Difference between revisions of "Verb+preposition errors"
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m |
m |
||
Line 24: | Line 24: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | | Aim at [*on / against] <ref name="ftn39">''At'' denotes direction toward; because ''at ''indicates direction or movement toward something, it means the object is not directly or fully affected, e.g.: throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at; shoot at. When the verb can take a direct object or ''at, ''the object in the Verb + DO construction is fully affected by the action, while Verb + ''at'' indicates an object that is not fully affected, e.g., shot a goose cf. shot at a goose. </ref> | + | | Aim at [*on / *to / against] <br> ''At'' indicates in the general direction toward something, and does not necessarily imply directly hitting a target. <ref name="ftn39">''At'' denotes direction toward; because ''at ''indicates direction or movement toward something, it means the object is not directly or fully affected, e.g.: throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at; shoot at. When the verb can take a direct object or ''at, ''the object in the Verb + DO construction is fully affected by the action, while Verb + ''at'' indicates an object that is not fully affected, e.g., shot a goose cf. shot at a goose. </ref> |
|<ul><li> She aimed at the target. | |<ul><li> She aimed at the target. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |All X (generic noun) [all ?of X, all X, all of the X] | + | |All X (generic noun) [all ?of X, all X, all of the X] <br> The phrase ‘all of the X’ has a more specific nuance – the speaker has particular items in mind |
|<ul><li> All the computers must be turned off when you leave the office. (generic statement; more specific: All the computers) | |<ul><li> All the computers must be turned off when you leave the office. (generic statement; more specific: All the computers) | ||
<li> All of the computers must be turned off when you leave the office. (more emphatic) | <li> All of the computers must be turned off when you leave the office. (more emphatic) | ||
Line 38: | Line 38: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Angry with / at [*against] For persons, ''with'' is somewhat more common. We get angry with/at a person but angry at a thing.Also ''annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with''. | + | |Angry with / at [*against] <br> For persons, ''with'' is somewhat more common. We get angry with/at a person but angry at a thing.Also ''annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with''. |
|<ul><li> The teacher was angry with / at him. | |<ul><li> The teacher was angry with / at him. | ||
<li> He was angry at the weather.<br/> | <li> He was angry at the weather.<br/> | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Arrived at [*to] Use'' arrive in'' with countries and large cities. | + | |Arrived at [*to] <br>Use'' arrive in'' with countries and large cities. |
|<ul><li> We arrived at the village at night. | |<ul><li> We arrived at the village at night. | ||
<li>Mr. Smith arrived in London. | <li>Mr. Smith arrived in London. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Ashamed of [*from] ‘ashamed of’ ≠ ‘shy’ ‘ashamed’ = feeling shame or guilt ‘shy’ = feeling nervous with someone | + | |Ashamed of [*from] <br> ‘ashamed of’ ≠ ‘shy’ ‘ashamed’ = feeling shame or guilt ‘shy’ = feeling nervous with someone |
|<ul><li> He is now ashamed of his conduct | |<ul><li> He is now ashamed of his conduct | ||
<li> ?I’m ashamed of / shamed of my teacher → I’m shy toward my teacher. | <li> ?I’m ashamed of / shamed of my teacher → I’m shy toward my teacher. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Believe in [*to] ‘to believe in’ = to put trust or faith in‘to believe’ (without in) = to regard something as true | + | |Believe in [*to] <br>‘to believe in’ = to put trust or faith in‘to believe’ (without in) = to regard something as true |
|<ul><li> We believe in hard work. | |<ul><li> We believe in hard work. | ||
<li>I believe everything he says. | <li>I believe everything he says. | ||
Line 62: | Line 62: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Boast of / about [*for] | + | |Boast of / about [*for] <br>(‘of’ is more literary, formal, or older style) |
|<ul><li> James boasted about / of his strength. | |<ul><li> James boasted about / of his strength. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Buy for / | + | |Buy for / at <br>For exact amounts and sums, ‘for’ is used; ‘at’ is used for weights or measures. |
|<ul><li> We bought a new server for $4000. | |<ul><li> We bought a new server for $4000. | ||
<li>The material can be synthesized for/at $10 per square meter. The non-synthetic form sells at $18 per square meter on the market. | <li>The material can be synthesized for/at $10 per square meter. The non-synthetic form sells at $18 per square meter on the market. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Careful of / with / about [*for] cf. ‘take care of’ | + | |Careful of / with / about [*for] <br>cf. ‘take care of’ |
