verbs followed by an infinitive or by a gerund. theory and exercises

7/25/2019 Verbs Followed by an Infinitive or by a Gerund. Theory and Exercises

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UNIT 11. INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS: CHANGE IN MEANING. THEORY AND EXERCISES 1

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:

ForgetI forget doing something = to forgetthat you have done something.

I will never forget going water rafting inAfrica.

Ill never forget meeting her for the first time.

I forget to do something = to forgetthat you need to do something.

I forgot to post that letter.Dont forget to meet her at 10 this

morning.

RememberI remember doing something = I did itand now I remember this.

You remember doing something afteryou have done it.

I know I locked the door. I clearly

remember locking it. (= I locked it, and

now I remember this)

He could remember driving along theroad just before the accident, but he

couldnt remember the accident itself.

I remember to do something = Iremembered that I had to do it, so I did it.

You remember to do something before you

do it.

I remembered to lock the door, but Iforgot to shut the windows. (= I

remembered that I had to lock it and so I

locked it.)

Please remember to post the letter. (=dont forget to post it.)

RegretI regret doing something = I did it andnow Im sorry about it .

I now regret saying what I said, I

shouldnt have said it. It began to get cold and he regretted notwearing his coat.

I regret to say/to tell/to inform you =Im sorry that I have to say .

We regret to inform you that we cannot

offer you the job.

Go onGo on doing something = continue withthe same thing.

The president paused for a moment and

then went on talking .

We need to change. We cant go onliving like this.

Go on to do something = do or saysomething new.

After discussing the economy, the

president then went on to talk about

foreign policy.


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TryTry doing something = do something asan experiment or test.

The photocopier doesnt seem to be

working. Try pressing the green button.I didnt like the way the furniture was

arranged, so I tried moving the table tothe other side of the room.

Try to do something = attempt to do,make an effort to do.

I was very tired. I tried to keep my eyes

open, but I couldnt. Please try to be quiet when you comehome. Everyone will be asleep.

NeedSomething needs doing = it needs to bedone.

The batteries in the radio need changing .

(= they need to be changed.)Dou you think my jacket needs cleaning ?(= needs to be cleaned)

Its a difficult problem. It needs thinking about very carefully. (= it needs to be

thought about)

Need to do something = it is necessaryfor me to do it.

I need to take more exercise.

He needs to work harder if he wants tomake progress.

I dont need to come to the meeting, do

I?

LikeLike doing something = I do it and Ienjoy it. Like usually takes an ing-form

when we use it to talk about hobbies and

interests.

Claire likes skiing .I dont like swimming much.

Like to do something = I think it is agood thing to do, but I dont necessarily

enjoy it. Like takes a to-infinitive when it

means that we prefer to do something

even though we may not enjoy it.

I like to check my work carefully before Ihand 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 sur e? 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.


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

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 thefire brigade.

14. Sue needed to borrow some money. She tried ___________ (ask) Gerry, but hewas 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 m iss 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 somewhereelse.


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VERBS FOLLOWED BY A PREPOSITION + A GERUND.

Verb + preposition TO:

Admit to / apologise to so mebody (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 itGeorge Orwells books have been translated into many languages.


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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.


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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.


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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 isIt depends on how much it is.


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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?


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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.


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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 himSue 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.


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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.


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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.


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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 / disappointedwith 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.


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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 stu pid 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.


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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 saidIm 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.


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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.


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FIXED EXPRESSIONS. Common phrases with prepositions.

AT BY FOR IN

at all timesat arms length

at daybreak

at dawn

at first

at first sight

at home

at least

at last

at once

at sea

at the age of

at the beginning*

at the bottom of

at breakfast

at the bus stop

at the corner

at the door

at the end*

at the moment

at the same time

at work

by accidentby air mail

by bus / train*

by chance

by cheque

day by day

by e-mail / fax / phone

by example

by far

by hand

by heart

by means of

by mistake

by myself

by no means

by sea / land / air

by sight

by telepathy

by the arm

by the rules

by the way

for a changefor a visit

for a walk

for a white

for ages

for better or worse

for breakfast

for ever

for fear of

for fun / pleasure

for good

for granted

for life

for luck

for my sake

for nothing

for now

for sale

for short

for the moment

for your birthday

in addition (to)in answer (to)

in a uniform

in a dress

in a group

in a hurry

in a loud voice

in cash

in conclusion

in control

in danger

in favour of

in future

in general

in German

in haste

in other words

in pairs

in the west

in time*

* 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)


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ON OUT OF TO

on a diet

on arrival

on averageon behalf of

on business

on condition that

on duty

on fire

on foot

on holiday

on horseback

on line

on my own

on no account

on purpose

on second thoughts

on strike

on the left/right

on the floor

on the one hand

on the other hand

on the phone

on the screen

on the whole

out of breath

out of control

out of dateout of danger

out of earshot

out of doors

out of fashion

out of favour

out of luck

out of money

out of order

out of pocket

out of practice

out of print

out of rearch

out of sight

out of the way

out of the woods

out of time

out of touch

out of tune

out of work

to my surprise

to some degree

to some extentto the point

to our amazement

to your advantage

to your health

UP

up and down

up as far asup the hill

up the spout

up till/until

up to date

up to you

FROM

from a to bfrom 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)


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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 ________ myprogress.

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 dayand 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 interestin g 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 thespace 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 a nd 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 spaceempty.

1. Im not going out yet. Im wai ting ________ 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. I m 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 spaceempty.

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 thespace 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.

verbs followed by an infinitive or by a gerund. theory and exercises

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