = gerund; furiously = modifier.

Understand what prepositional phrases do in a sentence.

A prepositional phrase will function as an adjective or adverb. As an adjective, the prepositional phrase will answer the question Which one?
Read these examples:

The book on the bathroom floor is swollen from shower steam.

Which book? The one on the bathroom floor!

The sweet potatoes in the vegetable bin are green with mold.

Which sweet potatoes? The ones forgotten in the vegetable bin!

The note from Beverly confessed that she had eaten the leftover pizza.

Which note? The one from Beverly!

As an adverb, a prepositional phrase will answer questions such as How? When? or Where?

Freddy is stiff from yesterday's long football practice.

How did Freddy get stiff? From yesterday's long football practice!

Before class, Josh begged his friends for a pencil.

When did Josh do his begging? Before class!

Feeling brave, we tried the Dragon Breath Burritos at Tito's Taco Palace.

Where did we eat the spicy food? At Tito's Taco Palace!

Remember that a prepositional phrase will never contain the subject of a sentence.

Sometimes a noun within the prepositional phrase seems the logical subject of a verb. Don't fall for that trick! You will never find a subject in a prepositional phrase. Look at this example:

Neither of these cookbooks contains the recipe for Manhattan-style squid eyeball stew.

Cookbooks do indeed contain recipes. In this sentence, however, cookbooks is part of the prepositional phrase of these cookbooks. Neither—whatever a neither is—is the subject for the verb contains.
Neither is singular, so you need the singular form of the verb, contains. If you incorrectly identified cookbooks as the subject, you might write contain, the plural form, and thus commit a subject-verb agreement error.
Some prepositions—such as along with and in addition to—indicate "more to come." They will make you think that you have a plural subject when in fact you don't. Don't fall for that trick either! Read this example:

Tommy, along with the other students, breathed a sigh of relief when Mrs. Markham announced that she was postponing the due date for the research essay.

Logically, more than one student is happy with the news. But Tommy is the only subject of the verb breathed. His classmates count in the real world, but in the sentence, they don't matter, locked as they are in the prepositional phrase.

The words at, in, of, on and to are examples of prepositions. A word such as a noun, pronoun or gerund following a preposition is said to be the object of the preposition. As pointed out previously, a personal pronoun following a preposition must be in the objective case.

A phrase beginning with a preposition can be referred to as a prepositional phrase. The prepositional phrases in the following examples are underlined.
e.g. He owns the house on the corner.
      We are waiting for her.
      She has read many books about flying.

In the first example, the noun corner is the object of the preposition on. In the second example, the personal pronoun her is the object of the preposition for. It can be seen that the personal pronoun her is in the objective case. In the third example, the gerund flying is the object of the preposition about.

A preposition serves to connect its object with the rest of a sentence. In doing so, a preposition indicates the relationship of the idea expressed in the prepositional phrase to the ideas expressed In the rest of the sentence.

For instance in the sentence He owns the house on the corner, the preposition on indicates that the words the corner express the location of the house referred to in the rest of the sentence. Similarly, in the sentence We are waiting for her, the preposition for indicates that the word her expresses the reason for the action of waiting referred to in the rest of the sentence.

Although there are fewer than one hundred English prepositions, although prepositions do not take endings, and although the structure of most prepositional phrases is simple, the use of English prepositions is very complex. The reasons for this are that most prepositions have more than one meaning, many prepositions can also be used as adverbs, prepositions are used in hundreds of idioms, many adjectives, nouns, and verbs must usually be followed by certain prepositions, and there are hundreds of phrasal verbs formed from combinations of verbs with adverbs and prepositions.

It should also be noted that the use of prepositions varies somewhat among the different dialects of English. For instance, as illustrated in the following example, there are some differences between British and North American English in the use of prepositions.
e.g. British Usage: There is a fence about the garden.
      American Usage: There is a fence around the garden.

The discussion below emphasizes the North American usage of English prepositions.



1. The meanings of prepositions



The table below gives the most usual meanings of English prepositions. Each meaning is illustrated by an example.

About
    1. On the subject of:  This is a story about elephants.
    2. Approximately:  He is about ten years old.

Above
    1. Higher than; over:  The plane flew above the clouds.
    2. Earlier on a page:  There is a heading above each diagram.

Across
    1. From one side to the other:  We walked across the field.
    2. On the other side of:  There is a store across the street.

After
    1. Later in time:  after ten o'clock; after lunch
    2. Later in a series:  Q comes after P in the alphabet.
    3. In pursuit of:  The dog ran after the cat.

Against
    1. In opposition to:  Theft is against the law.
    2. Touching; supported by:  I leaned my bicycle against the wall.

Along
    1. Following the length of:  We walked along the road.

Among
    1. Within a group:  The money was shared among three people.

Note: In formal English, among is usually used only when referring to more than two persons or things. In contrast, between is used when referring to two persons or things.

Around
    1. Circling something:  We walked around the block.
    2. Surrounding:  There is a fence around the garden.
    3. In different parts of:  I looked around the house for the keys.
    4. In the other direction:  We turned around and went back home.
    5. Approximately:  He is around six feet tall.

At
    1. A specific location:  at 23 Chestnut Street; at the park
    2. A point in time:  at 5 o'clock; at Christmas
    3. A condition:  at peace; at war; at rest
    4. An activity:  at work; at school; at play
    5. Towards:  Look at someone; wave at someone

Note: When referring to a specific location or to a point in time, at is usually used. When referring to a certain street or a certain day, on is usually used. When referring to a location as an area, or when referring to a unit of time longer than a day, in is usually used.
e.g. at Christmas; on Christmas day; in the Christmas holidays

Before
    1. Earlier in time:  before two o'clock; before Christmas
    2. Earlier in a series:  S comes before T in the alphabet.

Behind
    1. At the back of:  The little girl hid behind her mother.
    2. Late:  I am behind in my work.
    3. Cause; origin:  Who was behind that idea?

Below
    1. Lower than; under:  below freezing; below sea level
    2. Later on a page:  Footnotes are provided below the text.

Beneath
    1. Lower than; below:  beneath the earth

Beside
    1. Next to; at the side of:  I sit beside her in class.

Besides
    1. Also; as well as:  We study other languages besides English.

