PREPOSITIOPREPOSITION MISTAKESN MISTAKES

1. admiration for someone or something Wrong: He feels a lot of admiration of her teacher.

Right: He feels a lot for her teacher.2. admit someone to hospital (not in) wrong: My uncle was admitted in hospital for

treatment.Right: My uncle was admitted to hospital for treatment.

3. agree with someone / with what someone says; agree to do something; agree on a plan, proposal, etc.wrong: The union and management were unable to agree with the question of a fair wage.Right: The union and management were unable to agree on the question of a fair wage.

4. angry with someone ; angry at or about somethingwrong: She was angry at me for failing to keep our appointment.Right: She was angry with me for failing to keep our appoinment.5. annoyed with someone; annoyed by somethingwrong: The teacher is often annoyed with the behavior of the class.Right: The teacher is often annoyed by the behavior of the class.6. appeal to someone for somethingwrong: The Governor appealed for the residents to help.Right: The Governor appealed to the residents for help.

7. apply to someone for somethingwrong: I applied for the manager to hire me.Right: I applied to the manager for a job.8. argue with someone about somethingwrong: They argued against each other for half an hour.Right: They argued with each other for half an hour.9. arrive in a place / at a place (not arrive a place, except arrive home)wrong: You are booked on flight 435, departing Boston at 5 p.m., arriving London 6 a.m.right: You are booked on flight 435, departing from Boston at 5 p.m. and arriving in London at 6 a.m.

10. attach two or more things (not attach together)

Wrong: The Siamese twins were attached together at the hip.

Right: The Siamese twins were attached at the hip.

11. borrow something from someoneWrong: I borrowed him a pair of trousers.Right: I borrowed a pair of trousers from him.

12. cancel something (not cancel out, except when the verb is used to mean counterbalance or neutralize)

Wrong: She cancelled out all her appointmentsRight: She cancelled all her appointments.

13. care about something (meaning to think it worthwhile, or important to you)wrong: George does not care for what happens to his sister.Right George does not care what happens to his sister.Or George does not care about what happens to his sister.

14. center: centered on something ( not around something); for one thing to be centered around another is physically impossible.Wrong: The novel is centered around the conflict between British imperialism and native aspirations.Right: The novel centers on the conflict between British imperialism and native aspirations.

15. chase someone / something away for doing something; despite the way the word is misused in baseball slang the verb chase with no preposition means to run after, not to send away.

Wrong: Yankee starting pitcher Ron Guidry was chased in the fifth inning.

Right: Yankee starting pitcher Ron Guidry left the game in the fifth inning.

16. collide with something (not against something)Wrong: The bus left the road and collided against a tree.Right: The bus left the road and collided with a tree.

17. compare to/ compare with: To compare something to something else is to liken it, especially when speaking metaphorically. To compare something with something else is to judge how the two are similar or different.

Wrong: The First World War was a small conflict compared to the Second World War, But it changed humanity even more profoundly.

Right: The First World War was a small conflict compared with the Second World War, but it changed humanity even more profoundly.

18. composed ofWrong: The group was composed from twenty West Germans and

fourteen Austrians.Right: The group was composed of twenty West Germans and

fourteen Austrians.19. concerned with something (meaning having some

connection with it, having something to do with it) and concerned about something (meaning being interested in it, or worried about it)

Wrong: The Ministry is very concerned with the level of pollution in this river.

Right: The Ministry is very concerned about the level of pollution in this river.

20. conform toWrong: The building does not conform with current standards.Right: The contractors did not comply with current standards.

21. congratulate someone on somethingWrong: The Committee members congratulated Ms. Phipps for

her success.Right: The Committee congratulated Ms. Phipps on her success.

22. connect two things / connect one thing with another (not connect up with)

Wrong: As soon as he connects up these wires, the system should work.

Right: As soon he connects these wires, the system should work.

23. conscious of somethingWrong: He was not conscious that he had done anything wrong.Right: He was not conscious of having done anything wrong.

24. consist in/ consist of: Consist in means to exist in, to have as the essential feature; consist of means to be made of.

Wrong: Success consists of hard work.Right: Success consists in hard work.

24. continue something, with something, to a place (not continue on)

Wrong: We were told to continue on with our work.Right: We were told to continue with our work.

25. convenient for someone, for a purpose/ convenient to a place

Wrong: This house is very convenient to me; it is only a short walk to work.

Right: This house is very convenient for me; it is only a short walk to work.

26. cooperate with someone (not cooperate together)Wrong: The Governors should operate together to break down

inter-state trade barriers.Right: The Governors should operate with one another to break

down inter-state trade barriers.

27. corresponds to (be in agreement with); corresponds with (exchange letters with)

Wrong: The fingerprints at the scene of the crime corresponded with those of the suspect.

Right: The fingerprints at the scene of the crime corresponded to those of the suspect.

28. criticism of something/ somebodyWrong: His criticisms against her were completely unfounded.Right: His criticisms of her were completely unfounded.

29. depart from a place.Wrong: The plane departs Mirabel airport at seven o’clock.Right: The plane departs from Mirabel airport at seven o’clock.

30. die of a disease/ of old age; die from injuries, woundsWrong: My grandfather died from cancer when he was only forty-

two years old.Right: My grandfather died of cancer when he was only forty-two

years old.

31. different from or to ( not than)Wrong: These results are different than those we obtained when

we did the same experiment yesterday.Right: These results are different from those we obtained when

we did the same experiment yesterday.

32. discuss something (not discuss about something; no preposition is needed)

Wrong: They discussed about what to do to ease tensions in the Middle East.

Right: They discussed what to do to ease tensions in the Middle East.

33. divide something (no preposition necessary)Wrong: Lear wants to divide up his kingdom among his three

daughters.Right: Lear wants to divide his kingdom among his three daughters.

34. do something for someone (meaning something that will help); do something to someone (meaning something that will hurt)

Wrong: Norman Bethune did a lot to the people of China.Right: Norman Bethune did a lot for the people of China.

35. end at a place (not end up at)Wrong: We do not want to end up at the same place we started from.Right: We do not want to end at the same place we started from.

36. fight someone or with someone (not against; fight means struggle against, so you are repeating yourself if you add against)

Wrong: They fought against each other for almost an hour.Right: They fought each other for almost an hour.

37. frightened by something (when it has just frightened you); frightened pf something (when talking about a constant condition)

Wrong: He was suddenly frightened of the sound of a door slamming.

Right: He was suddenly frightened by the sound of a door slamming.

38. graduate from a schoolWrong: He graduated McGill in 1986.Right: He graduated from McGill in 1986.

39. help: not help doing (be unable to refrain from doing)Wrong: She could not help from agreeing to his suggestion.Right: She could not help agreeing to his suggestion.

40. hurry (not hurry up)Wrong: She told me to hurry up if I didn’t want to miss the train.Right: She told me to hurry if I didn’t want to miss the train.

41. identical with (not to)Wrong: This hotel is identical to Holiday Inn we stayed in last

week.Right: This hotel is identical with the Holiday Inn we stayed in

last week.

42. in: Do not use in where throughout is meant; particularly when using such words as whole or entire, be careful to use throughout.

Wrong: Political repression is common in the whole world.Right: Political repression is common throughout the world.

43. independent of something/someoneWrong: I would like to live entirely independent from my parents.Right: I would like to live entirely independent of my parents.