Lesson 38

Prepositions
Definition: A preposition is a word or group of words used before a noun, pronoun, or noun
phrase to show direction, time, place, location, spatial relationships, or to introduce an
object.

There are 4 large groups of prepositions in English:

1. Prepositions of place

2. Prepositions of direction

3. Prepositions of time

4. Prepositions of reason

Prepositions of Place

above above the knee

below below the clouds

before before the museum

in front of in front of the monument

behind behind the river

under under the ground

over over the lake

between between the two rooms

among among the trees

by by the fire

beside beside the store

next to next to the box

close to close to the shop

inside Inside the cup

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outside outside the office

against against the windows

opposite opposite the building

round round the Earth

near near the house

at at the table

in in the city

on on the floor

Prepositions of Direction

to to the park

toward toward the city

back to back to school

into into the room

onto onto the ground

from from the country

away from away from the dog

far away far away from the station

up up the stairs

down down the hill

across across the forest

along along the route

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round round the playground

around around the world

out of out of the window

through through the tunnel

past past the wall

over over the bridge

off a mile off the road

Prepositions of Time

for for an hour

during during the night

since since childhood

by by the Friday

till till morning

until until Monday

from … to from 5 to 6

before the day before yesterday

after the day after tomorrow

over over the holidays

within within three days

up to up to present days

in in 2010

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at at 5 o’clock

on on October 9

past it is past 2

Prepositions of Reason

because of because of illness

in accordance with in accordance with instruction

on account of on account of the noise

thanks to thanks to my help

due to due to a technical problem

through through not knowing the way

from I guessed from her accent

of he died of a heart attack

for it is a present for my birthday

on behalf of on behalf of Lady Connie

Test: https://test-english.com/grammar-points/a1/at-in-on-prepositions-time/

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 Prepositional Adverbs

Sometimes, an adverb is also a preposition or a preposition is also an adverb.

Words that can function as prepositional adverbs include: about, above, across, after,
along, around, before, behind, below, between, beyond, by, down, in, inside, near,
on, opposite, out, outside, over, past, round, since, through, throughout, under, up,
within, and without.

Phrasal Verbs List

200 common phrasal verbs, with meanings and example sentences

Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

Brian asked Judy out to dinner

ask somebody out invite on a date
and a movie.

ask many
I asked around but nobody has
ask around people the same
seen my wallet.
question

Your purchases add up

add up to something equal
to $205.32.

You'll have to back up your car so

back something up reverse
that I can get out.

My wife backed me up over my

back somebody up support
decision to quit my job.

The racing car blew up after it

blow up explode
crashed into the fence.

We have to blow 50
blow something up add air
balloons up for the party.

stop functioning
Our car broke down at the side of
break down (vehicle,
the highway in the snowstorm.
machine)

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

The woman broke down when the

break down get upset police told her that her son had
died.

Our teacher broke the final

divide into
break something down project down into three separate
smaller parts
parts.

force entry to a Somebody broke in last night and

break in
building stole our stereo.

The firemen had to break into the

break into something enter forcibly
room to rescue the children.

wear something
I need to break these
a few times so
break something in shoes in before we run next
that it doesn't
week.
look/feel new

The TV station broke in to report

break in interrupt
the news of the president's death.

end a My boyfriend and I broke

break up
relationship up before I moved to America.

start laughing The kids just broke up as soon as

break up
(informal) the clown started talking.

The prisoners broke out of jail

break out escape
when the guards weren't looking.

develop a skin I broke out in a rash after our

break out in something
condition camping trip.

This sad music

bring somebody down make unhappy
is bringing me down.

My
bring somebody up raise a child grandparents brought me up after
my parents died.

start talking My mother walks out of the room

bring something up
about a subject when my father brings up sports.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

He drank so much that

bring something up vomit he brought his dinner up in the
toilet.

phone many We called around but we weren't

call around different able to find the car part we
places/people needed.

I called the company back but the

return a phone
call somebody back offices were closed for the
call
weekend.

Jason called the

call something off cancel wedding off because he wasn't in
love with his fiancé.

ask for an
The professor called on me for
call on somebody answer or
question 1.
opinion

We called on you last night but

call on somebody visit somebody
you weren't home.

Give me your phone number and I

call somebody up phone will call you up when we are in
town.

You are still mad. You need

relax after being
calm down to calm down before you drive
angry
the car.

not care for somebody/

not like (formal) I don't care for his behaviour.
something

get to the same You'll have to run faster than that

catch up point as if you want to catch up with
somebody else Marty.

arrive and
We will get the hotel keys when
check in register at a
we check in.
hotel or airport

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

You have to check out of the

check out leave a hotel
hotel before 11:00 AM.

check somebody/ look at carefully, The company checks out all new
something out investigate employees.

check out somebody/ look at Check out the crazy hair on that
something (informal) guy!

