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English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Preposition Page

1 · About..........................................................................................4

2 · Above .........................................................................................6

3 · Across.........................................................................................7

4 · After............................................................................................8

5 · Against .......................................................................................9

6 · Ahead Of* ..................................................................................11

7 · Along..........................................................................................11

8 · Among........................................................................................12

9 · Around........................................................................................12

10 · As .............................................................................................14

11 · At..............................................................................................14

12 · Back to*/Back From*...............................................................18

13 · Before .......................................................................................19

14 · Behind ......................................................................................19

15 · Below .......................................................................................20

16 · Beneath.....................................................................................20

17 · Beside .......................................................................................21

18 · Besides .....................................................................................21

19 · Between....................................................................................21

20 · Beyond .....................................................................................22

21 · But ............................................................................................23

22 · By .............................................................................................23

23 · Close to*...................................................................................25

24 · Despite/In Spite Of*.................................................................25

25 · Down ........................................................................................26

26 · During.......................................................................................27

27 · Except.......................................................................................27

28 · Far From*.................................................................................27

29 · For ............................................................................................27

30 · From.........................................................................................33

31 · In...............................................................................................35

32 · In Back Of* ..............................................................................45

33 · In Front Of*..............................................................................45

34 · Inside ........................................................................................45

35 · Instead Of* ...............................................................................45

36 · Into ...........................................................................................46

37 · Like...........................................................................................47

38 · Near ..........................................................................................48

39 · Next To*...................................................................................48

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

40 · Of..............................................................................................48

41 · Off ............................................................................................53

42 · On.............................................................................................56

43 · Onto..........................................................................................64

44 · On Top Of* ..............................................................................64

45 · Opposite ...................................................................................65

46 · Out............................................................................................65

47 · Outside .....................................................................................69

48 · Over..........................................................................................69

49 · Past ...........................................................................................72

50 · Through ....................................................................................73

51 · Throughout ...............................................................................75

52 · To .............................................................................................76

53 · Toward......................................................................................81

54 · Towards....................................................................................82

55 · Under........................................................................................82

56 · Underneath ...............................................................................83

57 · Until..........................................................................................84

58 · Up.............................................................................................84

59 · With..........................................................................................89

60 · Within.......................................................................................94

61 · Without.....................................................................................95

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

The Ins and Outs of Prepositions

Each definition of a preposition is followed by one or more patterns, which

indicate the word order appropriate for the definition.

The verbs in each pattern can be changed to other tenses.

Example:

Pattern: verb + toward + noun

The money goes toward helping the family.

This could also be:

The money went toward helping the family.

The money will go toward helping the family.

The money is going to go toward helping the family.

When a word cannot be substituted, that word is included in the pattern.

Example:

Pattern: be + after + noun

The reception is after the wedding.

be is the only possible verb for this pattern.

When a word is optional, it is in parentheses.

Example:

Pattern: be + outside (of) + noun

The dog is outside the house.

The dog is outside of the house.

When the word noun is in the pattern, use the normal patterns for noun usage, as outlined

in Part Three.

Example:

Pattern: verb + against + noun

Dr. Jones is against the idea.

This could also be:

Dr. Jones is against my idea.

Dr. Jones is against this idea.

Dr. Jones is against our ideas.

Dr. Jones is against some of their ideas.

When the noun determiner cannot be substituted, it is included in the pattern.

Example:

Pattern: verb + against + the + noun

We sailed against the wind for an hour.

(the cannot be replaced by a, this, my, or any other word)

When the word one's is in the pattern, it can be replaced by any possessive adjective (my,

your, his, her, its, our, their)

Example:

Pattern: to + one's + noun

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Someone will come to your aid.

Someone will come to his aid.

Someone will come to our aid.

When no noun determiner is used, the symbol ø is in the pattern.

Example:

Pattern: verb + against + ø + noun

I drive against traffic every morning.

The typical verbs, nouns, and adjectives listed with each pattern are the most common

words that are used with the preposition. It is a good idea to think of the combinations as

units. As an exercise, you may wish to write sentences with the suggested words,

following the pattern and keeping the meaning of the combination in mind.

About

1 About identifies a topic.

Pattern 1: noun + be + about + noun

This book is about prepositions.

Nouns commonly used before about: argument, article, book, conversation,

disagreement, discussion, joke, lecture, movie, news, play, program, report, speech, story

Pattern 2: noun + about + noun

She gave me advice about my loan.

Nouns commonly used before about: assurance, complaint, comment, gossip, lie,

question, statement, truth

Pattern 3: verb + about + noun

He often talks about his job.

Verbs commonly used before about: agree, argue, brag, care, complain, cry, do, dream,

forget, groan, hear, joke, know, laugh, lie, moan, pray, read, say, scream, sing, talk,

think, wonder, worry, yell

Expressions:

to see about—

1. to delay a decision until more information is known

We want to buy a house, but we will see about that later.

2. to get information about

I called that office to see about getting a job there.

to find out about—to get information about

She called the school to find out about her daughter's behavior.

Pattern 4: verb + noun + about

She knows something about airplanes.

Typical verbs used with this pattern: ask, find out, know, learn, say

Typical nouns used before about: a little, a lot, quite a bit, nothing, something, very little

Pattern 5: verb + indirect object + about + noun

They asked me about my trip.

Verbs commonly used with this pattern: advise, ask, bother, contact, harass, question,

remind, teach, tell, write

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Pattern 6: adjective + about + noun

They were very kind about our late arrival.

Adjectives commonly used before about: charming, kind, nasty, nice, mean, rude, sweet,

understanding, unkind

2 About can identify the cause of an emotion or condition.

Pattern: adjective + about + noun

We are excited about our vacation.

Adjectives commonly used before about: angry, anxious, bashful, concerned, confused,

crazy, excited, glad, happy, mad, nervous, objective, optimistic, pessimistic, right, sick,

silly, unhappy, upset, worried

3 About (adverb) can mean approximately.

Pattern: about + number

It is about nine o'clock.

We have about ten dollars each.

4 About can mean in all parts of.

Pattern 1: be + noun + about + noun

There is a lot of excitement about town.

Pattern 2: past participle of verb + about + noun

Papers were scattered about the house.

Typical past participles used before about: scattered, sprinkled, strewn, thrown

5 About can describe a noun.

Pattern: something/nothing + (adjective) + about + noun

There is something about her that I like.

There is something adorable about her.

There is nothing nice about that.

Adjectives commonly used before about: adorable, attractive, bad, cute, exotic,

fascinating, familiar, fishy, funny, good, interesting, nice, peculiar, special, strange,

unusual, weird, wonderful

6 About can mean in all directions.

Pattern 1: motion verb + about + noun

We wandered about town for a few hours.

Pattern 2: motion verb + about (adverb)

The baby crawls about the house.

Verbs commonly used with these patterns: crawl, go, jump, look, move, poke, run, walk,

wander

7 About (adverb) can mean almost.

Pattern: be + about + adjective

She is about ready.

Adjectives commonly used after about:complete, done, finished, perfect, ready, right,

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

through

8 Expressions

about + infinitive—ready to

The show is about to begin.

to be about time—an expression of annoyance that a person or thing has arrived late.

''It's about time you got here," said the mother when her daughter came home late.

to have an air about one—to seem uncaring or unfriendly

That new guy has an air about him.

not about (adverb) + infinitive—not willing to

I'm not about to sign that agreement.

They're not about to go home early.

about face

1. (verb) a military command to turn halfway around, and face the opposite

direction

The sergeant ordered, "About face!"

He told his men to about face.

2. (noun) a complete change of opinion

He did an about face when he learned the facts.

9 Phrasal verbs

bring about (separable)—cause

The storm brought about problems.

The storm brought them about.

come about (intransitive)—happen

How did that situation come about?

to get about (intransitive)—to be able to walk

He is ninety years old, and he gets about very well.

to find out about (nonseparable)—to get information or news about something

When did you find out about the accident?

Above

1 Above can mean in or at a higher place.

Pattern 1: be + above + noun

A dark cloud was above the house.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + above + noun

Let's hang the picture above the sofa.

Verbs commonly used before above: arrange, carry, hang, hold, keep, place, put, set

2 Above can mean at a higher level, value, or rank.

Her blood pressure is above normal.

The children in her class are all above average.

In the navy, a captain is above a commander.

3 Above (adverb) can indicate something written earlier in a book, article, or

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

category

He is the best student in the class.

That is the longest river in the world.

34 In can indicate a topic.

Pattern 1: noun + in + noun

There was a big improvement in her grades this term.

Typical nouns before in: advance, change, decline, decrease, improvement, increase

Pattern 2: verb + in + noun

She participated in the planning of the conference.

He persists in calling me on the telephone.

Typical verbs: assist, cooperate, help, invest, participate, persist

Pattern 3: adjective + in + noun

This land is rich in minerals.

She is very interested in antique furniture.

Typical adjectives: basking, covered, drowning, interested, rich, steeped, submerged

35 Expressions

in addition to—plus

In addition to your car payment, you will have to pay for registration and insurance.

in the air—an indication that something has been discussed

A raise in salaries is in the air.

in sight—an indication that something is visible, or will happen soon

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

We are almost there; the bridge is in sight.

The work is almost finished; our vacation is in sight.

36 Phrasal verbs

break in (intransitive)—enter without permission, removing a barrier

Someone broke in yesterday and took their bicycles.

break in on (nonseparable)—enter without permission, surprising those inside

We were having a private conversation when he broke in on us.

break in (separable)—use something for first time, as a warm-up; to tame

The boy got a new bicycle and couldn't wait to break it in.

butt in (intransitive)—interrupt a private conversation

Everything was fine until she butted in.

check in (intransitive)—register

After they checked in at the desk they went to their room.

check in (separable)—leave something temporarily in a guarded place

The bags were heavy, so he checked them in right away.

chip in (intransitive)—contribute

The students all chipped in and bought the teacher a present.

close in (on) (nonseparable)—approach and surround

The people were scared as the enemy closed in on them.

count in (separable)—expect someone's participation

If you are looking for volunteers, count me in.

do in (separable)—tire

I exercised at the gym for two hours, and it did me in.

drop in (separable)—let something fall into a deep container

After you finish the letter, please drop it in the mailbox.

drop in (on) (nonseparable)—visit someone without notice

We hadn't seen them in years, and they dropped in on us yesterday morning.

fill in (separable)—complete a form

Here is the application form; please fill it in.

fill in (for) (nonseparable)—substitute

Another doctor is filling in for her while she's on vacation.

get in (nonseparable)—enter, perhaps with slight difficulty

The door was locked, but we got in through the window.

get in (separable)—place inside, perhaps with slight difficulty

The mailslot was too small for the package; I couldn't get it in.

give in (to) (nonseparable)—surrender

I hope she never gives in to his wishes; he wants to control her.

keep in (separable)—not allow to go out

The child was sick and his mother kept him in.

key in (separable)—type into the computer

First you have to key in your password.

kick in (intransitive)—contribute

When it gets very cold, the electric heater kicks in.

look in (on) (nonseparable)—occasionally check

Will you look in on my mother every afternoon while I'm away?

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

step in (intransitive)—enter

I knocked on the door and he told me to step in.

squeeze in (separable)—make room or time for somebody

The doctor was busy, but he managed to squeeze me in.

turn in (intransitive)—go to bed

They were really tired, and had to turn in.

take in (separable)—to make smaller

The skirt was too big, so she took it in at the waist.

take in (separable)—to comprehend

I'm not sure she took in everything you were saying.

