Competitive
English
(For all
competitive exams - Central & State Government jobs)
Prepositions
Make you Perfect
part - 3
The uses of By
Near or beside
ü Our home is by the Rama temple.
ü Come and sit by me.
ü The telephone is by the window.
ü They entered by back door.
Before vehicles
ü She came by car.
ü I travelled by train.
In the sense of day or night.
ü He sleeps by day and works by night.
ü Don’t travel by night.
Measurements & units
ü Eggs are sold by dozen.
ü Cloth is sold by the meter.
ü He rent the car by three hours.
In the sense of birth, profession and
marriage.
ü She is an Indian by birth.
ü She is an Italian by marriage.
ü He is a politician by profession.
FOR
For someone or somebody to something.
ü This is a letter for you.
ü This is a surprise gift for you.
ü Please make a cup of coffee for me.
ü All these presents are for him.
In the sense of destination & time
ü Let us depart for home.
ü Let me attend for this marriage function.
ü This is the train for Hyderabad.
ü This is the bus for Tirupathi.
In the sense of representation
ü I am speaking for all the workers in this firm.
ü He is an MP for Srikakulam.
ü She is the President for Rotary club.
To express meaning
ü What is the B for in B. Sundaram.
ü What is the abbreviation for USA.
In the sense of getting
ü They searched for the treasure.
ü He has strong desire for good settlement.
ü There were thousand applications for the post
ü He is preparing for DSC examination.
To tell about distance
ü He walked for four kilometers every day.
ü From Tirupathi to srikakulam is for 900 kilometers.
To tell about time
ü He is going out of station for 10 days.
ü She loves me for ever.
ü He lived here for 5 years.
ü She worked as a trainer in English department for 18 years.
To tell about the price
ü I bought this saree for Rs. 100.
ü I bought this mobile for Rs.10, 000.
ü I pay rent to this building for Rs. 20,000 per month.
ü I contribute to Orphanage every month for Rs.5000
From
used to show the place where someone or
something starts
ü What time does the flight from Tirupati arrive?
ü The wind is coming from the north.
ü She sent me a postcard from Vizag.
ü He took a handkerchief from his pocket.
ü She took her hairbrush from her handbag and began to
brush her hair.
ü So did you really walk all the way from Sana Street?
ü I've just come from work.
ü She took a letter out from her bag.
ü She rang me from home.
ü He sent me a card from London.
used to show the time when something
starts or the time when it was made or first existed :
ü Drinks will be served from seven o'clock.
ü Most of the books in this room date from the 18th
century.
ü The museum is opened from 9.30 to 6.00 Tuesday to
Sunday.
ü I'll be at home from four o'clock onwards.
ü We'll be there from the beginning of March to the
end of May.
ü Most of the shops are open from 9 o'clock onwards.
used to show the distance between two
places:
ü It's about two kilometres from the airport to your
hotel.
ü We're about a mile from home.
ü My office is about 5km from here.
ü I have shops two minutes from my front door.
ü It's about half a kilometer from your hotel to the
town centre.
ü We're still over fifty miles from Cambridge.
used to show the origin of something or
someone:
ü "Where are you from?" "I'm from
Italy."
ü I wonder who, this card is from.
ü Could I speak to someone from the sales department?
ü The sales executive from Voda phone is here to see
you.
ü What sort of reaction did you get from him?
ü He's from Srikakulam.
ü I'm from Amadalavalasa originally.
ü I spoke to someone from the department of English in
Andhra University.
ü I thought she was from west Bengal.
ü Most of their furniture is from Italy.
used to show the material of which
something is made
ü The desk is made from teakwood.
ü These cakes are made from sugar and egg whites.
ü French law allows only wine made from grapes.
ü They sell clothes made from wool.
ü Even the shoe box is made from recycled paper.
ü They were the first British firm to start selling
fleecy jackets made from recycled polyester.
used to show the level at which a range
of things begins, such as numbers or prices
ü Prices start from rs.100.
ü Tickets will cost from Rs.52 to R.s 600.
ü Flights cost from $300 to $400.
ü The population has fallen from three million to just
under two and a half million in the last thirty years.
ü The number of people employed by the company has
risen from 25 to 200 in three years.
used to show a change in the state of
someone or something
ü Things went from bad to worse.
