Verb+ preposition

on

. I'm going to read up ________ this. = I'm going to find more information about this. a) on b) into c) out

up

. You have to face ________ to ( = assume responsibility for) what you've done.

off

1. Do you think your gamble will pay _________? ( = result in profit/success) a)up b)off c)on

off

1. I can't believe they pulled that _________. = I can't believe they succeeded in doing that. a) off b) up c) on

up

10. My sister woke ________ at 6:00 AM this morning. a)up b)on c)off

down

2. Try to calm ________. = Try to relax. a) off b) down c) away

off

5. Microsoft laid ________ 500 employees. = 500 employees of Microsoft lost their job. a) up b) away c) off

on

7. Stop picking ________ him. = Stop harassing him. a) into b) on c) out

into

8. I ran ________ an old friend of mine on the way to work. a) on b) into c) out

along

8. My ex-boyfriend and I don't really get ________. ( = we don't like each other) a) along b) down c) around

down

8. The CEO played ________ ( = minimized the importance of) the drop in earnings. a) out b) off c) down

around

9. I finally got ________ to finishing my novel. = I finally found time to finish my novel. a) into b) around c) out

out

9. We've run ________ of ( = we have no more) pencils, but I have a pen you can borrow. a) on b) into c) out

to

Have you ever been _________ Greece? a)at b)on c)to

up

He said he'd be done by 9, but he ended ________ finishing after 11. a) up b) away c) in

along

He thinks she loves him, but she's only stringing him ________ ( = giving him false hope) a) along b) away c) out

on

Hold ________. = Wait. a) into b) on c) out

I Can't talk right now. I'm in a meeting. I can't talk right now. I'm at a meeting.

However, sometimes, you can use either preposition at or in with no difference in meaning:

off

It's not nice to show ________. ( = brag) a)up b)on c)off

This time, the sentences are definitely different, and you probably wouldn't use one of the prepositions! We were at Mike's apartment last night focuses on why you were there. Why were you there? You were visiting Mike, probably. Maybe you went over to Mike's for dinner, or something like that. We were in Mike's apartment last night focuses on his apartment as a place. This suggests that you were in the apartment, but Mike wasn't. So, what were you doing there? This is why you probably wouldn't say in Mike's apartment.

Let's see one more example like this: We were at Mike's apartment last night. We were in Mike's apartment last night. Can you tell the difference this time?

down

My car broke ________ yesterday, so I had to take the bus to work this morning. a) down b) up c) off

down

Please sit ________; I'll be with you in a second. a) up b) down c) out

up

The police officer wrote me _________ ( = gave me a ticket) for speeding.

away

The police tried to catch the thief, but he got ________. ( = escaped)

For example: I'm at the bank. I'm in the bank. Can you tell the difference? Now, these two sentences could have the same meaning. The two prepositions aren't necessarily different. However, they could be different. I'm in the bank focuses on the bank as a physical place. Maybe it started raining really hard, and you just ran into the bank so you wouldn't get wet. I'm at the bank focuses on the bank as a bank. If you say I'm at the bank, you have some banking to do there.

Then, sometimes both prepositions at and in are possible, but with slightly different meanings.

Are you still in bed? There's still some sauce in the fridge. He sat at the end of the table. What did you do at work today?

There are some places which can only be used with one preposition. For example:

off

They called ________ the event because of bad weather. a)up b)on c)off

off

They put ________ ( = postponed) their trip until December.

out

They worked something ________. = They came to some kind of agreement. a) along b) away c) out

though

Unfortunately, our plans fell ________. ( = were cancelled, didn't happen, etc.) a) for b) in c) through

She wasn't at the bus stop when the bus came. I'm waiting for you at the end of the road. We'll meet you at the subway exit. These verbs do not express movement. This sounds very similar to in. So, what's the difference? Think about it: the bus stop could just be a pole by the road with a sign on it. In this case, you can't be in the bus stop, right? There's nothing to be inside. Similarly, you say at the end of the road or at the subway exit because they're specific places, but you're not surrounded by anything. So, then why do we say things like: She's studying microbiology at university. I saw it at the cinema. We can get something to eat at the Why do we say at the cinema and not in the cinema? After all, the cinema is a place which surrounds you. It's because you use at to talk about why you go to a particular place. If you say: She's studying microbiology at university. You use the preposition at because you talk about what she's doing at university, and why she's there. She's there because she's a student. Similarly, if you say: I saw it at the cinema. What are you talking about? What is 'it'? I hope it's obvious that 'it' is a film! You say at the cinema because you're going to the cinema to watch a film. You're not focusing on the place as a place; you're focusing on why you go there. Let's look at another, slightly different example: Did you meet Anne at the party? Okay, what about party? That's not exactly a physical location. So, why do you use at? You can also use at for events. For example: He met his wife at a speed metal concert. There were so many people at the wedding. So, like in, you use at to describe where something is. Unlike in, use at to talk about specific places where you're not surrounded by anything. You can also use at when you want to focus on why you go to a place, rather than focusing on the place as a place. Finally, you can use at for events.

Use of at

You use in to describe being surrounded by walls or other things. The Empire State Building is in New York. They stayed in a small town in the south of England. My cousin lives in China. they describe states, without movement. Why's he standing in the corner like that? She was sleeping in the car on the way here. Do you prefer to study in your room or in the library? You use the preposition in for cities, countries and buildings which you are inside. These are direct, physical ways to use in. Can you think of other things which you can use after in? You can also use in in more indirect ways. For example: Is that you in the picture? She works in the finance department. I read about it in the newspaper. So, use in with verbs which don't express movement, like be, stay or live. And, use in with places or things which surround you.

Use of in

You use to after nouns (trip, holiday, invitation, way) and verbs ( drive, run, walk, come, go, send, take, move, etc. ) that express movement and before place. Exception : home .... go home. Not, go to home don't use to with the pronouns here or there. For example: Bring it to here >< Let's go to there and see what we can find.><

Use of to

out

Watch ________ for that broken bottle! = Be careful with that broken bottle! a)up b)out c)up

off

We saw Susan ________ last night. = We said goodbye to Susan last night. a)up b)off c)on

on

Which street did you park your car _________? a)at b)on c)in

away

You have to be careful with these merchants. They will rip you ________. ( = cheat you) a) up b) away c) off

up

You should look that word ________ in the dictionary. a)up b)on c)off