She cheered up when she heard

cheer up become happier
the good news.

I brought you some flowers

cheer somebody up make happier
to cheer you up.

If everyone chips in we can get

chip in help
the kitchen painted by noon.

Please clean up your bedroom

clean something up tidy, clean
before you go outside.

find I came across these old photos

come across something
unexpectedly when I was tidying the closet.

The top and bottom come apart if

come apart separate
you pull hard enough.

My nephew came down

come down with something become sick
with chicken pox this weekend.

volunteer for a
The woman came forward with
come forward task or to give
her husband's finger prints.
evidence

The art of origami comes

come from some place originate in
from Asia.

count on somebody / I am counting on you to make

rely on
something dinner while I am out.

draw a line Please cross out your old

cross something out
through address and write your new one.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

My doctor wants me to cut back

cut back on something consume less
on sweets and fatty foods.

make
We had to cut the old tree in our
cut something down something fall
yard down after the storm.
to the ground

Your father cut in while I was

cut in interrupt
dancing with your uncle.

pull in too
closely in front The bus driver got angry when
cut in
of another that car cut in.
vehicle

start operating
(of an engine or The air conditioner cuts in when
cut in
electrical the temperature gets to 22°C.
device)

remove with
The doctors cut off his leg
cut something off something
because it was severely injured.
sharp

The phone company cut off our

cut something off stop providing phone because we didn't pay the
bill.

My grandparents cut my
cut somebody off take out of a will
father off when he remarried.

remove part of
something
I cut this ad out of the
cut something out (usually with
newspaper.
scissors and
paper)

beat up, ransack He's lucky to be alive. His shop

do somebody/ something over
(BrE, informal) was done over by a street gang.

My teacher wants me to do my
do something over do again (AmE) essay over because she doesn't
like my topic.
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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

It's time to do away with all of

do away with something discard
these old tax records.

Do your coat up before you go

do something up fasten, close
outside. It's snowing!

wear nice It's a fancy restaurant so we have

dress up
clothing to dress up.

move back in a Andrea dropped back to third

drop back
position/group place when she fell off her bike.

come without I might drop in/by/over for tea

drop in/ by/ over
an appointment sometime this week.

take somebody/
something
I have to drop my sister off at
drop somebody/ something off somewhere and
work before I come over.
leave them/it
there

quit a class, I dropped out of Science because

drop out
school etc it was too difficult.

eat at a I don't feel like cooking tonight.

eat out
restaurant Let's eat out.

eventually We ended up renting a movie

end up
reach/do/decide instead of going to the theatre.

break into My new dress fell apart in the

fall apart
pieces washing machine.

fall to the The picture that you hung up last

fall down
ground night fell down this morning.

separate from The money must have fallen

fall out
an interior out of my pocket.

(of hair, teeth)

His hair started to fall out when
fall out become loose
he was only 35.
and unattached

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

I need to figure out how to fit the

understand, find
figure something out piano and the bookshelf in this
the answer
room.

to write
Please fill in the form with your
information in
fill something in name, address, and phone
blanks, as on a
number.
form (BrE)

to write
information in The form must be filled out in
fill something out
blanks, as on a capital letters.
form (AmE)

I always fill the water jug up when

fill something up fill to the top
it is empty.

We don't know where he lives.

find out discover
How can we find out?

We tried to keep the time of the

find something out discover party a secret, but
Samantha found it out.

communicate, I tried to get my

get something across/ over make point across/over to the judge
understandable but she wouldn't listen.

I was surprised how well my new

get along/on like each other girlfriend and my sister got
along/on.

My grandfather can get

get around have mobility around fine in his new
wheelchair.

We worked so hard this year that

get away go on a vacation
we had to get away for a week.

do without
Jason always gets away
get away with something being noticed or
with cheating in his maths tests.
punished

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

We got back from our vacation

get back return
last week.

receive
Liz finally got her Science
get something back something you
notes back from my room-mate.
had before

My sister got back at me for

retaliate, take
get back at somebody stealing her shoes. She stole my
revenge
favourite hat.

become
interested in I finally got back into my novel
get back into something
something and finished it.
again

step onto a We're going to freeze out here if

get on something
vehicle you don't let us get on the bus.

recover from an
I just got over the flu and now my
get over something illness, loss,
sister has it.
difficulty

The company will have to close if

overcome a
get over something it can't get over the new
problem
regulations.

finally find time

I don't know when I am going
to do (AmE: get
get round to something to get round to writing the thank
around
you cards.
to something)

meet (usually
Let's get together for a BBQ this
get together for social
weekend.
reasons)

I got up early today to study for

get up get out of bed
my exam.