In Back Of

1 In back of means located behind.

Pattern 1: noun + in back of + noun

There is a beautiful tree in back of our house.

Pattern 2: verb + in back of + noun

Your sister sits in back of me in class.

In Front Of

1 In front of means located before or facing something.

Pattern 1: noun + in front of + noun

There is a van in front of their house.

Pattern 2: verb + in front of + noun

The teacher usually stands in front of the class.

He was in front of me in line.

2 In front of can mean in the future.

She has a lot of problems in front of her.

Inside

1 Inside means within something else.

Pattern: verb + noun + inside + noun

There are some little toy animals inside the box.

She put the money inside the envelope.

2 Inside (adverb) means indoors, within a building.

It started to rain, so we went inside.

Instead Of

1 Instead of means substituting for.

Pattern: verb + noun + instead of + noun

They went to Hawaii instead of South America.

She cooks a lot of vegetables instead of meat.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Into

1 Into indicates entrance.

Pattern 1: verb + into + noun

We went into his office.

I drive into the city every day.

Typical verbs before into: blow, break, come, drive, fall, fly, gaze, get, go, look, move,

walk, run, sail, stare, stomp, storm

Pattern 2: verb + noun + into + noun

She poured the juice into the glass.

Verbs often used with this pattern: blow, cram, drive, get, move, place, pour, put, set,

throw

2 Into can indicate forced contact.

Pattern: verb + into + noun

That car crashed into a tree.

Verbs often used before into: crash, push, pull, run, smash, tear

Expression:

to run something into the ground—to talk about something too much

We are sick of hearing about his job; he really runs it into the ground.

3 Into can indicate division.

Pattern 1: number + into + number = number

Three into twelve equals four.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + into + (number) + noun

She cut the pie into eight wedges.

The vase broke into a million pieces.

Typical verbs before into: arrange, break, cut, divide, separate

Typical nouns after into: bits, parts, pieces, slices, wedges

4 Into can indicate a change in condition or form.

Pattern 1: go/get + into + ø noun

They went into debt after the accident.

He always gets into trouble at school.

Nouns often used after go into:

action, bankruptcy, debt

Nouns used after get into: danger, condition, shape, trouble

Pattern 2: go/get + into + noun

He went into a rage.

They got into an argument.

Typical nouns after go into: expression, fit, hysterics, rage, tantrum

Typical nouns after get into: argument, mood

Expressions:

to turn into—to change into a different form

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

The water turned into ice.

The stranger turned into a friend.

to turn something into—to change the form of something else

The witch turned the prince into a frog.

to burst into flames—to suddenly be on fire

The trash pile burst into flames.

5 Into can indicate interest or occupation.

Pattern: be/go + into + noun

Her husband is really into football.

All of her daughters went into law.

6 Phrasal verbs

break into (nonseparable)—begin an activity

She was so excited that she broke into a song.

check into (nonseparable)—get information

After she called the police, they went to check into the situation.

look into (nonseparable)—get information

The lawyer promised to look into our case.

run into (nonseparable)—to see an acquaintance by chance

We ran into each other at the mall yesterday.

talk into (separable)—to convince someone to do something

She didn't want to come with us, but I talked her into it.

1 Like can mean similar to.

Pattern: be, look, seem + like + noun

She is like her sister.

They don't look like their mother.

2 Like can indicate similar behavior.

Pattern: verb + like + noun

He talks like his father.

She swims like a duck.

Common verbs before like: act, behave, play, sing, talk, walk

3 Like can describe excessive behavior.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + like + abstract noun

She spends money like water.

Nouns commonly used with this meaning: anything, fun, water

Pattern 2: verb + noun + like + adjective

He dances like crazy.

She works like mad.

4 Like can indicate an example.

Pattern: noun + like + noun

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

They grow root vegetables, like beets, carrots, radishes, and turnips.

5 Like can mean characteristic of.

Pattern: be + like + noun + to + verb

It's not like you to complain.

Near

1 Near means close to in terms of distance.

His house is near his office.

She lives near San Francisco.

2 Near means within a short time.

His birthday is near Thanksgiving.

Next To

1 Next to means at the side of.

Her best friend sits next to her at the table.

I will put my things in the basket next to yours.

1 Of indicates belonging or connection.

a. Of identifies a thing as a connection or part of another thing.

the pages of the book

the leaves of the tree

b. Of identifies people, animals, or plants as part of a larger group.

Pattern: noun + of + this/that + noun

the women of that family

the people of that religion

Nouns commonly used after of: city, club, company, country, culture, descent, faith,

family, gender, genus, group, ilk, organization, race, religion, society, species

c. Of identifies ideas or works with their author, artist, or composer.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

the works of Shakespeare

the methods of the teacher

Nouns often used before of: essays, ideas, method, music, novels, opinion, paintings,

plays, poems, poetry, songs, work, writing

d. Of identifies an individual or special member of a group or institution.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

the president of the class

the coordinators of the program

Nouns commonly used before of: captain, citizen, coordinator, dictator, head, hero,

heroine, leader, loser, manager, mayor, member, president, secretary, servant, star,

student, teacher, treasurer, villain, winner

e. Of identifies a person's occupation or area of specialization.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

a professor of mathematics

students of cardiology

practitioner of medicine

f. Of indicates a connection with a place.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

a native of Alaska

the birds and animals of Australia

Nouns often used before of:

animal, bird, citizen, graduate, inhabitant, native, people, resident

g. Of indicates a connection with a period of time.

the music of the eighties

the dances of her youth

the fourth of July

the last day of the year

April of last year

2 Of can name another noun.

Pattern: the + noun + of + noun

They established the city of Los Angeles.

It is near the Bay of Bengal.

I don't know the name of the school.

3 Of can indicate the location of a part.

Pattern: preposition + the + noun + of + noun

The passage is in the middle of the page.

I have a knot on the back of my head.

The numbers are at the top of the page.

4 Of indicates a category of description.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

1. Typical nouns used before of indicating category:

brand, category, class, color, form, kind, make, pattern, shape, size, sort, style, type

What kind of shoes are you looking for?

The color of your dress is beautiful.

2. Nouns used before of indicating type of container: bag, bowl, box, can, container,

load, loaf, package, piece, plate, tube

We bought two boxes of cereal.

3. Nouns used before of indicating sensation:feel, sense, smell, sound, taste, texture

I didn't like the smell of that meat.

4. Nouns before of indicating value:

cost, price, value

The price of the dress was outrageous.

5. Nouns before of indicating measurement: depth, height, length, measurement, weight,

width

Do you know the measurement of your waist?

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

5 Of indicates a number or proportion.

Pattern 1: number/adjective + of + plural noun

Three of the girls are our daughters.

All of the women are from New York.

Adjectives used before of: all numbers, all, another, any, both, each, either, enough,

few, many, most, neither, none, plenty, several, some

Pattern 2: noun + of + plural noun

That store has a couple of books I want to buy.

A few of them are hard to find.

Nouns used before of: a couple, a few, a lot, lots

Pattern 3: adjective + of + noncount noun

Much of the furniture is damaged.

Adjectives used before of: all, little, much, some

Pattern 4: noun + of + noncount noun

A little of the information is correct.

A lot of it is incorrect.

Nouns used before of: a little, a lot, lots

6 Of can identify abstract nouns by their source.

1. sound

Pattern: the + noun + of + noun

I heard the cry of a baby.

There was the noise of a car.

Nouns of sound commonly used before of: buzz, crash, cry, growl, hiss, howl, hum, hush,

laughter, music, noise, silence, sound, whisper

2. force

Pattern: noun + of + noun

A gust of wind blew in my face.

We all need a breath of fresh air.

Nouns of force often used before of: breath, gush, rush, whiff

3. sight

Pattern: noun + of + noun

She had a vision of musicians playing violins.

The blue of her eyes was the color of the ocean.

Nouns of sight often used before of: blue, color, picture, sight, vision

4. sensation

Pattern: the + noun + of + noun

The touch of his hand made me feel safe.

The smell of bread baking was wonderful.

Nouns of feeling often used before of: feel, sense, smell, taste, texture, touch

5. expression

Pattern: noun + of + noun

He shouted words of anger.

She breathed a sigh of relief.

Nouns of expression often used before of: cry, groan, moan, sigh, shout, smile, tears,

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

word

Nouns of feeling often used after of: anger, anguish, delight, elation, excitement, fear,

frustration, happiness, joy, relief, sadness, surprise

7 Of can indicate material or composition.

Pattern: noun + be + past participle + of + noun

My new bag is made of leather.

Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen.

Past participles used before of: composed, formed, made, made up (used with natural

phenomena)

Nouns often used after of: aluminum, brass, cardboard, clay, copper, cotton, crystal,

fabric, glass, gold, iron, jute, leather, metal, nylon, paper, plastic, platinum, polyester,

rayon, sand, silk, silver, string, tin, water, wire, wood, wool

8 Of can identify contents or topic.

Pattern 1: noun + of + noun

She ate a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados.

My uncle wrote a book of short stories.

The book has pictures of flowers.

A group of students went to the museum.

Common expressions: words of love, a sign of weakness, a method of teaching

Pattern 2: verb + of + noun

I dreamed of you.

They often talked of their youth.

Verbs commonly used before of: complain, dream, hear, learn, sing, speak, talk, think

Pattern 3: verb + noun + of + noun

She informed me of my appointment.

Verbs used with this pattern: advise, inform, remind, tell

Pattern 4: adjective + of + noun

She is capable of better work.

They are independent of their parents.

Adjectives commonly used with this pattern: capable, ignorant, proud, repentant, sick,

tired

Expression:

be reminiscent of—to remind people of

Your perfume is reminiscent of my mother.

9 Of can indicate dedication of time to a special purpose.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

That was a day of national mourning.

We stood for a moment of silence.

Nouns often used before of: day, moment, month, period, season, semester, time, week,

year

Nouns often used after of: celebration, exercise, festivity, fun, happiness, meditation,

mourning, prayer, quiet, reading, reflection, rest, silence, studying, thanksgiving, work

English Grammar Preposition

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10 Of can indicate absence.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

There is a need of cooperation.

The lack of funds is our biggest problem.

Nouns commonly used before of: absence, dearth, necessity, need, lack, paucity, scarcity

11 Of can indicate separation.

Pattern 1: verb + of + noun

He was cured of cancer.

The dog died of old age.

She is rid of a nuisance.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + of + noun

They tried to relieve her of pain.

Expressions:

to get rid of—to cause to no longer have

I got rid of my old car.

a change of scenery/pace—a change in place or activity

We needed a change of scenery, so we went to the Caribbean.

12 Of can indicate one's feelings toward the object.

Pattern 1: noun + of + noun

We appreciate the pleasure of your company.

He has a love of learning.

Nouns often used before of: anguish, challenge, delight, desire, distrust, enjoyment,

excitement, fear, frustration, happiness, hatred, joy, love, need, pleasure, stress

Pattern 2: to the + noun + of + noun

We had a big party, to the delight of the children.

Nouns often used before of: anguish, annoyance, delight, disgust, enjoyment, excitement,

happiness, pleasure

13 Of can indicate an attitude toward something.

Pattern: be + adjective + of + noun

They are respectful of the environment.

Adjectives commonly used before of: ashamed, aware, certain, conscious, disrespectful,

envious, fond, inconsiderate, mindful, proud, repentant, respectful, sure, suspicious,

trusting, uncertain, unsure, wary

14 Of can indicate a reason.

I came here because of you.

