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PREPOSITION

“A word or group of words used before a noun or pronoun to relate it grammatically to some other
constituent of a sentence”
E.g. There is a small cat on the table.
A few children are playing in the garden. We were living under the blue sky.
Sent 1. “On” shows the relation between ‘cat’ and ‘table’.
Sent 2. “In” shows the relation between ‘children’ and ‘garden’.
Sent 3. “Under” shows the relation between ‘we’ and ‘the sky’.
Note: We always use an objective case after prepositions.
E.g. I do not depend on him.
Between you and me there is no relationship.
Note: If two words are connected with conjunction and both demand the different prepositions, we
should provide twice.
E.g. I am surprised at as well as pleased with her performance.
Your technology is different from and better than mine.
Usages
In: It expresses the situation of something that is enclosed or surrounded by something else.
E.g. Many politicians are living in Delhi.
Nothing I did could make me an acceptable guest in that hotel without a credit card.
He's standing in the street.
Never soak brushes in water, commercial cleaners, or even paint.
I have lived in Bolton for four years now and I enjoy walking around the town.
In: Forming a part of something
E.g. He used to be the lead singer in a rock band.
There are too many spelling mistakes in this essay.
I've been waiting in this queue for ages.
What do you look for in a relationship?
In: Expressing a period of time during which an event happens.
E.g. We're going to Italy in April.
Some trees lose their leaves in autumn.
I started working here in 2009.
Life in the 19th century was very different from what it is now.
In: Experiencing a situation or condition, or feeling an emotion:
We watched in horror as they pulled the bodies from the wreckage.
He's living in luxury in the south of France.
She left in a bit of a hurry.
You're in great danger.
In: Expressed or written in a particular way:
Cheques should be written in ink.
She usually paints in watercolor.
They spoke in Russian the whole time.
He always talks in a whisper.
In: (Physical surroundings)
E.g. Mohan was sleeping in his bed.
There are many useful herbs in this forest.
A few phrases:
In bed, in sofa, on a chair, in armchair, on the couch, and on bench, etc.
At: Used to show an exact or a particular time:
There's a meeting at 2.30 this afternoon.
Are you free at lunchtime?
In theory, women can still have children at the age of 50.
The bells ring at regular intervals throughout the day.
At no time/point did the company do anything illegal.
At: Referring to someone's age.
E.g. At twenty-one, both males and females obtain their full legal rights, and become liable to all legal
obligations.
Retirement at sixty-five is ridiculous.
At forty-five, he ran for the Senate and lost.
At: Expressing a relationship between an individual and a skill.
E.g. Hockey was the only sport I was any good at.
Monika was getting much better at hiding her reactions.
Women are said to be poor at reading maps.
At: Expressing the target of a shot from a weapon.
They tore down the main street, firing at anyone in sight.
The snipers were two individuals shooting randomly at anyone.
At: Expressing an incomplete or attempted action, typically involving repeated movements.
E.g. She clutched at the thin gown.
He hit at her face with the gun.
At: Expressing the means by which something is done.
E.g. Holding a prison officer at knifepoint.
Sita’s pride had taken a beating at his hands.
At: Point of places.
E.g. There was a small room at the end of the building.
Students are sitting at their study table.
It is very hot at the center of the earth.
Turning right at the right corner.
We had had dinner at a newly opened restaurant.
After some verbs to indicate the target of a perception we use “at”
“Look, Smile, Wave, Frown, Point”
E.g. Why are you looking at her like that?
At: It is also used for aggression or attack with verbs “Shoot, Laugh, Throw and Shout”
But:
‘Throw to’ and ‘Shout to’ are used when there is no idea of attack.
E.g. Please don’t throw food to the animals.
Could you shout to Tiwari and tell him it’s breakfast time.
At: Sometimes we use “at” with a larger place if we just think of it as a point. A stage on a journey or a
meeting place.
E.g. The plan stops for an hour at Delhi.
She lives in Delhi.
Let’s meet at the club.
It was warm and comfortable in the club.
At: At is particularly used for proper names used for buildings or organizations
E.g. I first met your father at Amrik Sukhdev.
I first met your father in a restaurant.
I met a boy at LIC.
I met a boy in the LIC office.
At: At Before School, college and university.
E.g. My friend is at the Economics college of Delhi.
At: We usually use "at" to talk about the address.
E.g. Are you still at the same address.
She lives at 24 Nehru Street.
But
She lives in Nehru Street.
But
On the third floor
To: Expressing motion in the direction of (a particular location)
E.g. Walking down to the shops.
My first visit to Africa.
We're going to a party.
He dropped to the ground just as a giant pickup rolled over him.
To: Used for showing who receives something or who experiences an action:
I lent my bike to my brother.
I told that to Alex and he just laughed.