Note the differing meanings of beside and besides. Beside is usually used with reference to a physical location.

Between
    1. An intermediate location:  Toronto lies between Montreal and Vancouver.
    2. An intermediate time:  between Christmas and New Year's Day
    3. Intermediate in a series:  B comes between A and C in the alphabet.
    4. An intermediate amount:  between five and ten people
    5. Within a group of two:  The money was shared between two people.

Beyond    1. Farther than:  The mountains lie beyond the horizon.
    2. Further than; exceeding:  That was beyond my expectations.

But
    1. Except:  I have read all but the last chapter.

Note: But is used more often as a conjunction than as a preposition.

By
    1. Near:  a house by the sea
    2. Past:  He waved as he drove by the house.
    3. Not later than:  Try to finish the work by next week.
    4. In units of:  cheaper by the dozen; sold by weight
    5. Through the means of:  travel by plane; written by him

Note: By is often used in combination with verbs in the Passive Voice.

Concerning
    1. Connected with; about:  He studies everything concerning trees.

Despite
    1. In spite of:  We walked downtown despite the rain.

Down
    1. To a lower position:  The ball rolled down the hill.
    2. Further along:  He lives down the street.

During
    1. Throughout a period:  She works during the day.
    2. Sometime within a period:  An accident occurred during the night.

Except
    1. Not including:  I have visited everyone except him.

For
    1. Duration of time:  We walked for two hours.
    2. Distance:  I walked for five kilometers.
    3. Purpose:  I bought this jacket for you.
    4. In the direction of:  She left for New York.
    5. In favor of:  We are for the proposal.
    6. Considering:  The boy is clever for his age.

From
    1. Place of origin:  We left from Boston; he comes from Mexico
    2. Start of a period of time:  from now on; from yesterday until today
    3. Start of a range:  From 20 to 30 people were present.
    4. Cause:  He suffers from nervousness.
    5. Source:  I first heard the story from you.

In
    1. Place thought of as an area:  in London; in Europe
    2. Within a location:  in the room; in the building
    3. Large units of time:  That happened in March, in 1992.
    4. Within a certain time:  I will return in an hour.
    5. By means of:  write in pencil; speak in English
    6. Condition:  in doubt; in a hurry; in secret
    7. A member of:  He is in the orchestra; in the navy
    8. Wearing:  the boy in the blue shirt
    9. With reference to:  lacking in ideas; rich in oil

Inside
    1. Within:  They are inside the house.

Into
    1. To the inside of:  We stepped into the room.
    2. Change of condition:  The boy changed into a man.

Like
    1. Resembling:  That looks like him.
    2. Appearing possible:  It looks like rain.
    3. Be in a suitable mood for:  I feel like going swimming.

Minus
    1. Less:  Three minus two equals one.

Near
    1. Close to:  near the school; near the ocean

Of
    1. Location:  east of here; the middle of the road
    2. Possession:  a friend of mine; the sound of music
    3. Part of a group:  one of us; a member of the team
    4. Measurement:  a cup of milk; two meters of snow

Off
    1. Not on; away from:  Please keep off the grass.
    2. At some distance from:  There are islands off the coast.

On
    1. Touching the surface of:  on the table; on the wall
    2. A certain day:  That happened on Sunday, on the 6th of June.
    3. A certain street:  on South Street
    4. About:  a book on engineering
    5. A state or condition:  on strike; on fire; on holiday
    6. By means of:  live on a pension; shown on television

Onto
    1. To a position on:  The child climbed onto the table.

Opposite    1. Facing:  The library is opposite the fire station.

Out of
    1. To the outside of:  She went out of the room.
    2. From among:  We won two games out of three.
    3. Motive:  We spoke to them out of politeness.
    4. Material:  The bridge is made out of steel.
    5. Beyond:  out of control; out of danger

Outside
    1. On the outer side of:  outside the house
    2. Beyond the limits of:  outside my experience

Over
    1. Above; higher than:  There are cupboards over the sink.
    2. Covering:  We spread an extra blanket over the bed.
    3. Across:  I jumped over a puddle.
    4. More than:  It cost over ten dollars; it took over an hour
    5. During:  I saw him several times over the past week.
    6. By means of:  We made plans over the telephone.

Past
    1. Up to and beyond:  I walked past the house.
    2. After (in time):  It was past 2 o'clock; half past two
    3. Beyond:  past belief

Per
    1. For each:  60 kilometers per hour; price per liter

Plus
    1. With the addition of:  Six plus four equals ten.

Since
    1. From a specific time in the past:  I had been waiting since two o'clock.
    2. From a past time until now:  I have been waiting here since noon.

Note: Because of its meaning, the preposition since is usually used in combination with a perfect tense. It should be noted that the preposition for can also be used with a perfect tense. However, when used with reference to time, for is usually followed by a phrase referring to a period of time; whereas since is usually followed by a phrase referring to a specific time.
e.g. I have known him for six months.
      I have known him since January.
In the first example, for is followed by six months, which refers to a period of time. In the second example, since is followed by January, which refers to a specific time.

Through
    1. Across; from end to end of:  the main road through town
    2. For the whole of a period:  I slept through the night.
    3. By means of:  Skill improves through practice.

Throughout
    1. In every part of:  throughout the world
    2. For the whole of a period:  throughout the winter

Till
Note: Till can be used instead of until. However, at the beginning of a sentence, until is usually used.

To
    1. In the direction of:  Turn to the right.
    2. Destination:  I am going to Rome.
    3. Until:  from Monday to Friday; five minutes to ten
    4. Compared with:  They prefer hockey to soccer.
    5. With indirect object:  Please give it to me.
    6. As part of infinitive:  I like to ski; he wants to help.
    7. In order to:  We went to the store to buy soap.

Toward (or Towards)
    1. In the direction of:  We walked toward the center of town.
    2. Near; just before (time):  It rained towards evening.

Under
    1. Beneath:  under the desk; under the trees
    2. Less than:  Under 100 people were present.
    3. In circumstances of:  under repair; under way; under discussion

Underneath
    1. Below, under:  underneath the carpet

Until
    1. Up to a certain time:  She will stay until Friday; until 5 p.m.

Upon
Note: On and upon have similar meanings. Upon may be used in certain expressions, as in once upon a time, and following certain verbs, as in to rely upon someone.

