Prepositional Idioms

The use of many prepositions in English is purely idiomatic.There is no logical that one is wrong and another correct in

a given expression. There are no rules for choosing the correct preposition; we must simply learn the idioms.

acced toWe cannot acced to the

request…

accommodate toSome people find it hard to accommodate to

new…

accommodate withWe accommodate Peter with a loan of ten

dollars.

accompany byThe defendant was accompanied by a

lawyer.(person)

accompany withThe letter was accompanied with a gift.

(thing)

accused byShe was accused by the plaintiff…

(Plaintiff vs. Defendant)

accused ofThe lawyer was accused of overcharging…

acquiesce inAriel acquiesced in the decision.

acquit ofThey were acquited of the crime.

acquit withThe police officer acquitted himself with

honor.

adapt forThe course was adapted for our use.

adapt fromThe book was adapted from the movie.

adapt toWe find it difficult to adapt to new laws.

adequate forHer love was not adequate for his

needs.

adequate toHis ability was adequate to the job.

advise ofThe employees were advised of the new

regulation.

affix toA stamp was affixed to the letter.

agree inWe agree in principle with those who favor the

plan.

agree onThey cannot agree on a plan of action.

agree toThey agree to the compromise.

agree withI agree with the doctor.

agree withI agree with the doctor.

amenable toThey were amenable to our argument.

analogous toThis situation is analogous to the one we faced

last year.

annoy byThe clerck was annoyed by the frequent

interruptions.

annoy withThe teacher was annoyed with the careless

student.

apparent inHis attitude is apparent in his actions..

apparent toThe trouble is apparent to everyone in the office.

append toA rider was appended to the bill.

appreciation forThe student had a real appreciation for the arts.

appreciation ofShe expressed appreciation of their hard work.

appreciative ofWe are appreciative of their effort.

authority inDr. X is an authority in her field.

authority onMr. X is an authority on linear programming.

averse toHe was not averse to hard work.

basis inThat argument has no basis in fact

coincide withYour wishes coincide with mine in this

situation.

commensurate withHis salary was commensurate with his

abilities.

comply withWe must comply with the request.

Comply = accordance

concur in We concur in the decision of the survey

committee.

conform to All employees must conform to the

regulations..

consist of The handbook consist of grammar rules.

consist of The handbook consist of grammar rules.

consistent in We should be consistent in applying thelaw.

consistent with His actions are not consistent with his

statements.

correspond to His description of the incident corresponds to

what is on tape.

correspond with We have been corresponding with our old

Friends abroad.

demand of They had demanded an accounting of the

Company fund.

differ from My estimate of the amount due differs from

yours.

differ in We differ in our opinión of the matter.

differ on They differ on the amount owed.

differ with They differ with us in the view of the situation.

discrepancy between There is a discrepancy between the 2

accounts.

dicrepancy in There is a discrepancy in her account.

displeased atThe supervisor was displeased at the employee´s conduct.

displeased with The supervisor was displeased with the employee.

eligible forHe is eligible for the job.

equivalent in The two romos are equivalent in size.

equivalent ofThis is the equivalent of a full payment

equivalent to Each payment is equivalent to a week´s salary.

excepted fromHe was excepted from further responsibility.

excluded from This ítem may have be excluded from gross income.

exempt fromThis type of income is exempt from tax.

expect fromWhat return doyou expect from your investment.

expect ofWhat do you expect of your assistant.

familiar toThe name is familiar to me.

familiar withHe is quite familiar with the proceedings.

furnish toAdequate supplies were furnished to them.

furnish withFurnish us with background information on this matter.

habit ofThe student made a habit of waiting until the report was

due before beginning to write it.

identical toThat case is identical to the one I am working at.

identify byThe dog was identify by its unusual markings.

identify with He was identified with the opposing members.

improvement inThe improvement in the weather was a welcome

change.

improvement onThe second draft was an improvement on the firs.

inconsistent inThe judge was inconsistent in making the awards.

inconsistent withThis is inconsistent with established policy.

infer fromWe infer from this statement that the decision has been

made.

influence byWe were all influenced by the director´s statements.

influence ofThe influence of French words in the English language has

been great.

influence on (upon) The rumor of an organizational change had an influence

on (upon) production.

influence overThe supervisor had a strong influence over his staff.

influence with He referred frequently to his influence with those in

authority.

inform ofInstructiors should keep their students informed of any

changes in procedure.

inherent in A capacity for growth is inherent in all people.

insert inThis phrase should be inserted in the draft.

intercede for My lawyer interceded for me.

intercede withThe teacher interceded with the review board in my

behalf.

irrelevant to The statement is irrelevant to the topic.

irrespective ofThey decided to implement the plan, irrespective of the

criticism that might result.

liable for The tenant is liable for damages.

liable toThe employee is liable to his employer.

necessary to Your help is necessary to the success of the project.

necessity forThere is no necessity for a reduction in force.

oblivious of (to) The teacher was oblivious of the noise outside the room.

pertinent toYour comment is not really pertinent to the discussion.

recompense forWe were fully recompensed for the time we spent on the

work.

reconcile toWe have become reconciled to our fate.

reconcile withOur view cannot be reconciled with theirs.

similarity inI agree that there is much similarity in their appearance.

similarity ofThe similarity of the cases caused confusión.

similarity toThis device shows a similarity to one I have.

talk ofThe traveler talked long of his experiences.

talk toThe lecturer talked to a large audience.

talk withThe students talked with the instructor.

transfer fromShe has been transfered from her former position.

transfer toThey transferred him to another department.

unequal inThe contestants were unequal in strength.

unequal toHe was unequal to the demands placed on him.

use forHe had no use for the extra table.

use ofHe made good use of his opportunity.

wait atI will wait at the back of the room until the lectura is over.

wait forThe children were waiting for their parents to return.

wait on (upon)This matter must wait on (upon) my leisure.

Thank you!