Who's the letter addressed to?
To: Used to say where something is fastened or connected:
The paper was stuck to the wall with tape.
A fast rail service connects us to the city.
Note: ‘In and At’ generally used for position ‘to’ is used for direction and movement.
E.g. He works at the market.
He gets to market by bike.
My father lives in Canada.
I go to Canada to see him.
Expression of Purpose
If we mention the purpose of a movement before we mention the destination, we usually use 'at' or 'in'
before a place.
E.g. Let’s go to CCD
Lets go and have coffee at CCD
I went to Canada to see my father.
I went to see my father in Canada. (to Canada)
In: Time (span of time)
At: Time (point of time)
On: Time (days and dates)
Check Some Differences.
At + Clock Time
In + part of day
On + particular day
At + weekend/ Public Holiday
In + longer period
A few phrases of time
At dawn, At sunrise, At daybreak, In the morning, At noon, In the afternoon, At Dusk, At sunset, In the
evening, At night, At midnight, At twilight
But At: Ramjaan and At Navratra
Note: Use “at" before the point of time. Use "inthe" before the span of time. See the examples above.

Use of “Night”
We can use both “in” and “At" prepositions with "night". If the night is used for a primary purpose, we
use “at" and for a specific purpose we use "In”
E.g. Bats are active at night (primary purpose)
You should sleep properly to stay healthy at night (primary purpose)
They were walking on the beach in the night (secondary purpose)
We celebrated a birthday party in the night (secondary purpose)
• At/in/on are not used with the expression of Next/ last/ this/that/ one/ any/each/ every/ some/ all
etc.
E.g. I am at home every evening.
• These prepositions are not normally used either, before yesterday, the day before
• yesterday, tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow.
Into: Expressing movement or action with the result that someone or something becomes enclosed or
surrounded by something else.
E.g. Cover the bowl and put it into the fridge.
Sara got into her car and shut the door.
She also said that she missed being able to walk out and jump into the swimming pool at her house.
She often walked deep into the woods behind our house by herself.

Into: Expressing a change of state.


E.g. A peaceful farmer protest which turned into a violent confrontation.
The fruit can be made into jam.
They are all interested in the arts and would like to find a way to turn their interest into a job.
Note: Before here and there always use “in” not “into”
E.g. Come in here.
Put your luggage in there.
On: (on a surface touching)
He was sitting on the garden wall
Don’t write anything on the desk.
She lives on a Caribbean island.
Traffic is running smoothly on the highway.
She fell on the floor while dancing.
He was lying on his back.
On: Having (the thing mentioned) as a topic; about.
E.g. A book on English Grammar.
The details on side effects are listed in Table 2 of the online supplement.
A very interesting conversation on language and writing ensued.
On: On is used to talk about a position on a line (For example a road or a river)
E.g. His house is on the way from Delhi to Bareily.
Stratford is on the river Avon.
But 'in' is used to talk about the position of things that actually form part of a line.
E.g. There is a spelling error in line 8 on page 21.
Who is the good-looking boy in the 10th line?
On: Being broadcast by (a radio or television channel)
E.g. A new twelve-part TV series on Netflix.
One of my favourite sketch shows is being repeated on FM four at the moment.
The show will be broadcast on ZEE NEWS on December 26th.
On: On can mean attached to
E.g. Why do you wear that ring on your index finger?
There are not many apples on the tree this year.
On: On is also used for a position by lake or sea.
E.g. A beautiful town is on Dal lake.
On: Public Transportation (buses, train, plans, etc)
E.g. He is arriving on the 2:12 train (Not in/with)
We booked on 9 pm flight.
On: Used to show something for which a payment is made:
E.g. He spent a thousand rupees on a hat.
I've wasted a lot of money on this car.
We made a big profit on that deal.
How much interest are you paying on the loan?
Over: Above or higher than something else, sometimes so that one thing covers the other; above:
E.g. The beautiful sky is over the city.
We are flying over the Himalayas.
Helicopters dropped leaflets over the city.
The trees' branches intertwined to form a dark roof over the path.
Over: in a position that is covering something:
E.g. Put a clean cloth over the cakes while they cool.
I put a shawl over my shoulders.
Over: across from one side to the other, especially by going up and then down:
E.g. She jumped over the gate.
The road goes over the mountains, not through a tunnel.
She is always chatting with her neighbour over the garden fence.
From the top of the tower, you could see for miles over the city.
Tanks travel over the most difficult ground.
Over: (referring to a cause of interest, worry, discussion, etc.) connected with or about:
There's no point in arguing over something so unimportant.
E.g. Our company need times to talk/think over your proposal
(= to discuss/consider it carefully).
The legal battle was over who should have custody of the child.
Over: (used for distance and time)
E.g. This peak is over five thousand feet high.