Up
    1. To a higher place:  We went up the stairs.
    2. In a higher place:  She lives up the hill.

Up to
    1. As far as:  up to now; I have read up to page 100.
    2. Depending on:  The decision is up to you.
    3. As good as; ready for:  His work is up to standard.

Versus
    1. Against (sports, legal):  The next game is England versus Australia.

Via
    1. By way of:  He went to Los Angeles via San Francisco.

With
    1. Accompanying:  He came with her; I have my keys with me.
    2. Having; containing:  Here is a book with a map of the island.
    3. By means of; using:  I repaired the shoes with glue.
    4. Manner:  with pleasure; with ease; with difficulty
    5. Because of:  We were paralyzed with fear.

Within
    1. Inside of:  within twenty minutes; within one kilometer

Without
    1. Not having:  Do not leave without your coat; without money

See Exercises 1 and 2.




2. Prepositions used in idioms



Below are examples of idioms consisting of prepositional phrases. The following selection of idioms emphasizes those used in North American English. The meaning of each idiom is indicated after the colon.

At
    not at all:  not in any way
    at all times:  always
    at any rate:  whatever happens
    keep someone at arm's length:  avoid becoming closely involved with someone
    at close quarters:  very near
    at one's disposal:  to be used as one wishes
    at a distance:  not near
    at fault:  causing something wrong
    at first:  at the beginning
    see at a glance:  see immediately
    at hand:  near; readily available
    at last:  finally, after some delay
    at a loss:  uncertain what to do or say
    at the mercy of:  without defense against
    at the moment:  now
    at once:  immediately
    at present:  now
    at rest:  not moving
    at risk:  threatened by danger or loss
    at short notice:  with little warning
    at stake:  to be won or lost
    at a stretch:  continuously
    at that rate:  under those circumstances
    at this point:  at this place; at this moment
    at the wheel:  in control

Behind
    behind the scenes:  (of persons) influencing events secretly; (in a theater) behind the stage
    behind schedule:  not on time

Beside
    be beside oneself:  lose one's self-control
    beside the point:  irrelevant

Between
    read between the lines:  deduce a meaning that is not actually expressed

Beyond
    beyond help:  unable to be helped
    beyond a joke:  too annoying to be amusing
    beyond reproach:  perfect; blameless

By
    by accident:  not deliberately
    by all means:  by any possible method
    bit by bit:  gradually
    by chance:  by accident; without planning
    by courtesy of:  with the help or permission of
    win by default:  win because of lack of competition
    by degrees:  gradually
    perform by ear:  perform (music) by listening to the sound, without referring to written music
    by hand:  without the use of machinery
    by heart:  from memory
    little by little:  gradually
    by means of:  by using
    by mistake:  accidentally
    by no means:  not at all
    one by one:  one at a time
    by oneself:  alone
    side by side:  beside one another
    by the way:  incidentally (used to introduce an unrelated topic of conversation)
    by word of mouth:  orally

For
    once and for all:  for the last time (e.g. used when giving someone a final warning)
    for certain:  definitely; without doubt
    for a change:  for the sake of variety
    for example:  as an illustration
    for fun:  for the sake of enjoyment
    for good:  permanently
    for good measure:  in addition to the necessary amount
    for instance:  for example; as an illustration
    for keeps:  (colloquial) permanently
    for a living:  as a profession
    for now:  temporarily
    run for office:  compete for an elected position
    for one thing:  because of one reason (out of several)
    for the sake of:  for the benefit of; for the purpose of
    for sale:  intended to be sold
    for sure:  definitely (more colloquial than for certain)
    food for thought:  something which makes one think
    play for time:  delay doing something in the hope that the situation will improve
    for the time being:  until some other arrangement is made
    ask for trouble:  act in a dangerous or foolish way
    for a while:  for a period of time
    word for word:  exactly as said or written

From
    from afar:  from a distance
    from all sides:  from all directions
    from head to foot:  (of a person) completely; all over
    from scratch:  from the beginning
    from time to time:  occasionally

In
    in addition to:  as well as
    in advance:  before
    be in agreement with:  have the same opinion as
    in any case:  whatever happens
    in brief:  in a few words
    in bulk:  (of goods) in large amounts; not in packages
    be in charge of:  have responsibility for
    in common:  shared by all members of a group
    in control:  having the power to direct something
    in the course of:  during
    in danger:  likely to be harmed
    in a daze:  unable to think clearly; confused
    in debt:  owing money
    in demand:  (of goods or persons) desired by many people
    in depth:  (investigate something) thoroughly
    in detail:  (explain something) thoroughly
    in disgrace:  regarded with disapproval because of having done something wrong
    in the distance:  far away
    in doubt:  uncertain
    in duplicate:  so that there are two identical copies (of a document)
    in earnest:  seriously; in a determined way
    in effect:  (of rules) operating
    in the end:  finally
    in fact:  in reality; really
    in fashion:  fashionable; accepted as being the most desirable and up to date
    in favor of:  supporting (an idea)
    in flames:  burning, with visible flames
    in a flash:  very quickly; suddenly
    in full:  without omitting anything
    in general:  usually; as a whole
    hand in hand:  (of persons) holding hands; (of related situations) occurring together
    in a hurry:  trying to accomplish something quickly
    in jest:  as a joke
    in kind:  (payment) in goods rather than in money
    in itself:  without reference to anything else
    in league with:  (of persons) joined together with (usually for a dishonest purpose)
    be in the limelight:  be the focus of attention; receive great publicity
    in the long run:  in the end; eventually
    in the long term:  looking ahead to the distant future
    leave someone in the lurch:  abandon someone who is in a difficult situation
    be in the minority:  be in the smaller of two groups
    in mint condition:  (of manufactured goods) perfect; brand-new
    in a minute:  soon
    in a moment:  soon; quickly
    set something in motion:  start something going
    nip something in the bud:  put an end to something before it gets properly started
    in no time:  very soon; very quickly
    in order of:  arranged according to
    in order to:  for the purpose of
    in part:  to some degree
    in particular:  especially
    in power:  (of a political party) holding office
    in practice:  able to do something well because of recent practice; in reality (opposite of in theory)
    in print:  (of a book) printed and available from the publisher
    in private:  not in front of other people
    in public:  openly; not in private
    in reality:  really
    in reserve:  saved for later use
    in retrospect:  looking back over past events
    in return for:  as repayment for
    be in the right:  be correct
    in season:  (of fruit or vegetables) readily available at that time of year
    in a second:  soon; quickly
    in short supply:  scarce; not easily obtainable
    in sight:  able to be seen
    in stock:  (of goods at a store) present and available
    in that case:  if that is true
    in theory:  ideally; according to theoretical considerations
    be in time:  not be late
    in touch with in:  communication with; informed about
    in triplicate:  so that there are three identical copies (of a document)
    be in trouble:  be in a difficult situation; be blamed or punished for doing something wrong
    in tune:  at the correct pitch
    act in unison:  act together
    in vain:  without success
    in the vicinity of:  near
    once in a while:  occasionally
    in words of one syllable:  (explain something) clearly and simply
    in working order:  able to function properly
    in the wrong:  responsible for an error; guilty

