Prepositions, Infinitives, and Participles

to collapse

Infinitive: After Cindy sprinted to victory in the one-hundred-meter dash, she felt as if she were ready to collapse.

to sustain life

Infinitive: After sending unmanned rovers to Mars and discovering large amounts of underground ice, scientists are still debating whether the planet - with its dry surface, freezing temperatures, and thin atmosphere - is able to sustain life.

to eat

Infinitive: As Lila peered around the museum foyer, her eyes quickly darted to the most vibrant painting in the room. Admiring the still life, she exclaimed, "Wow, the apples in this painting look good enough to eat!"

to lay the groundwork for rebuilding their economies

Infinitive: Because so many roads, bridges, railways, and buildings had been destroyed during World War II, the nations of Europe and Asia undertook massive postwar infrastructure projects to lay the groundwork for rebuilding their economies.

to thresh

Infinitive: Buckwheat and spelt are two grains that can be difficult to thresh because the edible seeds are surrounded by tough outer hulls that are not easily removed.

to wear

Infinitive: Despite having more clothes than she could possibly need, Patty always complains that she has nothing to wear.

to compete in the Paralympic Games

Infinitive: Every four years, athletes from around the world with a range of physical disabilities gather to compete in the Paralympic Games, which has its roots in a 1948 sports competition in England for World War II veterans with spinal cord- related injuries.

to trace the projected image

Infinitive: Here's one method for painting a mural: trace an image onto an overhead transparency, project the transparency onto a wall, use chalk to trace the projected image, and then paint inside the chalk outline.

to cancel your magazine subscription

Infinitive: If at any time you would like to cancel your magazine subscription, simply call our customer care department at our toll-free number.

to moderate a general-election presidential debate

Infinitive: In 2012, the political correspondent Candy Crowley hosted the second debate between President Barrack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney; she was the first woman in twenty years to moderate a general-election presidential debate.

to become an airplane mechanic

Infinitive: In order to become an airplane mechanic, you need between one and three years of practical experience working with power plants or airframes, and you must pass several tests.

to ambush seals on the shore

Infinitive: Killer whales, or orcas, use a variety of techniques for hunting marine mammals and other prey; some may even beach themselves to ambush seals on the shore.

to waltz

Infinitive: M. Doyle first learned how to waltz on a trip to Austria. Since then he has become a highly skilled dancer, negotiating the dance's graceful, flowing movements and continuous turns with ease.

to taper off tomorrow

Infinitive: Meteorologists are predicting that the snow will begin to taper off tomorrow and that warm spring sunshine will return to our area by the end of the week.

to reduce personal debt

Infinitive: Ms. Hanson is a financial planner who offers strategies to reduce personal debt and provides investment and retirement counseling.

to prohibit the importation of slaves

Infinitive: On March 2, 1807, Congress passed new legislation to prohibit the importation of slaves. By this time, however, every single state except for South Carolina had already passed statewide laws banning the slave trade.

to rotate your tires regularly

Infinitive: One rule of car maintenance is to rotate your tires regularly; moving the tires to different locations around your car will ensure that they wear evenly.

to view them up close

Infinitive: The 2012 documentary film To the Arctic chronicles the lives of a mother polar bear and her cubs, giving the audience an extraordinary opportunity to view them up close, and drawing attention to some of the effects the changing climate has on wildlife.

to exceed expectations

Infinitive: The Ravens' new pitcher, who keeps hitters off balance with his devastating fastball and solid breaking ball, continues to exceed expectations.

to vary the menu regularly

Infinitive: The chef at the Silvergrove Grill likes to vary the menu regularly. She bases her dishes on the availability of seasonal ingredients, often adding to them her signature blend of herbs and spices.

to prevent loss of nutrients and buildup of pests in the soil

Infinitive: The purpose of crop rotation - the practice of changing the types of plants grown in a given area each year - is to prevent loss of nutrients and buildup of pests in the soil.

to provide a pair portrayal of the actress

Infinitive: To provide a fair portrayal of the actress, Wyatt, her biographer, interviewed scores of her family members, friends, costars, directors, and employees.