ü She has been promoted from deputy manager to senior
manager.
ü Since the success of her first play, she has gone
from strength to strength (= her success has continued to increase) .
ü She went from a size 18 to a size 12 in six months.
ü Pretty much overnight she went from being an office
worker to an international star.
ü She went from being an ordinary looking woman to
being a great sex symbol.
ü He was promoted from sales rep to area sales manager
within the space of eight months.
used to show the cause of something or
the reason why something happens :
ü He was rushed to hospital but died from his
injuries.
ü She made her money from investing in property.
ü You could tell she wasn't lying from the fear in her
voice.
ü Deaths from heart disease continue to rise every
year.
ü He was rushed to hospital suffering from severe
burns.
ü The number of deaths from road accidents continues
to rise.
ü She made a lot of money from property.
ü He made a fortune from sales of the book.
ü Wearing the correct type of clothing will reduce the
risk from radiation.
used to show the facts or opinions you
consider before making a judgment or decision :
ü Just from looking at the clouds, I would say it's
going to rain.
ü It's difficult to guess what they will conclude from
the evidence.
ü From her face this morning I'd say she's fairly
unhappy.
ü From what he said this morning I'd say there's
little hope.
ü From looking at these figures, I'd say we're in
trouble.
ü What did they deduce from the evidence?
ü Judging from last week's performance I don't think
they stand a chance.
used to show that someone has left a
place, or that something has been removed or taken away :
ü They were exiled from their homes during the war.
ü Her handbag was snatched from her in the street.
ü A refining process is used to extract usable fuel
from crude oil.
ü I've brought this in from home.
ü He took a knife from the drawer.
ü Her baby was taken from her.
ü We borrowed some money from my father.
ü Two from ten equals eight.
used to show a difference between two
people or things :
ü His opinion could hardly be more different from
mine.
ü University is very different from school.
ü She's very different from her brother.
ü In what ways is your jacket different from mine?
ü Somehow the experience was different from how I'd
imagined it.
ü Her attitude is very different from mine.
ü The two sisters are so similar that it's almost
impossible to tell one from the other.
used to show the position of something
in comparison with other things, or the point of view of someone when
considering a matter or problem :
ü She was talking from her own experience of the
problem.
ü From our point of view, we do not see how these
changes will be beneficial to the company.
ü You can see the school from our bedroom window.
ü I can see her back from where I sit.
ü The view from the top was outstanding.
ü From my point of view of course it would be
extremely advantageous.
ü From his perspective I dare say it sounds like a
good idea.
used to show what someone is being
protected against:
ü It gives you immunity from all three diseases.
ü This sort of clothing provides better protection
from the elements.
ü Those trees are better protected from the wind.
ü We tried to find shelter from the rain.
ü Vitamins are supposed to boost your immunity from
infections.
ü They found shelter from the storm under a large
Banyan tree.
used to show what someone is not allowed
to do or know, or what has been stopped happening :
ü He's been banned from driving for six months.
ü For many years, the truth was kept from the public.
ü The bank loan saved her company from bankruptcy.
ü My mother stopped me from going out.
ü It stops you from getting too drink.
ü It's preventing us from making progress.
ü He's been banned from the area.
ü It was a little secret that I kept from him all
those years .
IN
inside or towards the inside of a container,
place or area, or surrounded or closed off by something:
ü Put the milk back in the fridge when you've finished
with it.
ü Is Mark still in bed?
ü I got stuck in a traffic jam for half an hour.
ü They live in a charming old cottage.
ü How much is that coat on display in the window.
ü (= in the space behind the window of the shop) ?
ü I've got a pain in my back.
ü What's that in your hand?
ü I've got something in (= on the surface of) my eye.
ü They used to live in Paris, but now they're
somewhere in Austria.
ü He's always looking at himself in the mirror
ü (= at the image of his face produced by the mirror)
.
ü I never know what's going on in her head
ü (= what she's thinking about) .
ü I go to the cheapest hairdresser's in town.
ü "I can't find my keys." "Have another
check in your jacket pockets."
ü He is one of the top chefs in Andhra Pradesh.
ü She sat in the dentist's waiting room, nervously
chewing at her nails.
ü The chlorine in the pool makes my eyes sore.