Inside
    inside out:  with the inner side out; thoroughly

Into
    paint oneself into a corner:  take a course of action which greatly narrows one's future choices of action
    go into hiding:  hide oneself
    get into a rut:  get into a fixed and uninteresting way of life
    get into trouble:  get into a difficult situation; do something deserving blame or punishment

Of
    of course:  certainly; as one would expect; as everyone knows
    hard of hearing:  somewhat deaf
    next of kin:  nearest relative or relatives
    of one's own accord:  voluntarily; on one's own initiative
    of one's own free will:  voluntarily; by choice
    one's point of view:  one's opinion about something
    right of way:  public right to use a path or road; (of road traffic) right to proceed before others
    rule of thumb:  a simple way to calculate what procedure to follow, based on extensive experience, rather than on theoretical considerations

Off
    go off the air:  (of radio or television) stop broadcasting
    off duty:  not engaged in one's regular work
    off one's hands:  no longer one's responsibility
    off and on:  from time to time
    off the record:  say something privately, that is not to be officially recorded
    off the track:  following a wrong line of thought or action
On    on account of:  because of
    be on the air:  (of radio or television) be in the process of broadcasting
    on the alert:  ready to act
    be on all fours:  (of a person) be on hands and knees
    on the average:  usually; normally
    on behalf of:  for; in the interests of
    on board:  on a ship or airplane
    on business:  as part of one's work
    on condition that:  only if; provided that
    on demand:  when asked for
    on display:  being exhibited
    on duty:  engaged in one's regular work
    on fire:  burning
    to go on foot:  to walk
    be on one's guard:  be alert and ready to meet an attack
    on hand:  available
    on loan:  lent and not yet returned
    shoot on location:  (of a movie) film in natural surroundings, not in a studio
    on the lookout:  watchful
    put something on the map:  cause something to become well-known
    get on one's nerves:  annoy; irritate
    on no account:  absolutely not
    on the one hand:  (used to introduce one side of an argument)
    on one's own:  alone; without help
    act on one's own initiative:  act independently, without orders from anyone else
    on order:  requested but not yet delivered
    on the other hand:  (used to introduce a contrasting side of an argument)
    act on principle:  do something to support a policy
    on purpose:  deliberately
    go on record:  say something which is to be officially recorded
    on sale:  being sold at a lower price than usual
    on schedule:  at the correct time; as planned or predicted
    on second thoughts:  after thinking further about something
    on a shoestring:  with a very small amount of money
    be on the spot:  be where important events are taking place; be placed in an awkward situation
    on the spur of the moment:  on a sudden impulse
    go off on a tangent:  change suddenly to a new line of thought or action
    on time:  at the correct time
    walk on tiptoe:  walk on the toes and balls of the feet
    accept something on trust:  accept something without proof
    on the verge of:  very close to; about to
    on the whole:  taking everything into consideration

Out of
    out of the blue:  unexpectedly
    out of breath:  (after running) panting from a shortage of oxygen
    out of character:  unlike a person's known character
    out of control:  not able to be regulated or guided
    out of danger:  safe
    out of date:  no longer used; old-fashioned; (of news) no longer true
    out of debt:  having paid one's debts
    be out of one's depth:  be unable to handle a situation because of lack of experience
    out of doors:  in the open air; not in a building
    out of fashion:  not fashionable; not presently in common use
    out of hand:  not under control
    out of harm's way:  safe
    out of line with:  in disagreement with
    be out of one's mind:  be insane
    out of order:  not functioning properly; (at a formal meeting) not behaving according to the rules
    out of the ordinary:  unusual
    out of place:  unsuitable
    out of practice:  unable to do something as well as one has in past, because of lack of recent practice
    out of print:  (of a book) no longer available from the publisher
    out of proportion:  too big or too small; not having the appropriate relationship to something
    out of the question:  impossible; not to be considered
    out of season:  (of fruit or vegetables) not readily available at that time of year
    out of shape:  (of persons) not in top condition because of lack of exercise
    out of sight:  hidden, not able to be seen
    out of stock:  (of goods at a store) temporarily unavailable
    out of style:  not fashionable
    out of touch:  with not in communication with; not informed about
    out of town:  having temporarily left town
    out of trouble:  not in trouble
    out of tune:  not at the correct pitch
    out of work:  no longer having employment

To
    to all intents and purposes:  in all important ways
    to a certain extent:  partly
    to date:  so far; until now
    up to date:  current; modern
    see eye to eye with:  agree entirely with
    take something to heart:  be much affected by something
    made to measure:  exactly suitable; (of clothes) made for a certain person
    keep something to oneself:  not tell anyone
    to the point:  relevant

Under
    under age:  below the age of being legally permitted to do something
    be under arrest:  be held prisoner and charged with wrongdoing
    under the auspices of:  with the patronage of; supported by
    under one's breath:  in a whisper
    under the circumstances:  because this is true
    under consideration:  being thought about
    under control:  able to be regulated or guided
    under cover of:  protected by; undetected because of
    under fire:  being shot at; being criticized
    under the impression that:  having the idea that
    be under the influence of:  be affected by
    be under oath:  have sworn to tell the truth
    under observation:  being watched carefully
    under restraint:  prevented from doing something

Up
    have something up one's sleeve:  have a secret idea or plan in reserve

With
    with impunity:  without risk of injury or punishment
    with the naked eye:  without using a magnifying lens
    with no strings attached:  (of help given) with no conditions; to be used freely
    take with a pinch of salt:  not believe completely
    with regard to:  concerning; about
    with respect to:  concerning; about
    tarred with the same brush:  having the same faults
    with a vengeance:  very much; more than usual

Within
    within limits:  to a certain extent; not too much
    within living memory:  within the memory of people now alive

Without
    go without saying:  be obvious

See Exercises 3 and 4.

