1. PREPOSITIONS

2. E.g. I run for 10 kilometers every day. A cousin of mine gave me this dress. He comes from Russia. She slept in a filthy room throughout her stay in New York. I passed out in front of my crush. I purchased a house near the beach. My mother has been waiting for me since this morning. I am going to Africa on my spring break. I can’t leave my home without my American Express card.

3. PREPOSITIONS He told me a story about mythical creatures. The paraglider soared above the trees. The children ran across the lawn. I placed my heavy books on the desk. I was ahead of them in the first minutes of the race. We shared the profits among all the members. We went around the house to surprise her. Is Lebanon still at war with Israel? She hid at the back where no one could see her. She planned to leave before Memorial Day.

4. PREPOSITIONS The school is located behind the city hall. Put a label below each photo, please. I asked my son to sit beside me at the clinic. This secret is just between you and me. I’d like to retire in a house by the lake. Don’t walk too close to the edge of the pathway. Marla lives down the street, next to my house. The queen stepped into the room to greet everyone. I want a dress like that, too.

5. PREPOSITIONS Don’t sit next to that stranger. Ride with your sister to the market. I saw the magician pull the bunny out of the hat. Don’t try to jump over the fence; it’s dangerous. Walk towards the “Entrance” sign. (British) I hid the TV remote under the sofa. I walk up the stairs to keep myself fit. He didn’t arrive until 8 p.m. As far as a schedule for the event, I haven’t planned one yet. Do you come from another town?

6. PREPOSITIONS She leaned against the wall when she felt dizzy. To get to the shop, go through that door and turn left. The forest fire has been contained within a 500-meter radius.

7. IN Months: I was born in November. Seasons: The trees are pictureque in autumn. Country: She used to live in Peru. City or Town: We met in Milan. Times of the day: I’ll see you in the evening. (BUT at night.) Century: Columbus discovered America in the 15th century. Long periods: Music in the Elizabethan era was known for its steady rhythm and polyphony. Small rooms: She hid in the boudouir for hours. Enclosed places: I waited in the clinic for the doctor.

8. IN Small cars: I tried stretching my feet in the Austin Mini Cooper. Time (hours, minutes, etc.): I’ll be there in 5 minutes. Area: There is a commotion in the market. Cardinal points: This hamburger is the best in the west.

9. ON Days of the week: He will visit me on Sunday. Holidays: Come to my house on Thanksgiving. Dates: The next transit of Venus will be on June 5, 2012. Touching a surface: There’s a stain on the carpet. Means of communication: Call me on the phone when you’re free. Rivers: Englishmen are free to fish on the Thames.

10. AT Beaches: A dead whale washed up on Skegness beach a few months ago. Streets: I’ll meet you on 52nd Street. Avenues: Their office building is on Madison Avenue. Railroads: Get on an overnight express train to reach Butterworth in 8 hours. Means of transportation: We’ll ride on a speedboat to Monaco. Where you can stand: Stand on the platform and wave.

11. AT Specific times: Pick me up at 3:00 p.m. Large buildings: Were you at the World Trace Center on that fateful day? Near: I’ll wait for you at the entrance to the zoo. Events: I’ll be at the company meeting early. Address: Visit me at 150 Carlton Road, Manchester. Celebrations: You should be at the wedding. Age: She graduated from university at 18.

12. TO vs. FOR We use to + base verb (called an infinitive) E.g. I like to drink margaritas. My dog needs to exercise several times a day. Send the email to me. To is also used when something is moved or transferred between locations or in the direction of a site (move something toward someone) E.g. Can you hand your artwork to your teacher now?

13. TO vs. FOR For – somebody benefits from something you do For – used when we wish to refer to a purpose E.g. I’d love to finish that for you. I use a small netbook for work. Note: When “go” is used, use the go + to + verb and go + for + something format. E.g. We will go to church today. We will go for lunch after the meeting.

14. TO vs. FOR Note the differences: What did you do to your mother? (Did you make her cry?) What did you do for your mother? (Did you help her do the dishes? Did you call her on the phone on Mothers Day?)

15. At the beginning of a sentence “To me...” (my opinion) E.g. To me, a college education is extremely essential. “For me...” (influence on me) E.g. For me, she is a role model.

