In this English lesson we explain what Prepositional verbs are.
They are also known as verbs + preposition. They are very different to phrasal verbs.
Why are they different?
A prepositional verb has a grammatical preposition. This means that the preposition is there to introduce the direct object and is not there to alter the meaning of the main verb. In addition, a prepositional verb isinseparable.
Dialogue
1/English Sentence Practice
Everybody laughed at me when I said I was going to Spain for a quiet holiday.
The hotels were half empty and there was hardly anyone in the pool. We don’t have to deal with taxis.
We don’t have to worry about money.
Look we’ve found this Chiringuito with a three-course menu for the price of a bad takeaway in England.
The waiter seems not to be concentrating on his job. He hasn’t seen them.
He is not used to hurrying. It is better that way.
He came over to apologize for not seeing them. I am tired.
The Spanish have only just finished eating their lunch and the English are starting to come out for dinner.
What wine would you like? I prefer water to wine, grazie.
That’s Italian darling. In Spain, they say gracias.
You remind me of someone on the television, Rodney Trotter.
You’re right about that. I’m not sure I was meant to be multilingual.
You are not angry with me, are you?
No, I’m not keen on fried food. I think I will go for the salad as a starter.
They have given me the menu in German. I am a touch out of practice with German.
That was a nice meal.
All is well that ends well.
English Vocabulary
2/ Vocabulary Practice
- prepositions after verbs
- prepositional verb
- adjectives after nouns.
- Everybody
- laughed at me
- a quiet holiday.
- half empty
- hardly anyone
- in the pool
- to have to deal
- do not have to worry about
- a Chiringuito
- a three-course meal
- for the price of
- a takeaway
- the waiter
- seems not
- to be concentrating on
- job.
- He hasn’t seen us.
- to be used to
- hurrying.
- It is better that way.
- to come over
- to apologize
- to be a bit tired
- only just finished
- eating their lunch
- to start to come out
- for dinner.
- wine,
- grazie.
- darling.
- gracias.
- to remind someone of
- on the television
- Rodney Trotter.
- to be right about
- meant to be
- multilingual.
- to be angry with someone
- to be keen on
- fried food
- to go for
- a salad
- as a starter.
- in German.
- out of practice
- All is well that ends well.
English Grammar prepositional verbs
Verbs + preposition
What is a prepositional verb?
Prepositional verbs are also known as verbs + preposition. They are very different to phrasal verbs.
Why are they different?
A prepositional verb has a grammatical preposition. This means that the preposition is there to introduce the direct object and is not there to alter the meaning of the main verb. In addition, a prepositional verb isinseparable.
You can not say: What do you excel?
You need the preposition to understand the sentence.
What do you excel at?
or
What did you apologise for?
and so on.
So they are inseparable.
Finally, it is essential to learn the combinations. The combinations stem from common usage. There aren’t any clear rules that govern the use of prepositional verbs.
In some cases, a verb can work with several prepositions, one, two or three different prepositions and have the same meaning.
For example,
You can talk/speak about something
or,
You can talk/speak of something
The meaning is the similar.
The meaning is really identical in fact and others like FIGHT can be followed by different prepositions and give a completely different meaning to the sentence.
For example,
They fight against abuse.
We are therefore in a negative context
They fight against something
and
They fight for freedom.
This is a positive context
Then we have this verb here: “arrive”
which is also quite peculiar
“arrive at” or “arrive in”
Never “arrives TO”*
I travel to…
I walk to…
However, ARRIVE can not be followed by TO
when we’re talking about location
or changing location
you say: to arrive at the airport.
to arrive in London
Otherwise, I highlighted some tricky words here mainly because of its spelling this is commonly misspelled word.
to separate > it’s not an -E, it’s an -A
trust
We can say:
“You trust someone ∅”
But “trust someone with”
When you introduce an object you must use a preposition and and object
Here I’ve circled “OBJECT” because it is said “to Object” (accented on the last syllable)
and not “To OBject”* (accented on the first syllable)
“OBject” (accented on the first syllable) is a name
and “To ObJECT” (accented on the last syllable) is a verb.
These are also common mistakes
“TO DEPEND” works only “ON”
“It depends ON the weather”
And “LISTEN”
“What are you listening TO?”
“I Listened TO a radio program”
or “TV show”
Not “LISTEN SOMETHING” *
Do not forget that they are inseparable and that they need prepositions.
English Speaking Practise
Questions and Answers
Do the English eat later than the Spanish?
No, it is the other way round.
Do you like fried food?
Not very much as it is not very good for you.
What time of year do daffodils start to come out?
In early spring.
Was the restaurant full of people?
No, there was hardly anyone.
Do you worry about money?
Yes, I think most people do, to a degree.
Do you like wine?
It depends and only then, in moderation.
Does he remind you of someone?
Yes, he looks like George Clowney.
Were you meant to be here?
No, I was supposed to be in the next room.
Did you say you were angry?
No, I said I was hungry.
I don’t like to hurry my food, do you?
No, it gives me indigestion.
English Pronunciation
YYlet’s discover some consonant sounds together. ner, the air goes through your nose, not your mouth, keep your tongue touching the roof of your mouth as well as the size of your teeth this is a voiced sound so feel the vibration coming from your throat. ner, thing, Fang, sung, wing, hungry ,nothing, ring. Let’s repeat: ner, thing, Fang, sung, wing, hungry ,nothing, ring.
Now test time, how would you pronounce these words?
The answer is; angry, bank, uncle. That’s it for today see you soon.
Exercises Lesson 61
Comprehension Practice
Vocabulary Practice
Grammar Practice
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