Examville.com - Idioms Phrasal Verbs Prepositions SAT study guide

Idioms/Phrasal Verbs/Prepositions Preposition This is a word placed before a noun or a pronoun to show the relation of the noun or pronoun with respect to anything else mentioned in the statement. He was prohibited, not just from his father, but by virtue of his own conscience, from using high-end products which did not fall within his buying capacity. In the above statement, the usage of from is incorrect. He was prohibited, not just by his father, but by virtue of his own conscience, from using high-end products which did not fall within his buying capacity. On the other hand, The tennis players are prohibited from wearing any color except white for matches held during the Wimbledon Open in London. From is correctly used in the above sentence. Sometimes the same word can take different prepositions depending on the context and meaning of the expression. On writing a letter, a person corresponds with the other; when two things serve similar functions in two different contexts, one thing corresponds to the other. Kinds of Prepositions Simple Prepositions At, By, For, From, in, of, off, on, out, through, till, to, up, with Compound Prepositions These are generally formed by prefixing a preposition to a noun, an adjective or an adverb. About, above, across, along, amidst, among, amongst, around before, behind, below, beneath, beside, between, beyond, inside, outside, underneath, within, without

Phrase Prepositions These are a group of words used with the force of a single preposition. According to, amenable to, along with, away from Because of, by dint of, by means of, by virtue of, by way of Conforming to, for the sake of, in accordance with, in addition to In case of, in comparison to, in compliance with, in course of, in front of In lieu of, in order to, in place of, in spite of, instead of, in the event of On account of, owing to, with a view to, with reference to, with regard to He succeeded by dint of perseverance and hard work. The chairman read the notice on behalf of all the shareholders. Participial prepositions These are present participles of verbs and are used absolutely without any noun or pronoun being attached to them. Barring, concerning, considering, during, notwithstanding, pending, regarding, respecting, touching Barring a few skirmishes, the country has been fairly peaceful after the overthrow of the dictatorial regime. Regarding the plan you have in mind, we shall be able to execute it soon after the proposal is submitted.

Relations expressed by prepositions

Place Went about the world Ran across the road Leaned against the tree Stood behind the door Lay upon the table Put pen to paper Time After his breakfast Arrived before me On Monday Throughout the year Until tomorrow Within a month Ten minutes to twelve Agency, Instrumentality Sell goods at auction Send parcel by post Destroyed in fire Heard through friend Cut with a blade Stunned by the windfall gain

Manner Moving forward by inches Fought with courage Spoke with conviction Worked with earnestness Won with ease Cause, Reason, Purpose Labored for a good cause Did it for good Suffers from asthma Shivers with fear Took medicine for cold Died of old age Possession The Palace of Queen Elizabeth A man of means Boy with red hair Measure, standard, rate, value Charges interest at nine per cent Taller by two inches One o’clock by the tower clock Bought for a good price

Contrast, concession

Despite being a school drop-out, Carlton went on to establish and lead a flourishing business. His goodness of intent notwithstanding, he has often been misconstrued to be led more by private interest than by philanthropy. After all that he did for his team, the coach was not even given a befitting farewell at the time of his retirement. Inference, Motive, Source, Origin His skill comes from practice. This is a quotation from Milton. From what I know of him, I am wary of trusting him. Note: The same preposition depending on the way it is used, will have its place under various heads. Special prepositions 1. Than – This is usually a conjunction, but is sometimes used as a preposition. I can not pay more than fifty dollars for this equipment. 2. But – As a rule this is a conjunction. When used as a preposition, but means ‘except’ or ‘with the exception of’. What can he do but mortgage his property to pay off his loans. I gave him all but one of my special stamp collections. 3. A – The article ‘a’ is sometimes used as a weakened form of the preposition. Her wages are hundred dollars a day. I meet him once a week.

Words followed by prepositions Certain nouns, verbs, adjectives and participles are followed by particular prepositions. Though there is no one rule of the thumb to say that a particular word will be followed by only one particular adjective, there are some generalizations. As mentioned earlier, a particular word may be followed by different prepositions depending on the context spoken of. Nouns followed by prepositions The following nouns usually take the preposition ‘for’ after them Affection

Ambition

Anxiety

Apology

Appetite

Aptitude

Blame

Candidate

Capacity

Compassion Compensation Contempt Craving

Desire

Fitness

Fondness

Guarantee

Leisure

Liking

Match

Motive

Need

Opportunity

Partiality

Passion

Pity

Predilection

Pretext

Relish

Remorse

Reputation

Surety

The following nouns usually take the preposition ‘with’ after them Acquaintance Alliance Bargain

Comparison

Conformity

Enmity

Intimacy

Relations

The following nouns take the preposition ‘of’ after them Abhorrence Assurance Charge

Distrust

Doubt

Experience

Failure

Observance

Proof

Result

Want The following nouns take the preposition ‘to’ after them Antipathy -

Approach

Assent

Attachment

Attention

Concession

Disgrace

Dislike

Encouragement Incentive Indifference

Invitation

The following sentences demonstrate the situations where the nouns are followed by ‘to’ Access – This the only access to the mountain range. Accession – After the death of the monarch, his eldest son was in line for accession to the throne. Allegiance – The allegiance of the people to particular brands is determined more by the advertisements than the quality of the product. Alternative – There is no alternative to diligence.