16. Verbs with Prepositions These toys belong to the orphans. My tools consist of saws, hammers, and clamps. How could this tragedy happen to our family? Did he hint at his intentions? Let’s hope for the best. I will not insist on a payment. All roads lead to the new pub down the street. Listen to classical music when you are pregnant. Pay for what you ate. My trainer will help me qualify for the swim meet. Refer to the instructions when necessary. I can relate to the sentiments of the poor.

17. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Agree on/with Agree on – to settle on; to come to terms E.g. We have to agree on a date before we adjourn the meeting. Agree with (someone or something) – to approve of it E.g. I wholeheartedly agree with all his suggestions.

18. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Apologize for/to Apologize for – states the reason why you are sorry E.g. I would like to apologize for not attending your birthday party. Apologize to – refers to the person/people to whom one is apologizing E.g. The student must apologize to the teacher for being absent at the rehearsals.

19. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Appeal to/for Appeal to - refers to the person/people to whom one is making the appeal, or to whom something is appealing (desirable) E.g. I’ll make an appeal to the mayor to help us. This ad will appeal to the young consumers. Appeal for – refers to the reason why one is making an appeal E.g. She’ll make an appeal for a reconsideration of her application next week.

20. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Care about/of Care about – refers to what one is concerned over E.g. I don’t care about what they say. Care of – look after, or in charge of E.g. I’ll take care of you.

21. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Conform to/with These are generally interchangeable. E.g. Everyone must conform to the regulations. Everyone must conform with the regulations. There are rare exceptions, such as in: The specially designed bed foam conforms to the contours of the body.

22. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Remind about/of Remind about – used when another person brings something to one’s attention, causing him/her to remember something E.g. Remind me about the meeting later. Remind of – used when something triggers the memory of another E.g. Your perfume reminds me of my ex-girlfriend.

23. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Result from/in Result from – used to express the cause E.g. Heart disease sometimes results from obesity. Result in – used to express the effect E.g. Obesity and lack of exercise result in heart disease.

24. Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause Suffer from/with Suffer from – to have an affliction E.g. Millions of people worldwide suffer from memory loss. Suffer with – to feel pain as a result of an affliction E.g. Many children on dialysis suffer with vomiting and dizziness.

25. Cannot or Can not? Think about/of Think about – to consider; to concentrate your mind on something E.g. I have been thinking about this plan for a long time. Think of – to have something come to mind E.g. I can’t think of his name right now. Why didn’t I think of that solution? Choice of a preposition may alter the meaning of the clause

26. ‘About’ indicates subject matter... Do you care about your kids at all? She constantly complains about the faulty heating. What did they do about the complaint? Do you dream about me, too? I’ll explain about fractions later. I heard about the sad news. I didn’t know about his plan to resign. He’ll speak about time management at the seminar. Let’s not talk about past issues. Think about the repercussions of your decision. The author decided to write about Queen Elizabeth’s childhood.

27. ‘At’ indicates direction... He glanced at me on his way out. The suspect glared at the victim in the courtroom. I can’t help but grin at him. It’s impolite to laugh at your classmates. I want to look at the new outfits in the shop. Point at the person who snatched your purse. Try to shoot at the middle of the target. Don’t shout at me, please. I feel good whenever you smile at me. Stare at the photo for a while and tell me what you see.

28. ‘For’ indicates purpose or reason Always apologize for your mistakes. I need to apply for a job soon. He tried to ask for a little more time to think about it. I’m going to leave for Canada soon. Look for my bracelet in the cabinet. The police searched for the victim, to no avail. Wait for me when you arrive at the airport.

29. ‘Into’ involved in a collision... I don’t want to bump into my old friend at the reunion. The truck crashed into a telephone pole. Be careful; you might drive into a crossing deer. It was difficult not to run into fallen trees after the tornado.

30. ‘Of’ indicates facts of information... Did you hear of the cancellation of the Black Friday sale? I know of no one who joined that club. When we speak of grammar rules, we often mean prescriptive rules. Talk of things appropriate for kids your age. Think of a movie you’d want to watch again.

31. ‘To’ indicates listener or reader... You can complain to that man regarding your purchase. Explain to me why you didn’t come to class yesterday. Listen to what the speaker will say. What did you want to say to me? Speak to the children about their responsibilities. I want to talk to you about your study schedule. Write to the school principal about your security concerns.

32. Verb + ‘with’... I wish you’d agree with me for once. It’s not good to argue with your teacher. Do you disagree with this suggestion? The activists seem to always side with liberal viewpoints.