Grammar for advanced learners: Dependent prepositions

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1. - My parents disapproved of that my brother left school at sixteen. GRAMMAR FOR ADVANVED LEARNERS - My parents disapproved of the fact that my brother left school at sixteen. 5. We do not use 'if' after prepositions, we use 'whether': DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS - I'm afraid I wasn't aware of if she was watehing tne or not. - I'm afraid I wasn't aware of whether she was watching me or not. In English there are many words which are used with particular prepositions. Because the choice of preposition depends on the word and meaning, the prepositions we use are VERB + PREPOSITION PATTERNS called dependent prepositions. For example, we accuse someone of a crime, we don't accuse orneone at a crime, by a-crime or for a crirne. 1. Some verbs combine with a preposition either to create a new meaning or to link a There are many verbs which combine with particular prepositions. Some of these are verb with an object. These verbs are called prepositional verbs. 'prepositional verbs' (e.g. quarrel with someone). Other verbs follow different patterns - They decided to look into the problem. (= to investigate it) (e.g. accuse someone of a crime). There are also many nouns and adjectives which are - Tim complained about the bill. followed by particular prepositions. - She apologised for her outburst. Some prepositional verbs also use an extra preposition before an indirect object, e.g. to GENERAL RULES the manager. Most of these are reporting verbs: 1. Prepositions after verbs, nouns and adjectives always have an object. The object can - Tim complained to the manager about the bill. be a noun, pronoun or verb. - She apologised to the committee for her outburst. - I apologised to my boss / her / the managing director. (the objects are nouns) 2. We use object + preposition + -ing form after particular verbs to link the verb with - I apologised for arriving late.(the object is a verb-ING) the person it affects and the action which is connected to it. Note that 'to' can be a preposition. - The police accused her of stealing. 2. If the object of a preposition is a verb, it must be an -ing form: - His sense of duty prevented him from leaving. - She sueeeeded in win the race. =>She succeeded in winning the race. These verbs can be made passive: * The -ing form can have its own subject. This is a noun phrase or an object pronoun: - She was accused of stealing (by the police). - I'm looking forward to my wife returning. (wife is the subject of returning.) - He was prevented from leaving (by his sense of duty). - Dad insisted on us apologising. (us is the subject of apologising.) 3. We can use direct object + preposition + indirect object after particular verbs to link In formal English we can use possessives rather than nouns or pronouns. the verb with two objects: - The judge granted bail as she felt there was no risk of the defendant's absconding. - The tour guide discussed the day's schedule with us. - The detective insisted on our leaving the crime scene. - Henry explained it to me very slowly. 3. Many adjectives describing feelings and emotions can be followed by a preposition With some verbs we can change the order of the objects, but in this case different or prepositions are used: to + infinitive. - I blame our schools for the poor standard of education. (= blame somebody for - We were annoyed at finding our places taken. He's keen on learning archery. something) - We were annoyed to find our places taken. He's keen to learn archery. - I blame the poor standard of education on our schools. (= blame something on Some verbs can also be followed by either a preposition or to + infinitive, but there may somebody) be a change of meaning: - The King of Sweden presented the physicist with the Nobel prize. (= present - They don't agree with the government's policy. (= They have a different opinion.) somebody with something) - I agreed to help him fill out the forms. (= I said that I was willing to ) - The King of Sweden presented the Nobel prize to the phgsicist. (= present something 4. Many of the words which describe what we say, think or feel are followed by a to somebody) preposition + -ing form. Some of these words can also be followed by a that clause. - The judge insisted on the jurg disregarding the doctor's testimong. These verbs can be made passive. But only the direct object (the one which - The judge insisted that the jurg disregard,the doctor's testimong. immediately follows the active verb) can become the subject of the passive verb:  But prepositions cannot be followed by a that clause except with the expression ‘the - My teacher explained it to me. - I was explained it by my teaeher. => It was explained to me (by my teacher). fact that’: Thẩm Tâm Vy, July 5th, 2019 GRAMMAR NOTES FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS – DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
2. Unlike some verbs used with two objects (e.g. give), with the above verbs we cannot  made by (+ the person/company/process which produced it) omit the preposition: made for (+ its purpose) - He gave it to me. He gave me it. made from (+ original material which has been transformed) - He explained rne it. - He expleiaed it me. => He explained it to me. made of (+ original material which is still visible) - He diseassed us it. - He discussed it us. => He discussed it with us. WORD LIST: DEPENDENT PREPOSITION PATTERNS NOUN + PREPOSITION Prepositional verb + object + preposition + object 1. Where a noun is related to a prepositional verb, the noun often takes the same agree about sth with sb preposition , agree with sb about / over sth - He succeeded in winning the Palme d'Or. (= to succeed in something) apologise to sb for sth - We congratulated him on his success in winning the Palme d'Or. (= a success in complain about sth to sb something) complain to sb about sth 2. But some nouns followed by a preposition are related to verbs which do not take a depend on sb / sth for sth Preposition. disagree with sb about / over sth - The members had a discussion about the subscription charges. (= a discussion about quarrel with sb about / over sth something) rely on sb / sth for sth - We discussed the subscription charges. (= to discuss something) - We diseussed about the subseription charges. Verb + direct