Dix Mots Charnieres A Sens Multiples

Question 1

ABOUT

Answer 1

1 Au sujet de :
A book about (sur) cats
He told me about it
What about going to the pictures ?

2 Environ
About thirty people
He left about four

3 A proximité
There was nobody about
He looked about him = He had a look around

4 Sur le point de
The train was about to leave

5 En tout sens, ça et là
I spend the day walking about the town

6 Divers

To come about = to happen
To bring about = to cause to happen
What brought about his resignation ?

Question 2

AS

Answer 2

Comparatif d’égalité
She is as tall as I am.

Comme ( cause) vu que…
as it was raining we stay at home.

Comme au moment où, a mesure que
As he grew older he becomes more selfish.
He went to Mexico as a child.

Comme + point de référence, de comparaison sous forme d’une proposition ( avec verbe)

Go by tube as I do.
They drink tea as in England ( as they do)

Comme = en tant que, en qualité de…
I protest as a free citizen.
Comparer he acted as a judge, he acted like a judge ( comme s’il avait été)

Comme (= par exemple)
Such as

Après un adj as : si que.
Riche as he is.

Such as 
As if, as though 
As yet 
As for me 
As well

Question 3

AT

Answer 3

Lieu précis (sans déplacement)

At the door
At home

Moment précis

At 6 PM
Atm

Direction du regard, visée

To look ( to stare, to gaze, to peep) at ( mais to watch est suivi d’un complément direct)

To aim at a target
To grab at a knife
To grab a knife

Hostilité moquerie

They threw stones at the poor dog.
Sans hostilité they threw a bone to the poor dog

Divers

At first ( au début) 
At last ( enfin) 
At least ( au moins ou du moins) 
At most ( tout au plus) 
At all ( tant soit peu)

Question 4

BUT

Answer 4

Mais
i tried but I couldn’t

Seulement ( beaucoup moins courant que only) We have but a few day to spend here

Excepté
He did nothing but disturb the girl.
The whole truth and nothing but the truth ( rien que..)
But for you ( sans vous ) we should have been ruined

Conjonction de sens négatif ( soigné) it never rains but it poors : in malheur n’arrive jamais seul)

Relatif négatif ( style très soigné)
There is not nan but wants to be happy

All but - very nearly qui est plus courant

Our stocks is all but exhausted
Notre stock est presque épuisé.

Question 5

BY

Answer 5

1) Par ( + complément d’agent)

San Paul cathedral was designed by Wren
2) Par ( moyen, itinéraire)
They came by train
He came back by ( via) Dover and Calais
N.B : He went out through (par) the window. He threw it out of the window
3) Près de ( sans déplacement)
She was sitting by the window. To read by the fireside
4 A la hauteur de, devant ( avec déplacement)
He ran by me without seeing me
5 Pas plus tard que, dès.
He was up by 6 this morning.
By the time he was 10, Mozart had composed his first symphonie.
6 By ourself = alone
I spent the evening by myself
7 Divers
By and by = presently ( dans un instant) Eggs are sold by the dozen ( a la) we travelled by night ( de nuit) It’s 20 to 8 by my watch.

Question 6

FOR

Answer 6

1 Pour ( attribution, destination, but)

Here’s a letter for you. All passengers for Chester must change at Crewe. To go for a walk, for a swim. What did you do that for.

2 Exprime une attente, une recherche ( après un verbe) What are you looking for. I’m waiting for her. The doctor was sent for.

3 Pour ( utilité) what’s this gadget for. ( a quoi sert) Its a key for opening tins ( a key to open tins with)

4 En échange de
How mush did you pay for this watch ? He works hard for his living ( pour gagner sa vie)

5 Introduisant une proposition infinitive
This book is to difficult for me to understand

6 Introduisant un complément de cause.
They wept for joy ( pleurèrent de joie) I couldn’t sleep for ( a cause de) the noise. He was punished for lying to his father. He died for want of ( faute de) médical assistance

7 Introduisant un complément de durée ou de distance

They have been living here for ( depuis) ten years
Bends ( virages) for 10 miles

8 Sens Divers de la préposition for

For all his wealth = in spite of his wealth ( malgré sa fortune)
For all that ( tout de meme)
For all I know ( que je sache)

9 Car ( conjonction) 
They went to bed, for it was to late.

Question 7

SO

Answer 7

Exclamatif
She was so happy

Même

Question 8

STILL

Answer 8

1 Encore, encore maintenant ( lien avec le passé)
He is still working ( he has not yet stopped working)
Are you still fond of jazz music

Contraire

No longer

He is no longer in England

Ne pas confondre he is still ill ( pas encore guéri) et he is always ill ( constamment fréquemment)

2 Encore + comparatif ( even qui est plus courant)

Still better ou better still = even better ( encore meilleur)

3 Pourtant cependant ( = however, yet) I am very happy here, still I cannot help feeling a little homesick