IDIOMA I (INGLS)

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING.

THEORY AND EXERCISES.
Some verbs can be followed by -ing or to with a difference of meaning:
Forget
I forget doing something = to forget

I forget to do something = to forget

that you have done something.

that you need to do something.

I will never forget going water rafting in

I forgot to post that letter.

Africa.

Dont forget to meet her at 10 this

Ill never forget meeting her for the first time.

morning.
Remember

I remember doing something = I did it

and now I remember this.

remembered that I had to do it, so I did it.

You remember doing something after

You remember to do something before you

you have done it.

do it.

know

locked

the

door.

clearly

remember to

do

something

I remembered to lock the door, but I

remember locking it. (= I locked it, and

forgot

to

shut

the

windows.

(=

now I remember this)

remembered that I had to lock it and so I

He could remember driving along the

locked it.)

road just before the accident, but he

Please remember to post the letter. (=

couldnt remember the accident itself.

dont forget to post it.)

Regret

I regret doing something = I did it and

I regret to say/to tell/to inform you =

now Im sorry about it.

Im sorry that I have to say.

I now regret saying what I said, I

We regret to inform you that we cannot

shouldnt have said it.

offer you the job.

It began to get cold and he regretted not

wearing his coat.
Go on
Go on doing something = continue with

Go on to do something = do or say

the same thing.

something new.

The president paused for a moment and

After

then went on talking.

president then went on to talk about

We need to change. We cant go on

discussing

the

economy,

the

foreign policy.

living like this.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Try
Try doing something = do something as

Try to do something = attempt to do,

an experiment or test.

make an effort to do.

The

photocopier

doesnt

seem

to

be

I was very tired. I tried to keep my eyes

working. Try pressing the green button.

open, but I couldnt.

I didnt like the way the furniture was

Please try to be quiet when you come

arranged, so I tried moving the table to

home. Everyone will be asleep.

the other side of the room.

Need
Something needs doing = it needs to be

Need to do something = it is necessary

done.

for me to do it.

The batteries in the radio need changing.

I need to take more exercise.

(= they need to be changed.)

He needs to work harder if he wants to

Dou you think my jacket needs cleaning?

make progress.

(= needs to be cleaned)

I dont need to come to the meeting, do

Its a difficult problem. It needs thinking

I?

about very carefully. (= it needs to be

thought about)
Like
Like doing something = I do it and I

Like to do something = I think it is a

enjoy it. Like usually takes an ing-form

good thing to do, but I dont necessarily

when we use it to talk about hobbies and

enjoy it. Like takes a to-infinitive when it

interests.

means that we prefer to do something

Claire likes skiing.

even though we may not enjoy it.

I dont like swimming much.

I like to check my work carefully before I

hand it in.

EXERCISE
1. Complete each sentence with a verb in the correct form, -ing or to.
1. Please remember to lock (lock) the door when you go out.
2. A: You lent me some money a few months ago.
B: Did I? Are you sure? I dont remember ___________ (lend) you any money.
3. A: Did you remember ___________ (call) your sister?
B: Oh no, I completely forgot. Ill phone her tomorrow.
4. When you see Steve, remember ___________ (give) him my regards.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

5. Someone must have taken my bag. I clearly remember ___________ (leave) it by

the window and now it has gone.
6. I believe that what I said was fair. I dont regret ___________ (say) it.
7. I knew they were in trouble, but I regret ___________ (say) I did nothing to help
them.
8. Ben joined the company nine years ago. He became assistant manager after two
years, and a few years later he went on ___________ (become) manager of the
company.
9. I cant go ___________ (work) here any more. I want a different job.
10. When I came into the room, Liz was reading a newspaper. She looked up and said
hello, and then went on ___________ (read) her newspaper.
11. I was very tired. I tried ___________ (keep) my eyes open, but I couldnt.
12. I rang the doorbell, but there was no answer. Then I tried ___________ (knock)
on the door, but there was still no answer.
13. We tried ___________ (put) the fire out but without success. We has to call the
fire brigade.
14. Sue needed to borrow some money. She tried ___________ (ask) Gerry, but he
was short of money too.
15. I tried ___________ (reach) the shelf, but I wasnt tall enough.
16. Please leave me alone. Im trying ___________ (concentrate).
17. I need a change. I need ___________ (go) away for a while.
18. My grandmother isnt able to look after herself any more. She needs ___________
(look) after.
19. The windows are dirty. They need ___________ (clean).
20. Your hair is getting very long. I needs ___________ (cut).
21. You dont need ___________ (iron) that shirt. It doesnt need ___________
(iron).
22. When I have to catch a train, Im always worried that Ill miss it. So I like

