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Important Points in English Language exams - 7
POINT NO.49: Certain words are used in gerund (first form of a verb followed by -ing) along with prepositions. For example abstain, confident, fond, insist, keen, persist, prohibit, refrain, succeed etc.
I prohibited him from parking his car near the entrance. (not to park)
She is confident of speaking English within six months. (not to speak)
I abstain from drinking on Tuesday. (not to drink)
He worked hard and succeeded In securing good marks. (not to secure)
POINT NO.50: Certain words are used in gerund without a preposition if followed by the first form of a verb. For example, avoid, enjoy, help, dislike, help, stop, remember etc.
He enjoys playing cards. (not to play)
Stop writing as the time is over. (not to stop)
I dislike playing with Rajan. (not to play)
Many people avoid drinking before their superiors, (not to drink)
POINT NO.51: Certain words are followed by different prepositions in different contexts. For example:
I agree with Mr Saxena.
1 agree to your proposal.
In the above example, the word agree is used with two different prepositions, with and to. Agree with is used for agreement with a person, whereas agree to is used for agreement to a plan, or proposal.
To change the preposition is to convey a different meaning from the one that the speaker intended or to convey no meaning at all.
A partial list of such words with their appropriate prepositions in different contexts is given below:
accompanied with anything having no life
accompanied by anything having life
agree with a person
agree to a proposal or plan
agree upon a point
agree on a course
adapted o a thing
adapted for a course, because of one�s nature
adapted from an author
angry at a thing
angry with a person
apply for a position or for something
apply to a person
compare with to bring out similar qualities
compare to without analyzing
confer an meaning to give to
confer with meaning to talk to
correspond to a thing, denoting similarity
correspond with meaning to write to
confide in meaning to put faith in
confide to meaning to commit to one�s keeping
dependent on a person
employed at a certain place or salary
employed for a purpose
employed in an organization
employed by a certain person
liable for debts
liable to authority
proceed to a place
proceed with a matter begun
wait at a place
wait for a person
wait on a customer
Important Words Followed by Suitable Prepositions
For selection of the preposition to be used with different words, carefully study the following list of import ant Words and the suitable prepositions to be used with them. This list will help you solve questions regarding
(a) filling in the correct preposition in the blanks.
(b) detection of wrong prepositions used in sentences given in, �Spotting Errors�.
(c) sentence completion questions.
Note: Prepositions are italicized
A
abstain from food
abide by a statement
abound with living things
accede to a request
accept of a favor
arbitrate between two parties
annoyed at a thing
annoyed with a person
account for a fact
accuse of a crime
acquit of blame
acquiesce in decision
adapt to circumstances
adhere to a plan
agree to a proposal
agree with a person
aim at a thing
alight from a carriage
answer to a person
answer for conduct
appeal to a person for a thing appeal against an order
approve of an action
ascribe to a cause
ask/or a thing
ask for. a person
aspire after worldly greatness assent to a proposal
assure a person of safety
avail oneself of a chance
admit to or into a secret
B
bear with a person
begin with the fact
believe in one�s truthfulness
belong to a person
bent on going
bequeath a thing to a person
be set with danger
bestow a thing on or upon a person
betray to the enemy
betray into his hands
beware of some danger
blame of an offence
blame a person/or something
blind to the danger
blush at the sight
blush/or one�s conduct
boast of one�s skill
borrow of or from a person
bring a thing to light
bring a thing under notice
brood over past things
burden someone with a load
burst into rage
buy a thing from a shop
C
charge a person with
cheat a person on/his due
coincide with something else
combat with difficulties
commit to memory
committed against the law
common to man and woman
comply with a request
compare something with another
compensate a person/or his loss
call upon or an a person
call at the office
call for punishment
catch at an opportunity
caution a person against
cease from quarrel(l)ing
compete with a person
compose of metal
conceal from others
concur with a person
concur in an opinion
condole with a person
conduce to health
confer favour on a person
confer with a person
confer about a thing confess to a fault
confide in a person
conform to a Point No. . or norm
conform with one�s views
congratulate a man an success
convive at others faults
consent to some proposal
consign to destruction
consist of material
consist in causes and insults
consult with a person
consult on or about something
contribute to a fund
copy from a book
coverage to a point
convict a person of a crime
cope with a person
correspond with a person (to write)
correspond to something
correspond about subject
count on a thing (depend)
count/or nothing
crave/or or after happiness
credit with good intentions
cure a man of a disease
D
dash against a wall
drawn on a person
defer to a man�s wishes
delight in poetry
Deliver from a danger
demur to a statement
depend on help
deprive a man of a thing
desist from an artempi
despair of success
differ with a person
differ on a subject
differ from anything
differ to opinions
digress from the topic
dilate on a subject
dip into a river
disagree with a person
disapprove of anything
dispense with a man�s service
dispose off property or something
discharge from service
disentomb an opinion
distinguish one thing from another
distinguish between Iwo things
divide between two, among many
divert a person from a path
divest someone of fear
draw money on banks
dominate over a subordinale
drive at some point
drop off a tree
dwell on some matter
E
elicit from a person
embark on boardship
embark in business
emergefmin the hiding place
employ in some work
encroach on others� right
endow a person with benefits marks upon a career
