Resources – How to Diagnose and Fix Wrong or Missing Prepositions
Introduction to the Topic
Hey all! Today we’re going to discuss a frequent and equally tricky grammatical concern – wrong or missing prepositions. A “preposition” in English is defined as a word that links nouns, pronouns and phrases to other words in a sentence. When a noun follows a preposition, this is called the “object” of a preposition. The preposition and the object together form a prepositional phrase. Now let’s turn to some examples…
Basic Information About Prepositions and Verbs
25 Most Common Prepositions
- of
- in
- to
- for
- with
- on
- at
- from
- by
- about
- as
- into
- like
- through
- after
- over
- between
- out
- against
- during
- without
- before
- under
- around
- among
Prepositional Phrases (prepositions in bold, objects in italics)
- to the car
- on the table
- against the grain
- under the bridge
- around the bush
- during the game
- into the woods
- of mice and men
- at the cinema
- with a friend
More About Prepositions...
As we can see, there are many prepositions to choose from, which is why they can be so tricky! When we write, however, we use them all the time – especially with verbs.
Verbs with prepositions are idiomatic constructions in English, by which I mean they are things we say and use without clear rules behind them. Moreover, these verbs are inseparable from their prepositions, as to forget or misuse the preposition is to change the meaning of the verb entirely!
Consider the verb “to run from.” The base of the verb is “to run,” which of course refers to a quick movement of the legs, faster than a walk, slower than a sprint, and so on. But the preposition “from” alters this definition in precise ways. “To run from” is coupled with either someone or something; the subject does not “run from” alone – he runs from a car or a man or the police. Furthermore, “run from” implies a kind of rationale behind the subject’s running. When one runs for pleasure, for example, that run might be fast, it might be slow, but it generally is not urgent. He might be able to stop running when he feels like it, or he might start running with a designed end in mind. But this is not the case with “to run from” – although one might run from something in a playful way (consider children’s games), typically one runs from something to escape it quickly. The pace is fast; the stakes are high; fear is an essential component of the verb altogether.
Pairing Verbs with Prepositions
Now, what if we were to confuse “from” with another preposition, say, “to?” In our previous example, we said that the man might “run from the police.” This sentence suggests the man has done something wrong, or at least fears detection for an unknown reason. But if we say instead “the man runs to the police,” the meaning of the sentence is exactly the opposite. In this latter, the man is seeking out the police – either because he needs help, is afraid, or just wants to chat with a policeman. In any of these cases, the urgency of the former sentence is at best eliminated, and at worst reversed entirely. Thus, it’s important to remember which prepositions go with which verbs, as the difference between a “to” or a “from” can mean the difference between a fugitive and a victim. Let’s take a look at some common verbs with prepositions.
Common Verbs with Prepositions
- account for
- belong to
- contribute to
- depend on
- lead to
- refer to
- allow for
- consist of
- deal with
- differ from
- occur in
- result in
- defer to
- assist with
- relate to
- search for
- conceive of
- write about
- take with
- think about
Exercise: Practice Pairing Prepositions With Verbs
Exercise: Fill in the Blanks
While this list is a good start, there are many, many more verbs with prepositions to learn! If your query is not on this list, just check Google for your verb and you are sure to find accurate results. Now it’s time for a bit of practice.
Prepositional Verb Exercises
Fill in the missing prepositions in each of the sentences.
1) I had not thought _______ the woman for months, but then she suddenly appeared once more in my mind.
2) The results __________ the race were dismal. We took 5th, but we were expected to take 2nd or better.
3) I always forget to take my keys _______ me!
4) Does that dog belong ____ you?
5) I know I can always depend _______ my friends.
Answer Key
Answers
1) I had not thought about the woman for months, but then she suddenly appeared once more in my mind.
2) The results of the race were dismal. We took 5th, but we were expected to take 2nd or better.
3) I always forget to take my keys with me!
4) Does that dog belong to you?
5) I know I can always depends on my friends.
-Developed by Jacob Wunsh
From the Web Resources:
http://www.writingcentre.uottawa.ca/hypergrammar/preposit.html
http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/common-prepositions-25.htm