___________ (get) to the station in plenty of time.

23. I dont like ___________ (live) in this part of town. I want to move somewhere
else.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

VERBS FOLLOWED BY A PREPOSITION + A GERUND.

Verb + preposition TO:
Admit to / apologise to somebody (for) / belong to / complain to (someone) about
(something) / confess to / describe to / explain something to somebody / explain or
describe to somebody what, how, why / get married to / happen to / invite
(somebody) to a party, wedding, etc. / listen to / object to / prefer one thing or person
to another / refer to / talk or speak to someone / write (a letter) to somebody.

I often listen to the radio.

Who was that man you were talking to?
Can I speak to Jane, please?
Sorry I havent written to you for such a long time.
I wrote to the hotel complaining about the poor service we had received.
He got married to a girl he met in France.
They only invited a few people to their wedding.
Can you explain this word to me?
I explained to them why I was worried.
Let me describe to you what I saw.
He apologised to me for what happened.
That dictionary belongs to Rolf.
I prefer tea to coffee.
She complains to the waiter about the food.
What happen to that gold watch you used to have? (= where is it now?)
Verb + preposition INTO:
Bump into / crash into / divide, cut or split something into two or more parts / drive
into / translate a book, etc. from one language into another
We lost control of our car and crashed into a wall.
The book is divided into three parts.
Cut the meat into small pieces before frying it
George Orwells books have been translated into many languages.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Verb + preposition AT

Joke at / laugh at / look at / smile at / stare, glance or take a look at (but Have a look) at
Why are you looking at me like that?
If you smile at me like that Ill give you anything you want.
I look stupid with this haircut. Everybody will laugh at me.
Aim or point something at / shoot or fire a gun at

Dont point that knife at me. Its dangerous.

We saw someone with a gun shooting at birds, but he didnt hit any.
Verb + preposition TO/AT
Throw to/at

Throw something at somebody or something (in order to hit me)

He threw the ball at me (= in order to hit me; perhaps he was angry)

Someone threw an egg at the minister.
Throw something to someone (for someone to catch)

He threw the ball to me (= for me to catch it)

Lisa shouted Catch! and threw the keys to me from the window.

Shout to/at

Shout at someone (when you are angry)

He shouted at me (= he was angry with me)
He got very angry and started shouting at me.
Shout to someone (so they can hear you)
He shouted to me (= in order to communicate with me)
He shouted to me from the other side of the street.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Verb + preposition FOR

Admire for / apologise to somebody for / apply to a person, a company, etc. for a job,
etc. / ask (somebody) for / leave (a place) for another place / punish for / search (a
person, a place, a bag, etc.) for / thank or forgive somebody for / wait for / work for
I wrote the company asking them for more information about the job.
Im going to apologise for the mistake we made.
She has applied for a new job.
They were waiting for me when I arrived.
Ive searched the house for the keys but I still cant find them.
Ill never forgive them for what they did.
When I realised I was wrong, I apologised (to them) for my mistake.
Everybody blamed me for the accident.
I havent seen her since she left home for the office this morning.
Pay

Pay somebody for

I didnt have enough money to pay the waiter for the meal. (not pay the meal)
But pay a bill / a fine / tax / rent / a sum of money, etc. (no preposition)
I didnt have enough money to pay the rent.