Our manager lasted for over a year.
Over: (age)
E.g. Your wife may be over thirty-two.
You are over age for this completion.
Upon (On something in motion)
E.g. A cat jumped upon a rat.
Last night some passersby sprang upon a man.
Over: On the other side of:
There's a bar over the road we could go to.
The story continues over the page.
Over and Across
We can use over or across to talk about a position on the other side of, or moving to the other side of a
road, bridge, forest, river, and border, etc.
E.g. My relatives live in the house across/ over the road from ours.
The truck came toward John and Ravi across/ over the bridge.
Once our soldiers came across/ over the border they would be safe.
Over is used when something is high or higher, Over is used with wide.
E.g. Thief jumped over the fence last night.
He jumped across the stream.
Across is used when we think of as a flat surface, or an area such as a country or sea,
E.g. Ram suddenly saw Sita across the hall.
The programme was broadcast across India.
Note: We prefer all over rather than all across to mean “to many different parts of an area”
E.g. Corona Virus has now spread all over the world or (right across the world)
Above: In or to a higher position than something else:
E.g. There's a mirror above the sink.
He waved the letter excitedly above his head.
She's rented a room above a shop.
Her name comes above mine on the list.
The helicopter was hovering above the building.

Above: More than an amount or level:


E.g. It says on the box it's for children aged three and above.
Rates of pay are above average.
Temperatures rarely rise above zero in winter.
She values her job above her family.
Above is used when one thing is not directly over the other
E.g. They lived in a village in the mountains above the lake.
The bird hovered just a few meters above/ over the lake.
Note: Don’t use above with numbers
E.g. She had above ten pair of shoes. (wrong)
She had over ten pair of shoes. (right)
This company earned above two million dollars (wrong)
This company earned over/ more than two million dollars (right)
Onto: Used to show movement into or on a particular place:
E.g. I slipped as I stepped onto the platform.
The sheep were loaded onto trucks.
Onto: Used about changing to, or starting to talk about, a different subject:
E.g. How did we get onto this subject?
Can we move onto the next item on the agenda?
Beside: (By the side of something/ Next to)
E.g. Child is sleeping beside a pet.
Farmer is sitting beside the heap of the wheat.
Come and sit here beside me.
Our new farmhouse was built right beside a river.
Besides: (In addition to) (when you want both)
E.g. I bought the Ramayana besides the Mahabharata
He likes coffee besides tea.
What other types of music do you like besides classical?
Instead of: (Except one; in place of sb/sth) (when you like one)
E.g. He likes coffee instead of tea (it means he likes only coffee)
Instead of complaining, why don't we try to change things?
In spite of/despite/ Notwithstanding: (all these have the same meaning)
(used before one fact that makes another fact surprising) despite:
E.g. In spite of his injury, M.S. Dhoni will play in Saturday's match.
In spite of the scale of the famine, the relief workers struggled on with dauntless optimism and
commitment.
Went shopping notwithstanding the bad weather.
Despite repeated assurances that the product is safe, many people have stopped buying it.
Because and because of:
Because: It is a conjunction
Because of: It is a preposition
E.g. Virat Kohli did not play in the last innings because of an injury in his lE.g.
Virat Kohli did not play in the last innings because he had an injury in his lE.g.
He did not come to the office because of bad weather conditions
He did not come to the office because the weather was not good.
By: Time (before given time; not later than; at or before)
E.g. He will be discharged by Monday.
My friend will be here by 7:00 pm.
She had promised to be back by five o'clock.
The application must be in by the 31st to be accepted.
By: (Produced by someone in the passive voice)
E.g. This interesting piece of work is penned by an eminent writer of the 17th century.
By (Transportation)
E.g. They came by train/ plane/ metro/ air/ bike and horse etc.
But: If we use article a/an or possessive adjective before transportation preposition will be changed
accordingly.
E.g. My friend came to school in his car.
He came on a horse.
He went to the temple on foot.
By: (Near)
E.g. There is a big restaurant by the sea.
A small child stood sullenly by her side.
He wanted to keep her close by him always.
By: (Evidence/ According to)
E.g. It is 09.30 by my watch.
He looks intelligent by face.
The students were listed by name.
By: (Unit of measurement)
E.g. Milk is sold by the liter.
By: Used when describing someone's character, job, etc.:
E.g. She is, by nature, a sunny, positive kind of person.
He's a plumber by trade.
She was, by profession, a lawyer.
Note: Never use by as a conjunction
E.g. By I had finished my lunch we had to leave. (wrong)
By the time I had to finish my lunch we had to leave (right)
With (Together/ in the company of)
E.g. He lives with us.
Did you go with her last night?
With (Characteristics)
E.g. A girl with blue eyes was traveling in a metro last week.
