Элементарно об английских предлогах и фразовых глаголах = English Prepositions and Phrasal Verbs Elementary. Пособие

complain to (someone) about/of (something)

The workers complained to the manager about the working conditions.

concentrate on comment on

Concentrate on the road when you’re driving.

He didn’t comment on this event.

consist of

We had a big meal. It consisted of seven courses.

crash into run into drive into bump into

When I was driving home, I almost crashed into a bus.

depend on

‘Are you going to the beach tomorrow?’ ‘It depends on the weather.’

die of

A lot of people are dying of AIDS.

dream about (while asleep)

I was dreaming about Sue when I suddenly woke up.

But: dream of (= imagine)

When I was younger, I dreamt of being a famous popsinger.

Also: dream of (= consider)

I wouldn’t dream of changing my job.

happen to someone/something

A strange thing happened to me the other day. What happened to that gold watch you used to have?

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hear about (= be told about)

Have you heard about Jimmy? He broke his leg in a skiing accident.

But: hear from (= receive news from)

We haven’t heard from Mike since he wrote to us last May.

Also: hear of (= know that someone/something exists) Have you heard of a disco called The Dance Factory?

insist on

He insisted on buying me a drink.

knock at/on

He knocked at (on) the door.

laugh at smile at

Who’s that girl smiling at you?

listen to

Would you like to listen to some music?

live on money/food

George’s salary is very low. It isn’t enough to live on.

look at (= use the eyes) Look at this photograph.

But: look for (= try to find)

Can you help me, please? I’m looking for West Street.

Also: look after (= take care of)

Could you look after the baby while I go out shopping?

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object to

I don’t object to a cup of coffee. recover from

He is still recovering from his operation. refer to

You may refer to your notes if you want. rely on

You can’t rely on the post. It’s always late. search for

I’ve been searching for my keys. shout at (eg when you are angry)

Don’t shout at me!

But: shout to someone (so that they can hear you)

He shouted to me from the other side of the street. smell of

His breath smelt of garlic. speak to talk to

I spoke to Sue this morning. succeed in

Has Tom succeeded in finding a job yet? suffer from

He suffers from asthma.

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taste of

The ice tasted of mint.

think about (= use the mind)

You look sad. What are you thinking about?

But: think of/about (= consider)

I’m thinking of/about changing my job.

Also: think of (= have as an opinion about)

‘What do you think of Sue?’ ‘She’s very nice.’

Also: think of (= bring to the mind)

I can’t think of any reason why the accident happened.

wait for

How long have you been waiting for the bus?

work at/on

He is working at/on a new invention.

write to

I’ll write to you soon.

Practice

1. Choose the correct word.

1. Do you believe in / for/ about God? 2. Lydia asked about / for / to our holiday. 3. You need to ask someone who knows of / about / with computers. 4. What I do next year depends on /of / to my

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marks. 5. I can’t stop thinking on / about / of the film. It was very disturbing. 6. She belongs to / with / in a sports club and goes there twice a week. 7. Dave was upset because everyone laughed at / about / for his new haircut . 8. We’re learning of / to / about the Hundred Years War at school this week. 9. Don’t argue at / with / about the teacher or you’ll get into trouble. 10. Look at my new shirt. What do you think about / of / on it?

2. Complete the sentence with about, on, to, for or at.

1. Don’t worry … the washing up. We’ll do it later. 2. You can’t rely … Rachel – she never arrives on time. 3. Listen … me or you won’t know what to do. 4. My mum has worked … the same company all her life. 5. In your answer you should refer … three different examples. 6. I waited … the bus but it didn’t come. 7. I don’t care … the result of the match because I don’t like football. 8. Jane was upset because Joe forgot … her birthday. 9. Everything will be okay if you apologize … the mistake. 10. James always complains … the food in the school canteen. 11. Jim paid … his holiday with the money he earned last summer. 12. Please look … me when I’m talking … you.