enter into one�s plans
entitle to a property
entrust a person with something
envy at others� success
escape from custody
excel in music
exchange my things with, your things
exclude from the class
excuse him from paying the rme
exempt from duty
expel from college
expostulate with a person
extricate from danger
F
fail in one�s purpose
fail of success
fall among rogues
fall in Love with someone
faIl into difficulties
fall in with a suggestion
fall from the height
fall on the rival
feed on milk
feed with milk
feel for the troubled
fight against or with a person
fight out the reason
finish with a progi-ainme
flown upon a person
fill with something
flirt with a person
fly into rage
furnish a person with a thing
furnish a thing to a person
G
gain on someone in competition
get at the truth
get on with a master
get out of debt
get to a journey�s end
glance at a sight
glance over some writing
grasp at a shadow
grapple with difficulties
grieve at or for an event
grumble at the change
guard against or from danger
guess at something
H
hanker after worldly pleasure
happen at a time
happen in a place
happen to a person
healed of a disease
hear of a news
hesitate at bribing
hint at the solution
hover over the rest
hush up a matter
I
impress an idea on a person
impress a person with an idea
increase in learning
indict a person for a crime
indulge in intoxicants
indulge himself with wine
inform a man of an event
inform a person about a thing
initiate a man into bribery
insinuate into one�s favour
insist upon going
inspire with patriotism
introduce with someone
introduce someone to someone
introduce into a place
intrude into your garden
invent in a factory
invest with power
invite to a party
involve a man in a crime
issue from the office
J
jest of sorrows
jeer at a person
join in work
join with a man
join to a thing
judge a person kv his word
jump at an offer (readily accept)
jump to a conclusion
K
keep from meeting
keep to a position
know of a secret
L
Lament for the dead
laugh at something
lay facts before someone
lay a person under obligation
level changes against someone
listen to complaints
live by labour
live on small wages
live for the family
live within one�s means
look after one�s health
lust after gold
M
make away with a thing
make out the meaning
marvel at one�s beauty
menace with punishment
merge into something larger
mourn for the dead
murmur at one�s fate
O
offend against traditions
operate on a patient
originate in a place or thing
overwhelm with goodness
P
part with a person
partake of some food
participate with the team
participate in the match
persist in the denial
pertain to the answer
point at an object
point to some result
possess oneself of the goodwill
prefer one thing to another
present him with a purse
preside a: a meeting
preside over a function
prevent from falling
pride oneself on something
prohibit him drinking wine
protect from loss
purge the mind of superstitions
Q
question on the subject
quake with fear
R
reconcile to misfortune
reconcile with an enemy
refrain from an action
rejoice at the success of another
remonstrate against a person
replete with wealth
result for a cause
result in consequence
S
search for something lost
search into a matter (to examine)
slur over a malta
smell of a fragrance
smile as a challenge
smile on a person
span of time
snap at a person
strip a person off his possession
subsist on a small incomc
succumb so hardship
sweep the dust off the surface
sympathize with a person
sympathize in his troubles
T
tamper with the tigure
testit3 to a fact
trade in thing
trade with a company
trespass against Point No. . s
trespass on a man�s time
trespass in a man�s premises
trifle wish a man�s feeling
triumph over difficulties
trust in a person
trust to his honesty
W/Y
wait a: a table
wait on a person (attend)
yield a pressure
yearn/or beauty
Problems In Articles
POINT NO. 52: As a general Point No. . the indefinite article a or an is used with nouns in singular number only; the definite article the is used with any number.
Whenever, a singular noun begins with the sound of vowels (a, e, i, o and u) the indefinite article an is used and if the word begins with a consonant sound the indefinite article a is used; as
an industry, an office, an idea, an article
but
a book, a copy, a table, a cupboard, a cycle
if the word begins with a consonant sounding like a vowel, the indefinite article an is used.
an NRI, an heir
However, if the word begins with a vowel sounding like a consonant, the indefinite article a is used; as a university, a European country
POINT NO.53: The indefinite article a or an is used before a singular noun which is countable as well as with a noun complement such as
A terrorist has been killed in an encounter.
A water pump is a must in houses in Rajasthan.
A cup of tea is refreshing after the day�s work.
Lala Lajpat Rai was a great freedom fighter.
POINT NO.54: An indefinite article a or an is necessary in expressions referring to numbers, speed, price and frequency such as
A kilogram of sugar
A dozen oranges
60 kilometer an hour
Three times a day
POINT NO.55: Sometimes the use of the indefinite article a before arid after certain a4jectives changes the very sense of the word with which it is used. For example, the use of a before the adjectives �few�, �little�, �slight�, etc. changes the very meaning expressed by these words. Few means nearly nothing but a few means some. Note the following illustrations:
I don�t have utility time to spare. (means no time)
He has a little time to spare. (means sometime can be spared)
Few persons attended the lecture. (in negative sense means no person)
A few persons attended the lecture. (indicates that at least some persons)
POINT NO.56: Nouns that are countable and singular usually take an article and nouns that are not countable do not take any article.
Water is essential for life. (article not used)
The water in the jug is not clean. (article the is used)
Gold is a precious metal. (article not used)
The gold in this ring is of poor quality. (article the is used)
Man is a social animal. (article not used)
He is the man who cheated me. (article she Is used)
Apples are good for health. (article not used)
The apples in our orchard are not yet ripe. (article the is used)