On    on account of:  because of
    be on the air:  (of radio or television) be in the process of broadcasting
    on the alert:  ready to act
    be on all fours:  (of a person) be on hands and knees
    on the average:  usually; normally
    on behalf of:  for; in the interests of
    on board:  on a ship or airplane
    on business:  as part of one's work
    on condition that:  only if; provided that
    on demand:  when asked for
    on display:  being exhibited
    on duty:  engaged in one's regular work
    on fire:  burning
    to go on foot:  to walk
    be on one's guard:  be alert and ready to meet an attack
    on hand:  available
    on loan:  lent and not yet returned
    shoot on location:  (of a movie) film in natural surroundings, not in a studio
    on the lookout:  watchful
    put something on the map:  cause something to become well-known
    get on one's nerves:  annoy; irritate
    on no account:  absolutely not
    on the one hand:  (used to introduce one side of an argument)
    on one's own:  alone; without help
    act on one's own initiative:  act independently, without orders from anyone else
    on order:  requested but not yet delivered
    on the other hand:  (used to introduce a contrasting side of an argument)
    act on principle:  do something to support a policy
    on purpose:  deliberately
    go on record:  say something which is to be officially recorded
    on sale:  being sold at a lower price than usual
    on schedule:  at the correct time; as planned or predicted
    on second thoughts:  after thinking further about something
    on a shoestring:  with a very small amount of money
    be on the spot:  be where important events are taking place; be placed in an awkward situation
    on the spur of the moment:  on a sudden impulse
    go off on a tangent:  change suddenly to a new line of thought or action
    on time:  at the correct time
    walk on tiptoe:  walk on the toes and balls of the feet
    accept something on trust:  accept something without proof
    on the verge of:  very close to; about to
    on the whole:  taking everything into consideration

Out of
    out of the blue:  unexpectedly
    out of breath:  (after running) panting from a shortage of oxygen
    out of character:  unlike a person's known character
    out of control:  not able to be regulated or guided
    out of danger:  safe
    out of date:  no longer used; old-fashioned; (of news) no longer true
    out of debt:  having paid one's debts
    be out of one's depth:  be unable to handle a situation because of lack of experience
    out of doors:  in the open air; not in a building
    out of fashion:  not fashionable; not presently in common use
    out of hand:  not under control
    out of harm's way:  safe
    out of line with:  in disagreement with
    be out of one's mind:  be insane
    out of order:  not functioning properly; (at a formal meeting) not behaving according to the rules
    out of the ordinary:  unusual
    out of place:  unsuitable
    out of practice:  unable to do something as well as one has in past, because of lack of recent practice
    out of print:  (of a book) no longer available from the publisher
    out of proportion:  too big or too small; not having the appropriate relationship to something
    out of the question:  impossible; not to be considered
    out of season:  (of fruit or vegetables) not readily available at that time of year
    out of shape:  (of persons) not in top condition because of lack of exercise
    out of sight:  hidden, not able to be seen
    out of stock:  (of goods at a store) temporarily unavailable
    out of style:  not fashionable
    out of touch:  with not in communication with; not informed about
    out of town:  having temporarily left town
    out of trouble:  not in trouble
    out of tune:  not at the correct pitch
    out of work:  no longer having employment

To
    to all intents and purposes:  in all important ways
    to a certain extent:  partly
    to date:  so far; until now
    up to date:  current; modern
    see eye to eye with:  agree entirely with
    take something to heart:  be much affected by something
    made to measure:  exactly suitable; (of clothes) made for a certain person
    keep something to oneself:  not tell anyone
    to the point:  relevant

Under
    under age:  below the age of being legally permitted to do something
    be under arrest:  be held prisoner and charged with wrongdoing
    under the auspices of:  with the patronage of; supported by
    under one's breath:  in a whisper
    under the circumstances:  because this is true
    under consideration:  being thought about
    under control:  able to be regulated or guided
    under cover of:  protected by; undetected because of
    under fire:  being shot at; being criticized
    under the impression that:  having the idea that
    be under the influence of:  be affected by
    be under oath:  have sworn to tell the truth
    under observation:  being watched carefully
    under restraint:  prevented from doing something

Up
    have something up one's sleeve:  have a secret idea or plan in reserve

With
    with impunity:  without risk of injury or punishment
    with the naked eye:  without using a magnifying lens
    with no strings attached:  (of help given) with no conditions; to be used freely
    take with a pinch of salt:  not believe completely
    with regard to:  concerning; about
    with respect to:  concerning; about
    tarred with the same brush:  having the same faults
    with a vengeance:  very much; more than usual

Within
    within limits:  to a certain extent; not too much
    within living memory:  within the memory of people now alive

Without
    go without saying:  be obvious

See Exercises 3 and 4.



2. Prepositions used in idioms


Below are examples of idioms consisting of prepositional phrases. The following selection of idioms emphasizes those used in North American English. The meaning of each idiom is indicated after the colon.