3.First match the words from list A to the words in list B. Then complete the sentences with the pairs of words.

A:consists looking concentrate recovered agree apply hear succeeded

B:of at from about in for on with

1. A CD ... consists of … plastic and aluminium. 2. Did you … the accident on the radio? 3. That man over there is … me in a strange way. 4. Beckham has … his injury very quickly. 5. I’d like to … a place at university. 6. It’s important to … the road when you’re driving. 7. He … getting a place at art school. 8. John thought the film was good but Mary didn’t … him.

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4. Complete the sentences with the correct prepositions.

1. When he gets angry, he always starts shouting ... everyone. 2. This car isn’t mine. It belongs ... Mike. 3. Selfish people only care ... themselves. 4. He complained ... the children ... the mess they’d made. 5. I won’t tell anyone what happened. You can rely

... me. 6. She apologized ... me ... losing her temper. 7. What are you looking ... ? 8. Mrs Woods suffers ... bronchitis. 9. My grandfather died ... old age. 10. We’re thinking ... going to the cinema. 11. Have you ever thought ... moving to another country? 12. I remember his face, but I can’t think ... his name. 13. ‘We went to the concert.’ ‘What did you think ... it?’ 14. ‘Do you know a disco called The Zap Club?’ ‘No, I’ve never heard ... it.’ 15. Excuse me. We’re looking ... the sports centre. Could you tell us how to get there? 16. Thank you for looking ... my mother while she was ill. 17. I don’t believe ... horoscopes. 18. She dreams ... being an actress one day. 19. I dreamt ... my grandmother last night. 20. She searched through her bag... a pen. 21. We’re depending ... you to help us. 22. The car went out of control and crashed ... the back of a bus. 23. I was worried and found it difficult to concentrate ...

my work. 24. A football team consists ... eleven players. 25. Do you belong ... a political party? 26. Please, let me borrow your camera. I promise I’ll take good care ... it. 27. She is very old. She needs someone to care ... her. 28. Whom (who) do you want to speak ... ? 29. What are you laughing ... ? 30. She smiled … him and he smiled back. 31. Ken is still unemployed. He has applied

... several jobs but he hasn’t had any luck yet. 32. We spent the evening listening ... records. 33. I’m not going out yet. I’m waiting ... the rain to stop. 34. Sorry. I haven’t wtitten ... you for such a long time. 35. She is a bit lonely. She needs someone to talk ... .

36. ‘I hear that you have bought a new house.’ ‘Yes, but I am not living in it yet. They are still working ... it and the work is taking longer than I expected.’ 37. I haven’t seen Harry for ages. I wonder what’s happened ... him. 38. ‘Have you heard ... Ann recently?’ ‘Yes, she wrote ... me last week.’ 39. I look stupid with this haircut. Everyone will laugh ... me. 40. No two teachers will agree ...

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everything. 41. I agree ... everything you’ve said. 42. Castle agreed

... a picnic. 43. We agreed ... this arrangement towards the end of 1996. 44. Small birds live mainly ... insects. 45. After a long time we eventually succeeded ... finding a flat. 46. John insisted ... driving me to the station. 47. He doesn’t approve ... my leaving school this year. 48. They congratulated us … winning the match. 49. This bread tastes … fish!

5.Ted is telling Sue about a terrible restaurant he went to. Use a preposition in each blank.

Just listen ... this. To begin with, I had to wait twenty minutes ...

the waitress. When I asked her ... the menu, she had to go and look

... it; there was only one, and something had happened ... it. Then, when I spoke ... her she didn’t listen ... me, so she brought some cheese which I didn’t want. I hadn’t asked ... it, but she wanted me to pay ... it! The restaurant belongs ... Tamara Lane, the TV cookery expert. I shall write ... her. The waitresses really should look ... the customers better.

6.Charles works in the personnel department of a large company. How does he spend the day? In each blank, use a preposition if necessary.

