10 Prepositions: other meanings Flashcards
We were talking about the weather.
About
According to the BBC, the strike is over.
According to
Most people are against these changes.
Against: contra
We can have this pizza for tea. As for lunch, I’ll get a sandwich.
Podemos tener esta pizza para el té. En cuanto al almuerzo, conseguiré un sándwich.
I’m reading a book by Iris Murdoch.
by
You need a pullover, so I’m knitting one for you.
For:
Necesitas un jersey, así que te estoy tejiendo uno para ti.
You’d do anything for the sake of peace and quiet.
For the sake of = In order to have
Are you for the plan/in favor of the plan?
for the plan/in favor of
=supporting
Mrs. Peterson is in charge of the department.
(In charge of = head of the department)
Can I use a pencil instead of a pen?
Instead of
I went to a lecture on Einstein.
Fui a una conferencia sobre Einstein.
On behalf of everyone here, I’d like to say thank you.
On behalf of:
En nombre de todos aquí, me gustaría decir gracias.
This car does at least fifty miles to the gallon.
to = Este carro hace al menos cincuenta millas por galón.
It’s up to you to make your own decision.
to
I went to the party with a friend.
(= We were together.)
Pete is the man with long hair.
(= He has long hair.)
I’ll cut the wood with my electric saw.
With
They set to work with enthusiasm.
Se pusieron a trabajar con entusiasmo.
With people watching, I felt embarrassed.
(= Because people were watching…)
Who’s the man without any shoes on?
They set to work, but without enthusiasm.
Without is the opposite of with.
Who’s the man without shoes on?
We can leave out any after without.
the handle of the door
a tin of soup
some of my friends
our first sight of land
Of has a number of different meanings.
She’s an actress of great ability.
These souvenirs are of no value.
He was a man of medium build.
We can also use “of” in the following pattern.
Estos recuerdos no tienen valor.
Él era un hombre de contextura mediana.
We decided against a picnic in view of the weather.
(in view of = because the weather was bad)
Some prepositions have the same meaning as a conjunction.
Such prepositions are: as well as, in addition to, besides, in spite of, despite, as a result of, in consequence of, because of, due to, in view of, on account of.
I paid by credit card.
The motor is powered by electricity.
They broke the door down by force.
By is more abstract. It refers to the means in general rather than to a specific thing.
They got in by breaking down the door.
We use “by” before a gerund.
The door was broken down by two men/with a hammer.
Some passive sentences have by + agent.
We say write in pen or write in pencil.
escribir en pluma
I prefer to travel by train.
NOT travel by the train and NOT travel with the train.
We can say: by bike, by car, by road, by taxi, by bus, by coach, by train, by tube, by rail, by
boat, by ship, by ferry, by hovercraft, by sea, by plane, by air.
I’ll go on my bike.
NOT: I’ll go by my bike.
We do not use by to mean a specific bike, car etc.
We can say on my bike, in the/my car, in a taxi, on the bus/train/boat/plane etc.
I prefer to go on foot.
NOT: go by foot
The passengers got into/out of the car.
Nancy got on/off her bike/the bus/the train.
We went on board the ship.
Expressing movement.
I spoke to Andy by phone/on the phone.
I sent the information by post.
We can also use by for means of communication, e.g. by letter/post, by phone, by telegram/telex/fax.
Maria has come along as our guide.
I’m having to use the sofa as my bed.
(She is our guide.)
(It is my bed.)
We use “as” to express a role or function.
She slapped his face. The noise was like a pistol shot.
I think Louise looks a bit like Marilyn Monroe.
We use like to express a comparison.
He speaks as an expert. He is, after all, a professor.
He talks like an expert, but really he knows nothing.
Compare “as” and “like”.
Like everyone else, I have to pay my taxes.
“Like” can also come in front position.
It’s unlike Fiona to be late. She’s usually very punctual.
“Unlike” is the opposite of “like”.
Everyone was there except (for) Nigel, who was ill.
Everyone was there apart from Nigel, who was ill.
I hate fish. I can eat anything except fish.
I hate fish. I can eat anything but fish.
We use “except (for)”, “apart from” and “but” to talk about an exception.