She lost all her money on account of her husband.

15 Of can describe behavior.

Pattern: be + adjective + of + noun

It was very kind of Sally to help us.

English Grammar Preposition

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It was cruel of him to ignore her.

Adjectives commonly used with this pattern: bad, careless, conscientious, crazy, crude,

cruel, delightful, evil, good, hateful, ignorant, irresponsible, kind, mean, nice,

responsible, rude, selfish, sweet, thoughtful, thoughtless, typical, unconscionable

16 Of can describe a noun by connecting it to a quality.

Pattern: noun + of + noun

She is a woman of honor.

They are people of integrity.

Nouns of quality often used after of: dignity, faith, few words, good intentions, honor,

integrity, high (low) morals, strength, wisdom

17 Expression

right of way—the legal right to proceed before another person

The accident was the other driver's fault because I had the right of way.

Off

1 Off indicates movement from one place to another.

Pattern 1: verb + off + noun

The car ran off the road.

We got off the train in New Orleans.

Verbs used with this pattern: blow, come, dive, drive, fall, get, go, hop, jump, limp, move,

roll, run, slide, slip, walk

Expression:

to be off (adverb)—to leave

It's late, so we must be off.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + off + noun

They shoveled the snow off the driveway.

Verbs used with this pattern: blow, brush, clean, clear, drive, get, move, pull, push, roll,

run, scrape, shove, shovel, slide, slip, sweep, take, wash

2 Off can indicate separation.

Pattern: verb + off + noun

She cut off her beautiful long hair.

Verbs commonly used with this meaning: break, chop, cut, pick, pull, saw, send, shave,

take, tear, throw

3 Off means connected to or not far from.

Pattern: be + off + noun

Our street is off Main Street.

Typical nouns after off: beach, coast, highway, island, road, street, turnpike

4 Off can indicate behavior that is not as usual or no longer true.

Pattern 1: be/go + off + ø noun

The children are off school today.

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I'm glad your cousin finally went off drugs.

Nouns commonly used with this meaning: alcohol, cigarettes, drugs, duty, school, work

Pattern 2: be/go + off + one's + noun

She went off her diet again.

Typical nouns: diet, medication, medicine, pills

Expressions:

to be off course—to be going (or thinking) in the wrong direction

We got lost, and were off course for about three hours.

They got off course while doing the research, and wasted a lot of time.

to be off one's game—not be playing as well as usual

The golf champion was off his game yesterday.

to be off one's rocker—to be crazy

She feeds caviar to her cat; I think she's off her rocker.

5 Off can indicate lack of contact.

Pattern 1: verb + off + noun

Please keep off the grass.

Verbs used with this pattern: get, keep, lay, stay

Pattern 2: verb + noun + off + noun

Please keep the dog off the grass.

Verbs commonly used with this pattern: get, keep, move, take

6 Off means cause to stop functioning.

Pattern: verb + off + noun

Please turn off the radio.

Typical verbs with this meaning: turn, shut, switch

7 Expressions

off the record—not official or public

This is off the record, but I heard that our friends got married last week.

off the charts—too high or successful to measure

Our ratings are off the charts.

off the wall—unacceptable

I'm sorry, but your ideas are really off the wall.

off-chance (noun)—unlikely possibility

I stopped by, on the off-chance that you would be at home.

off-limits (adverb)—forbidden territory

The bars are off-limits for teenagers.

off-color (adjective)—in very bad taste, with a sexual reference

I can't believe that she tells so many off-color jokes.

off-hand (adjective, adverb)—very casual, casually

He made a few off-hand remarks that I didn't appreciate.

hit it off—to become friends right away

Your sister and my brother really hit it off at the party.

be well off—to have few problems

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Now that she has retired, she is pretty well off.

be better/worse off—to have fewer or more problems

She is a lot better off than she was before.

8 Phrasal verbs

back off (intransitive)—stop trying

The man was too aggressive and was told to back off.

beg off (intransitive)—cancel a commitment

Our babysitter didn't come; she begged off at the last minute.

break off (separable)—terminate a relationship

They couldn't agree on anything, so they broke off their engagement.

call off (separable)—cancel an event

We called the picnic off because of rain.

check off (separable)—mark on a list

She knows I was there; she checked off my name.

drop off (intransitive)—fall asleep

She kept dropping off during the meeting.

get off (nonseparable)—leave a vehicle you can walk around on

We got off the ship in Jamaica.

get off (separable)—remove, with some difficulty

She's trying to get the mud off her shoes.

goof off—waste time

Stop goofing off and get to work!

kick off (intransitive)—the beginning of an event

The conference starts tomorrow; it will probably kick off at about ten.

kill off (separable)—to destroy all members of a species

There is a danger that certain birds will be killed off.

knock off (separable)—to stop doing something

I'm sick of your teasing. Knock it off!

lay off (separable)—fire from a job

They didn't need so many workers, so they laid him off.

live off (nonseparable)—eat nothing but

We have been living off fruit and vegetables for weeks.

mark off (separable)—to designate areas for a game

They are marking the field off for the soccer match.

nod off—fall asleep

He is jet-lagged, and keeps nodding off during the day.

pull off (separable)—manage to achieve success

The clients were difficult, but the managed to pull off the sale.

put off (separable)—postpone

They put the picnic off until Tuesday.

put off (separable)—repel

They didn't invite her back; her bad manners really put them off.

round off (separable)—use the nearest whole number

Don't use all those fractions; round off all the numbers.

sell off (separable)—to sell everything

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He sold off all his property and left town.

sign off (intransitive)—to end a program

My favorite radio announcer signs off at midnight.

take off (intransitive)—leave

The plane took off at four-thirty.

take off (separable)—remove clothing

The sweater was too warm so he took it off.

wear off (separable)—to disappear because of wear

I wore off the tread on my tires when I drove to California.

wipe off (separable)—to erase; to destroy completely

The gunman wiped his fingerprints off the weapon.

write off (separable)—to no longer consider something to be of value

He wrote off his sister when she got into trouble.

1 On indicates location higher than something and touching it; on top of.

Pattern: on + noun

The newspaper is on the table.

Please sign your name on the dotted line.

2 On indicates an outside location.

Pattern: on + the + noun

He was standing on the corner of First Street and Maple Avenue.

Let's have a barbecue on the balcony.

Typical nouns after on the: balcony, beach, corner, fence, field, ground, hill, horizon,

lawn, patio, porch, roof, terrace

3 On indicates a surface location.

Pattern 1: on + the + noun

She rides her bicycle on the sidewalk.

Typical nouns after on the: boardwalk, court, (baseball) diamond, field, highway, path,

rink, road, rocks, screen, sidewalk, street

Pattern 2: on + Æ noun

That is the only place on earth where she feels safe.

Typical nouns after on: earth, land, page one (or any other number), solid ground, water

4 On indicates certain inside surface locations.

Pattern: on + the + noun

There is a fly on the ceiling.

Typical nouns after on the: ceiling, floor, stairs, steps, wall, window

first/second (or other number) floor

5 On indicates surface contact.

Pattern: verb + noun + on + noun

The child pasted the picture on the page.

Typical verbs: glue, hold, paste, stick

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6 On indicates location in a part of an area.

Pattern: be + on + the + noun + of + noun

The porch is on the side of the house.

Typical nouns after on the: border, bottom, edge, end, exterior, inside, interior, left,

outside, outskirts, first/second (or other number) page, right, side, surface, top

7 On means facing.

Pattern: be + on + noun

Their house is on the beach.

What street is your house on?

Typical nouns: beach, highway, river, road, street

8 On indicates movement to something; onto.

Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

It rained on your bicycle last night.

She jumped on the bed.

Typical verbs before on: bounce, climb, fall, get, hop, jump, knock, pounce, pound, rain,

stamp, step, tread

Pattern 2: verb + noun + on + noun

She poured water on the plant.

He sprinkled salt on the meat.

Typical verbs: drip, drop, load, pour, put, shower, smear, spill, splash, spray, spread,

sprinkle, squirt, throw

9 On indicates travel in vehicles in which one can walk.

She goes to work on the bus.

They went on the train to Philadelphia.

Typical nouns: airplane, bus, ship, train

Typical verbs used before on: get, go, ride, sit, travel

10 On indicates an individual method of travel.

He came over on his bike.

She was sore from riding on a horse.

Typical nouns: all fours, bicycle, foot, one's hands and knees, motorcycle, roller blades,

skateboard, skates, skis, scooter, sled, snowboard, surfboard, tiptoe, tricycle

11 On means wearing.

Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

The man has on a suit and tie.

The lady put on her new dress.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + on + noun

She put the bracelet on her wrist.

He had a hat on his head.

Typical verbs: get, have, keep, put, try, wear

12 On indicates physical support.

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Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

The child leaned on his father.

The children sat on small chairs.

Typical verbs used before on: cling, hang, lean, lie, rest, sit, sleep, stand

Pattern 2: verb + noun + on + noun

She draped the cloth on the table.

He laid the sick child on the bed.

Typical verbs: drape, hang, lay, place, put

Pattern 3: be + on + noun

The beads are on a string.

The popsicle is on a stick.

Expression:

to be on one's side—to support in spirit

They are my friends; I'm sure they are on my side.

13 On can indicate trust in something or someone.

Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

He relies on me to pay his rent.

Typical verbs used before on: bank, bet, count, depend, rely

Pattern 2: be + adjective + on + noun

She is dependent on her husband.

Adjectives used before on: based, dependent, predicated

14 On can indicate frequency.

Pattern: on + ø noun

He visits twice a month on average.

Nouns commonly used after on: average, occasion, weekends, Saturdays (or other days)

nice (or other adjective) mornings, afternoons, evenings, nights

Expression:

on the whole—in its entirety

On the whole they enjoy their work.

15 On can indicate a form of record.

Pattern: on + ø noun

He wrote it on paper.

They recorded the song on tape.

Typical nouns: disk, cassette, compact disc, film, microfilm, paper, record, tape

16 On means by means of.

Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

That car runs on diesel fuel.

They survive on very little food.

Typical verbs used before on: live, keep alive, gain/lose weight, make do, run, scrape by,

survive, train, thrive

Typical nouns used after on: calories, electricity, food, fuel, gas, income, salary

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Pattern 2: verb + noun + on + noun

I bought the furniture on credit.

He wrote his paper on the computer.

17 On can mean using at the present time.

Pattern: be + on + the + noun

The manager can't help you now; she is on the telephone.

Nouns commonly used with this pattern: computer, Internet, machine, telephone

Expression:

to log on—to connect to the Internet

Don't interrupt him now; he has just logged on.

18 On can indicate the cause of a mishap.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + on + noun

I cut my finger on a piece of glass.

She hurt herself on the swing.

Pattern 2: verb + on + noun

He tripped on a fallen branch.

Verbs commonly used before on: choke, fall, stumble, trip

19 On can indicate a motive for action.

Pattern 1: verb + on + ø noun

They went to Houston on business.

Nouns used after on: business, command, instinct, reconnaissance, request, sabbatical,

spec, vacation

Expressions:

on purpose—deliberately

She didn't want to see him; she stayed home on purpose.

on behalf of—in place of, for the sake of

I went to the meeting on behalf of my mother, who was out of town.

on account of—because of

The picnic was cancelled on account of the rain.

Pattern 2: on + the + noun + of

They went overseas on the orders of the commander.

I bought the car on the recommendation of my son.

Typical nouns: advice, assumption, authority, calculations, charge, premise,

recommendation, orders

20 On can indicate a type of trip.

Pattern: verb + on + noun

The class went on an excursion around the city.

Nouns used after on:

cruise, excursion, field trip, flight, honeymoon, journey, mission, outing, safari, trip

21 On can indicate a topic.

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Pattern 1: noun + on + noun

We have a good book on gardening.

He wrote a long article on the economy.

Typical nouns before on: article, book, debate, discussion, paper, report, research,

speech, thesis, thoughts

Pattern 2: verb + on + noun

She spoke on the environment.

I wish he would expound on his ideas.

Typical verbs before on: expound, report, speak, write

22 On can show an effect of something on something else.

Pattern: noun + on + noun

We got a good buy on our car.

There is a new tax on perfume.

Typical nouns used before on: ban, discount, embargo, encumbrance, evidence, good

buy, restriction, sale, tax, war

23 On can indicate possession at the time.

She had four dollars on her.

He didn't have a gun on him.

24 On can indicate membership in an exclusive group.

Pattern: be + on + the + noun

She is on the basketball team and the honor roll.

Typical nouns after on: board, committee, council, crew, faculty, honor roll, jury, list,

payroll, squad, staff, team

25 On can indicate an occasion.

Pattern 1: on + noun

Congratulations on your graduation.

They went out to dinner on their anniversary.

Typical nouns: anniversary, arrival, birth, birthday, death, departure, news, occasion,

wedding, weekend

Pattern 2: on + ø noun

They are leaving on Saturday (or any day).

Pattern 3: on + the + noun

Example:

We are leaving on the ninth of August (or any date).

They are going to New York on the weekend.

26 On (adverb) can indicate continuation.

Pattern: verb + on

They told us to move on.

He was tired, but he drove on.

Typical verbs: drag, drive, go, keep, live, move, press, read, run, talk, walk, work

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Expression:

keep on + gerund—continue to do something

She told us to keep on reading.

27 On expresses offensive action.

Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

The troops marched on the city at dawn.

Typical expressions before on: march, turn, pull a gun, pull a knife

Pattern 2: noun + on + noun

They planned a raid on the nightclub.

Typical nouns: assault, attack, march, raid

28 On can indicate a state or condition.

Pattern 1: be + on + ø noun

The new windows are on order.

Our new line of products is on display at the showroom.

Typical nouns: approval, board, call, course, display, duty, edge, fire, guard, high/low

speed, high/low volume, hold, leave, loan, one's best behavior, order, parole, record,

sale, schedule, stand-by, strike, tap, target, track, trial, vacation

Expressions:

on hand—available

He is always on hand to help us.

on-line—connected to the Internet

Every day more and more people are on-line.

on one's own—independent

He is twenty-one and he lives on his own.

Pattern 2: be + on + a/the + noun

She is on a diet.

Typical nouns with a: budget, diet, roll, spree

Expression:

on a roll—to be experiencing repeated success

He has received four job offers; he is on a roll.

Typical nouns with the: brink, edge, line, mark, way

Expressions:

on the spot—to be forced to make a difficult decision

The young man was on the spot when his two best friends had an argument.

on the fence—to be undecided

The congressman hasn't decided which way to vote: he is on the fence.

on the air—to be broadcasting on the radio or television

The news is on the air at six o'clock.

on the bench—to be the judge in court

Do you know who is on the bench at her trial?

on the blink—to be broken

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We can't copy it; the copier is on the blink.

on the road—to be traveling

Our band is going to be on the road for two weeks.

on the condition that—if

You can go on the trip on the condition that you pay for it.

29 On can indicate means of communication.

I heard it on the radio.

There are a lot of movies on television.

She found it on the Internet.

30 On can indicate the person who pays.

The party is on me.

Expression:

on the house—paid for by the management of the restaurant

The drinks are on the house.

31 On can mean at the same time as.

Pattern 1: on + verb in gerund form

She fainted on hearing the news.

Pattern 2: on + ø noun

She feeds the baby on demand.

The car is yours on receipt of the title.

Typical nouns after on: approval, demand, receipt, reflection, second thought, sight

32 On can indicate acquisition.

Pattern 1: verb + on + noun

They took on five new technicians at the plant.

She wanted to add on a family room.

Typical verbs used before on: add, bring, build, heap, load, pile, put, take

Pattern 2: verb + noun + on + noun

They forced a new assistant on us.

Typical verbs used before on: add, build, force, heap, load, pile, put, push

Expression:

to put on—to get dressed in

She put on her shoes and went out.

33 On can indicate attitude toward the object.

Please have pity on the people who live there.

They agree on the important issues.

Expression:

have a crush on—to have a frivolous romantic interest in

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The young boy had a crush on his teacher.

34 On can indicate behavior concerning the object.

Pattern 1: be + adjective + on + noun

The teacher is much too easy on the boys.

I think I was too rough on her yesterday.

Typical adjective before on:

easy, hard, rough, soft, strict, tough

Pattern 2: verb + on + noun

The old lady doted on her only grandchild.

Typical verbs before on:

center, concentrate, dote, dwell, err, harp, pick, prey, put pressure, wait

Expression:

to lay hands on—to attack

If someone lays hands on you, call the police.

35 On can indicate a consequence to another person.

Pattern: verb + on + noun

We were on a family vacation and my brother got sick on us.

Please don't fall asleep on me; I need you to keep me awake.

Typical verbs:

die, cheat, faint, fall asleep, get sick, go quiet, rat, tattle, tell

36 Expressions

on time—at the expected time

Mary is always on time for class.

on the contrary—the opposite is true

We don't have too many books; on the contrary, we don't have enough.

on the other hand—from another viewpoint

She is never on time; on the other hand, she is a very hard worker.

on the tip of my tongue—refers to something almost remembered, but not quite

I can't remember his name, but it's right on the tip of my tongue.

on your mark—the first command of three at the start of a race

On your mark, get set, go!

to depend on—the outcome is decided by a future event

I want to have the party outside, but it depends on the weather.

37. Phrasal verbs

call on (nonseparable)—ask

If you need help, call on me.

carry on (intransitive)—to behave a little wildly

She carries on every night.

carry on with (nonseparable)—continue an effort

Who is going to carry on with the program when he leaves?

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catch on (intransitive)—understand

My sister isn't interested in him; I'm afraid he will never catch on.

get on (nonseparable)—enter a vehicle you can walk around on; mount a horse or

bicycle

We got on the bus in New York.

get on (separable)—dress with slight difficulty

See if you can get these shoes on.

get on (intransitive)—grow old

She is getting on; she is eighty-seven now.

log on (intransitive)—to connect to the Internet

She logged on to the Internet to communicate with her friend across the country.

miss out on—lose an opportunity

He missed out on a good party.

pass on (separable)—tell or give to somebody else

When you have finished reading this article, please pass it on.

pick on (nonseparable)—selectively mistreat

That teacher likes the boys but picks on the girls.

turn on (separable)—cause to function

First, you have to turn the machine on.

Onto

1 Onto indicates movement from one position to another one.

Pattern 1: verb + onto + noun

The child hopped onto the bed.

Typical verbs used before onto:

drip, fall, hop, jump, move, run, spill, step

Pattern 2: verb + noun + onto + noun

We moved all the books onto the desk.

Typical verbs used with this pattern:

drip, drop, move, spill, transfer

2 Onto indicates knowledge of misbehavior.

Pattern: be + onto + noun.

The police are onto that gang about the missing money.

On Top Of

1 On top of indicates a position higher than the object.

Pattern: verb + on top of + noun

They put the blanket on top of the sheets, and the bedspread on top of the blanket.

I'm sure I left my keys on top of the desk.

2 Expression

to be on top of something—to be sure about one's knowledge or control of something

Her son had a hard time learning math, but he is on top of it now.

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Opposite

1 Opposite means facing; across from.

Pattern: verb + opposite + noun

I sat opposite him at the library last night.

My house is opposite the drugstore.

Out

1 Out can indicate removal.

Pattern: verb + noun + out

Please take the trash out.

Typical verbs used with out:

carry, cross, cut, get, kick, leave, move, take, tear, throw

2 Out can indicate distribution.

Pattern: verb + noun + out

The teacher told me to hand these papers out.

Typical verbs used with out:

give, hand, mail, pass, send

3 Out of indicates movement from inside.

Pattern 1: verb + out of + noun

He was freezing when he got out of the water.

Typical verbs:

come, crawl, drink, drive, eat, fall, get, go, jump, hop, run, step

Pattern 2: verb + noun + out of + noun

She took the cake out of the oven.

Typical verbs:

drive, get, grab, move, pour, pull, push, rip, sip, squeeze, take, tear

4 Out of indicates absence.

Pattern: be + out of + noun

The boss is out of the office.

My neighbors are out of the country this month.

Expression:

to be out of town—to be absent from one's place of residence

The boss is out of town this week.

5 Out of indicates a distance from.

Pattern: verb + out of + noun of place

The restaurant is about three miles out of town.

They live two blocks out of the city limits.

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6 Out of can mean no longer in supply.

Pattern: be/run + out of + plural or noncount noun

I can't make a cake because I am out of eggs.

They had to walk to the gas station because they ran out of gas.

Typical noncount nouns used after out of:

breath, gas, luck, money, stock, time, work

7 Out of can mean not as usually expected.

Pattern: be + out of + noun

All her clothes are out of style.

Unfortunately, her children are out of control.

Typical nouns used after out of:

commission, context, control, date, fashion, focus, place, practice, reach, season, shape,

style, sync, the ordinary, the way, tune

8 Out of indicates the basic ingredients or composition of something.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + out of + noun

She makes the skirts out of scarves.

He crafted the tables out of twigs.

Pattern 2: past participle of verb + out of + noun

The statue was carved out of stone.

That bread is made out of whole wheat flour.

Typical verbs used before out of:

build, carve, craft, create, fabricate, fashion, make, sculpt, sew, shape

9 Out of can indicate a fraction.

Pattern 1: number + out of + number + noun

Nine out of ten people on that street have new cars.

Pattern 2: number + noun + out of + noun

Only three women out of the whole group volunteered to help.

10 Out of can indicate beyond.

Pattern: verb + out of + noun

We waved until he was out of sight.

He is out of touch with reality.

Typical nouns used after out of:

bounds, danger, hearing, line, order, sight, touch

11 Out of can indicate a reason for action.

Pattern: verb + out of + abstract noun

She invited him to the party out of kindness.

He only went out of curiosity.

Typical nouns used after out of:

animosity, anxiety, compassion, cruelty, curiosity, fear, kindness, love, loyalty, malice,

meanness, passion, pity, respect, spite, sympathy

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12 Expressions

out of doors—outside

The children love to play out of doors.

out of it—not conscious of reality

He hasn't adjusted to his new lifestyle; he is really out of it these days.

out of the past—exactly as in the past

The music and dancing were out of the past.

She is so old-fashioned: her ideas are out of the (nineteen) sixties.

be put out—be resentful

She was really put out that you didn't invite her to your party.

13 Phrasal verbs

ask out (separable)—invite on a date

He asks her out all the time, but she never goes with him.

blow out (separable)—to extinguish with air

She blew out all the candles on her birthday cake.

break out (intransitive)—start suddenly

A fire broke out in the field yesterday.

check out (separable)—

1. investigate

Our air-conditioning isn't working; the repairman is coming to check it out.