Blame
Blame somebody or something for / Somebody is to blame for
Everybody blamed me for the accident.
Blame a problem, etc. on
Everybody blamed the accident on me.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Verb + preposition IN

Believe in
Do you believe in God? (= Do you believe that God exists?)
I believe in saying what I think (= I believe it is right to say what I think)
But believe something = believe it is true. Believe somebody = believe they are telling
the truth.
The story cant be true. I dont believe it. (not believe in it)
Include in / involve in / persist in / specialise in / succeed in
Helen is a lawyer. She specialises in company law.
I hope you succeed in finding the job you want.
Verb + preposition ON
Concentrate on / congratulate or compliment somebody on / insist on / plan on / rely
on / spend (money) on
You can rely on Jill. She always keeps her promises.
Dont look out of the window. Concentrate on your work.
I wanted to go alone, but some friends of mine insisted on coming with me.
He spends a lot of money on clothes and discos.
I congratulated her on her success in the exam.
Depend on
I may go to the match; it really depends on the weather.
But you can use depend when /where /how, etc. with or without on.
Are you going to buy it? It depends how much it is
It depends on how much it is.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Live on money / food

Michaels salary is very low. It isnt enough to live on.

Verb + preposition FROM
Differ from /discourage from / protect somebody or something from (or against) /
recover from / refrain from / resign from / suffer from

He suffers from a type of diabetes.

The number of people suffering from heart disease has increased.
Sun oil can protect the skin from / against the sun.
Verb + preposition ABOUT
Argue about / forget about / know about / read about / talk about / tell somebody
about / worry about

We talked about a lot of things at the meeting.

My sister is thinking of (or about) going to Canada.
Dont worry about your exam; Ill be OK.
Dream
Dream about (when you are asleep)
Dream of / about being something or doing something = imagine
I dreamt about you last night. (When I was asleep)
Do you dream of/about being rich and famous?
Dont tell anyone what I said. No, I wouldnt dream of it. (= I would never do it.)
I wouldnt dream of doing something = I would never do it
Hear

Hear about (=be told about something)

Hear of = know that somebody or something exists
Hear from = receive a letter, phone call or message from somebody
Did you hear about the fight in the club on Saturday night?
UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Who is Tom hart? I have no idea. Ive never heard of it.

Have you heard from Jane recently? Yes, she phoned a few days ago.
Think about / of
When you think about something, you consider it, you concentrate your mind on it.
Ive thought about what you said and Ive decided to take your advice.
Will you lend me the money? Ill think about it.
When you think of something, the idea comes to your mind.
He told me his name, but I cant think of it now. (now think about it)
Thats a good idea. Why didnt I think of that? (not think about that)
We also use think of when we ask or give an opinion.
What did you think of the film? I didnt think much about it. (= I didnt like it much)
The difference is sometimes very small and you can use of or about.
When Im alone, I often think of / about you.
You can say think of / about doing something (for possible future actions)
My sister is thinking of / about going to Canada. (= she is considering it)

Discussion
Have a discussion about something, but discuss something (no preposition)
We had a discussion about what we should do.
We discussed a lot of things at the meeting. (not discussed about)

Do
Do something about something = do something to improve a bad situation
If youre worried about the problem, you should do something about it.
UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

Care

Care about, care for and take care of

Care about somebody / something = think that somebody / something is important.
Hes very selfish. He doesnt care about other people.
We say care what / where / how, etc. (without about)
You can do what you like. I dont care what you do.
Care for somebody/something
- 1 = like something (usually in questions and negative sentences)
Would you care for a cup of coffee? (= would you like?)
I dont care for very hot weather. (= I dont like)
- 2 = look after somebody
Alan is 85 and lives alone. He needs somebody to care for him.
Take care of = look after
Have a nice holiday. Take care of yourself! (= look after yourself)
Verb + preposition OF
Accuse or suspect somebody of / approve of / consist of / dream of being something /
disapprove of / doing something (= imagine) / hear of (= know that somebody or
something exists)
I often dream of being rich.
Who is Tom Madely? Ive no idea. Ive never heard of him
Sue accused me of being selfish.
Some students were suspected of cheating in the exam.
We had an enormous meal. It consisted of seven courses.
His parents dont approve of what he does, but they cant stop him.
Die of / from an illness, etc.
What did he die of? A heart attack.
UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