object + preposition + indirect object Here are examples of other verbs / nouns like this: (* These verbs can also follow the pattern: * to demand something/ a demand for something verb + direct object + preposition + -ing form.) * to fear something / a fear of something accuse sb of sth* The preposition is usually followed by an -ing form or noun. But there are some noun + acquit sb of sth preposition forms which can only be followed by a noun. advise sb against sth* - The court issued a demand for repaying of the debt. advise sb of sth => The court issued a demand for repayment of the debt. aim sth at sb arrest sb for sth* ADJECTIVE/PARTICIPLE + PREPOSITION beat sb at sth* 1. Where an adjective is related to a noun or verb which takes a preposition, the blame sb for sth* adjective usually takes the same preposition. blame sth on sb - I expressed my gratitude for their assistance. I was grateful for their assistance. bother sb with sth - We depend on his generosity. We are dependent on his generosity. compensate sb for sth* 2. A lot of adjectives describing feelings and opinions have dependent prepositions: congratulate sb for sth* (US English) - My grandfather's very keen on trout fishing. congratulate sb on sth* - Stockbrohers are becoming increasinyly worried about the news from New York. convict sb of sth*  Some of these adjectives are formed from verb participles, e.g. interested, bored, convince sb of sth scared. We use participles + by + agent in passive sentences, e.g. I was really scared criticise sb for sth by that film. Although these adjectives look like participles, they work differently and cure sb of sth cannot always be followed wilh 'by': deprive sb of sth - I am scared by horror films. => I am scared of horror films. describe sth to sb - He is interested by philosophy. => He is interested in philosophy. discuss sth with sb 3 In some cases the participle form takes different prepositions depending on the explain sth to sb meaning, for example: help sb with sth Thẩm Tâm Vy, July 5th, 2019 GRAMMAR NOTES FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS – DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
3. lend sth to sb damage to* make sth for sb danger of / in persuade sb of sth decreose of (+ quantity) praise sb for sth* decrease in* present sb with sth delay in present sth to sb delay of (+ duration) prevent sb from -ing demand for* protect sb from sth difficulty in provide sb with sth effect of provide sth for sb excitement about / at reassure sb of sth expense of release sb from sth fear of rescue sb from sth gratitude for rid sb of sth hope of rob sb of sth idea of save sb / sth from sth increase in* starve sb of sth increase of (+ quantity) steal sth from sb insistence on stop sb from -ing insurance against strip sb of sth interest in supply sb with sth job of supply sth forlto sb lack of suspect sb of sth matter of throw sth at sb (= in order to hit them) matter with* throw sth to sb (= in order for them to catch it) method of warn sb about / against sth* objection to welcome sb to sth pleasure of / in point of / in Noun + preposition + nounl-ing form possibility of (* These nouns can only follow the pattern: noun + preposition + noun.) prelude to advantage of / in problem of / in aim of / in proof of amazement at prospect of / for anger about / at purpose of / in annoyance about / at question about / of answer to* reason for anxiety about relationship with apology for satisfaction with attack on sequel to awareness of solution to* belief in success in boredom with surprise at craving for tash of Thẩm Tâm Vy, July 5th, 2019 GRAMMAR NOTES FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS – DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
4. taste for devoid of thought of different to/from way of different than (US English) work of disgusted with / at worry about eager* for engaged* in (= working in / involved in) Adjective + preposition engaged to (= promised to marry) (* These adjectives can also be followed by to + infinitive.) excited* about absent from faithful to accustomed to famous for addicted to fed up with afraid* of fond of amazed at / by fraught with angry, annoyed*, furious* at / about (+ the cause of this feeling) glad for (= pleased for sb) angry, annoyed, furious with (+ the person who caused this feeling) glad of (= grateful for sth) anxious about (= feel nervous/worried about sb/sth) good at / for / to ( bad) anxious* for (= waiting impatiently for sth) grateful for (+ the cause of this feeling) ashamed* of grateful fo (+ the person who caused this feeling) astonished at/by guilty of available for (+ purpose) harmful to availqble to (+ person) hopeful of aware of impervious to bad / good of (= ability) impressed with / by bad / good for (= effect on health) inclined towards bad / good to (= behaviour towards/treatment of the object) incumbent upon based on inherent in bored with intent on capable of interested* in characteristic of jealous of close to keen* on concerned about (= worried about) kind to concerned with (= involved in) lacking in conducive to late for confident of made by (+ the person/company who produced it) content* with made for (+ its purpose) contrary to made from (+ original material which has been transformed) convenient for made of (+ original material which is still visible) conversant with nervous of crazy* about obedient to crowded with obvious to curious* obout opposed to deficient in pleased at / about (+ something general, e.g. your recovery/the inflation figures) dependent on pleased with (+ something personal, e.g. my exam results/my new jacket) Thẩm Tâm Vy, July 5th, 2019 GRAMMAR NOTES FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS – DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
5. popular with prone to proud* of ready * for related to reminiscent of responsible for riddled with scared of shoched at short of similar to sorry* about (+ the cause of this feeling) sorry for (+ the person youfeel sympathy towards) subject to successful in sufficient for suitable for superior to sure of terrified of tired of typical of upset about / by / over (+ the cause of this feeling) upset with (+ the person who caused this feeling) worried about worthy of wrong with Thẩm Tâm Vy, July 5th, 2019 GRAMMAR NOTES FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS – DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS