Prepositions after verbs

1. THEME:
PREPOSITIONS AFTER VERBS
GROUP MEMBER:
Erika Arguello
Mario Salazar
Shirley Vásquez
UNIVERSIDAD NACIONAL DE CHIMBORAZO
FACULTAD DE CIENCIAS DE LA EDUCACIÓN HUMANAS Y
TECNOLOGÍAS
ENGLISH MAJOR
GRAMMAR V

2. Some verbs need particular prepositions to be used after them
in sentences having a direct object.
FOR EXAMPLE:
This sentence is incorrect:
He knock the door.
He knocks at the door.
Subj verb prep det direct object.

4. ABOUT
VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
agree about opinion about something as someone else. We agreed about ending the matter.
argue about to disagree about something. We argued about spending money.
care about 1. to like; 2. to be interested in something. We care about recycling things.
He cares about his little sister.
ask about to ask for information about someone or
something.
He asked me about my relatives.
He asked me about my future plans.
complain about to be dissatisfied with something He complains about getting old.
She is always complaining about her job.
She complained about her noisy neighbor.
disagree about to have different opinions They disagree about everything.
feel about to have an opinion about How do you feel about his new plan?
hear about to learn about someone /something Have you heard about the accident?
Talk about
Speak about
Someone / something He spoke about the necessity of reforms.
He talks about getting married.
warn about to advise about (risk, danger, etc.) He warned me about the danger there.
He warned you about the boss's temper.
worry about to feel concerned about someone /
something
She worries about her son.
Don't worry about money.
write about something or someone - to describe in
writing
He wrote an article about his trip to Spain.
In his letter, he writes about an old friend of his
who lives in our city.

5. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
agree with to have the same opinion as someone else I don't agree with your plan.
He agrees with exercising daily.
argue with to quarrel with someone Stop arguing with me!
begin ,start with something Begin with Chapter 3.Start with Chapter 3.
Compare with to examine to see the difference or similarity This writer is often compared with Leo Tolstoy.
connect with 1. to have a connection with; 2. to join two things
together
1. This bank is connected with several big banks.
2. Can you connect me with Mr. Cole?
correspond with to be in correspondence with He corresponds with many famous people.
disagree with to have a different opinion from someone else. I disagree with your plan.
Equip with to provide with necessary things The kitchen is equipped with modern appliances.
Help with to assist someone with something What can I help you with?
He helped me with my report /with my work.
mark with something - to make more visible Mark mistakes with a red pencil.
Speak with
Talk with
Someone She is speaking with her friend right now.
She is talking with her friend right now.
Stay with to be with someone, visit with someone He stayed with us for Christmas.

6. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
Belong to to be property of someone This house belongs to his son. This bag belongs
to me.
come to to reach (place, result, position, state, etc.) She came to Moscow yesterday. The bill comes
to $50. The military came to power in 1978.
complain to to report a complaint to somebody Complain to the police about his actions.
Connect to to join two things together Are you connected to the Internet? Can you
connect me to Mr. Cole?
consent to to agree to something Her father consented to her marriage.
count to (some number) - to count Close your eyes and count to 10.
get to (some place) - to reach (some place) We got to London at night.
Explain to to make clear. Can you explain this task to the students?
Give to to hand, to pass something to someone /
something
She often gives to charity.
go to to reach, visit, travel to, attend (some place). Go to page 9.He went to Rome last year.. I have
to go to work now. Does this bus go to the
center?
hint to to suggest something indirectly to someone. He hinted to me that he wanted to buy that
house.
lead to 1. to guide to someone / something; 2. to
result in something
1. He led us to the director's office. .
2. His carelessness led to a tragic accident.
listen to 1. pay attention by listening; 2. to obey 1. Listen to the teacher. He is listening to
music.
2. You should listen to your parents.

7. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
account for to give an explanation How can your account for your absence at the
meeting?
answer for to be responsible for one's actions He will have to answer for his actions.
He should answer for his rude behavior
apply for to make an application or request for
something
He applied for the position of sales
representative.
I want to apply for a job.
apologize for Something I apologized for being late.
ask for to request something. He asked for a cup of coffee.
He asked for a permission to leave
blame for to say that someone is responsible for
something wrong
I was blamed for losing the game.
She blamed him for the loss of her bag.
He is to blame for this terrible mistake.
care for 1. to like; 2. to want; 3. to look after
someone / something
1. He cares for his little sister.
2. Do you care for a drink?
3. Will you care for my cat while I'm away?
4.I don't care for wearing shorts.
stand for to symbolize, mean What does the letter Q in IQ stand for?
They won't stand for having such nonsense.
charge for to ask as a price for service or goods How much do you charge for a single room?

8. depart for to leave for (some place) The train departs for Paris at one o'clock.
go for to go and do something Let's go for a walk.
Let's go for a drive.
leave for 1. to go to (a place); 2. to abandon one
thing and start another
The train leaves for Paris at twelve o'clock.
He left his wife for a younger woman.
He left his job for a sailing expedition.
look for to search for someone / something. I'm looking for Tom Brown.
What are you looking for?
pay for to give money for something How much did you pay for this bag?
run for 1. run to get something; 2. to try to get a
position of
1. Run for help! Run for cover!
2. He is going to run for President.
vote for to vote in favor of someone / something Five members voted for the candidate.
Did you vote for the new plan or against it?
wait for someone / something I waited for the bus for twenty minutes.
work for 1. to work for an employer; 2. to get a
certain pay for work
1. He works for IBM. He works for a
newspaper.
2. He agreed to work for $2,000 a month.
He works for free.

9. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
approve of to be in favor of something. Her father doesn't approve of her boyfriend.
Her mother doesn't approve of smoking.
They approved of doing that.
dream of Something He dreams of playing ball
consist of to be composed of (parts, ingredients) Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
The book consists of five chapters.
be made of to be made up of some material to be made up of some material
Accuse of to charge someone with something wrong
(e.g., a crime, an offense)
He was accused of murder.
He was accused of stealing money.
He was accused of lying.
in charge of Something He is in charge of collecting tickets.
take care of Something I took care of making reservations.
think of someone / something We thought of a new way to fix that.

10. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
Call at to dial the number and speak to someone Call me at 555-3246
drive at to drive at a certain speed He was driving at 70 miles per hour when the
accident happened.
hint at to suggest something indirectly What are you hinting at? He hinted at this
possibility.
knock at to beat lightly on something Somebody is knocking on the door.
I knocked at the door.
laugh at 1. to laugh (at a funny joke);2. to make fun of
someone /something
1. We all laughed at his jokes. 2. The boys
laughed at the new boy. 3. They laughed at his
accent.
look at 1. to take a look at someone / something;
2. to consider something.
1. He looked at her for a long time. What are you
looking at? 2. I'll look at your report tomorrow.
point at to direct (a finger, gun) to someone Don't point at people! He pointed a gun at him.
shout at to yell at someone Don't shout at children.
stay at to live at some place for a while We stayed at the Sheraton Hotel. I stayed at my
sister's for two weeks.
stop at to stop at a certain place. He stopped at the red traffic light.
He will stop at nothing! We stopped at my
sister's.
wonder
at
to admire, marvel at or be surprised by something I wondered at his strength and composure in such
a difficult situation.
work at 1. to have a job at some place; 2. work at/on
something - to work (hard) on something
1. He works at a bank.2. Work at your
pronunciation. He is still working on his new
novel.

11. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
believe in to have faith in someone / something He believes in you.
She believes in justice for all.
She believes in being well-educated.
arrive in to come to some city He arrived in London yesterday.
We arrived in Chicago at night.
work in to have a job at some place . He works in a bank.
She works in a restaurant.
deal in 2. To include (someone) in an
enterprise or undertaking.
He deals in selling real estate.
interest in --------------------- He is interested in being a scientist.
participate
in
something They will participate in running the
race.
result in something Distraction can result in an accident.
specialize in something He will specialize in making wine.
succeed in doing something He succeeded in winning the race.

12. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
come from to be from (some place) He comes from a small town in
France.
depart
from
to leave (some place) The train departs from Rome at
6:30.
expect
from
to expect (good work, results,
etc
Don't expect good work from him,
he is lazy and careless.
I expected more from her.
graduate
from
to finish school He graduated from college in
1997.
hear from to have news from someone I haven't heard from him in years.
make from to produce, to create something
from something
She made a summer dress from a
length of silk.
Butter is made from milk.
Translate
from
another language This passage was translated from
German.

13. VERBS MEANING EXAMPLES
comment on to give one's opinion about something He commented on the current situation.
count on to depend / rely on someone You can always count on me for help.
agree on We agreed on renting the condominium.
concentrate on to give full attention to something I concentrate on getting experience.
I am trying to concentrate on my work.
congratulate
on
to express praise to someone for success in
something.
We congratulated them on winning
continue on He continued on sleeping all day
depend on 1. to be conditioned by; 2. to rely on, to
count on someone
1. It depends on the weather.
2. You can always depend on him.
We depend on getting help.
get on to take a bus, train, plane He got on the bus on Maple Avenue
go on Will you go on working?
insist on to demand He insists on selling the house.
He insists on coming too.
live on 1. to live on a certain street; 2. to live on
certain food; 3. to live on certain income.
1. She lives on Baker Street.
2. She lives on apples, bread, and cheese.
3. She lives on 500 dollars a month.
rely on to count on, depend on someone /
something
You can always rely on him. You can always
rely on his help. We rely on their assisting us.
touch on to mention as a subject We touched on many questions briefly.
report on to give information on something He reported on the current situation.
spend on spend (money, time) on something How much time did you spend on this report?
How much money do you spend on food?

14. *Choose the most appropriate answer:
1.-He applied the position of sales manager.
a) to b) for c)at
2.- His books have been translated many languages.
a)by b)for c)into
3.- I looked the magazine, but I didn't find anything
interesting.
a)by b)on c)through
4.-He insisted telling the manager about the incident.
a)For b)at c)on
5.- 5.-Let's drink Mike's health!
a) to b) for c)at
for
into
through
to
on

15. 6.- Can I help you? - Yes, please. I'm looking a good book of
English idioms.
a) at b) for c)to
7. - We hope that she will get her illness soon.
a) over b) out of c)by
8.- He is lagging the other students in his mathematics
class.
a) from b) behind c)by
9.- I sympathize her, of course, but there's nothing I can do
for her.
a) For b) with c)to
10.- They accused him murder.
a) Of b) for c)in
for
over
with
behind
of

16. 11.- He was sentenced ten years for his crime.
a) for b) to c)on
12.- His wife stood him in everything he did.
a) for b) by c)with
13. I ran an old friend yesterday whom I hadn't seen for a
year.
a) into b) for c)by
14.- It might be dangerous. Can you prevent him doing it?
a) from b) by c)for
to
by
into
from