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Verb + preposition OF/ABOUT

Remind
Remind somebody about (=tell somebody not to forget)
Im glad you reminded me about the meeting.
Remind somebody of (= cause somebody to remember)
Look at this photograph of Richard. Who does he remind you of?
Warn
Warn somebody about a person or thing which is bad, dangerous, unusual, etc.
I knew he was a strange person. I had been warned about him (not warned of him)
Vicky warned me about the traffic. She said it would be bad.
Warn somebody about / of a danger, something bad which might happen later.
Everybody has been warned of / about the dangers of smoking.
Scientists have warned us about / of the effects of global warming.
Complain

Complain to somebody about = say that you are not satisfied.

We complained to the manager of the restaurant about the food.
Complain somebody of = cause somebody to remember
We called the doctor because George was complaining of a pain in his stomach.
Verb + preposition WITH
Agree with / collide with / fill something with / provide or supply with
My brother never agrees with me.
UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

11

There was an accident this morning. A bus collided with a car.

Take this saucepan and fill it with water.
The school provides all its students with books.
Verb + preposition AT/IN
Arrive at / in
Arrive + in a big place: a country, a city, etc.
Arrive + at a small place: airport, station, etc.

ADJECTIVES FOLLOWED BY A PREPOSITION

Adjective + preposition OF
generous / good / kind / nice /polite / silly / stupid of somebody (to do something)
but (be) cruel / friendly / generous / good / kind / nice / polite / rude to somebody
Independent of
Thank you. It was very kind of you to help me.
It is stupid of me to go out without a coat in such cold weather.
Afraid of / ashamed of / aware of / capable or incapable of / conscious of / critical of /
envious of / fond of / full or short of / frightened of / guilty of / jealous of / proud of /
scared of / sick of / suspicious of / terrified of / tired of (=bored or irritated by. It is
possible to say tired from = physically tired as a result of ) / tolerant of / typical of

Are you afraid of spiders? Yes, Im terrified of them.

She is afraid of flying.
Why are you always so jealous of other people?
He didnt trust me. He was suspicious of my intentions.
Did you know he was married? No, I wasnt aware of that.
I think she is aware of the problem in her class.
Im sure you are capable of passing the examination.
The letter I wrote was full of mistakes.
The streets are full of rubbish.
Im a bit short of money. Can you lend me some?
Hes late again. Its typical of him to keep everybody waiting.
Come on, lets go! Im tired of waiting.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

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Certain or sure of /about

I think shes arriving this evening, but Im not sure of/about that.
Adjective + preposition ABOUT
Anxious / confident / excited / happy about a situation / nervous / right / upset / worried
Are you excited about going away next week?
Lisa is upset about not being invited to the party.
Adjective + preposition WITH
Busy with / content with / crowded with (people, etc.) / delighted with / disappointed
with something you receive, or the result of something / familiar with / fed up or bored
with something / happy with /occupied with / pleased with /satisfied with / wrong with
The streets were crowded with tourists.
I was delighted with the present you gave me.
Were you happy with your exam results?
I dont enjoy my job any more. Im fed up with it / Im bored with it.
There is something wrong with this.
Adjective + preposition AT
Bad at / better at / brilliant at / excellent at / good at / hopeless at/ lucky at / skilled at
/ skilful at / useless at
Im not very good at repairing things.
I was never very good at mathematics.
Adjective + preposition TO
Accustomed to / inferior to / married or engaged to / similar to / superior to

Linda is married to an American.