|<ul><li> Elle is very careful about her health. | |<ul><li> Elle is very careful about her health. | ||
<li> You should be more careful with your money. | <li> You should be more careful with your money. | ||
Line 81: | Line 81: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Complain about [*for] For illnesses: ‘complain of’ | + | |Complain about [*for] <br>For illnesses: ‘complain of’ |
|<ul><li> Annette complained about the weather. | |<ul><li> Annette complained about the weather. | ||
<li> She complained of a sore throat. | <li> She complained of a sore throat. | ||
Line 90: | Line 90: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Congratulate on/for ''On ''refers to an occasion or event, while ''for'' refers more to the reason for congratulating someone. | + | |Congratulate on/for <br> ''On'' refers to an occasion or event, while ''for'' refers more to the reason for congratulating someone. |
|<ul><li> I congratulate you on the New Year. I congratulate you for your successful project. | |<ul><li> I congratulate you on the New Year. I congratulate you for your successful project. | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 102: | Line 102: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Covered with [?by] ‘covered with’ is for descriptions; ‘covered by’ refers to an act or result of covering | + | |Covered with [?by] <br> ‘covered with’ is for descriptions; ‘covered by’ refers to an act or result of covering |
|<ul><li> The mountains are covered with snow. | |<ul><li> The mountains are covered with snow. | ||
<li> The child was covered in snow. [i.e., was fully covered or enveloped in snow] | <li> The child was covered in snow. [i.e., was fully covered or enveloped in snow] | ||
Line 108: | Line 108: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Cure of [*from] The noun ‘cure’ takes ‘for’. | + | |Cure of [*from] <br> The noun ‘cure’ takes ‘for’. |
|<ul><li> The man was cured of his illness. | |<ul><li> The man was cured of his illness. | ||
<li> There’s no cure for that disease. | <li> There’s no cure for that disease. | ||
Line 117: | Line 117: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Die of an illness > die from an | + | |Die of an illness > die from an illness <br>The phrase ''die of'' is more common than ''die from X'' in contemporary English; the phrase ''die from X'' may put slightly more emphasis on X as an active cause. |
|<ul><li> Many people have died of malaria. | |<ul><li> Many people have died of malaria. | ||
<li> People die of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork, by violence, by the sword, by pestilence, in battle, for their country, for a cause, through neglect, on the scaffold, at the stake. | <li> People die of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork, by violence, by the sword, by pestilence, in battle, for their country, for a cause, through neglect, on the scaffold, at the stake. | ||
Line 126: | Line 126: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Disappointed by, about or at from[1] by/at/ about[2] with/ | + | |Disappointed by, about or at from <br>[1] by/at/ about[2] with/ in <br>Before a person we use ''with'' or ''in'', before a thing we use ''at'', ''about,'' ''by;'' and before a gerund we use ''at'' |
|<ul><li> Phillipa was disappointed by the low mark she got on the test. | |<ul><li> Phillipa was disappointed by the low mark she got on the test. | ||
<li> Jane was disappointed with/in her son. | <li> Jane was disappointed with/in her son. | ||
Line 132: | Line 132: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Divide into parts [*in] | + | |Divide into parts [*in] <br>A thing can also be divided in half or in two. |
|<ul><li> I divided the cake into four pieces. | |<ul><li> I divided the cake into four pieces. | ||
<li> Paul divided the apple in half (or in two) . | <li> Paul divided the apple in half (or in two) . | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Doubt: no doubt about / in [*for] Doubtful | + | |Doubt: no doubt about / in [*for] <br>Doubtful of <br>‘Doubt about’ may be more common that ‘doubt in’; the latter makes more of a contrast with ‘believe in.’ |
|<ul><li> I have no doubt in / about his ability. | |<ul><li> I have no doubt in / about his ability. | ||
<li> I’m doubtful of his ability to pass. | <li> I’m doubtful of his ability to pass. | ||
Line 147: | Line 147: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Exception to [*of] With the exception | + | |Exception to [*of] <br>With the exception of, Except for |
|<ul><li> This is an exception to the rules. | |<ul><li> This is an exception to the rules. | ||
<li>She like all her subjects with the exception of physics. | <li>She like all her subjects with the exception of physics. | ||
Line 153: | Line 153: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Exchange for [*by] In exchange for | + | |Exchange for [*by] <br> In exchange for |
|<ul><li> He exchanged his collection of match boxes for some foreign stamps. | |<ul><li> He exchanged his collection of match boxes for some foreign stamps. | ||