Antidote – The quickest antidote to vehicular pollution is to have stringent emission norms. Key – The key to the mystery lay with the protagonist in the story. Limit – There is no limit to creativity in the field of film direction. Menace – Increasing traffic is a menace to modern-day living. Obedience – Obedience to orders is the foremost dictum in the armed forces. Objection – Fervent objections to the camping trip led to its cancellation. Opposition – Despite severe opposition to the employment policy, the Government went ahead with it. Reference – With reference to our last conversation, we are ready for an agreement at this stage. Repugnance – My repugnance to cigarette smoke often prevents many of my friends to desist smoking in my presence. Resemblance – My resemblance to my brother is often the cause of terrible confusion. Sequel – Scarlett, the sequel to Gone With the Wind, was not half as exciting. Succession – In rapid succession to the previous policy, the company has launched another consumer satisfaction campaign Supplement – As a supplement to the regular academic activities, schools are offering a variety of choices by way of co-curricular activities Temptation – I had the temptation to indulge in some frivolous shopping.

The following nouns take the preposition ‘from’ after them Abstinence

Reprieve

Deliverance Descent Digression

Escape

Exemption

Inference

Respite

Adjectives and participles followed by prepositions The following adjectives and participle take the preposition ‘to’ after them Abhorrent

Accessible

Acceptable

Accustomed

Addicted

Adequate

Adjacent

Agreeable

Akin

Alien

Alive

Amenable

Analogous

Applicable

Appropriate

Beneficial

Callous

Common

Comparable

Condemned

Conducive

Congenial

Contrary

Creditable

Deaf

Derogatory Detrimental

Devoted

Disastrous

Due

Entitled

Equal

Essential

Exposed

Faithful

Foreign

Hostile

Incidental

Inclined

Indifferent

Indebted

Inimical

Insensible

Irrelevant

Hurtful

Favourable Immaterial

Impervious

Indigenous

Liable

Limited

Lost

Loyal

Material

Natural

Necessary

Obedient

Obliged

Offensive

Opposite

Painful

Partial

Peculiar

Pertinent

Pledged

Preferable

Prior

Prone

Reduced

Relevant

Related

Repugnant

Responsible Restricted

Sacred

Sensitive

Subject

Tantamount True

Suitable

The following adjectives and participle take the preposition ‘in’ after them Absorbed

Abstemious

Accomplished

Accurate

Assiduous

Backward

Bigoted

Correct

Defective

Deficient

Experienced Diligent

Enveloped

Fertile

Foiled

Honest

Implicated

Interested

Involved

Lax

Proficient

Temperate Versed

The following adjectives and participle take the preposition ‘with’ after them Acquainted Afflicted

Beset

Busy

Compatible

Complaint

Consistent

Contemporary Contented

Contrasted

Conversant

Convulsed

Delighted

Deluged

Disgusted

Drenched

Endowed

Fatigued

Fired

Gifted

Infatuated

Infected

Infested

Intimate

Overcome

Popular

Replete

Satiated

Satisfied

Touched

The following adjectives and participle take the preposition ‘of’ after them Accused

Acquitted

Afraid

Apprehensive Apprised

Assured

Aware

Bereft

Bought

Cautious

Certain

Characteristic

Composed

Confident

Conscious

Convicted

Convinced

Covetous

Defrauded

Deprived

Desirous

Devoid

Diffident

Distrustful

Dull

Easy

Envious

Fearful

Fond

Greedy

Guilty

Heedless

Ignorant

Informed

Innocent

Irrespective

Negligent

Proud

Regardless

Sanguine

Sensible

Sick

Slow

Subversive Sure

Suspicious

Tolerant

Vain

Void

Weary

Worthy

The following adjectives and participle take the preposition ‘for’ after them Anxious

Celebrated Conspicuous

Customary Designed

Destined

Eager

Eligible

Eminent

Fit

Good

Grateful

Notorious

Penitent

Prepared

Proper

Qualified

Ready

Sorry

Sufficient

Useful

Zealous

Verbs followed by prepositions The following verbs take the preposition ‘to’ after them Accede