With (As a result)
E.g. He is sick with the flu.
With (Tools or instruments)
E.g. He killed his wife with a knife.
She pushed back her hair with her hand.
Farmer killed a snake with a stick
Fill this glass with wine.
Along: (Walk across/ from one part of a road, river, etc. to another)
E.g. We walked along the beach collecting small crabs in a bucket.
The room was so dark, I had to feel my way along the wall to the door.
The children ran down the bank, over the bridge and along the path.
Halfway along the wall he overbalanced and fell.
Cut along the dotted line.

Note: Don’t use along to describe movements from one side to another.
E.g. Travelers walked across the desert for trade. (Right)
Travelers walked along the desert for trade. (Wrong)
Along and Through
When we talk about following a line of some kind (a road, beach and river, etc.) Use along. from one part
of a road, river, etc. to another:
E.g. We walked along a stream until we saw a small village.
‘Through’ is used for three-dimensional spaces like
E.g. She walked through the forest to get to her grandmother’s house.
She spent a lot of her free time walking in the forest.
Between/ among and amongst.
As prepositions of place, we used between with two or more people or things that we see as individual or
separate, and we use among when we see the people or things as a part of a group or mass. Among is
only used with three or more people or things.
E.g. Sita holds a pearl between her thumb and index finger.
India is situated between Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
He stood among all his friends and feeling happy.
She found a new novel among her old books in the drawer.
Between and among are not only used as prepositions of place. For example, we can use either to talk
about something divided or shared between people.
E.g. The money is to be divided between/ among the towns in the area.
The prize will be shared between/ among the first six finishers in the race.
We also use between to talk about comparisons and relationships
E.g. association, balance, comparison, connection, contrast, correlation, difference, distinction, link and
relationship) and to talk about choices.
E.g. There should be a better balance on the committee between the various ethnic groups.
They are wrong to claim that there is a link between unemployment and crime.
We have to choose between village and city life.
You have to choose between your love and family.
We Use Among
When we mean ‘existing or happening in a particular group
E.g. The disease has now broken out among the infants.
Rabindra Nath’s poetry was very popular among young boys.
There's a lot of teasing and fighting among the crew.
The boy looked uncomfortable and out of place among the adults.
These diseases are more common among young children.
I saw a few familiar faces among the crowd.
Rescue teams searched among the wreckage for survivors.
Of: Expressing the relationship between a part and a whole.
E.g. Alana wiped her tears with the sleeve of her sweater.
Our kids were still asleep in the back of the car.
Seal the lid of the container tightly and tape the lid with duct tape.
Anna tightened her grip on the handle of the sword.
I reached into the pocket of my jeans and took out a scrap of paper.
Of: Indicating an association between two entities, typically one of belonging, in which the first is the
head of the phrase and the second is something associated with it.
E.g. The son of a friend.
The government of India.
A photograph of the bride.
A former colleague of John's College.
He was about five years older than me but I knew him as he was the son of one of my mum's friends.
Of: Expressing the relationship between an author, artist, or composer and their works collectively.
E.g. The plays of Shakespeare.
The paintings of Rembrandt.
His mother sang and played the songs of Cole Porter and Jerome Kern.
Of: Indicating the material or substance constituting something.
E.g. The house was built of bricks.
Walls of stone.
The bungalows are built of wood, concrete, and brick.
Pale walls of sand-colored stone encircled the town.
They lived in a simple house with bamboo walls and a roof made of coconut leaves.
Of: (Caused by disease)
E.g. Many Indians died of cancer every year.
Off: Moving away and often down from.
E.g. He rolled off the bed.
The coat slipped off his arms.
Trying to get us off the stage.
A child fell off the tree.
A looter jumped off the roof.
Off Absent from
E.g. I took a couple of days off work.
He said the workers plan to remain off work until the money is paid into their accounts.
The doctor has given me a week off work to rest and recuperate.
From: (Origin/ Indicating the point in space at which a journey, motion, or action starts)
E.g. She began to walk away from him.
He came from a small town of Uttar Pradesh
Apples fell from the tree.
Leaves fell from the tree
Smoke was rising from the fire.
From: Indicating the raw material out of which something is manufactured.
E.g. A paint made from a natural resin.
These can be manufactured from arable crops like oilseed rape and sugar beet.
From: Indicating a source of knowledge or the basis for one's judgment.
E.g. Information obtained from papers, books, and presentations.
We read that what's on and where can be obtained from the tourist information centre.
She was allowed to obtain information from the patient and her medical notes.
Since: (Point of time)
E.g. He has been working for this organisation since 2010.
For: In support of or in favour of (a person or policy)
E.g. Troops who had fought for Napoleon.
They voted for independence in a referendum’
So folks, if you agree with my policies, please vote for me at the next general election.
