Prepositions

Question 1

1 I wasn’t pleased …. her.

Answer 1

with (at the results)

Question 2

2 Cats are afraid … dogs.

Answer 2

of

Question 3

3 Look …. this new book.

Answer 3

at. Gaze at, stare at. Look after (= take care of); look for (= try to find); look over (= examine); look into (= examine closely); look on or upon (= consider)

Question 4

4 We’re proud …. our country.

Answer 4

of (take pride in)

Question 5

5 He feels ashamed … his low marks.

Answer 5

of (shy of = nervous)

Question 6

6 We arrived …. the station late.

Answer 6

at (in London)

Question 7

7 She’s very different …. her sister.

Answer 7

from

Question 8

8 Are you satisfied …. your bicycle?

Answer 8

with (at the results; content with, delighted with, unhappy with, happy with, displeased with, dissatisfied with, disgusted with)

Question 9

9 I’m not accustomed … life in a hotel.

Answer 9

to (used to)

Question 10

10 Many people complain …. their low wages.

Answer 10

about (of an illness)

Question 11

1 He was accused FOR lying.

Answer 11

of (charge with)

Question 12

2 I’m surprised FROM the news.

Answer 12

at/by (astonished at/by, amazed at/by, alarmed at/by, puzzled at/by, shocked at/by)

Question 13

3 I’m interested FOR football.

Answer 13

in (take an interest in)

Question 14

4 Water is composed FROM oxygen and hydrogen.

Answer 14

of

Question 15

5 Are you sure FOR his honesty.

Answer 15

of (certain of)

Question 16

6 She’s very good IN English.

Answer 16

at (bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at, etc. However, weak in: He’s weak in grammar; ge’s good in class means that his conduct is good.

Question 17

7 When is he leaving TO England?

Answer 17

for

Question 18

8 That depends entirely FROM you.

Answer 18

on/upon (rely on/upon)

Question 19

9 She was dressed WITH a yellow dress.

Answer 19

in

Question 20

10 He did his best to comply TO the requirements.

Answer 20

with (conform to)

Question 21

aim

Answer 21

at. Use the preposition at to denote direction: throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at. Shoot (without the at) means to kill: He shot a bird (= he hit and killed it).

Question 22

boast

Answer 22

of/about

Question 23

deprive

Answer 23

of

Question 24

die

Answer 24

of (of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork; by violence, by the sword, by pestilence; in battle; fortheir country, for a cause; through neglect; on the scaffold; at the stake)

Question 25

repent

Answer 25

of (repentance for)

Question 26

succeed

Answer 26

in (a person succeeds to a property, a title, or an office: Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne in 1952. Also one person can succeed another)

Question 27

afraid

Answer 27

of

Question 28

used

Answer 28

to

Question 29

pleased

Answer 29

with. We say pleased at or pleased with if an abstract noun or a clause follows: They were pleased at (or with) what he said; They were pleased at (or with) her results.

Question 30

ashamed

Answer 30

of

Question 31

insist

Answer 31

on (persist takes in: He persisted in his silly [‘i.i] ideas)

Question 32

marry

Answer 32

to (engaged to: Sally was engaged to Peter for a year befare they got married)

Question 33

different

Answer 33

from

Question 34

fail

Answer 34

in

Question 35

good

Answer 35

at

Question 36

interested

Answer 36

in

Question 37

look

Answer 37

at. Look down on (= have a low opinion of), look up to (= respect); look out for (= expect); look forward to (= expect with pleasure); look to (= rely on)

Question 38

satisfied

Answer 38

with

Question 39

depend

Answer 39

on/upon (rely on/upon)

Question 40

prefer

Answer 40

to (also preferable to: This car is preferable to my old one)

Question 41

1 arrive at/arrive in

Answer 41

Use arrive in with countries and large cities. Mr Smith has arrived in London (or New York, India, etc.)

Question 42

2 angry with/angry at

Answer 42

We get angry with a person but at a thing: he was angry at the weather (not: with the weather). Also annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with a person, but at a thing.

Question 43

3 pleased with/pleased at

Answer 43

with a person. We say pleased at or pleased with If an abstract noun or a clause follows: They were pleased at (or with) what he said; They were pleased at (or with) her results.

Question 44

4 look at/look for

Answer 44

at; look for = try to find

Question 45

5 write with/write in

Answer 45

Final work: The drawing was done in charcoal. Dora writes her letters in green ink. Instrument used: The children are learning to write with a pen. Helen prefers to paint with a thin brush.

Question 46

6 divide in/divide into

Answer 46

A thing may be divided in half or in two: Paul divided the apple in half (or in two).

Question 47

7 die of/die from

Answer 47

Of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork; by violence, by the sword, by pestilence; in battle; fortheir country, for a cause; through neglect; on the scaffold; at the stake.

Question 48

8 disappointed in/disappointed of

Answer 48

Before a person: with/in, before a thing: at/about/by, before a gerund: at; Keith is very disappointed at not winning the prize. Before a new clause: / was disappointed (that) I didn’t get an invitation.

Question 49

9 sit at/sit on

Answer 49

Sit at a desk, at a table. But on a chair, on a bench, on a sofa, etc.; in an arm-chair, in a tree or up a tree. A bird sometimes perches (= sits) on a tree.

Question 50

10 tired of/tired with

Answer 50

of