For much of the day, Charles listens ... people. They tell ... him ...

their problems or their ambitions. He answers ... their questions.

Sometimes they complain ... him ... their bosses. That’s diffi-

cult for Charles. He can’t reply easily ... a person who asks ...

him ... help about a bad boss. Charles says: ‘My work consists ...

listening a lot, saying a little, and smiling ... nearly everyone who

comes in!’

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7. Find a suitable ending in column 2 for each sentence.

Usually:

8. Fill in the blanks with the correct prepositions.

Tim is seventeen and at the moment he doesn’t care very much ...

anything except clothes. He’s only interested ... what is in fashion. He spends most of his money ... brightly coloured shirts and tight trousers. He is very proud ... them and most people comment

... them when they see him. He has no difficulty ... finding the clothes he wants because he works in a boutique. He thinks he has very good taste ... clothes, but his mother thinks he looks awful. ‘It’s all a question of taste,’ he says, ‘and there’s no arguing ...

tastes, is there?’

9. Translate into English.

1. He кричите на него. 2. Вы любите обедать в ресторанах? – Иногда. Это зависит от ресторана. 3. Я положил ручку на стол пять минут назад, а сейчас ее там нет. Что с ней случилось? 4. Он потерял ключ. Он ищет его. 5. Господин Браун и госпожа Браун сейчас на работе. Их приятельница присматривает за ребенком. 6. Он никогда не думает о

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других людях. 7. Не уходи. Подожди меня. 8. Я никогда не получаю писем. Никто мне не пишет. 9. Он думает купить новый автомобиль. 10. Она смотрит на часы. 11. Вы говорили с деканом об этом? 12. Я просмотрел газету, но я не читал ее внимательно. 13. Он работает над трудной проблемой. 14. Она и не мечтала о таком путешествии. 15. Во сне она видела своего нового друга. 16. Кому принадлежит этот компьютер? 17. Она всегда опаздывает, но она не придает этому значения (она не беспокоится об этом). 18. Тебе нравится этот мужчина? 19. Мне не нравится эта книга. 20. Он страдал от жары, когда был в Крыму. 21. Вы можете положиться на это. 22. Слушайте меня! 23. Она умерла от рака. 24. Не смейтесь надо мной! 25. Никто не обращал внимания на ребенка. 26. О чем ты мечтаешь? 27. Я не имею известий от брата с прошлого месяца. 28. О чем ты думаешь? 29. Самолет упал в море. 30. По дороге домой я случайно встретил старого друга. 31. Сколько комнат в вашей квартире? 32. Ты слышал о драке в клубе в субботу ночью? 33. Наконец мы договорились о дате проведения экскурсии. 34. Тебе нужен новый автомобиль. Ты согласен со мной? 35. Я дал согласие на их поездку в Крым. 36. Месяц он питался только фруктами и ягодами. 37. Он настаивает на своей невиновности. 38. Ему не удалось найти работу в Лондоне. 39. Он не одобряет мой план. 40. Это мыло имеет запах розы.

Verb + object + preposition

After some verbs we use an object followed by particular prepositions. For example, we say borrow something from someone. Here are some common examples of these verb + object + preposition combinations:

accuse someone of (doing) something

The police accused the man of murder.

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ask (someone) for something He asked me for a dictionary.

blame someone/something for something

Don’t blame me for what happened. It wasn’t my fault. But: blame something on someone/something

Don’t blame what happened on me. It wasn’t my fault. borrow something from someone

I borrowed some money from my mother. congratulate/compliment someone on (doing) something

We congratulated them on getting married.

He complimented her on her appearance.

divide/cut something into (two or more parts)

The book is divided into three parts.

Cut the meat into small pieces.

explain something to someone

I explained the problem to the police. invite someone to something

Mike has invited me to the cinema this evening. leave (a place) for (another place)

I haven’t seen her since she left home for work this morning.

point/aim something at someone/something

Don’t point that knife at me! It’s dangerous.

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