You should get up and give the

get up stand
elderly man your seat.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

reveal hidden
information His wife gave him away to the
give somebody away
about police.
somebody

take the bride to My father gave me away at my

give somebody away
the altar wedding.

My little sister gave the surprise

give something away ruin a secret
party away by accident.

give something
The library was giving away old
give something away to somebody for
books on Friday.
free

I have to give these

return a
give something back skates back to Franz before his
borrowed item
hockey game.

reluctantly stop
My boyfriend didn't want to go to
give in fighting or
the ballet, but he finally gave in.
arguing

give to many They were giving out free

give something out people (usually perfume samples at the
at no cost) department store.

I am giving up smoking as of
give something up quit a habit
January 1st.

My maths homework was too

give up stop trying
difficult so I gave up.

follow My brother tried to go after the

go after somebody
somebody thief in his car.

try to achieve I went after my dream and now I

go after something
something am a published writer.

compete, We are going against the best

go against somebody
oppose soccer team in the city tonight.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

Please go ahead and eat before

go ahead start, proceed
the food gets cold.

I have to go back home and get

go back return to a place
my lunch.

leave home to
We're going out for dinner
go out go on a social
tonight.
event

Jesse has been going out

go out with somebody date with Luke since they met last
winter.

Please go over your answers

go over something review
before you submit your test.

I haven't seen Tina for a long

visit somebody
go over time. I think I'll go over for an
nearby
hour or two.

suffer lack or When I was young, we went

go without something
deprivation without winter boots.

stop being
My best friend and I grew
grow apart friends over
apart after she changed schools.
time

grow back regrow My roses grew back this summer.

This bike is too big for him now,

grow big
grow into something but he should grow into it by next
enough to fit
year.

Elizabeth needs a new pair of

grow out of something get too big for shoes because she has grown
out of her old ones.

become an When Jack grows up he wants to

grow up
adult be a fireman.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

give something
I handed my old comic
hand something down used to
books down to my little cousin.
somebody else

I have to hand in my essay by

hand something in submit
Friday.

to distribute to a We will hand out the invitations

hand something out
group of people at the door.

give (usually The police asked the man to hand

hand something over
unwillingly) over his wallet and his weapons.

stay positive Hang in there. I'm sure you'll find

hang in
(informal) a job very soon.

wait a short Hang on while I grab my coat and

hang on
time (informal) shoes!

spend time Instead of going to the party we

hang out relaxing are just going to hang out at my
(informal) place.

He didn't say goodbye before

hang up end a phone call
he hung up.

I had to hold my
hold somebody/ prevent from
dog back because there was a
something back doing/going
cat in the park.

Jamie held back his tears at his

hold something back hide an emotion
grandfather's funeral.

wait a short Please hold on while I transfer

hold on
time you to the Sales Department.

hold firmly
hold onto somebody/ Hold onto your hat because it's
using your
something very windy outside.
hands or arms

A man in a black mask held the

hold somebody/ something up rob
bank up this morning.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

Keep on stirring until the liquid

keep on doing something continue doing
comes to a boil.

We kept our relationship from our

keep something from somebody not tell
parents for two years.

stop from Try to keep the wet dog out of the

keep somebody/ something out
entering living room.

continue at the If you keep those results up you

keep something up
same rate will get into a great college.

fail to support or I need you to be on time.

let somebody down
help, disappoint Don't let me down this time.

Can you let the cat in before you

let somebody in allow to enter
go to school?

sign in (to a I can't log in to Facebook

log in (or on) website, because I've forgotten my
database etc) password.

sign out (of a

If you don't log off somebody
log out (or off) website,
could get into your account.
database etc)

look after somebody/ I have to look after my sick

take care of
something grandmother.

Ever since we stole that

think less of,
look down on somebody chocolate bar your dad
consider inferior
has looked down on me.

I'm looking for a red dress for the

look for somebody/ something try to find
wedding.

be excited about I'm looking forward to the

look forward to something
the future Christmas break.

We are going to look into the

look into something investigate
price of snowboards today.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

be careful,
Look out! That car's going to hit
look out vigilant, and
you!
take notice

look out for somebody/ be especially Don't forget to look out

something vigilant for for snakes on the hiking trail.

Can you look over my essay for

look something over check, examine
spelling mistakes?

search and find

information in a We can look her phone
look something up
reference book number up on the Internet.
or database

have a lot of My little sister has always looked

look up to somebody
respect for up to me.

invent, lie about Josie made up a story about why

make something up
something we were late.

forgive each We were angry last night, but

make up
other we made up at breakfast.

apply cosmetics My sisters made me up for my

make somebody up
to graduation party.

confuse two or I mixed up the twins' names

mix something up
more things again!

