Prepositions are small words, but they carry a lot of weight in the English language. When paired with certain verbs, they can completely change the meaning of a sentence. Understanding the correct use of prepositions with verbs is crucial for language learners aiming to achieve fluency. This article will explore various verbs and the prepositions that commonly accompany them, providing examples and explanations to help you master their usage.
Verbs Commonly Paired with “At”
Some verbs are frequently paired with the preposition “at” to convey specific meanings. Here are a few examples:
1. **Look at**: To direct your gaze towards something.
– Example: “She looked at the painting for hours, admiring the details.”
2. **Laugh at**: To find something amusing.
– Example: “They laughed at his joke until their sides hurt.”
3. **Arrive at**: To reach a destination.
– Example: “We arrived at the airport just in time for our flight.”
4. **Point at**: To direct someone’s attention to something by indicating with your finger or another object.
– Example: “He pointed at the map to show us the route.”
5. **Shout at**: To yell in the direction of someone or something.
– Example: “The coach shouted at the players to motivate them.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “In”
The preposition “in” is often used with verbs to indicate being within a space, state, or condition. Here are some examples:
1. **Participate in**: To take part in an activity.
– Example: “She participated in the marathon last year.”
2. **Believe in**: To have faith in the existence or truth of something.
– Example: “He believes in the power of positive thinking.”
3. **Engage in**: To become involved in an activity.
– Example: “They engaged in a heated debate about politics.”
4. **Succeed in**: To achieve a desired result.
– Example: “She succeeded in her efforts to learn French.”
5. **Invest in**: To allocate money or resources for a future benefit.
– Example: “They decided to invest in real estate.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “On”
The preposition “on” is used with verbs to indicate a surface, a state of support, or dependence. Here are some verbs commonly paired with “on”:
1. **Depend on**: To rely on someone or something.
– Example: “Children depend on their parents for support.”
2. **Insist on**: To demand something forcefully.
– Example: “She insisted on speaking to the manager.”
3. **Focus on**: To concentrate attention or effort on something.
– Example: “He needs to focus on his studies more.”
4. **Rely on**: To trust or have confidence in someone or something.
– Example: “We rely on technology for many tasks.”
5. **Agree on**: To share the same opinion or come to a mutual decision.
– Example: “They agreed on the terms of the contract.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “To”
The preposition “to” is often used to indicate direction, purpose, or relation. Here are some examples:
1. **Listen to**: To pay attention to sound or speech.
– Example: “She likes to listen to classical music.”
2. **Belong to**: To be the property of someone.
– Example: “The car belongs to my uncle.”
3. **Refer to**: To mention or allude to something.
– Example: “In his speech, he referred to the recent events.”
4. **React to**: To respond to a stimulus or situation.
– Example: “How did she react to the news?”
5. **Contribute to**: To give in order to help achieve something.
– Example: “Everyone in the team contributed to the success of the project.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “For”
The preposition “for” is used to indicate purpose, reason, or duration. Here are some verbs that commonly use “for”:
1. **Look for**: To search for something.
– Example: “She is looking for her lost keys.”
2. **Wait for**: To stay in a place until an expected event happens.
– Example: “He is waiting for the bus.”
3. **Apologize for**: To express regret for something.
– Example: “She apologized for her mistake.”
4. **Pay for**: To give money in exchange for something.
– Example: “He paid for the groceries.”
5. **Prepare for**: To get ready for something.
– Example: “They are preparing for the upcoming exam.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “About”
“About” is used to indicate the subject of a conversation, thought, or concern. Here are some verbs commonly paired with “about”:
1. **Talk about**: To discuss something.
– Example: “They talked about their future plans.”
2. **Worry about**: To feel anxious or concerned about something.
– Example: “She worries about her children constantly.”
3. **Think about**: To consider or ponder something.
– Example: “He is thinking about changing his job.”
4. **Complain about**: To express dissatisfaction about something.
– Example: “They complained about the poor service at the restaurant.”
5. **Dream about**: To experience thoughts or images during sleep about something.