<li> He gave them his old car in exchange for a new one. | <li> He gave them his old car in exchange for a new one. | ||
Line 163: | Line 163: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Full of [*with / from] Fill with | + | |Full of [*with / from] <br>Fill with |
|<ul><li> The jar was full of oil. | |<ul><li> The jar was full of oil. | ||
<li> Jane filled the glass with water. | <li> Jane filled the glass with water. | ||
Line 172: | Line 172: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Glad about [*from/with] Or with an infinitive: glad to | + | |Glad about [*from/with] <br>Or with an infinitive: glad to |
|<ul><li> I was glad about receiving your letter. | |<ul><li> I was glad about receiving your letter. | ||
<li> I was glad to receive your letter. | <li> I was glad to receive your letter. | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Good at (in) Also: ‘bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at,’ etc.; but ‘weak in’ Note: “He is good in class” means that his conduct is good. | + | |Good at (in) <br>Also: ‘bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at,’ etc.; but ‘weak in’ <br>Note: “He is good in class” means that his conduct is good. |
|<ul><li> My sister is good (in math) / at math. | |<ul><li> My sister is good (in math) / at math. | ||
<li>He is weak in grammar. | <li>He is weak in grammar. | ||
Line 191: | Line 191: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Independent of [*from] Dependent on | + | |Independent of [*from] <br>Dependent on |
|<ul><li> Clare is independent of her parents. | |<ul><li> Clare is independent of her parents. | ||
<li>The student is overly dependent on his parents. | <li>The student is overly dependent on his parents. | ||
Line 200: | Line 200: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Influence on [*to] The verb takes a direct object with no preposition. | + | |Influence on [*to] <br>The verb takes a direct object with no preposition. |
|<ul><li> This has had a great influence on our thinking. | |<ul><li> This has had a great influence on our thinking. | ||
<li> This has greatly influenced our thinking. | <li> This has greatly influenced our thinking. | ||
Line 209: | Line 209: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Interested in [*for] Also: take an interest in | + | |Interested in [*for] <br>Also: take an interest in |
|<ul><li> She is not interested for in her work. | |<ul><li> She is not interested for in her work. | ||
<li> She takes a great interest in music. | <li> She takes a great interest in music. | ||
Line 227: | Line 227: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Look at [?to] <ref name="ftn40">‘Look to’ | + | |Look at [?to] <br>''Look at'' indicates watching or seeing, while ''look to'' is less common, and often means "see X as an example of something". <ref name="ftn40">‘Look to’ also has a more literary, meaning ‘behold, behold as an example, turn to.’ ''Also:'' gaze at, stare at, etc., but look after (= take care of) , look for (=try to find) , look over (=examine) , look into (=examine closely) , look on or upon (=consider) , look down on (=have a low opinion of) , look up to (=respect) , look out for (=expect) , look forward to (= expect with pleasure) , look to (= rely on) .</ref> |
|<ul><li> Look at his beautiful picture. | |<ul><li> Look at his beautiful picture. | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 251: | Line 251: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Spend on / | + | |Spend on / for <br>‘On’ indicates activity, and is more common; ‘for’ indicates the purpose, goal or object. |
|<ul><li> I spend a lot of time on editing. | |<ul><li> I spend a lot of time on editing. | ||
<li> I spend a lot of time on my freelance work. | <li> I spend a lot of time on my freelance work. | ||
Line 257: | Line 257: | ||
|- | |- | ||
| | | | ||
− | |Tie to (implies movement, goal, or change in position) <br | + | |Tie to (implies movement, goal, or change in position) <br>Tie on/onto (implies location) |
− | |<ul><li> The animal had to be tied to the table. (→ It was | + | |<ul><li> The animal had to be tied to the table. (→ It was trying to escape.) |
<li> The animal was tied to the table. (→ resting location) | <li> The animal was tied to the table. (→ resting location) | ||
|- | |- | ||
Line 268: | Line 268: | ||
|Warn (someone) of [>about] (a danger) | |Warn (someone) of [>about] (a danger) | ||
|<ul><li> Subjects must be warned of the potential for headaches from the experiment. | |<ul><li> Subjects must be warned of the potential for headaches from the experiment. | ||
− | |||
− | |||
|} | |} | ||
Latest revision as of 03:05, 1 September 2023
The following is a partial and incomplete list of common collocation errors that Asian ESL students tend to make in English, not only with prepositions, but also with related phrasal verbs. The expressions with asterisks [*] are awkward or incorrect terms used by ESL/EFL learners (English as a second/foreign language) . Expressions with the greater sign [>] indicate that one expression is preferred or more common, especially in more formal English.