Your writing is similar to mine.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

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Adjective + preposition IN

Interested in / involve in
He is very interested in antique furniture.
Are you interested in art?
Adjective + preposition ON

Dependent on / keen on / reliant on

We stayed at home because Chris wasnt very keen on going out.
Im very keen on Italian food.
I dont want to be dependent on anybody.
Adjective + preposition FOR

Famous for / late for / responsible for / suitable for

The Italian city of Florence is famous for its art treasures.
Who was responsible for all that noise last night?
Adjectives + preposition ABOUT / WITH
Angry / annoyed / furious about something, because of a situation or action
Angry / annoyed / furious with somebody for doing something
Its stupid to get angry about things that dont matter.
Are you annoyed with me for being late?
Adjective + prepositions AT / BY

Amazed at/by / astonished at/by / shocked at /by / surprised at/by something

I was surprised at/by) the weather; it rained nearly every day.

Everybody was surprised at/by the news.
I hope you werent shocked by/at what I said.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

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Adjective + prepositions WITH / BY

Impressed with/by somebody/something

Im very impressed with/by her English. Its very good.

Adjective + prepositions ABOUT /FOR

Sorry about a situation or something that happened. Feeling pity or sympathy for.
Sorry for / about something you did. Feeling ashamed or unhappy about.
You can also say Im sorry I did something
Feel / be sorry for somebody who is in a bad situation.
Im sorry about the noise last night. We were having a party.
Im sorry about the mess. Ill clear it up later.
Were all sorry about Julie losing her job.
Alex is very sorry for/about what he said
Im sorry for/about shouting at you yesterday.
Im sorry I shouted at you yesterday.
I feel sorry for/about Matt. Hes had a lot of bad luck.
Adjective + prepositions FROM / TO
Different from / to

The film was different from/to what Id expected.

NOUNS FOLLOWED BY A PREPOSITION
Noun + preposition FOR
A cheque for (a sum of money) / a demand for / a excuse for / need for / a reason for
/ responsibility for

They sent me a cheque for 75$.

The firm closed down because there wasnt enough demand for its product.
Theres no excuse for behaviour like that. Theres no need for it.
The train was late but nobody knew the reason for the delay.
UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

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Noun + preposition OF

Advantages or disadvantages of / a cause of / a drawing of / a map of / a photograph

of / a picture of / a plan of / a drawing of
The advantage of living alone is that you can do what you want.
Nobody knows what the cause of the explosion was.
She showed me some photographs of her family.
I had a map of the town, so I was able to find my way around.
Noun + preposition IN
A decrease in / a fall in (prices, etc.) / an increase in / a rise in
There has been an increase in the number of road accidents recently.
Last year was a bad year for the company. There was a big fall in sales.
Noun + preposition TO
An answer to ( a question) / an attitude to ( or towards) / damage to / an invitation to
(party, wedding) / a key to (a door) / a reaction to / a reply to (a letter) / a solution to
(problem)
The accident was my fall so I have to pay the damage to the other car.
Did you get an invitation to the party?
Do you think well find a solution to the problem?
I was surprised at her reaction to my suggestion.
His attitude to (or towards) his job is very negative.
Noun + prepositions WITH/BETWEEN
A connection with / contact with / a relationship with / an agreement with
But a relation / a connection / contact / a difference between two things or people.

Do you have a good relation with your parents?

The police want to question a man in connection with the robbery.
The police believe that there is no connection between the two crimes.
There are some differences between British and American English.

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

16

FIXED EXPRESSIONS. Common phrases with prepositions.