Into something
ü Come on, we're late - get in the car.
ü Put it in the cupboard.
ü They threw him in the swimming pool.
Forming a part of something:
ü He used to be the lead singer in a rock 'n' roll
band.
ü There are too many spelling mistakes in this essay.
ü I've been waiting in this queue for ages.
ü What do you look for in a relationship?
ü I can see a future champion in Dumdi.
ü (= I think that Dumdi might become a champion) .
ü Talent like hers is rare in someone so young.
ü He sings in the church choir.
ü After years of chasing her dreams, she finally got a
part in a film.
ü Centre all the headings in this document.
ü The camera work in some of these animal
documentaries is fantastic.
During part or all of a period of time
ü We're going to Italy in April.
ü Some trees lose their leaves in (the) autumn.
ü I started working here in 1991.
ü Bye, see you in the morning (= tomorrow morning) .
ü She was a brilliant gymnast in her youth (= when she was young) .
ü Life in the 19th century was very different from
what it is now.
ü How many soldiers died in the Cargill War?
ü This is the first cigarette I've had in three years.
ü I haven't had a decent night's sleep in years/ages (= for a long time) .
ü The bathroom gets chilly in the winter.
ü I don't think we should expand our business in the
current economic climate.
ü Our costs have climbed rapidly in the last few
years.
ü Spain was admitted to the European Community in
1986.
Needing or using no more time than a
particular amount of time :
ü Can you finish the job in two weeks?
ü She could get that essay done in a couple of hours
if she really tried.
ü They completed the journey in record time (= faster
than ever done before) .
ü I can run a mile in 5 minutes.
ü There's no way I can type up this whole report in
one morning!
ü He explained the whole system in about 30 seconds -
he doesn't waste words, does he?
ü I didn't think they would get all the bedrooms
redecorated in just one day.
ü My letter arrived in two days, Mum said.
Note:
within
Inside or not further than an area
or period of time
ü She managed to complete her last film well within
budget.
ü The target was now within range and so she took aim
and fired.
ü For orders within the UK, please enclose £2.50 for
post and packing.
ü Within hours of the tragedy happening, an emergency
rescue team had been assembled.
ü The tickets should reach you within the week (=
before the end of this week) .
ü He could sense that his goal was within reach. (= it
could be reached) .
ü I was acting within the law (= legally) .
ü We came within five points of beating them
ü (= We would have beaten them if we had had five more
points)
ü She's very good at keeping the peace within the
family.
ü If we plan carefully, we should be able to stay within
our budget.
ü The electricity company guarantees connection within
24 hours.
Before or at the end of a particular
period:
ü Dinner will be ready in ten minutes.
ü We'll all be dead in a hundred years so there's no
point worrying about it.
ü I'm just setting off, so I should be with you in
half an hour.
ü We've got two clear weeks in which to finish the
decorating.
ü Jim's car has clocked (up) 40 000 miles in less than
two years.
ü Anyone who's late for work three times in one week
gets a written warning from the boss.
ü He managed to pay off his debts in two years.
ü I'll be seeing Pat in a few days/in a few days'
time.
Experiencing a situation or condition,
or feeling an emotion:
ü We watched in horror as they pulled the bodies from
the wreckage.
ü He's living in luxury in the south of France.
ü She left in a bit of a hurry.
ü You're in great danger.
ü Could I have a word with you in private?
ü Have you ever been in love?
ü Your car's in very good condition, considering how
old it is.
ü He drove so fast that I really felt my life was in
danger.
ü Although I support the project in public, my private
opinion is that it will fail.
ü They clung together in terror as the screams grew
louder.
Expressed or written in a particular way
:
ü Cheques should be written in ink.
ü She usually paints in watercolour.
ü They spoke in Russian the whole time.
ü He always talks in a whisper.
ü The document is written in plain English.
ü All the lectures were in French.
ü Please write your name in block capitals.
ü He made his views known in no uncertain terms.
ü The leaflet is available in a variety of languages.
Used when referring to something that is
done as a result of something else :
ü I'd like to do something for you in return /
exchange for everything you've done for me.
ü He refused to say anything in reply to the
journalists' questions.
ü It is illegal for public officials to solicit gifts
or money in exchange for favours.