No. | Phrasal verb [*common error] | Examples |
---|---|---|
Absorbed in (=very much interested) [*at] |
| |
Accused of [*for] cf. charge with |
| |
Accustomed to [*with] cf. used to |
| |
Afraid of [*from] |
| |
Aim at [*on / *to / against] At indicates in the general direction toward something, and does not necessarily imply directly hitting a target. [1] |
| |
All X (generic noun) [all ?of X, all X, all of the X] The phrase ‘all of the X’ has a more specific nuance – the speaker has particular items in mind |
| |
Anxious (troubled) about [*for] Anxious for = wishing very much |
| |
Angry with / at [*against] For persons, with is somewhat more common. We get angry with/at a person but angry at a thing.Also annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with. |
| |
Arrived at [*to] Use arrive in with countries and large cities. |
| |
Ashamed of [*from] ‘ashamed of’ ≠ ‘shy’ ‘ashamed’ = feeling shame or guilt ‘shy’ = feeling nervous with someone |
| |
Believe in [*to] ‘to believe in’ = to put trust or faith in‘to believe’ (without in) = to regard something as true |
| |
Besides / In addition to / [*Except] |
| |
Boast of / about [*for] (‘of’ is more literary, formal, or older style) |
| |
Buy for / at For exact amounts and sums, ‘for’ is used; ‘at’ is used for weights or measures. |
| |
Careful of / with / about [*for] cf. ‘take care of’ |
| |
Close to [*from] |
| |
Complain about [*for] For illnesses: ‘complain of’ |
| |
Composed of [*from] |
| |
Congratulate on/for On refers to an occasion or event, while for refers more to the reason for congratulating someone. |
| |
Consist of [*from] |
| |
Contact [*contact to] |
| |
Covered with [?by] ‘covered with’ is for descriptions; ‘covered by’ refers to an act or result of covering |
| |
Cure of [*from] The noun ‘cure’ takes ‘for’. |
| |
Deprive of [*from] |
| |
Die of an illness > die from an illness The phrase die of is more common than die from X in contemporary English; the phrase die from X may put slightly more emphasis on X as an active cause. |
| |
Different from [*than] |
| |
Disappointed by, about or at from [1] by/at/ about[2] with/ in Before a person we use with or in, before a thing we use at, about, by; and before a gerund we use at |
| |
Divide into parts [*in] A thing can also be divided in half or in two. |
| |
Doubt: no doubt about / in [*for] Doubtful of ‘Doubt about’ may be more common that ‘doubt in’; the latter makes more of a contrast with ‘believe in.’ |
| |
Dressed in [*with] |
| |
Exception to [*of] With the exception of, Except for |
| |
Exchange for [*by] In exchange for |
| |
Fail in [*from] |
| |
Full of [*with / from] Fill with |
| |
Get rid of [*from] |
| |
Glad about [*from/with] Or with an infinitive: glad to |
| |
Good at (in) Also: ‘bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at,’ etc.; but ‘weak in’ Note: “He is good in class” means that his conduct is good. |
| |
Guard against [*from] |
| |
Guilty of [*for] |
| |
Independent of [*from] Dependent on |
| |
Indifferent to [*for] |
| |
Influence on [*to] The verb takes a direct object with no preposition. |
| |
Insist on [*to] |
| |
Interested in [*for] Also: take an interest in |
| |
Jealous of [*from] |
| |
Leave for (a place) [*to] |
| |
Live on / off of [*from] Feed on |
| |
Look at [?to] Look at indicates watching or seeing, while look to is less common, and often means "see X as an example of something". [2] |
| |
In my opinion [*according to] |
| |
Panic about [*with] |
| |
Persist in [*with] |
| |
Room for [ > place for] |
| |
Related to [*with] |
| |
Spend on / for ‘On’ indicates activity, and is more common; ‘for’ indicates the purpose, goal or object. |
| |
Tie to (implies movement, goal, or change in position) Tie on/onto (implies location) |
| |
Travel by train [*with the train] (or other vehicle) [3] |
| |
Warn (someone) of [>about] (a danger) |
|
- ↑ At denotes direction toward; because at indicates direction or movement toward something, it means the object is not directly or fully affected, e.g.: throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at; shoot at. When the verb can take a direct object or at, the object in the Verb + DO construction is fully affected by the action, while Verb + at indicates an object that is not fully affected, e.g., shot a goose cf. shot at a goose.
- ↑ ‘Look to’ also has a more literary, meaning ‘behold, behold as an example, turn to.’ Also: gaze at, stare at, etc., but look after (= take care of) , look for (=try to find) , look over (=examine) , look into (=examine closely) , look on or upon (=consider) , look down on (=have a low opinion of) , look up to (=respect) , look out for (=expect) , look forward to (= expect with pleasure) , look to (= rely on) .
- ↑ We travel by train, by boat, by bike; also, by land, by sea, by air, by bus; in a bus or on a bus; by car or in a car, by taxi or in a taxi; on horse-back, on a donkey, on a bicycle; on foot.