At
    not at all:  not in any way
    at all times:  always
    at any rate:  whatever happens
    keep someone at arm's length:  avoid becoming closely involved with someone
    at close quarters:  very near
    at one's disposal:  to be used as one wishes
    at a distance:  not near
    at fault:  causing something wrong
    at first:  at the beginning
    see at a glance:  see immediately
    at hand:  near; readily available
    at last:  finally, after some delay
    at a loss:  uncertain what to do or say
    at the mercy of:  without defense against
    at the moment:  now
    at once:  immediately
    at present:  now
    at rest:  not moving
    at risk:  threatened by danger or loss
    at short notice:  with little warning
    at stake:  to be won or lost
    at a stretch:  continuously
    at that rate:  under those circumstances
    at this point:  at this place; at this moment
    at the wheel:  in control

Behind
    behind the scenes:  (of persons) influencing events secretly; (in a theater) behind the stage
    behind schedule:  not on time

Beside
    be beside oneself:  lose one's self-control
    beside the point:  irrelevant

Between
    read between the lines:  deduce a meaning that is not actually expressed

Beyond
    beyond help:  unable to be helped
    beyond a joke:  too annoying to be amusing
    beyond reproach:  perfect; blameless

By
    by accident:  not deliberately
    by all means:  by any possible method
    bit by bit:  gradually
    by chance:  by accident; without planning
    by courtesy of:  with the help or permission of
    win by default:  win because of lack of competition
    by degrees:  gradually
    perform by ear:  perform (music) by listening to the sound, without referring to written music
    by hand:  without the use of machinery
    by heart:  from memory
    little by little:  gradually
    by means of:  by using
    by mistake:  accidentally
    by no means:  not at all
    one by one:  one at a time
    by oneself:  alone
    side by side:  beside one another
    by the way:  incidentally (used to introduce an unrelated topic of conversation)
    by word of mouth:  orally

For
    once and for all:  for the last time (e.g. used when giving someone a final warning)
    for certain:  definitely; without doubt
    for a change:  for the sake of variety
    for example:  as an illustration
    for fun:  for the sake of enjoyment
    for good:  permanently
    for good measure:  in addition to the necessary amount
    for instance:  for example; as an illustration
    for keeps:  (colloquial) permanently
    for a living:  as a profession
    for now:  temporarily
    run for office:  compete for an elected position
    for one thing:  because of one reason (out of several)
    for the sake of:  for the benefit of; for the purpose of
    for sale:  intended to be sold
    for sure:  definitely (more colloquial than for certain)
    food for thought:  something which makes one think
    play for time:  delay doing something in the hope that the situation will improve
    for the time being:  until some other arrangement is made
    ask for trouble:  act in a dangerous or foolish way
    for a while:  for a period of time
    word for word:  exactly as said or written

From
    from afar:  from a distance
    from all sides:  from all directions
    from head to foot:  (of a person) completely; all over
    from scratch:  from the beginning
    from time to time:  occasionally

In
    in addition to:  as well as
    in advance:  before
    be in agreement with:  have the same opinion as
    in any case:  whatever happens
    in brief:  in a few words
    in bulk:  (of goods) in large amounts; not in packages
    be in charge of:  have responsibility for
    in common:  shared by all members of a group
    in control:  having the power to direct something
    in the course of:  during
    in danger:  likely to be harmed
    in a daze:  unable to think clearly; confused
    in debt:  owing money
    in demand:  (of goods or persons) desired by many people
    in depth:  (investigate something) thoroughly
    in detail:  (explain something) thoroughly
    in disgrace:  regarded with disapproval because of having done something wrong
    in the distance:  far away
    in doubt:  uncertain
    in duplicate:  so that there are two identical copies (of a document)
    in earnest:  seriously; in a determined way
    in effect:  (of rules) operating
    in the end:  finally
    in fact:  in reality; really
    in fashion:  fashionable; accepted as being the most desirable and up to date
    in favor of:  supporting (an idea)
    in flames:  burning, with visible flames
    in a flash:  very quickly; suddenly
    in full:  without omitting anything
    in general:  usually; as a whole
    hand in hand:  (of persons) holding hands; (of related situations) occurring together
    in a hurry:  trying to accomplish something quickly
    in jest:  as a joke
    in kind:  (payment) in goods rather than in money
    in itself:  without reference to anything else
    in league with:  (of persons) joined together with (usually for a dishonest purpose)
    be in the limelight:  be the focus of attention; receive great publicity
    in the long run:  in the end; eventually
    in the long term:  looking ahead to the distant future
    leave someone in the lurch:  abandon someone who is in a difficult situation
    be in the minority:  be in the smaller of two groups
    in mint condition:  (of manufactured goods) perfect; brand-new
    in a minute:  soon
    in a moment:  soon; quickly
    set something in motion:  start something going
    nip something in the bud:  put an end to something before it gets properly started
    in no time:  very soon; very quickly
    in order of:  arranged according to
    in order to:  for the purpose of
    in part:  to some degree
    in particular:  especially
    in power:  (of a political party) holding office
    in practice:  able to do something well because of recent practice; in reality (opposite of in theory)
    in print:  (of a book) printed and available from the publisher
    in private:  not in front of other people
    in public:  openly; not in private
    in reality:  really
    in reserve:  saved for later use
    in retrospect:  looking back over past events
    in return for:  as repayment for
    be in the right:  be correct
    in season:  (of fruit or vegetables) readily available at that time of year
    in a second:  soon; quickly
    in short supply:  scarce; not easily obtainable
    in sight:  able to be seen
    in stock:  (of goods at a store) present and available
    in that case:  if that is true
    in theory:  ideally; according to theoretical considerations
    be in time:  not be late
    in touch with in:  communication with; informed about
    in triplicate:  so that there are three identical copies (of a document)
    be in trouble:  be in a difficult situation; be blamed or punished for doing something wrong
    in tune:  at the correct pitch
    act in unison:  act together
    in vain:  without success
    in the vicinity of:  near
    once in a while:  occasionally
    in words of one syllable:  (explain something) clearly and simply
    in working order:  able to function properly
    in the wrong:  responsible for an error; guilty

Inside
    inside out:  with the inner side out; thoroughly

Into
    paint oneself into a corner:  take a course of action which greatly narrows one's future choices of action
    go into hiding:  hide oneself
    get into a rut:  get into a fixed and uninteresting way of life
    get into trouble:  get into a difficult situation; do something deserving blame or punishment

Of
    of course:  certainly; as one would expect; as everyone knows
    hard of hearing:  somewhat deaf
    next of kin:  nearest relative or relatives
    of one's own accord:  voluntarily; on one's own initiative
    of one's own free will:  voluntarily; by choice
    one's point of view:  one's opinion about something
    right of way:  public right to use a path or road; (of road traffic) right to proceed before others
    rule of thumb:  a simple way to calculate what procedure to follow, based on extensive experience, rather than on theoretical considerations