ü Management have granted a 10% pay rise in response
to union pressure.
ü In reply to their questions, she just shrugged.
Used to show how things or people are
arranged or divided:
ü We all sat down in a circle.
ü The desks were arranged in rows of ten.
ü Discounts are available to people travelling in
large groups.
ü Cut the potatoes in two.
ü Kim's birthday cake was in the shape of a train.
ü Luckily, help arrived in the shape of a police
officer.
ü The events came in quick succession.
ü The replies came back in ones and twos.
ü Sometimes customers buy books in twos and threes,
but rarely in larger quantities than that.
ü People are dying in their thousands from typhoid,
cold and starvation.
Used when referring approximately to
someone's age or the weather temperature
ü He's probably in his late twenties.
ü The temperature is expected to be in the twenties
tomorrow.
ü Her career only began to pick up when she was in her
forties.
ü My dad's in his fifties.
ü Nowadays many women are in their late thirties when
they have their first child.
Involved or connected with a particular
subject or activity :
ü I never knew you were in publishing.
ü a degree in philosophy
ü advances in medical science
ü The troops receive training in a number of different
types of warfare.
ü She has a degree in French from Manchester
University.
ü Changes in atmospheric pressure are producing these
strange weather conditions.
ü There has been a lot of research done in that
particular field.
Wearing
ü Do you recognize that man in the grey suit?
ü You look nice in green (= green clothes) .
ü You look strange in that outfit.
ü You'll be too hot in that jacket.
ü The children were dressed in identical uniforms.
ü The photograph showed local people in national costume.
Used to show which characteristic or
part of a person or thing is being described:
ü Are the two bags equal in weight?
ü She's deaf in her left ear.
ü In some ways, I preferred the old version.
ü In terms of value for money, it's a good deal.
ü The two teams are evenly matched in ability.
ü The bag was green in colour.
ü What's the difference in cost between the two cars?
INTO
Towards the inside or middle of
something and about to be contained, surrounded or closed off by it:
ü Shall we go into the garden?
ü Stop running around and get into bed!
ü They climbed into the truck and drove away.
ü The door opened and a nurse came into the room.
ü Crack three eggs into a bowl and mix them together.
ü He took off his clothes and got into the bath.
ü I can't get into these trousers anymore. They're far
too small for me.
ü Would you put the jar back into the cupboard for me,
please?
Used to show when a person or thing is
changing from one form or condition to another:
ü Peel the cucumber and chop it into small cubes.
ü Her novels have been translated into nineteen
languages.
ü We're planning to turn the smallest bedroom into an
office.
ü Could we convert the small bedroom into a second
bathroom?
ü Over time, their acquaintance developed into a
lasting friendship.
ü Heavy rainfall turned the river into a rushing
torrent.
ü There was a series of explosions and the van burst
into flames (= started to burn violently) .
Used to show movement which involves
something touching something else with a lot of force but without moving inside
it:
ü The plane crashed into a mountainside.
ü A stone was digging into my heel.
ü She bumped into his tray, knocking the food onto his
lap.
ü The car skidded and went out of control, crashing
into an oncoming truck.
In the direction of something or someone
:
ü She was looking straight into his eyes.
ü The bull tossed him up into the air.
ü There was an accident on the main road into town.
ü She shone the torch into the dark room.
ü Throw it into the corner.
Involving or about something :
ü She's researching into possible cures for AIDS.
ü Several social workers have looked into the child's
case.
ü Inquiry into the matter is pointless - no one will
tell you anything.
ü They are doing some fascinating research into the
language of dolphins.
OF
used to show belonging or origin:
ü a friend of mine
ü the president of the United States
ü employees of the company
ü the color of his hair
ü a habit of mine
ü that revolting dog of hers
ü the love of a good woman
ü the complete poems of (= written by) Santoshkumar
ü Those seats are reserved for senior members of the
club.
ü He was elected Member of Parliament
ü What's the name of that plant?
used after words or phrases expressing
amount, number:
ü a kilo of apples
ü loads of food
ü hundreds of people
ü most of them
ü none of them
ü both of us
ü a third of all people
ü a speck of dust
ü a drop of rain
ü Do all of us agree on the matter?
ü Some of the players are not performing as well as
they could.
