Prepositional verbs

Verb + at

Verb + to

Verb + at/to

Explain/describe/apologise

• Look at/ have a look at / stare at/ glance at, etc.

Why are you looking at me like that?

• Laugh at/ smile at.

I look stupid with this haircut. Everybody will laugh at me.

• Aim at/ point at (smth.)/

shoot at/ fire (a gun) at.

Don’t point that knife at me. It’s dangerous. We saw some people with guns shooting at birds.

• Talk to/ speak to (with – less usual)

Who was that man you were talking to? Can I speak to Jane, please?

• Listen to

We spent the evening listening to music

• Write (a letter) to...

Sorry I haven’t written to you for such a long time.

• But phone/telephone smb.

Did you phone your father yesterday?

• Invite smb. to (a party, celebration, etc.)

They only invited a few people to their wedding.

• Shout at smb. (when you are angry)

She got very angry and started shouting at me.

• Shout to smb. (so that they can hear you)

She shouted to me from the other side of the street.

• Throw smth. at smb./smth (in order to hit them)

Somebody threw an egg at the minister.

• Throw smth to smb. (for smb. to catch)

Judy shouted’ Catch!’ and threw the keys to me from the window.

• Explain smth. to smb. Can you explain this word to me? Also explain to smb. that /what/how/why...

I explained to them what I wanted them to do.

• Describe to smb.

Let me describe to you what I saw.

• Apologise to smb. for smth.

He apoligised to me.

• Thank smb. for smth.

He thanked me for the present.

• Ask smb. for smth. He asked me for money. But He asked me a few questions.

Verb + about

Care about/for/take care of

Verb + for

Look for/look after

• Talk about/read about/tell smb. about/have a discussion about

We talked about a lot of things at the meeting.

• Discuss smth (no preposition)

We discussed at lot of things at the meeting.

• Do smth about smth. ( to improve a bad situation)

If you’re worried about the problem, you should do something about it.

• Care about smb/smth. (любить; беспокоиться)

He is very selfish. He doesn’t care about other people.

• Care what/where/how...

You can do what you like.

I don’t care what you do.

• Care for smb/smth.

1. Like smth:

Would you care for a cup of coffee? (=Would you like…) I don’t care for very hot weather. (= I don’t like).

2. look after smb.

Albert is 85 and lives alone. He needs someone to care for him.

• Take care of... (look after).

Have a nice holiday. Take care of yourself! (look after yourself)

• Ask (smb.) for.

I wrote to the company asking them for more information about the job. BUT I asked her a question. They asked me the ay to the station.

• Apply TO (a person, a company, etc.)

FOR (job, etc)

I think this job would suit you. Why don’t you apply for it.

• Wait for .../wait for smth to happen.

Don’t wait for me. I’ll join your later. I’m not going out yet. I’m waiting for the rain to stop.

• Search a person/ a place/ a bag, etc.

I’ve searched (the house) for my keys but I still can’t find them.

• Leave a place for (another place)

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

• Look for (=search for, try to find).

I’ve lost my keys. Can you help me to look for them?

• Look after (take care of)

Albert is 85 and lives alone. He needs somebody to look after him.

You can borrow this book if you promise to look after it.

• Dream about:

(видеть во сне)

I dreamt about you last night (when I was asleep)

• Dream of doing smth/being smth

I often dream of being rich. (мечтать, грезить)

Don’t tell anyone what I said. No, I wouldn’t dream of it (I would never do it)

• Hear about:

(be told about smth)

Did you hear about the fight in the club on Saturday night?

• Hear of:

(know that smb/smth exists)

Who is Tom Madley? – I’ve no idea. I’ve never heard of him.

• Hear from

(receive a letter or a phone call from somebody)

Have you heard from Jane recently?

• Think about (concentrate one’s mind)

You look serious. What are you thinking about?

• Think of (an idea comes to one’s mind)

What did you think of the film? – I didn’t think much of it. He told me his name but I can’t think of it now.

When I’m alone, I often think of/about you.

• Think of/about doing something:

My sister is thinking of/about going to Canada.

• Remind smb. about (tell smb. not to forget) :

I’m glad you reminded me about the meeting.

Remind smb. of

(cause smb. to remember):

This house reminds me of the one I lived in when I was a child.

• Complain to smb. about smth.

( say that you are not satisfied):

We complained to the manager about the food.

• Complain of a pain, an illness, etc.

( say that you have a pain etc)

We called the doctor because he complained of a pain in his stomach.

• Warn smb. of/about a danger, smth. which might happen:

Everybody has been warned of/about the dangers of smoking.

• Warn smb. about smb./smth which is dangerous, unusual:

Vicky warned us about the traffic.

I knew he was a strange person. I had been warned about him.

Verb + of

Verb + for

Verb + from

Verb + on

• Accuse/ suspect smb. of...

Sue accused me of being selfish.

• Approve of...

His parents don’t approve of what he does, but they can’t stop him.

• Die of (an illness)

What did he die of? A heart attack.

• Consist of...

We had an enormous meal. It consisted of seven courses.

• Pay (smb.) for...

I didn’t have enough money to pay(the waiter) for the meal.

BUT: pay the bill/ a fine/

a tax/ a fare/ rent/ a sum of money, etc.

I didn’t have enough money to pay my telephone bill.

• Thank/ forgive smb. for

I’ll never forgive them for what they did.

• Apologise (to smb.) for ... When I realised I was wrong, I apologised (to them) for my mistake.

• Blame smb/smth for... Everybody blamed me for the accident.

Also: smb. is to blame for... Everybody said I was to blame for the accident.

Also: blame smth. on... Everybody blamed the accident on me.

• Suffer from (an illness)

The number of people suffering from heart has increased.

• Protect smb. from / against...

Sun oil can protect the skin from the sun (against the sun).

• Depend on/ rely on...

What time will you arrive? I don’t know. It depends on the traffic.

You can rely on Jill She always keeps her promises.

You can use depend + when/where/how, etc. with or without on:

It depends how much it is/ it depends on how much it is.

• Live on (money/food)

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

• Congratulate (someone) on ... /compliment smb. on

I congratulated her on her success in the exam.

Verb + IN

Verb + INTO

Verb + WITH

Verb + TO

Verb +ON

• Believe in...

Do you believe in God? I believe in saying what I think.

• Specialise in ... Helen is a lawyer. She specialises in company law.

• Succeed in...

I hope you succeed in finding the job you want.

• Break into...

Our house was broken into a few days ago but nothing was stolen.

• Crash/ drive/bump/ run into...

He lost control of the car and crashed into a wall.

• Divide/ cut/split smth. into

(two or more parts)

The book is divided into three parts.

Cut the meat into small pieces before frying it.

• Translate (a book, etc) from one language into another:

George Orwell’s books have been translated into many languages.

• Collide with...

There was an accident this morning. A bus collided with a car.

• Fill smth with (but full of)...

Take the saucepan and fill it with water.

• Provide supply smb. with ...

The school provides all its students with books.

• Happen to...

What happened to that gold watch you used to have?

• Prefer one thing/person to another...

I prefer tea to coffee

• Concentrate on...

Don’t look out of the window. Concentrate on your work.

• Insist on...

I wanted to go alone but they insisted on coming with me.

• Spend money on...

How much money do you spend on food each week.