Adapt

Adhere

Allot

Allude

Apologize

Appoint

Ascribe

Aspire

Assent

Attain

Attend

Attribute Belong

Conduce

Conform

Consent

Contribute

Lead

Listen

Object

Occur

Prefer

Pretend

Refer

Revert

Stoop

Submit

Succumb Surrender

Testify

Yield

The following verbs take the preposition ‘from’ after them Abstain

Alight

Derive

Derogate Refrain

Detract

Deviate

Differ

Digress

Dissent

Elicit

Emerge

Escape

Exclude

Preserve Prevent

Prohibit

Protect

Recover

Recoil

Debar

The following verbs take the preposition ‘with’ after them Associate Bear

Clash

Coincide

Comply

Condole

Cope

Correspond Credit

Disagree

Dispense

Fill

Grapple

Intrigue

Meddle

Part

Quarrel

Remonstrate

Side

Sympathize Trifle

The following verbs take the preposition ‘of’ after them Acquit

Beware

Boast

Complain

Despair

Die

Disapprove Dispose Divest

Dream

Heal

Judge

Repent

Taste

The following verbs take the preposition ‘for’ after them Atone

Canvass

Care

Clamor

Feel

Hope

Mourn Pine Start

Stipulate

Sue

Wish

Yearn

The following verbs take the preposition ‘in’ after them Acquiesce Dabble Delight Employ

Enlist

Excel

Fall

Glory

Increase

Indulge

Involve Persevere

Persist

The following verbs take the preposition ‘on’ after them Comment Decide

Deliberate

Depend

Determine Dwell

Embark

Encroach

Enlarge

Impose

Insist

Intrude

Resolve

Subsist

Trample

Illustrative sentences to highlight ‘idiom errors’ spotted on SAT 1. I prefer light rock over jazz as far as my choice of music is concerned. 2. On account of his age he was disqualified for competing in the marathon. 3. The habits of the new professor are no different than his predecessor’s. 4. The students have to comply to the rules established by the institution. 5. Our interaction with the company’s staff provided insight about the workers’ thought process. 6. We all agreed with the theme suggested by the party planners for Melinda’s birthday party. 7. The voters were very angry at the presidential candidate’s apathy towards a particular section of society. 8. Having left home for the first time in seventeen years, she felt truly independent from her parents for the first time. 9. Once the children join a boarding school, they are entrusted with the care of school authorities. 10. The cause of your anger does not make a very good cause of complaint. 11. The philanthropist parted from his material wealth and gave away all in charity. 12. The teacher was angry at the students for having turned up late for her class. 13.

He withdrew his entry in the contest at the last moment.

14. Easy access towards information has made it convenient for people to increase their general awareness of people and places. 15. The coach was entrusted with the responsibility of training the team for the entire season.

16. The power of tilting the case in favor of the accused rests on his alibi now. 17.

He has the reputation for being an able administrator.

18.

I prevailed upon him to choose respect over money.

19. He was a victim to circumstance, though it would also be correct to add that he fell prey to avarice. 20. Heavily impressed with the guest’s lecture, the teacher further impressed upon us the value of discipline. Answer Key 1. I prefer light rock to jazz as far as my choice of music is concerned. 2. On account of his age he was disqualified from competing in the marathon. 3. The habits of the new professor are no different from his predecessor’s. 4. The students have to comply with the rules established by the institution. 5. Our interaction with the company’s staff provided insight into the workers’ thought process. 6. We all agreed to the theme suggested by the party planners for Melinda’s birthday party. 7. The voters were very angry over the presidential candidate’s apathy towards a particular section of society. 8. Having left home for the first time in seventeen years, she felt truly independent of her parents for the first time. 9. Once the children join a boarding school, they are entrusted to the care of school authorities.

10. The cause of your anger does not make a very good cause for complaint. 11. The philanthropist parted with his material wealth and gave away all in charity. 12. The teacher was angry at the students for having turned up late for her class. (correct statement) 13.

He withdrew his entry from the contest at the last moment.

14. Easy access to information has made it convenient for people to increase their general awareness of people and places. 15. The coach was entrusted with the responsibility of training the team for the entire season. (correct statement) 16. The power of tilting the case in favor of the accused rests with his alibi now. 17.

He has the reputation of being an able administrator.

18. I prevailed upon him to choose respect over money. (correct statement) 19. He was a victim to circumstance, though it would also be correct to add that he fell prey to avarice. (correct statement) 20. Heavily impressed with the guest’s lecture, the teacher further impressed upon us the value of discipline. (correct statement)