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PrepositionsPhrasal Prepositions
A phrasal preposition is a simple preposition preceded by a word
from another category, such as an adverb, adjective, or conjunction.
Examples:
According to, Aside from, Next to, Ahead of, Because of, Out of,
Along with, But for, Prior to, Apart from, Contrary to, Thanks to,
As for, Except for, Up to, As to, Instead of
Remembering the right preposition combination is sometimes difficult.
If you refer to a dictionary, look up the word with which the preposition
is used.
For example:
When trying to find the meaning of bored with, you would look up
the word bored.
The following combinations can be troublesome. (see handout on phrasal
verbs for a more complete list with examples)
Wrong |
Revised |
| apologize about |
apologize for |
| bored of |
bored with |
| capable to |
capable of |
| concerned to, on |
concerned about, with |
| in search for |
in search of |
| independent |
independent of |
| interested about |
interested in |
| outlook of life |
outlook on life |
| puzzled on |
puzzled at, by |
| similar with |
similar to |
Note: Prepositions can be rather tricky. They especially can create
a lot of trouble for those students for whom English is a foreign
language.
There are thousands of idiomatic expressions where prepositions cause
some major difficulties and misunderstandings. It is a good idea to
become familiar with some of those that are more commonly used. Of
course, the best way to learn these is through practice and close
attention to speech and the written word. Another good resource to
always keep handy is a good dictionary.
Continue to Idiomatic Prepositions
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