prepositions

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Problem

Some prepositions are relatively easy to understand, especially the ones related to spatial relationships like location:

• The coffee pot is on the table by the door.

And direction:

• We came from the library. / We went to the store.

For further review of these tricky prepositions, see Purdue University’s Prepositions of Spatial Relationships.

In other cases, the meaning of prepositions is more conceptual, or even completely idiomatic. Adding to the difficulty is having to remember which prepositions must be used in combination with certain verbs. Confused writers often choose arbitrarily or omit them entirely, but using the wrong preposition can distort meaning and mark writing as non-native.

Solutions

LOOK FOR PATTERNS

Some prepositions express conceptual meanings that follow consistent patterns although they may be harder to recognize when unrelated to spatial relationships. For example, from can carry the idea of not doing something, while to has a positive sense of engagement, of doing something.

• The subjects were restricted from junk food.
  (They did not eat junk food.)
• The subjects were restricted to a low calorie diet. (They ate a low calorie diet.)
• Our lack of coordination kept us from finishing on time. (We did not finish.)
• We kept to our original plans. (We did what we had planned.)

Other examples of consistent patterns:

Look, gaze, glance, smile, stare ... at
Hope, look, wait, watch, wish ... for

INVESTIGATE THE VERB

Some prepositions are closely associated with certain verbs, so if you don't know which preposition to use, look up the verb in a dictionary, especially one written for non-native speakers such as the Longman Dictionary of American English or the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary. Also, remember that the meaning may change, depending on which preposition you choose. Example:

• Run into - We ran into him at the mall—what a surprise!
• Run out - We ran out of coffee. Can you buy more?
• Run up - We ran up a bill and didn’t have enough cash.

Into? Out? Up? To find out, look up run for a full list of idiomatic expressions.

REMEMBER “TO BE”

Some verb-preposition combinations must be used in the following pattern: be + past participle (-ed ending) + preposition. Examples:

• be accustomed to
• be comprised / composed of
• be distinguished / differentiated from
• be interested in
• The city council is concerned about rising crime rates.

CONSIDER ALTERNATIVES

In addition to choosing the correct preposition, keep in mind that most verb-preposition combinations are considered informal: they are used more often in conversation than in writing. Thus, an easy way to increase the academic formality of your writing is to choose one-word alternatives whenever possible. Examples:

Expectations and levels of formality can vary, however, so we recommend that you note the preferences in your field, especially when writing at the graduate level.

KEEP A LIST

There are so many verb-preposition combinations that it would be difficult to memorize them all. Try keeping an ongoing list of expressions used frequently in your field or that you have difficulty remembering. When corrections are made on your papers, add those examples of correct usage to your list, to help you avoid making the same mistake again.

For a complete list of verb-preposition combinations and phrasal verbs:

Azar, Betty Schrampfer. Understanding and Using English Grammar. 2nd ed. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 1989. A24-A28.

McKlin, Tom. “Complete List of Verb and Preposition Combinations.” English Grammar on the Web. 17 Dec. 2001. Georgia State University. 10 March 2005 <www2.gsu.edu/~wwwesl/egw/verbprep.htm>.

See also our online resources section on learning English grammar and usage.