1. Chapter 8
Prepositions
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2. Learning Objectives: Level 1
Use objective-case pronouns as objects of prepositions.
Form the comparative and superlative degrees of regular and irregular adjectives and adverbs.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

3. Commonly Used Prepositions
about
after
along with at
between
but by
except
for
from in
into of on to
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

4. Use objective-case pronouns as objects of prepositions.
Everyone except Leslie and her arrived early.
Just between you and me, sales of our new product are increasing.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

5. Typical Problems With Prepositions
 Do not substitute the preposition of for the verb have.
They should have (not of) walked to the restaurant
We could have (not of) received free tickets.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

6. Typical Problems With Prepositions
 Do not replace the preposition from with the words off or off of.
Christine borrowed the pen from (not off of) Brandon.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

7. Typical Problems With Prepositions
 Do not use the word to in place of the adverb too, which means “additionally” or “excessively.”
Give the cash receipts to the courier.
Sales reps received tablets and smartphones too.
The car was too small to carry the equipment.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

8. Try Your Skill Between you and (I/me), I didn’t like his idea.
We should (of/have) arrived earlier.
Suzanne borrowed some money (off of/from) her daughter.
The rent for this office space is (too/to) expensive.
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

9. Learning Objectives: Level 2
Use challenging prepositions correctly.
Retain necessary prepositions, omit unnecessary ones, and construct formal sentences that avoid terminal prepositions.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

10. Commonly Confused Prepositions
Among, Between
Beside, Besides
In, Into, In to
Except
Like
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

11. Among: use to speak of three or more persons or things Between: use to speak of two persons or things
Among, Between
Profits will be divided among the nine partners.
Responsibility will be divided between the vice president and the general manager.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

12. Beside: means “next to” Besides: means “in addition to”
Beside, Besides
Beside: means “next to”
Besides: means “in addition to”
The carpool parking lot is beside the office.
You have another option besides this one.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

13. Except (preposition): means “but” or excluding”
Accept (verb): means “to receive”
All pages except three must be copied.
We will now accept applications for the position.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

14. In: indicates a position or location Into: means three things:
Entering something
Changing form
Making contact
In, Into, In to
He is interested in underwater photography.
The event took place in the new conference center.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

15. In: indicates a position or location Into: means three things:
Entering something
Changing form
Making contact
In, Into, In to
Entering something
She plans to go into accounting.
We will move into new facilities May 1.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

16. In: indicates a position or location Into: means three things:
Entering something
Changing form
Making contact
In, Into, In to
Changing form
She is turning into a talented musician.
The caterpillar changed into a butterfly.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

17. In: indicates a position or location Into: means three things:
Entering something
Changing form
Making contact
In, Into, In to
Making contact
The baseball player ran into the outfield wall.
I ran into an old high school friend.
BUT Please turn the report in to your boss on time.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

18. Like
The preposition like should be used to introduce nouns or pronouns. Do not use like to introduce clauses.
Don’t you think Rachel looks like her?
They look as if (not like) they could be sisters.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

19. Necessary Prepositions
Be sure to include those prepositions necessary to clarify a relationship.
Be particularly careful when two prepositions modify a single object.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

20. Necessary Prepositions: Examples
Our appreciation for and interest in the project remain great. (Do not omit for.)
What style of printing do you prefer? (Do not omit of.)
She graduated from high school last year. (Do not omit from.)
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

21. Unnecessary Prepositions
Omit unnecessary prepositions.
I’m not sure when the meeting is scheduled (not scheduled for).
Boxes were left outside (not outside of) the door.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

22. Terminal Prepositions
In formal writing, careful writers avoid ending clauses with prepositions.
Less Formal
More Formal
What topic did he lecture on?
On what topic did he lecture?
Whom do you wish to speak to?
To whom do you wish to speak?
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

23. Try Your Skill You should (have, of) applied for the position online.
Dividends will be divided (between, among) all stockholders.
The break room is located (beside, besides) the copy room.
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

24. Try Your Skill
(Beside, Besides) your résumé, you must send a list of references.
Everyone (except, accept) him was given a raise.
You should go (in to, into) see your boss tomorrow.
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

25. Try Your Skill
He made quite an impression when he walked (in to, into) the room.
She looks (like, as if) she would make an excellent employee.
Did the applicant (graduate, graduate from) college?
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

26. Learning Objective: Level 3
Recognize idioms and idiomatic constructions, and use idioms involving prepositions correctly.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

27. Idiomatic Expressions
Idioms: word combinations that are peculiar to a certain language
In English learn to use specific prepositions with particular words.
Here are a few examples:
agree on mutual ideas
agree to a proposal
agree with a person
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

28. Idiomatic Expressions (continued)
angry at a thing
angry with a person
correspond to a thing
correspond with a person
differ from things
differ with persons
different from (not than)
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

29. Idiomatic Expressions
(concluded)
expert in
plan to (not on)
retroactive to (not from)
sensitive to
speak to (tell something)
speak with (exchange remarks)
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer 5

30. Try Your Skill No one will agree (to, with) such a crazy plan.
Lance was quite angry (at, with) his boss after the meeting.
The presidential debate will center (on, around) foreign policy.
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

31. Try Your Skill This office certainly differs (from, with) the others.
Salary adjustments are retroactive (to, from) July 1.
Mandy is adept (in, at) communicating effectively.
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

32. Try Your Skill Do you plan (on going, to go) to the party?
Do you consider yourself an expert (at, in) estate planning?
Will the mediator be able to get the two parties to talk (to, with) each other?
Choose the correct word to complete these sentences.
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer

33. --Robert Louis Stevenson
“All speech, written or spoken, is a dead language, until it finds a willing and prepared hearer.”
--Robert Louis Stevenson
© 2014 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved. Business English, 11e, by Mary Ellen Guffey and Carolyn Seefer