ü I bought her a bunch of flowers for her birthday.
ü She failed the exam because she got two of the
questions wrong.
containing :
ü a bag of sweets
ü a bottle of beer
ü a book of short stories
ü a class of idiots
ü I'll have a cup of coffee please.
ü He gave two bags of old clothes to the charity shop.
ü She smokes two packets of cigarettes a day.
ü He dropped a jar of peanut butter onto the floor.
ü The family looked through an album of old
photographs.
used in expressions showing position:
ü the top of his head
ü the back of your dress
ü on the corner of the street
ü the front of the queue
ü He hit the ball over the top of the trees.
ü He built a shed at the bottom of the garden.
ü The accident left him with a scar on the side of his
face.
ü Use the index in the back of the book.
ü They have recently painted the front of the house
yellow.
typical or characteristic of :
ü She has the face of an angel.
ü That man's got the brain of a donkey!
ü He's got the mental age of a three-year-old.
ü That was a stroke of genius.
ü She has all the attributes of a great player.
ü He has the patience of a saint.
ü She plays the piano with the skill of a
professional.
used to refer to a particular date in a
month
ü the eleventh of March
ü the first of the month
ü My birthday's on the fifth of July.
ü Today is the first of April.
ü Employees get paid on the last day of each month.
ü The book is published on the tenth of September.
ü My contract expires on the twentieth of November.
made or consisting of; having
ü dresses of lace and silk
ü plates of gold and silver
ü a land of ice and snow
ü a woman of great charm
ü a subject of very little interest
ü The barman made a cocktail of vodka and fruit
juices.
ü He wore a coat of many colours.
ü A feeling of great sadness came over him.
used to connect particular adjectives
and verbs with nouns :
ü fond of swimming
ü sick of his excuses
ü frightened of spiders
ü I'm bored of this game.
ü Paul is scared of heights.
ü He's very sure of himself.
ü He was wary of dogs since he was bitten as a child.
ü I'm tired of your complaining.
Used after an adjective when judging
someone's behaviour :
ü It was careless of him to leave the door open.
ü It was sweet of her to tidy up afterwards.
ü It was reckless of her not to take precautions.
ü It was very heroic of him to dive into the cold
water.
ü They agreed that it was naughty of him not to have
asked permission.
through; having as the cause :
ü He died of cancer.
ü He later died of his wounds.
ü I'm tired of teaching. I'm going to look for a new
job.
ü You did that out of spite.
ü He acted out of respect for his parents.
used when comparing related things
ü Best of all I liked the green one.
ü Worst of all was the food!
ü He's the best looking of the three brothers.
ü I think that of all his films it's my favourite.
ü Of all the places we visited, New Zealand was the
most amazing.
ü The Eiffel Tower is the most famous of all Paris's
landmarks.
ü In my opinion, it's the best of all the novels he's
written.
ü The blue whale is the largest of all the animals.
OFF
Down or away from a place or position,
especially the present place, position or time :
ü There was a 'Keep off the grass' sign.
ü All the berries had dropped off the tree.
ü He fell off his bike.
ü I hope she knows where to get off (= leave) the
bus/train.
ü We're not far off (= We are quite near) London now.
ü I've gone off seafood after I was sick the last time
I had it.
ü She's much better now, and she's off the medication.
ü I'm going off Richard. He's so arrogant these days!
ü I went off meat after I saw that documentary.
ü How far off finishing the project are we (= How much
more is there to do) ?
ü We've been working on the flat for six months now
but we're still a long way off finishing .
used with actions in which something is
removed or removes itself from another thing:
ü Get off me (= Stop touching me) !
ü I don't like taking money off you (= asking you for
money) !
ü I can't get the lid off this jar.
ü Has anyone taken a book off my desk?
ü Could you cut me a small piece off that big white
cheese?
ü Take your feet off that seat, young man!
ü I got the knife off of him before he ran away.
Not liking or taking something or
someone:
ü He's been off his food ever
since he had the stomach upset.
ü She's well enough to be
off the medicine now.
ü The doctor says he can
come off the tablets.
ü She's been off drugs for
a year now.
ü I used to love wine but
I've gone off it (= stopped liking it) recently.
Near to:
ü He lives just off the main road.
ü It's an island off the east coast of Spain.
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