2. borrow officially

He went to the library to check out that book.

check out (of) (intransitive)—pay the bill at a hotel

Your friends checked out early this morning.

They checked out of the hotel at six o'clock.

chew out (separable)—scold

The boss really chewed her out for being late for the meeting.

chicken out (on) (nonseparable)—not act because of fear

He wanted to call the boss at home, but he chickened out.

He promised to do it, but he chickened out on me.

close out of (nonseparable)—sell all of an item, and no longer carry it

That store is closing out of small appliances, and is having a huge sale.

count out (separable)—not expect someone's participation

If you're planning a meeting for Saturday, count me out.

drop out (of) (intransitive)—leave a group or society

She didn't enjoy the club, and finally dropped out.

She dropped out of the club.

eat out (intransitive)—eat at a restaurant, rather than at home

That family eats out at least once a week.

figure out (separable)—solve; understand

She can't seem to figure out her problems.

fill out (separable)—complete in writing

Please fill out these forms.

find out (separable)—learn by investigating

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Can you help me find out where they live?

get out of (nonseparable)—find an excuse to break a commitment

She said she was sick, and got out of washing the dishes.

go out with (nonseparable)—date someone

She goes out with my brother every Saturday night.

hang out (with) (intransitive)—do nothing, with friends

Those kids just hang out every day after school.

They hang out with other students.

keep out (of) (intransitive)—not enter

They told us to keep out.

They told us to keep out of their yard.

knock out (separable)—cause to lose consciousness

The champion knocked the other boxer out in the first round.

look out (for) (intransitive)—be careful

We told them to look out.

We told them to look out for cars when crossing the street.

luck out (intransitive)—be lucky

Tickets were hard to get, but we lucked out and got two in the front row.

make out (intransitive)—be successful

We sold all of our stuff at the garage sale and made out pretty well.

pass out (intransitive)—faint

She hadn't eaten all day, and she passed out.

pass out (separable)—distribute

They asked us to help pass out flyers announcing the new restaurant.

pick out (separable)—select

Here are the strawberries; pick out the best ones to serve.

point out (separable)—call attention to

The agent pointed out that the house was in a convenient neighborhood.

put out (separable)—extinguish; display

He put out the fire quickly.

She put out all her best china.

stand out (from) (intransitive)—be noticeable

The tall girl in the chorus stands out.

She stands out from all the short girls.

step out (of) (intransitive)—leave a room or building

It was so hot in there that we decided to step out for a few minutes.

talk out of (separable)—convince someone not to do something

He was going to marry that girl, but his mother talked him out of it.

try out (for) (nonseparable)—audition

She is going to try out for the musical show at school.

try out (separable)—use before buying, to find out if suitable

They let you try the car out before you buy it.

turn out (intransitive)—indicates a result

How did the dress you were making turn out?

wash out (of) (separable)—remove from clothing with soap and water

I tried to wash that spot out of my dress.

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watch out (for) (intransitive)—be careful

He told her to watch out.

He told her to watch out for danger.

wear out (separable)—use until ruined

I wore my shoes out, and had to throw them away.

work out (separable)—solve a problem in a relationship

That couple had a lot of problems, but they worked them out.

work out (intransitive)—do exercise

He works out every evening.

Outside

1 Outside (of) means not within.

Pattern: verb + outside (of) + noun

Don't worry, the dog is outside (of) the house.

Over

1 Over means above.

Pattern 1: verb + over + noun

The plane flew over our building.

The pictures were hanging over the sofa.

Typical verbs used before over:

be, bend, float, fly, hang, hover, lean, look, shine, watch

Pattern 2: verb + noun + over + noun

She hung the pictures over the sofa.

Typical verbs used with this pattern:

float, fly, hang, hold, install, nail, place, suspend

Expression:

to hold something over one's head—to control, threaten, or punish someone because of a

known fact or misdeed

She knows he was fired from his last job; now she holds that over his head.

2 Over can mean higher than.

Pattern: be + (way) over + noun

The price of that vacation is (way) over our budget.

The water at this end of the pool is over your head.

Expression:

be over one's head—more than one can understand

I can do simple math, but that problem is way over my head.

3 Over (adverb) can mean more than.

Pattern: over + number + noun

He was driving at over eighty miles an hour.

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I have gained over five pounds this month.

4 Over indicates movement above something and to the other side of it.

Pattern 1: verb + over + noun

The children jumped over the puddles on their way to school.

We had to climb over the mountain to get here.

Typical verbs used before over:

cross, climb, drive, get, go, hop, jump, look, run, skate, skip, step, stumble, trip

Pattern 2: verb + noun + over + noun

The young player batted the ball over the fence.

We had fun throwing rocks over the creek.

Typical verbs:

bat, carry, drive, hit, throw

5 Over can mean covering something.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + over + noun

The child wore a warm jacket over her dress.

The lady sewed patches over the holes.

Typical verbs:

drape, hang, have, paint, place, pour, pull, put, sew, spread, tape, wear

6 Over indicates control.

Pattern 1: rule/preside + over + noun

She rules over her family like a tyrant.

The chairman asked me to preside over the meeting tonight.

Pattern 2: have control/power + over + noun

They have no control over their actions.

He likes to have power over his associates.

7 Over can mean location on the other side of something.

That restaurant is over the state line.

They live over the river.

Typical verbs:

be, be located, dwell, live, lie, reside

8 All over can mean in many parts of a place.

Pattern: verb + all + over + the + noun

They have traveled all over the world.

She looked all over the city for her friend.

Typical nouns:

city, country, field, floor, house, place, playground, sidewalk, state, street, table, town,

world, yard

Typical verbs:

broadcast, crawl, drive, look, roll, run, send, spill, throw, travel, walk

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9 Over can mean during.

Pattern 1: over + noun

We had an interesting discussion over breakfast this morning.

Typical nouns after over:

breakfast, coffee, dinner, drinks, lunch, snacks, tea

Pattern 2: over + the + noun

They decided to read the papers over the holidays.

She has been sick over the last three weeks.

Nouns commonly used with this pattern:

holidays, summer, weekend, winter

next (number) hours, days, weeks, months, years

last (number) hours, days, weeks, months, years

10 Over can indicate a topic.

Pattern: verb + over + noun

They argued over politics all night.

I wish you wouldn't fight over money.

Typical verbs used before over:

argue, battle, cry, fight, grieve, gush, puzzle, sigh, worry

11 Over (adverb) can mean again.

Pattern: verb + noun + over

She didn't like my work; she told me to do it over.

Typical verbs used before over:

do, read, start, write

12 Expressions

the telephone—by means of telephone

She gave me that information over the telephone.

head over heels—completely

He is head over heels in love with her.

13 (All) over (adverb) means finished.

The party was over at nine o'clock.

14 Phrasal verbs

blow over (intransitive)—be forgotten

Don't worry about your argument with him; I'm sure it will blow over.

fall over (intransitive)—collapse

She was sitting at her desk when she suddenly fell over.

hand over (separable)—give reluctantly

The children had to hand over all the money they found.

have over (separable)—invite to one's home

We want to have you over soon.

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look over (separable)—review

Please look over these papers before the meeting tomorrow.

pass over (separable)—not give an expected promotion

She expected to be promoted to director, but she was passed over this year.

pick over (separable)—find and choose the best of a lot

Some of these cherries are not ripe; you will have to pick them over carefully.

pull over (intransitive)—drive to the side of the road

We were driving too fast, and the police officer made us pull over.

pull over (separable)—move to cover something

Pull the sweater over your head.

take over (intransitive)—become the boss, or act like a boss

The children don't like to play with that boy because he always tries to take over.

take over (separable)—carry something to another place

Please take this letter over to your neighbor.

think over (separable)—consider the pros and cons

Your offer interests us; we will think it over.

turn over (intransitive)—change position from face down, face up, or vice versa

Most babies turn over in the first six months of life.

turn over (separable)—move something from top to bottom, or vice versa

Some kids turned all the trash cans over last night.

Past

1 Past means beyond.

Pattern: be + past + noun referring to age

The gas station is on your left, just past the shopping center.

2 Past indicates movement in front of and beyond a place.

Pattern: verb + past + noun

We drove past your house on our way to the party.

They often walk past the park.

3 Past means older than.

Pattern: be + past + noun referring to age

His daughter is past her teens now.

I'm sure he is past fifty.

4 Past means no longer able to do something.

Pattern: be + past + verb in gerund form

She is bitter now, and past caring.

The men were exhausted and past working.

5 Past (adverb) means later than.

Pattern: be + past + noun referring to time

It is ten past three in the afternoon.

They left at half past seven.

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Through

1 Through indicates passage within something.

Pattern: verb + through + noun

The children drank their milkshakes through straws.

The highway was closed, and we had to come through the city.

Typical nouns used after through:

funnel, passage, pipe, straw, tunnel

a place—building, city, country, park, state, town

2 Through can indicate a gateway orobstacle between two places.

Pattern 1: verb + through + noun

We came through the front door.

He drove through the red light and got a ticket.

Typical nouns:

barricade, barrier, curtains, customs, door, entrance, gate, hole, intersection, light, slot,

stop sign, window

Pattern 2: verb + noun + through + noun

The mail carrier pushed the letters through the slot.

Typical verbs used before through:

bring, carry, force, pull, push, receive, send, take

3 Through can indicate vision beyond something.

Pattern: see/show + through + noun

The window is so dirty that I can't see through it.

The tablecloth needs a liner; the table legs show through it.

Typical nouns used after through:

clouds, fabric, fog, glass, smoke, window

Expression:

to see through somebody—to detect insincerity

That woman pretends to be nice, but I can see right through her.

4 Through can indicate the parts beginning, between, and including.

Pattern: from + noun + through + noun

They have to work from Monday through Friday.

Please read from chapter one through chapter four.

5 Through can mean finish something that requires effort.

Pattern 1: verb + through + noun

I have to get through school before I can get married.

Typical verbs used before through:

get, go, live, struggle, suffer

Typical nouns after through:

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school, training, work

Expression:

to go through—to experience something difficult

He is going through a divorce.

Pattern 2: be + through + with + noun

Are you through with your exams yet?

Typical nouns used with this pattern:

course, exams, red tape, trouble

Expression:

to go through with something—to continue doing something; to not give up

I can't believe you are still going to go through with your plans.

6 Through can indicate in all parts of a place; throughout

Pattern 1: verb + (all) through + the + noun

We walked all through the garden.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + (all) through + the + noun

They distributed flyers all through the neighborhood.

Typical nouns used after through:

building, city, country, garden, house, neighborhood, state, town

Expression:

to go/look through something—to look at all the contents of something, hoping to find

something

I went through my files and found these documents.

I looked through my papers, but I couldn't find the certificate.

Typical nouns used after through:

boxes, closets, correspondence, drawers, files, letters, notes, papers, records, things

7 (All) through (or throughout) can mean during an entire event or period.

Pattern 1: verb + through + noun

Those women talked through the whole game.

The baby finally slept all through the night.

Typical verbs before through:

cheat, cry, laugh, play, sit, sleep, stay, talk, wait, watch, worry

Pattern 2: verb + noun + through + noun

She cared for her father through his illness.