Off
    go off the air:  (of radio or television) stop broadcasting
    off duty:  not engaged in one's regular work
    off one's hands:  no longer one's responsibility
    off and on:  from time to time
    off the record:  say something privately, that is not to be officially recorded
    off the track:  following a wrong line of thought or action

On
    on account of:  because of
    be on the air:  (of radio or television) be in the process of broadcasting
    on the alert:  ready to act
    be on all fours:  (of a person) be on hands and knees
    on the average:  usually; normally
    on behalf of:  for; in the interests of
    on board:  on a ship or airplane
    on business:  as part of one's work
    on condition that:  only if; provided that
    on demand:  when asked for
    on display:  being exhibited
    on duty:  engaged in one's regular work
    on fire:  burning
    to go on foot:  to walk
    be on one's guard:  be alert and ready to meet an attack
    on hand:  available
    on loan:  lent and not yet returned
    shoot on location:  (of a movie) film in natural surroundings, not in a studio
    on the lookout:  watchful
    put something on the map:  cause something to become well-known
    get on one's nerves:  annoy; irritate
    on no account:  absolutely not
    on the one hand:  (used to introduce one side of an argument)
    on one's own:  alone; without help
    act on one's own initiative:  act independently, without orders from anyone else
    on order:  requested but not yet delivered
    on the other hand:  (used to introduce a contrasting side of an argument)
    act on principle:  do something to support a policy
    on purpose:  deliberately
    go on record:  say something which is to be officially recorded
    on sale:  being sold at a lower price than usual
    on schedule:  at the correct time; as planned or predicted
    on second thoughts:  after thinking further about something
    on a shoestring:  with a very small amount of money
    be on the spot:  be where important events are taking place; be placed in an awkward situation
    on the spur of the moment:  on a sudden impulse
    go off on a tangent:  change suddenly to a new line of thought or action
    on time:  at the correct time
    walk on tiptoe:  walk on the toes and balls of the feet
    accept something on trust:  accept something without proof
    on the verge of:  very close to; about to
    on the whole:  taking everything into consideration

Out of
    out of the blue:  unexpectedly
    out of breath:  (after running) panting from a shortage of oxygen
    out of character:  unlike a person's known character
    out of control:  not able to be regulated or guided
    out of danger:  safe
    out of date:  no longer used; old-fashioned; (of news) no longer true
    out of debt:  having paid one's debts
    be out of one's depth:  be unable to handle a situation because of lack of experience
    out of doors:  in the open air; not in a building
    out of fashion:  not fashionable; not presently in common use
    out of hand:  not under control
    out of harm's way:  safe
    out of line with:  in disagreement with
    be out of one's mind:  be insane
    out of order:  not functioning properly; (at a formal meeting) not behaving according to the rules
    out of the ordinary:  unusual
    out of place:  unsuitable
    out of practice:  unable to do something as well as one has in past, because of lack of recent practice
    out of print:  (of a book) no longer available from the publisher
    out of proportion:  too big or too small; not having the appropriate relationship to something
    out of the question:  impossible; not to be considered
    out of season:  (of fruit or vegetables) not readily available at that time of year
    out of shape:  (of persons) not in top condition because of lack of exercise
    out of sight:  hidden, not able to be seen
    out of stock:  (of goods at a store) temporarily unavailable
    out of style:  not fashionable
    out of touch:  with not in communication with; not informed about
    out of town:  having temporarily left town
    out of trouble:  not in trouble
    out of tune:  not at the correct pitch
    out of work:  no longer having employment

To    to all intents and purposes:  in all important ways
    to a certain extent:  partly
    to date:  so far; until now
    up to date:  current; modern
    see eye to eye with:  agree entirely with
    take something to heart:  be much affected by something
    made to measure:  exactly suitable; (of clothes) made for a certain person
    keep something to oneself:  not tell anyone
    to the point:  relevant

Under
    under age:  below the age of being legally permitted to do something
    be under arrest:  be held prisoner and charged with wrongdoing
    under the auspices of:  with the patronage of; supported by
    under one's breath:  in a whisper
    under the circumstances:  because this is true
    under consideration:  being thought about
    under control:  able to be regulated or guided
    under cover of:  protected by; undetected because of
    under fire:  being shot at; being criticized
    under the impression that:  having the idea that
    be under the influence of:  be affected by
    be under oath:  have sworn to tell the truth
    under observation:  being watched carefully
    under restraint:  prevented from doing something

Up
    have something up one's sleeve:  have a secret idea or plan in reserve

With
    with impunity:  without risk of injury or punishment
    with the naked eye:  without using a magnifying lens
    with no strings attached:  (of help given) with no conditions; to be used freely
    take with a pinch of salt:  not believe completely
    with regard to:  concerning; about
    with respect to:  concerning; about
    tarred with the same brush:  having the same faults
    with a vengeance:  very much; more than usual

Within
    within limits:  to a certain extent; not too much
    within living memory:  within the memory of people now alive

Without
    go without saying:  be obvious

See Exercises 3 and 4.

                                           3. Nouns followed by prepositions

The following are examples of nouns which are usually followed by certain prepositions. In the case of phrases which are idioms, the meanings of the phrases are indicated in brackets.

Against   

  take precautions against   

     

For   

  have affection for   make allowances for

  have compassion for   an excuse for

  a reason for   have a reputation for

  have respect for   have sympathy for

  have a talent for   lie in wait for (ambush)

  pave the way for (prepare for)   

     

From   

  absence from   

     

In   

  have confidence in   have faith in

  have an interest in   take part in

  make progress in   

     

Into   

  have insight into   

     

Of   

  have an abhorrence of   an acknowledgement of

  take advantage of   take care of

  take command of   evidence of

  an example of   an excess of

  make a fool of   make fun of (ridicule)

  have an impression of   a lack of

  neglect of   a number of

  a pair of   be part of

  a possibility of   make a practice of (do often)

  a proof of   a quantity of

  recognition of   a recollection of

  a result of   run the risk of (risk)

  catch sight of (see suddenly)   a sign of

  a survey of   a symbol of

  a symptom of   a token of

  make use of   a way of

  wash one's hands of (stop caring   

    about and dealing with)   

     

On   

  an attack on   dependence on

  make an impression on   play a joke on

  shed light on (explain)   have pity on

     

To   

  have access to   pay attention to

  an objection to   a reply to

  a response to   lay siege to (besiege)

  shut one's eyes to

(deliberately ignore a problem)   

     

Toward or Towards   

  animosity toward(s)   an attitude toward(s)

     

With   

  have a connection with   find fault with (criticize)

  fall in love with   change places with

See Exercise 5.