to scroll down the web page

Infinitive: To scroll down the web page, click on the scroll box and drag it down, or use the down-arrow key on the keyboard.

to advance in the playoffs

Infinitive: With that game-winning three-point shot, Dana's basketball team was able to advance in the playoffs.

paralyzing

Participle: Acrophobia - a paralyzing fear of heights - can trigger vertigo, a sensation of spinning or tilting in a stationary person.

quite convincing

Participle: Apparently you were quite convincing in the debate competition, since you managed to defeat the state champion!

slightly bent

Participle: Before you take your golf swing, think about your posture: standing with slightly bent knees may help maintain proper balance.

cascading down its steep cliffs

Participle: Buttermilk Falls State Park, which gets its name from the frothy water cascading down its steep cliffs, offers camping, hiking, and swimming in the beautiful Finger Lakes Region of New York State.

warped

Participle: Charles Addams was an American illustrator and cartoonist famous for his warped sense of humor, which was evident in the ghoulish cast of characters and creepily funny scenarios of his Addams Family cartoons.

shrinking

Participle: Comparing pictures of Jupiter from 1995 and 2014 highlights the planet's shrinking Great Red Spot, which became nearly three thousand miles smaller during that time.

shown together in an image

Participle: Complementary colors are colors that appear on opposite sides of the color wheel. Shown together in an image, they provide the greatest visual contrast.

trapped under Gulf beaches

Participle: Determining how much oil remains from the 2010 spill in the Gulf of Mexico is difficult, but scientists warn of large amounts of oil trapped under Gulf beaches.

sterilized

Participle: In the 1860s, Joseph Lister, an English surgeon, was an early proponent of using sterilized instruments in hospitals.

calculating

Participle: In the late 1800s, companies in the U.S. and Europe manufactured early calculating machines, which eased the workload of payroll clerks, engineers, scientists, and government workers.

breaking

Participle: Lila recommended a website that features breaking news and in-depth coverage of national and international politics.

fallen

Participle: On Memorial Day, participating in the National Moment of Remembrance is one way to honor the fallen heroes who served in the U.S. military.

standing

Participle: Runners in middle- and long-distance track events usually begin from a standing start, but sprinters, who need greater initial power for a short dash, typically use a crouch start.

spoken

Participle: Spoken word is a type of poetry that incorporates elements of storytelling, improvisation, free association, slang, rhyme, and word play.

withdrawn

Participle: Sue was quite a shy and withdrawn young woman when she started college, but now she enjoys meeting new people.

shaken

Participle: Two planes nearly collided on the runway at the airport; there were no injuries, but officials escorted the shaken passengers off the planes.

with genetically modified mosquitoes; of millions

Preposition: A British biotechnology firm is experimenting with genetically modified mosquitoes to combat dengue fever, a mosquito-borne illness that threatens the lives of millions.

of shimmering mirrors and silver wire; in the elegant hotel lobby

Preposition: A mobile composed of shimmering mirrors and silver wire swayed gently in the elegant hotel lobby.

after the one-lane bridge; to your left; beside the creek

Preposition: After the one-lane bridge, look to your left and take the narrow, unmarked trail that runs beside the creek.

in New York City subway stations; around the world; for his cartoonlike figures

Preposition: Artist Keith Haring began his career making chalk drawings in New York City subway stations and eventually became famous around the world for his cartoonlike figures.

with one partner; for life; according to a recent study

Preposition: Barn owls usually remain with one partner for life, but according to a recent study, some owl pairs will separate if they cannot breed.

into literary history

Preposition: Before Louisa May Alcott published Little Women, which would launch her into literary history, she published several works using the pseudonyms Flora Fairfield and A. M. Barnard.

to National Geographic magazine; of trip ideas

Preposition: Brianna loves to travel, so we bought her a subscription to National Geographic magazine, an excellent source of trip ideas.

of the Dead; across Latin America

Preposition: Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead, is a holiday that is celebrated widely across Latin America.

during the drought

Preposition: During the drought, the city mandated that residents follow specific guidelines to conserve water.