AT

BY

FOR

IN

at all times

by accident

for a change

in addition (to)

at arms length

by air mail

for a visit

in answer (to)

at daybreak

by bus / train*

for a walk

in a uniform

at dawn

by chance

for a white

in a dress

at first

by cheque

for ages

in a group

at first sight

day by day

for better or worse

in a hurry

at home

by e-mail / fax / phone

for breakfast

in a loud voice

at least

by example

for ever

in cash

at last

by far

for fear of

in conclusion

at once

by hand

for fun / pleasure

in control

at sea

by heart

for good

in danger

at the age of

by means of

for granted

in favour of

at the beginning*

by mistake

for life

in future

at the bottom of

by myself

for luck

in general

at breakfast

by no means

for my sake

in German

at the bus stop

by sea / land / air

for nothing

in haste

at the corner

by sight

for now

in other words

at the door

by telepathy

for sale

in pairs

at the end*

by the arm

for short

in the west

at the moment

by the rules

for the moment

in time*

at the same time

by the way

for your birthday

at work
*By bus, etc. refers to using buses as a means of transport. I usually go to work by bus.
We can use on the bus, etc. for specific journey to particular destination.
If we go there on the bus, well have more time to chat.
*At the beginning of means at the very start of an event.
At the beginning of the Civil War, the fort was attacked.
In the beginning (not usually with of) means near the start of an event.
In the beginning, the South had some success.
*At the end (of) something refers to the final part of a period of time, a road, a book, a film, etc.
He is leaving at the end of October. / Their house is at the end of the road.
In the end means finally. We waited and waited; in the end, we decided to go back home.
*In time (for something/ to do something) = soon enough. The opposite of in time is too late.
Will you be home in time for dinner? (= soon enough for dinner)
On time = punctual, not late. If something happens on time, it happens at the time which was planned.
Ill meet you at 7.30. OK, but please be on time. (= dont be late, be there at 7.30)

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

17

ON

OUT OF

TO

on a diet

out of breath

to my surprise

on arrival

out of control

to some degree

on average

out of date

to some extent

on behalf of

out of danger

to the point

on business

out of earshot

to our amazement

on condition that

out of doors

to your advantage

on duty

out of fashion

to your health

on fire

out of favour

on foot

out of luck

on holiday

out of money

up and down

on horseback

out of order

up as far as

on line

out of pocket

up the hill

on my own

out of practice

up the spout

on no account

out of print

up till/until

on purpose

out of rearch

up to date

on second thoughts

out of sight

up to you

on strike

out of the way

on the left/right

out of the woods

on the floor

out of time

on the one hand

out of touch

on the other hand

out of tune

on the phone

out of work

on the screen
on the whole

UP

FROM

from a to b
from bad to worse
from morning to night
from my point of view
from now on
from place to place
from time to time

Examples:
I took his pen by mistake (= I thought it was my pen)
I did all the work by myself (= on my own; without help from others)
The shoes are made by hand (= not by machine)
The workers are on strike (= they refuse to work because of a problem overpay,
hours, etc.)
I met them by chance (= it wasnt planned- It was luck)
The children are on holiday (= they are having a holiday)
He broke the plate by accident (= He didnt want to do it, it was an error/
mistake)

UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES

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He broke the plate on purpose (= he wanted to do it and intended to do it)

She couldnt talk to me for long because she was in a hurry (= she had to go
quickly- She didnt have much time)
There are two millions out of work (= without a job)
There were at least fifty people at the party (= a minimum of 50)
EXERCISES
2. Complete the sentences with the correct preposition.
1. There are some differences ________ British and American English.
2. Money isnt a solution ________ every problem.
3. There has been an increase ________ the amount of traffic using this road.
4. When I opened the envelope, I was delighted to find a cheque ________ 500.
5. The advantage ________ having a car is that you dont have to rely on public
transport.
6. There are many advantages ________ being able to speak a foreign language.
7. Everything can be explained. Theres a reason ________ everything.
8. When Paul left home, his attitude ________ his parents seemed to change.
9. Ben and I used to be good friends, but I dont have much contact ________ him
now.
10. There has been a sharp rise ________ property prices in the past few years.
11. What was Catherines reason ________ the news?
12. If I give you the camera, can you take a photograph ________ me?
13. The company has rejected the workers demands _______ a rise _______ pay.
14. What was the answer ________ question 3 in the rest?
15. The fact that Jane was offered a job has no connection ________ the fact that she
is a friend of the managing director.
3. Put in the correct preposition.
1. I was delighted ________ the present you gave me.
2. It was very nice ________ you to do my shopping for me. Thank you very much.
3. Why are you always so rude ________ your parents? Cant you be nice

________ them?
4. It was careless ________ you to leave the door unlocked when you went out.
5. They didnt reply to our letter, which wasnt very polite ________ them.