Verbs commonly used with this pattern:

abuse, care for, help, ignore, wait for, wait on

Typical nouns used after through:

afternoon, breakfast, day, dinner, game, illness, life, lunch, meal, month, morning, night,

ordeal, performance, play, time, war, wedding, week, year

Expressions:

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to see something through—to stay with something until it is finished. Don't worry, we

will see your project through.

to see somebody through—to stay with somebody until he is out of trouble. I will see you

through this problem; I promise.

8 Through can mean by means of.

Pattern: verb + noun + through + noun

We heard the news through friends.

They bought that apartment through an agency.

Typical nouns after through:

agency, contacts, friends, gossip, newspaper, translator

instruments of vision—binoculars, glasses, lenses, microscope, periscope

Expression:

to hear something through the grapevine—to get news unofficially

We heard about your engagement through the grapevine.

9 Through can indicate a reason.

Pattern: verb + noun + through + noun

She achieved success through determination and hard work.

Through an error in our accounting, we have overcharged you.

Typical nouns after through:

carelessness, determination, fault, frustration, generosity, greed, hard work, help,

kindness, luck, misinformation, negligence, selfishness an error, a mistake

10 Phrasal verbs

carry/follow through (separable)—complete a project

He has some good ideas; I hope he can carry them through.

carry/follow through with (nonseparable)—complete

I hope he can carry through with his plans.

come through (intransitive)—perform as one has promised

She promised to help us; I hope she comes through.

fall through (intransitive)—collapse

All his plans to move to California fell through.

show through (separable)—to give someone a tour of a building

When we went to Washington our congressman showed us through the Capitol.

Throughout

1 Throughout means in all parts of a place.

There are spiders throughout the building.

2 Throughout means during an entire period of time.

She stays at the beach throughout the summer.

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1 To indicates the destination of a verb.

Pattern 1: verb + to + ø noun

I'm going to bed.

They ride to school on the bus.

Nouns commonly used after to: bed, breakfast, church, dinner, jail, lunch, school,

work

Exception: go ø home

It is time to go home.

They went home on the bus.

Pattern 2: verb + to + the + noun

We go to the park every afternoon.

Call when you get to the office.

Verbs often used with to: come, drive, extend, fall, fly, get, go, hike, move, return,

ride, rise, run, send, ship, sink, walk

Expression:

to rise to the occasion—to force oneself to act correctly

I was surprised when he walked in, but I rose to the occasion and shook his hand.

2 To indicates the destination of a noun.

Pattern 1: noun + to + noun

The train to New York leaves at six o'clock.

We wanted to go on a cruise to the Caribbean.

Typical nouns used before to: airplane, bridge, bus, climb, cruise, flight, highway, path,

race, road, subway, train, trip, way

Pattern 2: noun + be + to + noun

The train is to New York.

His question is to me.

Typical nouns used before to: answer, card, donation, explanation, gift, letter, memo,

offer, petition, present, proposal, question, request, suggestion

3 To indicates a transfer from a person or place.

Pattern: verb + noun + to + noun

He delivers the mail to the office.

She mentioned her plans to me.

Typical verbs used before to: bring, carry, deliver, describe, distribute, donate, explain,

give, hand, introduce, lend, mention, pass, present, read, recommend, reveal, send, shout,

show, sing, speak, submit, suggest, take, tell, write

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4 To indicates a beneficiary.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + to + noun

They made a toast to the bride and groom.

Typical verbs used with this pattern: award, dedicate, devote, give, make

Typical nouns used before to: award, dedication, gift, memorial, monument, present,

plaque, remark, scholarship, statement, toast

Expression:

as a favor to—for the benefit of

We came to help you as a favor to your father.

Pattern 2: to + one's + noun

If you shout, someone will come to your aid.

It is to your benefit to join the credit union.

The police came to my rescue when my car broke down.

5 To indicates an effect on the recipient.

Pattern 1: be + noun + to + noun

He is a credit to his mother and father.

The airplane noise is a disturbance to the neighborhood.

Nouns commonly used before to: annoyance, bother, challenge, credit, detriment,

discredit, disturbance, help, nuisance

Pattern 2: be + adjective + to + noun

His calls are very annoying to me.

Typical adjectives used before to: abhorrent, acceptable, annoying, beneficial, boring,

confusing, crucial, distasteful, detrimental, disturbing, fascinating, gratifying, harmful,

helpful, hurtful, important, meaningful, obnoxious, pleasing, precious, preferable,

repulsive, satisfying, unacceptable, unfavorable, unimportant, vexing, worrisome

Expression:

to be to one's taste—to be personally pleasing to someone

The apartment is large and expensive, but it's not to my taste.

Pattern 3: to + one's + noun

To my surprise, everybody was at work on Saturday.

To their delight, the campaign was a great success.

Typical nouns: astonishment, chagrin, delight, disappointment, discomfort, disgrace,

disgust, embarrassment, horror, satisfaction, surprise

6 To can indicate a reaction.

Pattern 1: verb + to + noun

She responded to my letter right away.

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I hope you don't object to my offer of help.

Typical verbs used before to: adapt, admit, agree, appeal, consent, listen, object, pay

attention, prefer, react, relate, reply, respond, revert, subscribe

Pattern 2: noun + to + noun

She has an allergy to that medicine.

Do you have an answer to that question?

Typical nouns: allergy, answer, appeal, aversion, consent, objection, preference,

reaction, relation, reply, response

Pattern 3: be + adjective + to + noun

She is allergic to that medicine.

We are indebted to you for helping us.

Typical adjectives: accustomed, allergic, grateful, indebted, thankful

7 To can indicate someone's behavior toward another person.

Pattern: be + adjective + to + noun

He was very cruel to me.

She has been hostile to her neighbors.

Typical adjectives: affectionate, appreciative, attentive, available, charming, cold,

considerate, cordial, cruel, devoted, dreadful, faithful, friendly, gracious, hospitable,

hostile, inconsiderate, kind, loyal, mean, nice, obedient, open, pleasant, polite, respectful,

sassy, warm

8 To can indicate attachment.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + to + noun

We will paste the wallpaper to the bedroom walls.

She pinned the flowers to my lapel.

Pattern 2: be + past participle of verb + to + noun

Your paper is stapled to mine.

The gum is stuck to my shoe.

Typical verbs used with these patterns: add, affix, adhere, apply, attach, glue, hold, paste,

pin, press, nail, screw, sew, staple, stick, tape

9 To indicates the end of a period of time; until.

Pattern: from + to + noun

They work from morning to night.

He was here from two to five.

10 To means before, in telling time.

Pattern: It + be + number of minutes + to + hour

It is ten (minutes) to three in the afternoon.

It was a quarter (fifteen minutes) to four.

11 To can indicate continuous repetition of an action.

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Pattern 1: verb + from + noun + to + same noun

We went from door to door with our information sheets.

The bus rocked from side to side.

Common expressions: door to door, house to house, place to place, side to side

Pattern 2: noun + hyphen + same noun + noun

They have door-to-door service.

12 To can indicate a comparison of value.

Pattern 1: be + adjective + to + noun

His work is comparable to hers.

Your car is similar to mine.

Typical adjectives: comparable, inferior, preferable, similar, superior

Pattern 2: compare + noun + to + noun

Please don't compare my work to yours.

Pattern 3: compared + to + noun

She is of medium height, but compared to her sister, she is tall.

13 To can indicate a problem or solution.

Pattern: noun + to + noun

The strike is a threat to our survival.

She knows the secret to success.

Typical nouns used before to: Problems: barrier, obstacle, threat

Solutions: answer, antidote, boost, clue, directions, guide, instructions, key, secret,

solution

14 To can indicate ownership, membership, and connection.

Pattern 1: belong/pertain + to + noun

The book belongs to me.

Her friends belong to that club.

This discussion does not pertain to you.

Pattern 2: adjective + to + noun

Your comments are not pertinent to this topic.

Adjectives used with this meaning: attached, attributable, committed, connected,

dedicated, engaged, exclusive, important, married, obligated, pertinent, promised,

relevant, related, seconded, tied

15 To can indicate an exclusive relationship.

Pattern: the + noun + to + noun

This is the key to my front door.

Have you seen the jacket to my new suit?

She is the new secretary to the chairman.

Typical nouns: assistant, case, cover, door, jacket, key, knob, lid, part, secretary, strap,

ticket, top

16 To indicates the accompaniment of sound.

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Pattern: verb + to + noun

We danced to the rhythm of the music.

I wake up to the noise of the city.

Typical nouns: beat, blare, buzz, honk, hum, music, noise, rhythm, roar, sound, strum,

tune

17 To means leading to an extreme condition.

Pattern: verb + noun + to + noun

He tore the paper to pieces.

She drives him to distraction.

Common expressions:

beat/grind to a pulp

bore to death

carry to extremes

chill to the bone

cook to perfection

drive to distraction/insanity

grind to dust

move to tears

push/carry/take to the limits

sing/rock to sleep

smash to bits

soak to the skin

starve/freeze to death

tear to pieces/shreds

18 To indicates an upper limitation of an approximation.

Pattern: number + to + number

It is two to two-and-a-half feet long.

He is thirty-eight to forty years old.

19 To indicates a relationship between the subject and the object.

Pattern 1: noun + be + adverb + to + noun, to show location

The library is close to the park.

The new theater is adjacent to the mall.

Typical adverbs: at an angle, close, next

Pattern 2: noun + be + adjective + noun

That line is parallel to this one.

Typical adjectives: adjacent, parallel, perpendicular

Pattern 3: noun + to + noun, to indicate position

They sat back to back.

She came face to face with danger.

Pattern 4: number + to + number, to give the score of a game

The score was three to two.

Pattern 5: amount + to + amount, to show equality

There are four quarts to a gallon.

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Pattern 6: amount + to + amount, to show ratio

He gets thirty miles to a gallon on the highway in his new car.

20 To can indicate restriction.

Pattern 1: verb + noun + to + noun

We limited him to three meals a day, with no snacks.

They confined her to jail for thirty-six hours.

Typical verbs:

bind, confine, hold, limit, restrict, sentence, tie

Pattern 2: past participle of verb (adjective) + to + noun

He is limited to three meals a day.

She is confined to jail for thirty-six hours.

21 Expressions

to subscribe to—to pay for and receive a periodical regularly

How many magazines do you subscribe to?

She subscribes to three daily newspapers.

from time to time—occasionally

He calls me from time to time.

to be used to/to be accustomed to + noun—to have adapted

He is dizzy because he is not used to the altitude.

She is nervous because she is not used to driving in traffic.

22 Phrasal verbs

come to (intransitive)—regain consciousness

She fainted a few minutes ago, but fortunately came to right away.

see to (nonseparable)—take responsibility for a future action

You don't have to make reservations; we will see to that.

look forward to (nonseparable)—await with pleasure

We are looking forward to seeing you soon.

Toward

1 Toward means in the direction of a place.

Pattern 1: verb + toward + noun

She ran toward the playground to see her friends.

Let's head toward the park.

Typical verbs: blow, fly, go, head, hike, look, march, move, point, run, sail, turn, walk

Pattern 2: verb + noun + toward + noun

He guided us toward the cave.

They directed the girls toward the path.

Typical verbs:direct, guide, lead, push, pull, shove, throw

2 Toward indicates attitude about something.

Pattern 1: be + adjective + toward + noun

She is very affectionate toward her parents.

They have been cool toward his proposals.

Typical adjectives: affectionate, charitable, considerate, cool, friendly, gracious,

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hospitable, inhospitable, menacing, spiteful, warm

Pattern 2: noun + toward + noun

His feelings toward her have not changed.