For: Affecting, with regard to, or in respect of.
E.g. She is responsible for the efficient running of their department.
The demand for money.
It was a success but due to a new demand for money, the WWF had to withdraw after one season.
He also learnt a new respect for further education, and those who work in it.
For (Span of time)
E.g. My friend has been writing a novel for months.
For: On behalf of or to the benefit of.
E.g. I got a present for you.
These parents aren't speaking for everyone.
It is nice to see people giving some of their leisure time for the benefit of others.
For: Having (the place mentioned) as a destination.
E.g. They are leaving for London tomorrow.
He missed the following two Cup games but will leave with the team for Perth today.

Use of Home
Note: Never use any preposition before home with the following verbs.
[bring, go, get, arrive and reach]
E.g. I am going home (R)
I am going to home (W)
But: If we use any possessive case before a noun, we can use a preposition.
E.g. I am going to my home (R)
WE NEVER USE PREPOSITIONS AFTER THE FOLLOWING VERBS
Accompany, affect, attack, board, comprise, consider, control, demand, describe, direct, discuss,
emphasise, ensure, enter, eschew, invade, investigate, join order, pervade; precede, reach resemble,
resist, ridicule, sign, stress, succeed, tell and violate, etc.
NOUNS FOLLOWED BY THE FOLLOWING PREPOSITIONS
Acquaintance with: I have no acquaintance with Maria.
Affection for: Raman has a strong affection for that poor girl.
Apology for: She offered him an apology for her conduct.
Aptitude for: The Marwaris have a great aptitude for business.
Assurance of: Mr.Desai gave us no assurance of his support.
Blame for: Advani accepted blame for the accident.
Capacity for: Aftab has no capacity for mastering facts.
Care of: Take care of your health.
Cause for: There is no cause for anxiety.
Cause of: She is the cause of the whole trouble.
Charge of: A charge of murder was laid at his door.
Claim on: I have every claim on you.
Claim to: He set up a claim to the throne.
Complaint against: Why don't you lodge a complaint against your neighbours?
Confidence in: I hope she will justify my confidence in her.
Control over: Miss Helen has no control over her class.
Disgrace to: She is a disgrace to her family.
Duty to: We owe a duty to our country.
Excuse for: He has no excuse for remaining absent.
Fondness for: His fondness for her is natural.
Freedom from: Health means freedom from care.
Grief at: He felt grief at the death of his son.
Hatred for: Her hatred for him was very great.
Heir to: The prince is heir to the throne.
Influence with: I have no influence with the Magistrate.
Interest in: I have no interest in music.
Invitation to: She has sent us an invitation to dinner.
Leniency to: You have shown undue leniency to her.
Leisure for: I have no leisure for amusement.
Limit to: There is no limit to his ambition.
Longing for: Her longing for her son is great.
Match for: Peter is no match for Abraham.
Need of: Raman is always in need of money.
Neglect of: He is blamed for neglect of duty.
Obedience to: I praise her obedience to her husband.
Objection to: I have no objection to your going there.
Peace with: I am always at peace with my neighbours.
Pity for: The king felt pity for the poor.
Prejudice against: He has a prejudice against Hakims.
Pride in: Her great pride in her wealth is foolish.
Progress in: Jack had made no progress in her studies.
Quarrel with: I know nothing of his quarrel with her.
Regard for: I have great regard for him.
Remedy for: Quinine is a remedy for malaria.
Reputation for: Ghafoor has a reputation for honesty.
Respect for: The young have no respect for old age.
Slave to: A drunken is a slave to drink.
Slave of: You mustn't make a slave of your servant girl.
Subscription to: What is your subscription to the Famine Relief Fund?
Sympathy for: All the people felt great sympathy for her in her troubles.
Sympathy with: I have no sympathy with her foolish views.
Taste for: Kamala has no taste for music.
Traitor to: He is a traitor to his country.
Victim of: She is the victim of her own foolishness.
ADJECTIVES AND PARTICIPLES FOLLOWED BY PREPOSITIONS
Accused of: Ghulam was accused of theft.
Acquainted with: Are you acquainted with her?
Acquitted of: The thief was acquitted of her charge.
Addicted of: Tom is addicted to gambling.
Adjacent to: The hotel is adjacent to the Post Office.
Afflicted with: The old man is afflicted with gout.
Afraid of: Don't be afraid of telling the truth.
Amazed at: I was amazed at her impudence.
Angry with: The teacher was very angry with us.
Annoyed at: Raman was annoyed at her behaviour.
Anxious for, about: He is anxious for / (about) her safety.
Appropriate to: The Prime Minister made a stirring speech appropriate to the occasion.
Ashamed of: Mary is ashamed of her conduct.
Astonished at: All were astonished at her disobedience.