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6. We always have the same food every day. Im fed up ________ it.
7. I cant understand people who are cruel ________ animals.
8. We enjoyed our holiday, but we were a bit disappointed ________ the hotel.
9. I was surprised ________ the way he behaved. It was completely out of
character.
10. Ive been trying to learn Spanish, but Im not very satisfied ________ my
progress.
11. Linda doesnt look very well. Im worried ________ her.
12. Are you angry ________ what happened?
13. Im sorry ________ what I did. I hope youre not angry ________ me.
14. The people next door are furious ________ us ________ making so much noise
last night.
15. Jill starts her new job next week. Shes quite excited ________ it.
16. Im sorry ________ the smell of paint in this room. Ive just decorated it.
17. I was shocked ________ what I saw. Id never seen anything like it before.
18. The man we interviewed for the job was intelligent, but we werent very impressed

________ his appearance.

19. Are you still upset ________ what I said to you yesterday?
20. He said he was sorry ________ the situation, but there was nothing he could do.
21. I felt sorry ________ the children when we went on holiday. It rained every day
and they had to spend most of the time indoors.
4. Put in the correct preposition.
1. The letter I wrote was full ________ mistakes.
2. My home town is not an especially interesting place. Its not famous ________
anything.
3. Kate is very fond ________ her younger brother.
4. I dont like going up ladders. Im scared ________ heights.
5. You look bored. You dont seem interested ________ what Im saying.
6. Did you know that Liz is engaged ________ a friend of mine?
7. Im not ashamed ________ what I did. In fact Im quite proud ________ it.
8. I suggested that we should all go out for a meal, but nobody else was keen

________ the idea.

9. These days everybody is aware ________ the dangers of smoking.
10. The station platform was crowded ________ people waiting for the train.

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11. Sue is much more successful than I am. Sometimes I feel a bit jealous ________
her.
12. Im tired ________ doing the same thing every day. I need a change.
13. Do you know anyone who might be interested ________ buying an old car?
14. Weve got plenty to eat. The fridge is full ________ food.
15. She is very honest person. I dont think she is capable ________ telling a lie.
16. Helen works hard and shes extremely good ________ her job.
17. Im not surprised he changed his mind at the last moment. Thats typical

________ him.
18. Mark has no money of his own. Hes totally dependent ________ his parents.
19. Were short ________ staff in our office at the moment. We need more people to
do the work.
5. Put in to where necessary. If the sentence is already complete, leave the
space empty.
1. I know who she is, but Ive never spoken ________ her.
2. Why didnt you answer ________ my letter?
3. I like ________ listen to the radio while Im having breakfast.
4. Wed better phone ________ the restaurant to reserve a table.
5. Did Mike apologise ________ you? Yes, he said he was very sorry.
6. I explained ________ everybody the reasons for my decision.
7. I thanked ________ everybody for all the help they had given me.
8. Ask me what you like and Ill try and answer ________ your questions.
9. Mike described ________ me exactly what happened.
10. Karen wont be able to help you, so theres no point in asking ________ her.

6. Put in to or at.
1. I wrote ________ the hotel complaining about the poor service we had received.
2. Look ________ these flowers. Arent they pretty?
3. Please dont shout ________ me! Try to calm down.
4. I saw Sue as I was cycling along the road. I shouted ________ her, but she didnt
hear me.
5. Dont listen ________ what he says. He doesnt know what hes talking about.
6. Whats funny? What are you laughing ________?

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7. Do you think I could have a look ________ your magazine, please?