Typical nouns before toward: attitude, behavior, conduct, demeanor, feelings

3 Toward indicates the direction of action.

Pattern: verb + toward + noun

They are heading toward an agreement.

We worked toward a happy conclusion for everyone.

Typical nouns after toward: agreement, argument, conclusion, ending, goal, vote

Typical verbs: head, lean, push, take steps, work

4 Toward indicates the object of a contribution or partial payment.

Pattern: verb + toward + noun

The money will go toward helping the family.

She contributes toward his monthly expenses.

Towards

1 Towards means near a period of time.

Pattern 1: towards + noun

I always feel hungry towards dinnertime.

Typical nouns used after towards: dawn, dinnertime, dusk, evening, lunchtime, midafternoon,

midnight, noon

Pattern 2: towards + the + end/middle + of + the + noun

We start getting ready for school towards the end of the summer.

Typical nouns used with this pattern:

class, concert, course, day, fall, flight, game, month, party, period, season, semester,

show, spring, summer, trip, vacation, week, winter, year

Under

1 Under means in a lower position than something else.

Pattern 1: verb + under + noun

We sat under the tree and had a picnic.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + under + noun

Let's put the desk under the window; then wel'll have a great view.

2 Under means covered by something else; underneath.

Pattern 1: verb + under + noun

The children hid under the table, thinking we couldn't see them.

Typical verbs before under: be, hide, lie, rest, sit, sleep, stand, wait, walk

Pattern 2: verb + noun + under + noun

She stores all her boxes under the bed.

Typical verbs: bury, find, hide, place, push, put, store, wear

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3 Under means less than.

Pattern: under + noun

I'm sure she was driving under the speed limit.

He has three children under age ten.

Nouns commonly used after under:

any number, age, average, height, limit, maximum, minimum, norm weight

Expression:

to be under age—to not be old enough to do something

She can't vote because she is under age.

4 Under can indicate control.

Pattern 1: under + noun

Under this boss we have little freedom to express our own ideas.

You have a lot more benefits under the new insurance policy.

Typical nouns used after under: boss, coach, contract, dictator, doctor, general, king,

mayor, policy, principal, president, professor, supervisor, teacher

Pattern 2: under + the + noun + of + noun

She is under the care of a doctor.

Typical nouns after under the: administration, care, control, dictatorship, direction, eye,

management, presidency

Pattern 3: under + ø + noun

The children are under supervision at all times.

They were arrested under orders of the chief.

Typical nouns: control, orders, supervision, surveillance

5 Under can indicate a current situation or state:

Pattern 1: be + under + ø noun

Those two thugs are under investigation by the police.

That problem is still under discussion by the board.

Typical nouns used after under: consideration, construction, discussion, investigation,

suspicion

Pattern 2: be + under + noun

They are under the influence of their new friends.

Typical nouns used after under:

circumstances, conditions, impression, influence

6 Under can identify the category of a noun in written reference material.

Pattern: look up/find + noun + under + name of category

You can find my name under ''Y" in the telephone book.

I looked up butterflies under "Insects" in my encyclopedia.

Underneath

1 Underneath means in a lower position than something else.

The sheets are underneath the blankets on the shelf.

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2 Underneath means covered by.

I found my jacket underneath the other coats.

3 Underneath indicates concealed feelings.

Underneath her smile there is a lot of heartache.

He is really very kind underneath his stern appearance.

Until

1 Until indicates the time of change of an activity or situation.

Pattern 1: verb + until + time

They waited until six o'clock.

The boys studied until midnight.

Pattern 2: verb + until + beginning of event

They lived here until their wedding; then they left.

She was busy until her graduation.

They didn't watch the game until halftime.

1 Up indicates movement to a higher place.

Pattern 1: verb + up + noun

The cat climbed up the tree.

She always walks up the steps to the fifth floor.

Typical verbs used before up: climb, creep, go, jump, move, pop, race, run, walk

Pattern 2: verb + noun + up + noun

Bring the box up the steps.

Typical verbs used with this pattern:

bring, carry, drag, heave, move, send, take

2 Up (adverb) indicates location at a high place.

Pattern: be + up

The balloon is up.

Expression:

to be up—to be awake

I am up every day by eight o'clock.

3 Up indicates location further along the way.

Pattern: verb + up + noun

Their farm is three miles up the road.

She lives two blocks up the street.

4 Up indicates movement along a way.

Pattern 1: verb + up + noun

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She is going to travel up Route 66.

Nouns commonly used after up:

highway, path, road, street, turnpike, way

Pattern 2: verb + noun + up + noun

We will drive four more miles up the highway.

5 Up indicates movement against a current of water.

Pattern: verb + up + noun

They swam up the river for exercise.

Typical verbs used before up: cruise, drive, go, row, sail, swim

6 Up indicates a desired result.

Pattern: verb + up + noun

They are trying to drum up support.

Typical verbs: drum, round, scrape, work

Expression:

to get up (enough) energy—to try to force oneself to act

She was exhausted, but she got up enough energy to cook dinner for her family.

7 Up indicates creativity.

Pattern: verb + up + noun

We dreamed up a wonderful idea.

Typical verbs used before up: draw, dream, make, think

8 Up can indicate division into pieces.

Pattern: verb + up + noun

She chopped up the onions and peppers.

They divided up all the money.

Typical verbs: break, blow, chop, cut, divide, tear

9 Expressions

up and down the room—constant movement from one side of the room to the other

He was so nervous that he walked up and down the room all night.

to count up to—to count as far as a number

The baby can count up to ten already.

to be up to date—to have current knowledge or records

The president is up to date on all the important issues.

It's important to keep the files up to date.

to make up one's mind—to decide

Make up your mind between the red dress and the black one.

to be up to someone—to be the responsibility of someone to decide

I don't care what movie we see; it's up to you.

to be up in arms (about)—to be angry

The employees are up in arms over the decrease in benefits.

to be up to one's ears—to the extreme

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Her brother is up to his ears in work.

to be up a creek—to be in a difficult situation

My partner left with all my money and now I'm up a creek.

10 Phrasal verbs

act up (intransitive)—misbehave

The children always act up just before the school holidays begin.

add up (intransitive)—make sense

She claims to have lots of friends, yet she is always alone; it doesn't add up.

back up (intransitive)—reverse

The hardest part about driving a car is backing up.

blow up (intransitive)—get angry

The girl's father blew up when she got home so late.

blow up (separable)—make bigger

These photographs are too small; we should blow them up.

bone up on (nonseparable)—do an intensive study or review of

He wanted to bone up on European history before he went on the tour.

boot up (separable)—start a computer

We shut the computer down and then booted it up again.

break up (with) (intransitive)—end a relationship

It's always sad when a family breaks up.

The girl cried when she broke up with her boyfriend.

break up (separable)—end

The neighbors didn't like our noisy party and told us to break it up.

bring up (separable)—raise

She brought the children up by herself.

bring up (separable)—mention a new topic

At the meeting, the lady brought up the parking problem in our neighborhood.

brush up (on) (nonseparable)—practice to relearn old skills

He wants to brush up on his Spanish before he goes to Mexico.

burn up (separable)—be destroyed by fire (something small)

All of her papers and books burned up in the fire.

burn up (separable)—make angry

Those silly gossips really burn me up.

call up (separable)—contact someone by telephone

He comes home from school and calls all his friends up.

catch up (with) (intransitive)—reach the place or level of another person or people

He has been sick and needs some time to catch up.

It will be hard for him to catch up with the other students.

catch up on (nonseparable)—get back to a normal situation

After staying up late every night, I need to catch up on sleep.

cheer up (intransitive)—be happier

She needs to cheer up.

cheer up (separable)—make someone happier

She needs someone to cheer her up.

clean up (intransitive)—clean thoroughly

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

They promised to clean up after the party.

clean up (separable)—clean thoroughly

They promised to clean the house up after the party.

close up (intransitive)—close for business

The shops close up in the afternoon, and re-open in the evening.

close up (separable)—stop operating a business

They closed the shop up last year.

come up to—approach

They came up to us and asked for help.

cover up (separable)—hide the facts

They committed a crime and then covered it up.

dress up—put on more formal clothes than usual

She always dresses up for parties.

face up to (nonseparable)—confront

She had to stop dreaming and face up to the truth.

feel up to (nonseparable)—feel good enough for an activity

He is a lot better, but he still doesn't feel up to going to work.

fill up (separable)—put in all that the container will hold

If you use my car, please fill it up with gas.

get up (intransitive)—rise

She gets up at six o'clock every morning.

get up (separable)—lift or remove something with some difficulty

Will you help me get these boxes up the steps?

give up (intransitive)—surrender

We won the game because the other team gave up and went home.

give up (on) (intransitive)—stop trying

She tried to convince her daughter to go back to school, but she finally gave up.

She finally gave up on her daughter.

give up (separable)—stop using something

He tried to stop smoking cigarettes, but found it hard to give them up.

grow up (intransitive)—become an adult

Her son wants to be a doctor when he grows up.

hang up (intransitive)—put the phone down to end a telephone call

You have dialed the wrong number; hang up and try again.

hang up (separable)—put clothing on a hook or hanger

After you wash this dress, you should hang it up.

hang up on (nonseparable)—rudely end a telephone call during a conversation

When she refused his invitation, he got angry and hung up on her.

hold up (intransitive)—continue in good condition

The bike is in good shape now, but I don't know how long it will hold up.

hold up (separable)—delay

The traffic on the bridge held us up for two hours.

hurry up (intransitive)—go faster

Please hurry up! We're late.

keep up (intransitive)—stay at the level of the others

The other hikers walked faster, and we couldn't keep up.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

keep up (separable)—continue

You are doing a great job. Keep it up!

keep up with (nonseparable)—go as fast as

Please don't walk so fast; I can't keep up with you.

line up (intransitive)—form a line for service in order

We always line up to buy tickets.

line up (separable)—make an arrangement with someone

We lined up a great band for our dance.

look up (separable)—search in a guide or directory

If you want her phone number, look it up in the telephone directory.

look up to (nonseparable)—respect

Everybody in the department looks up to the director; she is wonderful.

make up (with) (intransitive)—become friends again after an argument

They had a big fight, but they made up last night.

They made up with each other at the party.

make up (separable)—do missed work at a later time

She missed the test, but the teacher said she could make it up next week.

make up to (separable)—do a favor to pay for a damage

She hurt his feelings, then made it up to him by inviting him to her party.

mark up (separable)—increase the price

Those shoes were cheaper last year; they have marked them up.

mix up (with) (separable)—put with other things

She put the ingredients in a bowl and mixed them all up.

They mixed the eggs up with the butter and sugar.

mix up (separable)—confuse

The sisters look so much alike; I mix them up all the time.

up (separable)—miss an opportunity

She had a chance to continue her studies, but she passed it up to get married.

pick up (intransitive)—increase in momentum or pace

Business is very slow this season; we hope it will pick up soon.

pick up (separable)—lift

When I dropped my bracelet on the sidewalk, he picked it up and handed it to me.

run up (separable)—increase charges through excessive use

He made a lot of long-distance calls and ran up my phone bill.

set up (separable)—arrange

We set the appointment up for November.

set up (separable)—cause an innocent person to be blamed for something

He is not guilty of the theft; the hoodlums set him up.

set up (separable)—establish in a career or business

His uncle set him up in the family trade.

show up (intransitive)—appear

We will leave early if everyone shows up on time.

show up (separable)—appear to be better than someone else

They practiced the dance steps at home and showed everybody else up at the party.