Averse to: Pratap is averse to regular work.
Backward in: John is backward in his studies.
Beneficial to: Fresh air and good food are beneficial to the health.
Bent on: Joseph is bent on mischief.
Blessed with: May you always be blessed with good health.
Blind in: The carpenter is blind in the right eye.
Blind to: Rashida is blind to her own faults.
Born of: Gandhiji was born of rich parents.
Bound for: The ship is bound for England.
Busy with: Jack is busy with his lessons.
capable of: She is capable of improvement.
Careful about: She is very careful about her dress.
Charged with: The beggar was charged with theft.
Confident of: Peter is confident of success.
Conscious of: Shakuntala is conscious of her faults.
Contented with: She is contented with her lot.
Contrary to: The boys acted contrary to my instructions.
Convenient for: Will the 4.50 train be convenient for you?
Courteous to: She is courteous to all.
Deaf to: He was deaf to all her entreaties.
Deficient in: She is deficient in common sense.
Dependent on: She is dependent on her parents.
Desirous of: Raman is desirous of going abroad.
Different from: His religious views are different from hers.
Disgusted with: I am disgusted with her conduct.
Due to: The accident was due to careless driving.
Eligible for: He is not eligible for promotion.
Engaged to: Surekha is engaged to Harry.
Equal to: Sikander was equal to the occasion.
Essential to: Health is essential to happiness.
Faithful to: The dog is very faithful to his master.
False to: Abraham proved false to his friends.
Familiar to: Her name seems quite familiar to me.
Familiar with: I am not familiar with her tricks.
Famous for: He is famous for his learning.
Fit for: Sachin is fit for the job.
Fond of: Girls are fond of dolls.
Free from: No one is free from faults.
Full of: This book is full of mistakes.
Glad of: I am glad of your success.
Good at: She is good at Mathematics.
Good for: This medicine is good for headaches.
Greedy for: Arsalan is greedy of gain/honours.
Guilty of: The beggar was found guilty of theft.
Honest in: Sami is not honest in his dealings.
Hopeful of: Is she hopeful of success?
Ignorant of: The Headmaster is ignorant of facts.
Ill with: Manorama is ill with fever.
Indifferent to: They are indifferent to their own business.
Infested with: This house is infested with rats.
Injurious to: Alcohol is injurious to health.
Intent to: He was intent on winning a scholarship.
Interested in: Why are you interested in Maria?
Introduced to: I was introduced to the Collector.
Jealous of: He is jealous of his friend's success.
Lame in: The beggar was lame in the left lE.g.
Lost to: Tom is lost to all sense of shame.
Loyal to: The princes were loyal to the Government.
Married to: Sheila was married to Raman.
Negligent in: He was negligent in his work.
Negligent of: He was negligent of his duties.
Obedient to: Aftab is obedient to his parents.
Obliged to: I am obliged to her for kindness.
Occupied by: This house is occupied by his manager.
Occupied with: He is just now occupied with the translation of a French novel.
Occupied in: He is occupied in translating a French novel.
Offended with, at: She was offended with her husband at his remarks.
Open to: She is not open to conviction.
Overwhelmed with: She was overwhelmed with grief.
Owing to: Owing to his careless driving, we had an accident.
Partial to: We are all partial to our friends.
Peculiar to: This is a custom peculiar to the Japanese.
Popular with: Mr. George is popular with his neighbours.
Preferable to: Health is preferable to wealth.
Proficient in: John is proficient in Mathematics.
Proud of: He is proud of his wealth.
Quick at: This boy is quick at inventing excuses.
Reconciled with: Ultimately she became reconciled with her husband.
Reduced to: The prince was reduced to poverty.
Related to: Is she related to you?
Repentant of: Mary is repentant of her folly.
Respectful to: Good boys are respectful to all.
Satisfied with: I am satisfied with her conduct.
Sensitive to: She is sensitive to praise and blame.
Serviceable to: This umbrella will be serviceable to you in the rainy season.
Shocked at: All of us were shocked at the news of his death.
Short of: Jack is always short of money.
Sick of: I am sick of being blamed for everything that goes wrong.
Similar to: Their customs are similar to ours.
Slow of: Slow of hearing, slow to make up one's mind, slow at accounts, Slow to anger.
Sorry for: The Headmaster was sorry for his mistake.
Steeped in: Mahmud is steeped in vice and poverty.
Suited to: His speech was suited to the occasion.
Sure of: Are you sure of your facts?
Suspicious of: The policeman became increasingly suspicious of his movements.
Sympathetic to: She is sympathetic to(towards) suffers.
Thankful for: We ought to be thankful to God for His small mercies.
Tired of: Everyone is tired of doing nothing.
True to: Abraham is true to his friends.
Useful for: Salt is useful for many purposes.