8. Im a bit lonely. I need somebody to talk ________.
9. She was so angry she threw a book ________ the wall.
10. The woman sitting opposite me on the train kept staring ________ me.
11. Can I speak ________ you a moment? Theres something I want to ask you.

7. Put in the correct preposition. If no preposition is necessary, leave the space

empty.
1. Im not going out yet. Im waiting ________ the rain to stop.
2. I couldnt find the street I was looking for, so I stopped someone to ask ________
directions.
3. Ive applied ________ a job at the factory. I dont know if Ill get it.
4. Ive applied ________ three colleges. I hope one of them accepts me.
5. Ive searched everywhere ________ John, but I havent been able to find him.
6. I dont want to talk ________ what happened last night. Lets forget it.
7. I dont want to discuss ________ what happened last night. Lets forget it.
8. We had an interesting discussion ________ the problem, but we didnt reach a
decision.
9. We discussed ________ the problem, but we didnt reach a decision.
10. I dont want to go out yet. Im waiting ________ the post to arrive.
11. Ken and Sonia are touring Italy. Theyre in Rome at the moment, but tomorrow they
leave ________ Venice.
12. The roof of the house is in very bad condition. I think we ought to do something

________ it.
13. We waited for Steve ________ half an hour, but he never came.
14. Tomorrow morning I have to catch a plane. Im leaving my house ________ the
airport at 7.30.
8. Put in the correct preposition.
1. Did you hear ________ what happened at the party on Saturday?
2. I had a strange dream last night. Did you? What did you dream ________?
3. Our neighbours complained ________ us ________ the noise we made last
night.
4. Kevin was complaining ________ pains in his chest, so he went to the doctor.

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5. I love this music. It reminds me ________ a warm day in spring.

6. He loves his job. He thinks ________ his job all the time, he dreams ________
it, he talks ________ it and Im fed up with hearing ________ it.
7. I tried to remember the name of the book, but I couldnt think ________ it.
8. Jackie warned me ________ the water. She said it wasnt safe to drink.
9. We warned our children ________ the dangers of playing in the street.

9. Put in the correct preposition. If no preposition is necessary, leave the space

empty.
1. Some students were suspected ________ cheating in the exam.
2. Sally is often not well. She suffers ________ very bad headaches.
3. You know that you can rely ________ me if you ever need any help.
4. It is terrible that some people are dying ________ hunger while others eat too
much.
5. Are you going to apologise ________ what you did?
6. The accident was my fault, so I had to pay ________ the repairs.
7. I didnt have enough money to pay ________ the bill.
8. I complimented her ________ her English. She spoke very fluently and her
pronunciation was excellent.
9. She hasnt got a job. She depends ________ her parents for money.
10. I dont know whether Ill go out tonight. It depends ________ how I feel.
11. They wore warm clothes to protect themselves ________ the cold.
12. The apartment consists ________ three rooms, a kitchen and bathroom.

10. Put in the correct preposition. If the sentence is already complete, leave the
space empty.
1. The school provides all its students ________ books.
2. A strange thing happened ________ me a few days ago.
3. Mark decided to give up sport so that he could concentrate ________ his studies.
4. I dont believe ________ working very hard. Its not worth it.
5. My present job isnt wonderful, but I prefer it ________ what I did before.
6. I hope you succeed ________ getting what you want.
7. As I was coming out of the room, I collided ______ somebody who was coming in.
8. There was an awful noise as the car crashed ________ a tree.

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9. Patrick is a photographer. He specialises ________ sports photography.

10. Do you spend much money ________ clothes?
11. The country is divided ________ six regions.
12. I prefer travelling by train ________ driving. Its much more pleasant.
13. I was amazed when Joe walked into the room, I couldnt believe ________ it.
14. I was quite cold, but Tom insisted ________ having the window open.
15. Some words are difficult to translate _______ one language _______ another.
16. What happened _______ the money I lent you? What did you spend it _______?
17. The teacher decided to split the class ________ four groups.
18. I filled the tank, but unfortunately I filled it ________ the wrong kind of petrol.

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