We are signing up for your course.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

They signed us up to work on Thursday night.

slip up (intransitive)—make a mistake

We intended to send the package last week, but our workers slipped up.

stand up (intransitive)—move to one's feet; be on one's feet

When the president entered the room, everyone stood up.

When you teach school, you have to stand up all day.

stand up (separable)—miss a commitment without explaining

He went to pick her up but she wasn't there; she had stood him up.

step up (separable)—increase the speed

Step it up a little; we need to go faster.

take up (separable)—pursue a new interest

She took up knitting when she was pregnant.

take up (separable)—to shorten

The pants are too long; we will have to take them up.

tear up (separable)—rip into small pieces

The letter made her so angry that she tore it up.

throw up (intransitive)—vomit

The poor child got sick and threw up.

turn up (intransitive)—appear

She is very unreliable; we never know if she will turn up.

turn up (separable)—increase in volume or speed

Turn the radio up; this is a great song.

wake up (intransitive)—open one's eyes after sleeping

What time do you usually wake up?

wake up (separable)—cause someone to stop sleeping

Please wake me up in the morning.

wrap up (separable)—finish a session

We've been practicing for three hours; let's wrap it up.

write up (separable)—explain in writing

His ideas were good, and they asked him to write them up.

With

1 With means in the company of.

Pattern 1: verb + with + noun

She is with her sister.

I danced with him.

Typical verbs used before with: be, chat, converse, dance, drink, eat, go, leave, live,

play, stay, study, talk, travel, walk, work

Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun

She spent the weekend with us.

Typical verbs used with this pattern: dance, drink, eat, leave, play, spend, study

Expressions:

to be tied up with—to be occupied with at the moment

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

He can't come to the phone; he is tied up with a client.

to be in a discussion with—to be talking seriously to

The boss is in a discussion with the manager right now.

2 With means in the same place as.

Pattern 1: be + with + noun

My hat is with my scarf.

Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun

Put your coat with mine.

She left her children with the babysitter.

Typical verbs: keep, leave, put, store

3 With can mean added together.

Pattern: noun + with + noun

She always drinks her coffee with sugar.

The hotel with meals will cost 200 dollars a day.

4 With can describe something by indicating what it has.

Pattern 1: noun + with + noun

Did you see a woman with a baby a few minutes ago?

I have an article with pictures for my presentation.

Pattern 2: be + past participle + with + noun

You will be provided with two sets of keys.

Past participles used with this pattern:

caught, discovered, found, furnished, provided, seen

Expression:

to be blessed with—to be lucky to have

He is blessed with good health and good looks.

5 With can describe a manner of behavior.

Pattern 1: verb + with + noun

Please handle the piano with care.

They accepted the proposal with enthusiasm.

Typical nouns used after with: anger, care, compassion, courage, delight, discretion,

disdain, distress, enthusiasm, fear, feeling, glee, grace, gratitude, happiness, hatred,

humility, indifference, kindness, joy, love, optimism, pleasure, pride, regard, sadness,

shame, skill, sympathy, tenderness, thanks, understanding

Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun

She greeted us with a big smile.

He always starts work with a grumble.

Typical nouns used after with: air, cry, expression, frown, greeting, grumble, grunt,

handshake, hug, kiss, look, promise, question, shudder, sigh, smile, smirk, thank you,

word

Pattern 3: be + adjective + with + noun (thing)

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Please be careful with the piano.

I hope he is successful with the mission.

Typical adjectives: awkward, careful, clumsy, creative, dexterous, quick, skillful, slow,

successful, talented, unsuccessful

Pattern 4: be + adjective + with + noun (person)

She is very patient with me.

He hasn't been sympathetic with her problems.

Typical adjectives: awkward, belligerent, curt, flexible, forthcoming, frank, friendly,

generous, helpful, honest, impatient, open, patient, stiff, sympathetic, truthful

6 With can describe someone's feelings about something.

Pattern: be + adjective + with + noun

The child was bored with her toys.

They are very happy with their new home.

Typical adjectives used with this pattern: bored, comfortable, content, delighted,

disappointed, frustrated, happy, impressed, pleased, satisfied, thrilled, uncomfortable,

unhappy, upset

Expression:

to be in love with—to have a romantic feeling toward

He is (madly) in love with her.

7 With can indicate a working relationship.

Pattern 1: be + with + noun

She is with a real estate company.

Pattern 2: be + past participle + with + noun

He is involved with that organization.

They are not concerned with our group.

Pattern 3: work + with + noun

His mother works with us.

8 With can indicate the instrument or tool used for an action.

Pattern 1: verb + with + noun

She writes with a pen.

Typical verbs used before with: color, clean, cut, dig, draw, eat, paint, serve, sweep,

wash, write

Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun

The boy drew a flower with his crayons.

I swept the garage with a big broom.

Typical verbs: attach, clean, clear, cut, dig, draw, dry, eat, erase, fasten, hit, move, nail,

open, paint, plow, season, serve, sweep, wash, write

9 With can indicate a noun that covers or fills an area.

Pattern: verb + noun + with + noun

She filled the pitcher with lemonade.

They planted the bed with white flowers.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Typical verbs: cover, cram, fill, frost, heap, ice, pack, paint, plant, smear, spread,

sprinkle, stuff

10 With can indicate struggle

Pattern 1: verb + with + noun

My colleague disagrees with the management.

He is always fighting with his brother.

Typical verbs: argue, clash, compete, conflict, differ, disagree, fight, quarrel, wrestle

Expression:

to have it out with—to express anger verbally

After two years of frustration, he finally had it out with his boss.

Pattern 2: have + a + noun + with

She has an argument with him every morning.

They are having a quarrel with the neighbors right now.

Typical nouns: argument, bout, contest, disagreement, fight, match, quarrel

Pattern 3: be + in + noun + with

She is in competition with him for the promotion.

It's too bad your ideas are in conflict with those of the majority.

11 With can indicate support or cooperation.

Pattern 1: verb + with + noun

They are cooperating with the authorities.

You have to comply with the rules.

Typical verbs: agree, collaborate, comply, concur, cooperate, empathize, harmonize,

help, negotiate, sympathize, work

Expressions:

to get along with—to cooperate with

I get along with my roommate, even though she is not my best friend.

to be with—to support

Don't be nervous when you are giving your speech; we are all with you.

Pattern 2: verb + a + noun + with + noun

She signed a contract with us.

Typical nouns: agreement, business, contract, friendship, partnership, relationship

Expression:

to do business with—to have negotiations with

We don't do business with them anymore.

Pattern 3: be + in + noun + with + noun

Are you in agreement with the decisions they made?

Typical nouns before with: accord, agreement, cahoots, concert, collaboration,

compliance, concurrence, cooperation, harmony, partnership, sympathy

12 With means at the same time as.

He rises with the sun.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

They opened the show with a song.

Typical verbs: begin, celebrate, close, dedicate, end, start

13 With means at the same rate as.

Wine improves with age.

Wisdom comes with experience.

With time, you will forget.

14 With means in the same direction as.

Pattern: verb + with + the + noun

It will take longer because we will be with the traffic.

They drifted down the river with the current.

Typical verbs used before with: be, cruise, drift, drive, float, go, ride, sail

Typical nouns used after with the: current, flow, tide, traffic, wind

15 With can indicate separation.

Pattern: verb expression + with + noun

I hate to part with my old books.

Our company severed relations with that client years ago.

He is through with her; he doesn't want to see her again.

Typical verb expressions used before with: be finished, be through, break up, cut ties, fall

out, part, part company, sever relations, split up

16 With is used in a comparison or contrast.

Pattern 1: noun + verb + with + noun

Your blouse clashes with your skirt.

Verbs commonly used with this pattern: clash, compare, contrast, go, look good

Pattern 2: compare/contrast + noun + with + noun

Let's compare this computer with that one.

17 With can indicate equality.

Pattern: be + adjective + with + noun

This side is not even with that side.

Our team is tied with theirs: the score is two to two.

Typical adjectives used before with: comparable, even, level, on a par, parallel, tied

18 With can indicate the cause of a condition.

Pattern 1: adjective + with + noun

The branches of the trees were heavy with snow.

The girl's face is wet with tears.

Pattern 2: verb in gerund form + with + noun

The newlyweds were beaming with happiness.

Typical verbs used before with: aching, beaming, crying, dancing, fuming, screaming,

shouting, smiling, trembling

Typical nouns used after with: anger, fear, glee, happiness, joy, mirth, rage, shame, zeal

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

Pattern 3: with + the + noun

With the traffic in this city, it takes a long time to get to work.

Their lifestyle changed completely with the birth of their first baby.

Typical nouns used after with the: arrival, bills, birth, change, crime, death, decrease,

departure, guests, increase, move, problems, rain, traffic, trouble, worries

Pattern 4: with + (all) + possessive noun or pronoun + noun

With all his talent, he should be famous.

She is quite popular, with all her beauty and charm.

Typical nouns after with: beauty, charm, education, influence, intelligence, money,

power, talent

19 With can mean despite.

Pattern: with + (all) + possessive noun or pronoun + noun

I love him with all his faults.

With all her problems, she is quite serene.

20 Expressions

to be with someone—to follow or understand

Please repeat that; I'm not with you.

to be charged with something—to be formally accused of a crime

The boy was charged with breaking and entering.

Down with something—a rallying call to eliminate oppressors

Down with the tyrants!

Off with someone—a call for someone to leave

Off with you, and don't come back!

21 Phrasal verbs

(get) on with (nonseparable)—to start something right away

Let's get on with this job; I want to go home early.

On with the show!

get away with—escape a misdeed without penalty

He tore up his parking fine and got away with it.

put up with—tolerate

The house is beautiful, but I can't put up with the noise of the airplanes.

Within

1 Within means not outside a place.

Pattern: be + within + noun

Those schools are within the county jurisdiction.

There is too much commotion within the building.

Typical nouns used after within: area, building, city, country, county, jurisdiction, state,

territory, walls

2 Within means less than a period of time.

I will return within the hour.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

He will finish within five minutes.

3 Within means less than a distance.

There is a hospital within five miles of the school.

The storm was within ten miles of our town.

4 Within means possible; not exceeding the limits of something.

Pattern: be + within + (one's) noun

At last, the beach is within sight!

A fortune is within our reach if we are lucky.

Typical nouns after within: bounds, hearing, range, sight, reach, the law, the limit, the

rules

5 Expression

to keep within the family—to not reveal something to anyone who is not a family

That man has a strange history, but they keep it within the family.

Without

1 Without indicates the absence of somebody.

I can't live without you.

Please don't leave without me.

2 Without means not having.

Pattern: verb + without + (any) noun

That young mother manages without any help.

We are without money this month.

3 Without means not using.

Pattern: verb + noun + without + noun

We did the crossword puzzle without a dictionary.

She can't read without her glasses.

4 Without means not performing an action.

Pattern: without + verb in gerund form

She passed the test without studying.

He left without saying good-bye.

5 Expressions

without a doubt—certainly

She is without a doubt the best chairman we have ever had.

without fail—a demand or promise to do something

Be here at six A.M. without fail.

I will finish within three days without fail.

English Grammar Preposition

25/04/2008 Ngô Ti.n Dung

without ceremony—immediately and quietly

He took charge without ceremony and began to work.

that goes without saying—that is understood to be true

You will be paid well for your work; that goes without saying.

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