17

GRAMMAR

Verbs + prepositions
This unit focuses on a selection of verbs, including their adjectival forms. Many verbs
have other uses followed by -ing or infinitive (see Grammar 15, 16). Passive uses with
by are not included. See also Grammar 19, 20, 21.

Verbs followed by about

argue about something
be concerm d about something {be worried about)
boast about something
decide about something
protest about something
phase something out

Verbs followed by against

insure something against something
protest against something

Verbs followed by at
glance at something
guess at something
hint at something
marvel at something

Verbs followed by for

accountfor something
allow fo r something (to take into consideration)
apologizefor something/someone (on their behalf: Let me apologizefor Jack.)
blame som eone fo r something
carefor something/someone
caterfor something/someone
charge someone/or something (make them pay for it)
countfor something (especially: I countfor nothing in this company.)
earmark something/or a particular use
pay fo r someone/something

Verbs followed by from

bar someone/rom a place
benefit from something
derive something/rom something
deter som eone from something
differfrom something
distinguish one thing/rom another thing (also: distinguish between two things)

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

distract someone/rom something

exempt someone/rom something
expel someone/rom a place
refrainfrom something
resignfrom something
result front something
stem from something
sujferfrom something
translate one langa&ge from/into another language

Verbs followed by in
absorbed in something (especially absorbed in her work/a book)
confide in someone
be engrossed in something
implicate someone in something (especially be implicated in)
involve someone in something
result in something
specialize in something
succeed in something

Verbs followed by of
accuse someone o/something
com ict someone o/something
remind someone o/something
suspect someone o/something
take notice o/something/someone

Verbs followed by on
base something on something (especially passive: The film is based on aplay.)
blame something on someone
centre something on something (usually passive: be centred on)
concentrate something on something
decide on something
depend on someone/something
elaborate on something
impose on someone
insist on something/someone doing something
pride oneself on something

Verbs followed by to
answer to something (especially: answer to a descriptioń)
appeal to someone (beg)
It appeals to me. (I like the idea.)
apply something to something {This rule doesnt apply to you.)
apply oneself (to work hard and consistently at something)
attend to something said/heard
attribute something to someone

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 GRAMMAR 17 VERBS + PREPOSITIONS

commit oneself to something (especially passive: be committed to)

confess to something
devote oneself to something (especially passive: be devoted to)
prefer one thing to another thing
react to something
refer to something {This num ber refers to the nextpage.)
ref er someone to someone {The doctor referred me to a specialist.)
resign oneself to something (especially passive; be resigned to)
resort to something
see to something (make sure it is done)
subject someone to something (stressed; subiect)
succeed to the throne
be used to doing something

Verbs followed by with

acąuaint som.eone with something (also; be acąuainted with something/someone)
associate someone with something
charge someone with something
clutter with something (especially passive: The room was cluttered with boxes.)
coincide with something
collide with something
comply with something
concern with something (usually passive: be concerned with)
confront someone with something
confuse someone/something with someone/something
cram with something (especially passive: be crammed with)
deal with someone/something
discuss something with someone
face with something (especially passive: be faced with)
ingratiate oneself with someone
meet with something (especially: meet with an accident)
pack with something (especially passive: be packed with)
plead with someone
provide someone with something
tamper with something
trust someone with something

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ADVANCED LANGUAGE PRACTICE

1 Com plete each sentence with a suitable preposition.

1 I really prefer just about anything........ ^.9........... watching television.

2 This year s conference coincided....................... two other major conventions.
3 Is it possible to insure my b ik e........................theft?
4 The problem stem s........................the governments lack of action.
5 When I asked Jean, she hinted........................the chance of a promotion for me.
6 Being rich doesn’t cou nt....................... much on a desert island.
7 I pleaded........................John to change his mind, but he wouldn’t Usten.
8 I cant stand the way she is always boasting....................... her wealthy parents.
9 My father always confuses Britney Spears..............Whitney Houston.
10 Could you please refrain.........................smoking in the lecture hall.

2 Complete the text by writing a suitable verb in each space.

1had a difficult tim e iastyear with my Health. For selera! months i was
(1 ) from severe headaches and almost constant nausea. i made severai
vlsits to my GP, who finally ( 2 ) ......................my headaches to migraine and prescribe^
medication. When this faiied to worl< he decided my nausea was the root cause and
( 3 ) ......................my headaches on the nausea. I was ( 4 ) ....................... to fi^e painful
te s ts , none of which re^eaied anything significant. i ( 5 ) ......................my diet with
the doctor a t iength while he made notes, and we tried eiiminating certain foods
from my meals. Then he ( 6 ) ......................th a t I might ( 7 ) ....................... from a low-
fibre diet. But stiii the symptoms persisted, and i was starting to ( S ) .....................
myseif to feeling iii for the rest of my life. i was understandabiy concerned about
the possibillty of it being something serious, even a brain tumour, but the doctor
explained th a t this would not ( 9 ) ......................for my symptoms. A fte r six months
i was ( 1 0 ) ......................to a consultant a tt h e hospital, who ( 1 1 ) .......................in
stornach disorders. She suggested th a t i shouid ( 1 2 ) ......................from eating
late a t night, and ( 1 3 ) ..................a t a possible psychological cause. I think th a t she
( 1 4 ) ..................me of not telling her the complete tru th about my symptoms. She
prescribed mild tranc^uilizers, and this treatm ent, I’m glad to say, ( 1 5 ) ....................
with complete successi

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 GRAMMAR 17 VERBS + PREPOSITIONS

3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.

1 Peter always trusts me with his secrets.

in
Pe^gj-................................... ąLwci_y_s Mwfides L ........................... me.
2 A true story forms the basis of Mary s new novel.
on
Mary s new novel...............................................................................a true story.
3 I thought it was marvellous that Jane could jump so high.
at
I ................................................................................................... to jump so high.
4 A lot of people were packed on to the bus.
with
The b u s....................................................................................................... people.
5 You were in my dreams last night.
about
I ...............................................................................................................last night.
6 Danny was asked to leave the school for bad behaviour.
from
Danny w as...............................................................................for bad behaviour.
7 This house makes me think of my own home!
of
This house..................................................................................... my own home.
8 Tina rewrote the French book in Spanish.
from
T in a ................................................................................................... into Spanish.
9 Christmas and roast turkey go together in my mind.
with
Christmas..................................................................... roast turkey in my mind.
10 I think a rest would do you good.
from
I think y o u .................................................................................................... a rest.
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