Vain of: She is vain of her beauty.
Versed in: He is well versed in Mathematics.
Vexed at: He was vexed at his failure.
Weak in: My daughter is weak in Mathematics.
Worthy of: He is worthy of our reverence and esteem.
VERBS FOLLOWED BY PREPOSITIONS
Abide by: You must abide by your promise.
Abound with: The hut abounded with vermin.
Abound in: Vermin abounded in the hut.
Abstain from: Abstain from evil and do good.
Accede to: The Principal acceded to my request.
Acquit of: The judge acquitted him of theft.
Act from: She acted from fear.
Admit of: You conduct admits of no excuse.
Agree with (a person): Sami does not agree with me.
Agree to (a proposal): I agree to your offer of marriage.
Aim at: All of us aim at excellence.
Apologize to (a person): I apologize to her for my mistake.
Appeal to (a person): We appealed to her for help.
Appoint to (a person): Jack was appointed to the vacant post.
Arrive at (a place): We arrived at the station at ten.
Attend to: Attend to your lessons please.
Attend upon: Sheila has many servants attending upon her.
Avail of: You should avail yourself of every opportunity to practise speaking English.
Avenge on: He avenged himself on his enemies.
Averse to: He is averse to hard work.
Bear with: You must bear with my weakness.
Beat against: The waves beat against the rocks.
Beg of: We all begged pardon of her.
Believe in: I do not believe in her honesty.
Bestow on: The Queen bestowed high honour on her.
Beware of: Beware of false friends.
Blame for: He blamed his teacher for his failure.
Boast of: She boasts of being the best actress in the town.
Borrow from: Rahman borrowed Rs.500 from me.
Break into: The thieves broke into his house at night.
Brood over: Do not brood over past grievances.
Buy for, at: He bought them for/at Rs.10 each.
Buy from: He bought this watch from Titan.
Call on: We called on Miss Hill yesterday.
Call to: Jill called to her father for help.
Call for: Your conduct calls for punishment.
Care for: I do not care for her opinion.
Charge with: We charged her with theft.
Come across: I came across this in a curio shop.
Compare with: Compare the character of Mohan with that of Anil.
(to show difference)
Compare to: Anger may be compared to fire.
(to show resemblance)
Compete with: I compete with Harry for the first prize.
Complain of: He never complains of not having money
Comply with: We always complied with his request
Confer on: She conferred a favour on us.
Confide in: The king confided in his ministers.
Confide to: Confide your secrets to none.
Congratulate on: I congratulated her on her success.
Convict of: The judge convicted him of theft.
Cure of: The medicine cured him of his disease.
Deal in: He deals in Japanese goods.
Deal with: Deal fairly with everyone.
Deprive of: Slaves are deprived of their freedom.
Derive from: Can pleasure be derived from bad actions?
Despair of: Tushar never despaired of success.
Die of: Seema died of typhoid.
Die by: He died by his own hand.
Differ with: I differ with you on this subject.
Differ from: This cloth differ from that.
Disagree with: I disagree with you on this point.
Dispose of: She has disposed of all her property.
Dissuade from: Afzal dissuade her from going there.
Distinguish from: Distinguish truth from falsehood.
Dream of: She dreamt of becoming a queen one day.
End in: The scheme ended in failure.
Exchange for: He exchanged the cow for the horse.
Explain to: Explain this question to me.
Export from: Cotton goods are exported from India.
Fall under: He fell under the displeasure of the king.
Fall upon: The robbers fell upon the merchant.
Feed on: The cow feeds on grass.
Feel for: We all felt for her in her troubles.
Fight for: They were fighting for their independence.
Fly at: The dog flew at the beggar.
Fly into: Seeing me, she flew into a rage.
Get at: get at (find out) the facts.
Get on: He is sure to get on (make a progress) in life.
Get over: He got over(recovered from ) his illness .
Get out of: I have not yet been able to get out of debt.
Get to: In the evening they got to their journey's end.
Grieve at: They grieved at the news of my failure.
Grieve about: Don't grieve much about your misfortunes
Grumble at: He is always grumbling at his low pay.
Guard against: We must guard against vices.
Hide from: I will not hide the truth from my parents.
Hinder from: What hindered you from coming here?
Hope for: We always hope for better times.
Import from, into: Wool is imported from Australia into India.
Impress on: I impressed on her the value of cleanliness.
Impute to: Do not impute motives to her action.
Infest with: Warehouses were infested with rats.
Inquire into: The police are inquiring into the matter.
Inquire of: I inquired of her why she had insulted her husband.
Insist on: He insisted on my leaving the place at once.
Introduce to: Mary introduced me to Sheila.
Invite to: I have invited Rashida also to dinner.
Jeer at: Never jeer at a defeated enemy.
Jest about: Don't jest about serious things.
Jump at: Parveen jumped at the office at once.
Jump to: The Superintendent jumped to the conclusion that the
Keep from: Keep away from wine.
Keep to: Keep to the point please.
Kick against: Do not kick against authority.
Kick at: Atif kicked at my offer.
Knock at: Somebody is knocking at the door (on the window).
Labour for: All his life he laboured for the public good.
Lack in: He is lacking in experience.
Lament for: Do not lament for the dead.
Land at: We landed at Bombay.
Laugh at: We all laughed at her bad manners.
Lay before: Peter laid all the facts before her.
Lay to: We laid this sin to her charge.
Lay under: I have laid her under deep obligation by helping her in distress.
Lead to: This road leads to Poona.
Lean to: This judge seems to lean to his side.
Leap at: He leapt at the opportunity.
Learn of: I am sorry to learn of her illness.
Level with: The enemy levelled the city with the ground.
Listen to: Don't listen to that foolish fellow.
Live within; Live within your means.
Live by: Live by honest labour.
Look at: A cat may look at a king.
Look after: The shepherd looked after his sheep.
Meddle in: Don't meddle in my affairs.
Meet with: I met with many obstacles, but pressed on.
Mix with: Oil will not mix with water.
Mourn over: They mourned over the child's death.
Murmur against: We must not murmur against new taxes.
Murmur at: We all murmur at injustice.
Object to: She objects to my going there.
Occur to: It did not occur to me to search his pockets.
Originate in: The fight originated in a foolish quarrel.
Part with: He parted with all his wealth.
Partake of: We partook of the feast spread before us.
Pass for: Robert passed for a learned man.
Perish with: They perished with cold and hunger.
Persevere in: Mary persevered in her studies.
Persist in: Raman persists in annoying his sister.
Pine for: She pined for the lost child.
Play at: The children were playing at keeping shop.
Play with: Don't play with fireworks.
Play on: Smile played on her lips.
Prefer to: I prefer milk to tea.
Present at: We presented the cheque at the bank.
Present to: We presented a watch to her.
Present with: We presented her with a watch.
Preserve from: May God preserve you from all harm.
Preside over: The Mayor presides over the City Council.
Press upon: Don't press your opinions upon her.
Prevail upon: We prevailed upon her to come to the meeting.
Prevail over: We prevailed over our enemies.
Prevent from: She prevented me from coming here.
Profit by: A wise man profits by the mistakes of others.
Prohibit from: You are prohibited from entering the class.
Protect from: God will protect you from all harm.
Protect against: Protect these tender plants against the weather.
Protest against: You must protest against injustice.
Provide for: He died without providing for his widow.
Provide with: You must provide your children with food and clothes.
Provide against: A wise man provides against a rainy day.
Quarrel with: Do not quarrel with your friends over a trifle.
Reconcile to: You must reconcile yourself to a life of hardship
Recover from: He has just recovered from illness.
Refrain from: She refrained from shedding tears.
Rejoice over: We all rejoiced over the victory.
Relieve of: He was relieved of his post.
Rely on: Do not rely on her support.
Remind of: He reminded me of my promise.
Repent of: He repents of the mistake he has made.
Resolve on: She resolves on going there.
Rest with: It rests with her to take action against him.
Revenge on: He revenged himself on his enemy for the murder of his brother.
Reward with: I rewarded her with a watch for saving my child from drowning.
Rule over: The king ruled over a vast empire.
Save from: He saved her from drowning.
Search for: We searched for the lost watch everywhere.
Seek for: All of us seek for happiness.
Send for: They sent for the doctor.
Show over: Mohan showed her over his new house.
Shudder at: I shudder at her act of cruelty.
Side with: Ankit sided with us in the dispute.
Smile at: I smiled at her foolish threat.
Smile upon: Fortune seemed to smile upon him.
Stick to: Stick to your point.
Struggle against: She struggled against many difficulties.
Submit to: We must all submit to God's will.
Subscribe to: He subscribed Rs.1000 to the Flood Relief Fund.
Succeed to: He succeeded to the throne at the age of ten.
Supply to: He supplied food to the poor.
Supply with: He supplied the poor with food.
Sympathize with: we sympathize with her in her troubles.
Talk about: All are talking about the strange event.
Talk to: He was talking to his friend.
Throw at: don't throw stones at birds.
Treat of: This book treats of every important subject.
Treat with: If we are to treat with you, it must be on equal terms.
Triumph over: Virtue always triumphs over vice.
Trust in: Trust in God and do the right.
Wait on: All her maids waited on her.
Wait for: We waited impatiently for the train.
Warn of: We warned her of the danger.
Wonder about: I was wondering about that.
Wrestle with: Wrestle bravely with difficulties.
Yield to: Never yield to temptation.

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