– Example: “She dreams about traveling the world.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “With”
The preposition “with” is used to indicate association, possession, or accompaniment. Here are some examples:
1. **Agree with**: To have the same opinion as someone.
– Example: “I agree with you on that point.”
2. **Argue with**: To have a disagreement or dispute with someone.
– Example: “He argued with his friend over the best route to take.”
3. **Deal with**: To handle or manage a situation or problem.
– Example: “She deals with customer complaints every day.”
4. **Cope with**: To manage or endure a difficult situation.
– Example: “He is trying to cope with the stress of his job.”
5. **Provide with**: To supply someone with something.
– Example: “The company provides its employees with health insurance.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “From”
The preposition “from” is used to indicate the source, origin, or starting point. Here are some verbs that commonly use “from”:
1. **Benefit from**: To gain an advantage from something.
– Example: “She benefited from the extra tutoring sessions.”
2. **Suffer from**: To experience pain or distress due to something.
– Example: “He suffers from chronic back pain.”
3. **Protect from**: To keep someone or something safe from harm.
– Example: “The umbrella protected them from the rain.”
4. **Recover from**: To return to a normal state after an illness or difficulty.
– Example: “She is recovering from a severe illness.”
5. **Prevent from**: To stop something from happening.
– Example: “Measures were taken to prevent the spread of the virus.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “Into”
The preposition “into” is used to indicate movement towards the interior of something or transformation. Here are some examples:
1. **Translate into**: To change words from one language to another.
– Example: “She translated the novel into Spanish.”
2. **Change into**: To transform or convert into something else.
– Example: “The caterpillar changed into a butterfly.”
3. **Look into**: To investigate or examine something.
– Example: “The detective is looking into the case.”
4. **Bump into**: To meet someone unexpectedly.
– Example: “I bumped into an old friend at the mall.”
5. **Divide into**: To separate something into parts.
– Example: “The teacher divided the class into groups.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “Over”
The preposition “over” is used to indicate movement across a surface or control. Here are some verbs commonly paired with “over”:
1. **Argue over**: To have a dispute about something.
– Example: “They argued over the best way to solve the problem.”
2. **Take over**: To assume control of something.
– Example: “She took over the project after the manager left.”
3. **Get over**: To recover from an illness or emotional setback.
– Example: “It took him a long time to get over the breakup.”
4. **Look over**: To examine or review something.
– Example: “She looked over the report before submitting it.”
5. **Watch over**: To protect or take care of someone or something.
– Example: “She watched over the children while their parents were away.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “By”
The preposition “by” is used to indicate the means or agent performing an action. Here are some examples:
1. **Abide by**: To follow or adhere to rules or regulations.
– Example: “They must abide by the terms of the contract.”
2. **Stand by**: To support or remain loyal to someone.
– Example: “She stood by her friend during tough times.”
3. **Pass by**: To go past something or someone.
– Example: “We passed by the old house on our way to the park.”
4. **Live by**: To follow certain principles or standards in life.
– Example: “He tries to live by his values.”
5. **Judge by**: To form an opinion based on certain criteria.
– Example: “You can’t judge a book by its cover.”
Verbs Commonly Paired with “Through”
The preposition “through” is used to indicate movement from one side to the other or completion. Here are some verbs commonly paired with “through”:
1. **Go through**: To experience or endure something.
– Example: “She went through a difficult time after the accident.”
2. **Look through**: To examine or review something quickly.
– Example: “He looked through the documents before the meeting.”
3. **Get through**: To successfully deal with or finish something.
– Example: “She got through her exams with high marks.”
4. **Pass through**: To move through a place or period.
– Example: “They passed through several towns on their journey.”
5. **Sift through**: To examine something carefully to find what is important.
– Example: “He sifted through the evidence to find the truth.”
Conclusion
Mastering the use of prepositions with certain verbs is an essential step in becoming proficient in English. These small words can significantly alter the meaning of a sentence, and using them correctly will make your communication clearer and more precise. Practice using these verbs with their respective prepositions in sentences, and pay attention to their usage in conversations and written texts. With time and practice, you’ll find that using prepositions with verbs will become second nature.