to his right; in almost two decades

Preposition: Emmet casually glanced to his right and was surprised to spot a childhood friend whom he hadn't seen in almost two decades.

at age twelve; in his father's dental practice

Preposition: Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg began his programming career at age twelve, when he created a messaging program he called "Zucknet," which was used in his father's dental practice.

for every ten thousand high school basketball players; in the NBA

Preposition: For every ten thousand high school basketball players, only one will have an opportunity to play in the NBA.

for nearly half a century; at an adult audience

Preposition: For nearly half a century, the British company Aardman Animations has used model animation to create unique movies aimed at an adult audience.

around Marvin's eyes; in his hands; to the pinata; with candy

Preposition: Francesca tied a blindfold around Marvin's eyes and placed the bat in his hands. Then, as everyone began to cheer wildly, she guided him to the pinata, which was nearly bursting with candy.

in Central America; with narrow coastal plains; with four countries

Preposition: Guatemala, a small nation in Central America, has mostly mountainous terrain, with narrow coastal plains. It shares borders with four countries: Mexico, Belize, El Salvador, and Honduras.

instead of coffee; by three-quarters

Preposition: If you're trying to reduce your caffeine intake, choose tea; drinking green tea instead of coffee can cut your caffeine consumption by three-quarters.

in 2014; in Australia; to a designated location; by parachute

Preposition: In 2014, a restaurant in Australia claimed to be the world's first "float-down" restaurant. Patrons would order online and then go to a designated location where their food would be delivered by parachute.

in Ko Phi Phi, Thailand; by local establishments; for tourists

Preposition: In Ko Phi Phi, Thailand, which some travelers consider paradise, dancers are hired by local establishments to perform fire shows for tourists.

in spite of the relentless rain; through the dense, insect-filled jungle; across countless rising creeks

Preposition: In spite of the relentless rain, they forged onward through the dense, insect-filled jungle and across countless rising creeks.

in this introductory harmonica class

Preposition: In this introductory harmonica class, you will learn useful breathing techniques. Previous experience is not required.

in the nation

Preposition: Many people presume that Kansas is the flattest state in the nation, but Florida is actually flatter.

in a rural Polish village; to New York City

Preposition: My grandmother was raised in a rural Polish village, so immigrating to New York City was a significant culture shock.

of Earth; in micrometers; with a microscope

Preposition: Scientists have created a 3-D map of Earth that is measured in micrometers and can be seen only with a microscope.

of sleep; due to homework, screen time, and early school start times

Preposition: Teens need approximately nine hours of sleep each night; however, most teens don't sleep nearly enough due to homework, screen time, and early school start times.

from physical activity; of heart disease

Preposition: The benefits arising from physical activity include a reduced risk of heart disease and improved mental health.

of Hood River; in Oregon; across from White Salmon, Washington; near many popular vacation destinations

Preposition: The quaint town of Hood River in Oregon is across from White Salmon, Washington, and is near many popular vacation destinations.

for a summer art class; from this list; of your preferred classes; on these dotted lines

Preposition: To register for a summer art class, first select your first, second, and third choices from this list, and then write the titles of your preferred classes on these dotted lines.

from reliable sources; in opposing articles

Preposition: To write a successful persuasive essay, you must understand your audience, provide compelling evidence from reliable sources, and address flaws in opposing arguments.

with his family's approval; on a major remodeling project; into a bright studio

Preposition: With his family's approval, Mr. Sweeney embarked on a major remodeling project. He turned their cavernous basement into a bright studio where he can pursue his hobby: designing and building wooden bird houses.

for millennia; in the United States; until the 1940s; to it

Preposition: Yogurt, which has existed for millennia, did not become truly popular in the United States until the 1940s, when the Dannon company added fruit to it.

participle

a form of a verb that can act as an adjective.

preposition

connect nouns by allowing writers to create complex sentences; show the relationship between nouns by modifying the noun that follows them

prepositional phrase

preposition + object

object

the noun that the preposition modifies

infinitive

to + a verb that functions as a noun, adjective, or adverb