His uncle passed away last night

pass away die
after a long illness.

It was so hot in the church that

pass out faint
an elderly lady passed out.

give the same

The professor passed the
pass something out thing to many
textbooks out before class.
people

decline (usually
I passed up the job because I am
pass something up something
afraid of change.
good)

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

return owed Thanks for buying my ticket.

pay somebody back
money I'll pay you back on Friday.

be punished for
That bully will pay for being mean
pay for something doing
to my little brother.
something bad

I picked out three sweaters for

pick something out choose
you to try on.

indicate with I'll point my boyfriend out when

point somebody/ something out
your finger he runs by.

put what you You can put the

put something down are holding on a groceries down on the kitchen
surface or floor counter.

insult, make The students put the substitute

put somebody down somebody feel teacher down because his pants
stupid were too short.

We are putting off our trip until

put something off postpone January because of the
hurricane.

The neighbours put the

put something out extinguish fire out before the firemen
arrived.

I have to put the

put something together assemble crib together before the baby
arrives.

I don't think I can put up

put up with somebody/
tolerate with three small children in the
something
car.

put clothing/
Don't forget to put on your new
put something on accessories on
earrings for the party.
your body

meet I ran into an old school-friend at

run into somebody/ something
unexpectedly the mall.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

run over somebody/ something
drive a vehicle
I accidentally ran over your
over a person or
bicycle in the driveway.
thing

Let's run over/through these lines

run over/ through something rehearse, review
one more time before the show.

leave The child ran away from home

run away unexpectedly, and has been missing for three
escape days.

We ran out of shampoo so I had

run out have none left
to wash my hair with soap.

return (usually My letter got sent back to me

send something back
by mail) because I used the wrong stamp.

arrange, Our boss set a meeting up with

set something up
organize the president of the company.

The police set up the car thief by

set somebody up trick, trap
using a hidden camera.

I want to shop around a little

shop around compare prices
before I decide on these boots.

act extra special

for people
He always shows off on his
show off watching
skateboard
(usually
boastfully)

stay somewhere You should sleep over tonight if

sleep over for the night the weather is too bad to drive
(informal) home.

organize, We need to sort the

sort something out resolve a bills out before the first of the
problem month.

continue doing You will lose weight if you stick

stick to something
something, limit to the diet.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

yourself to one
particular thing

stop the energy The light's too bright. Could

switch something off
flow, turn off you switch it off.

start the energy We heard the news as soon as

switch something on
flow, turn on we switched on the car radio.

resemble a I take after my mother. We are

take after somebody
family member both impatient.

purposely break He took the car brakes apart and

take something apart
into pieces found the problem.

I have to take our new

take something back return an item
TV back because it doesn't work.

My plane takes off in five

take off start to fly
minutes.

remove
something Take off your socks and shoes
take something off
(usually and come in the lake!
clothing)

remove from a Can you take the garbage out to

take something out
place or thing the street for me?

pay for
somebody to go My grandparents took us out for
take somebody out
somewhere with dinner and a movie.
you

I tore up my ex-boyfriend's letters

tear something up rip into pieces
and gave them back to him.

remember
(often + to, When I think back on my youth, I
think back
sometimes + wish I had studied harder.
on)

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

I'll have to think this job

think something over consider offer over before I make my final
decision.

We threw our old

throw something away dispose of furniture away when we won the
lottery.

decrease the
volume or Please turn the TV down while
turn something down
strength (heat, the guests are here.
light etc)

I turned the job down because I

turn something down refuse
don't want to move.

Your mother wants you

stop the energy
turn something off to turn the TV off and come for
flow, switch off
dinner.

start the energy, It's too dark in here.

turn something on
switch on Let's turn some lights on.

increase the
volume or Can you turn the music up? This
turn something up
strength (heat, is my favourite song.
light etc)

Our cat turned up after we put

turn up appear suddenly posters up all over the
neighbourhood.

I'm going to try these jeans on,

try something on sample clothing
but I don't think they will fit.

I am going to try this new brand

try something out test
of detergent out.

The kids used all of the

use something up finish the supply toothpaste up so we need to buy
some more.

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 Phrasal verb Meaning Example sentence

We have to wake up early for

wake up stop sleeping
work on Monday.

increase the You can warm your feet up in

warm somebody/ something up
temperature front of the fireplace.

prepare body for I always warm up by doing sit-

warm up
exercise ups before I go for a run.

Most of my make-up wore

wear off fade away
off before I got to the party.

I work out at the gym three times

work out exercise
a week.

work out be successful Our plan worked out fine.

make a We have to work out the total

work something out
calculation cost before we buy the house.

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