                 4. Adjectives and verbs in the passive voice followed by

prepositions

In some cases different prepositions can be used without causing a change in meaning. For instance, the following examples both have the same meaning.

e.g. I was angry at them.

      I was angry with them.

However, in many cases, the use of different prepositions causes a change in meaning. For instance, the past participle protected is typically followed by the preposition from. However, like many other past participles, protected may also be followed by the preposition by, where by serves to introduce the performer of the action expressed by the past participle.

e.g. The city is protected from the soldiers.

      The city is protected by the soldiers.

The first example indicates that the soldiers are a threat to the city; whereas the second example indicates that the soldiers are protecting the city.

The following are examples of predicate adjectives and past participles of verbs in the Passive Voice which are usually followed by certain prepositions. In addition, it should be kept in mind that most verbs in the Passive Voice can be followed by a phrase beginning with the preposition by.

About   

  anxious about   concerned about

  curious about   depressed about

  doubtful about   enthusiastic about

  excited about   happy about

  pleased about   wrong about

  worried about   

     

At   

  adept at   alarmed at

  amazed at   overjoyed at

  shocked at   surprised at

     

Between   

  torn between   

     

By   

  accompanied by   caused by

  guided by   manufactured by

  obsessed by   written by

     

For   

  blamed for   eligible for

  famous for   fit for

  known for   late for

  noted for   praised for

  punished for   qualified for

  ready for   responsible for

  ripe for   sorry for

  suitable for   

     

From   

  absent from   apart from

  derived from   descended from

  detached from   different from

  distinct from   exempt from

  far from   isolated from

  omitted from   protected from

  removed from   safe from

  separated from   

     

In   

  absorbed in   disappointed in

  engaged in   immersed in

  interested in   involved in

     

Of   

  accused of   afraid of

  ashamed of   aware of

  capable of   certain of

  composed of   conscious of

  convinced of   deprived of

  devoid of   fond of

  ignorant of   independent of

  jealous of   proud of

  regardless of   reminded of

  sure of   suspicious of

  suspected of   terrified of

  tired of   worthy of

     

On   

  based on   dependent on

  intent on

     

To   

  acceptable to   accessible to

  accustomed to   adapted to

  addicted to   adjacent to

  attached to   attributable to

  close to   committed to

  comparable to   dedicated to

  detrimental to   devoted to

  due to   equal to

  equivalent to   essential to

  exposed to   faithful to

  favorable to   foreign to

  impervious to   indifferent to

  indispensable to   inferior to

  kind to   loyal to

  next to   obedient to

  obliged to   oblivious to

  opposed to   parallel to

  partial to   peculiar to

  preferable to   prior to

  proportional to   reconciled to

  reduced to   related to

  relative to   relevant to

  resigned to   resistant to

  restricted to   senior to

  sensitive to   similar to

  subject to   subordinate to

  suited to   superior to

  susceptible to   tied to

     

Toward or Towards   

  protective toward(s)   

     

With   

  acquainted with   affiliated with

  associated with   besieged with

  compared with   compatible with

  confronted with   consistent with

  covered with   cursed with

  exasperated with   familiar with

  finished with   identified with

  infatuated with   patient with

  pleased with   satisfied with

  synonymous with   threatened with

See Exercise 6.

5. Verbs followed by prepositions

The following are examples of verbs which are often followed by certain prepositions.

About   

  care about   complain about

  forget about   lie about (tell a lie)

  reminisce about   talk about

  think about   wonder about

  worry about   

     

Against   

  discriminate against   protest against

  react against   rebel against

  turn against   

     

At   

  aim at   bark at

  connive at   frown at

  gaze at   glare at

  growl at   hint at

  look at   point at

  shoot at   smile at

  snap at   sneer at

  stare at   wave at

  wink at   

     

For   

  apply for   apologize for 

  beg for   blame for

  budget for   hope for

  long for   look for

  mourn for   pay for

  plead for   pose for

  pray for   prepare for

  press for   register for

  search for   shop for

  substitute for   vouch for

  wait for   wish for

     

From   

  abstain from   benefit from

  deduct from   derive from

  desist from   deter from

  detract from   deviate from

  differ from   divert from

  escape from   extricate from

  flee from   infer from

  profit from   protect from

  quote from   radiate from

  recoil from   recover from

  refrain from   shrink from

  stem from   suffer from

     

In   

  believe in   engage in

  indulge in   intervene in

  invest in   participate in

  persist in   succeed in

     

Into   

  change into   convert into

  delve into   dip into

  develop into   divide into

  fall into   merge into

  plunge into   pry into

  sink into   transform into

     

Of   

  approve of   beware of

  conceive of   consist of

  deprive of   die of

  disapprove of   smell of

     

On   

  blame on   concentrate on

  depend on   impinge on

  impose on   insist on

  intrude on   pounce on

  reflect on   rely on

  report on   spy on

  subsist on   thrive on

     

Over   

  preside over   trip over

     

To   

  adapt to   adhere to

  adjust to   amount to

  belong to   conform to

  contribute to   correspond to

  listen to   object to

  pertain to   prefer to

  refer to   relate to

  respond to   resort to

  revert to   submit to

  subscribe to   succumb to

  surrender to   yield to

     

With   

  agree with   associate with

  collaborate with   combine with

  communicate with   comply with

  concur with   consort with

  contend with   cooperate with

  cope with   correspond with

  flirt with   mingle with

  share with   sympathize with

             Exercise on Prepositions – Place

                   Complete the exercise according to the picture.

1. AtInOn the picture, I can see a woman.
2. The woman is sitting atin front ofon a table.
3. She is sitting atinon a chair.
4. There is another chair acrossbesideopposite the woman.
5. Her feet are besideonunder the table
6. The woman is holding a cup atininto her hands.
7. AboveAtOn the table are a laptop, a paper, a calculator, an appointment calendar, two pens and a muffin.
8. The woman is looking atonto her laptop.
9. The woman's bag is betweenbehindunder the table.

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http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-preposition.htm

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