Chapter 14
Prepositions
McGraw-Hill/Irwin
Business English at Work, 3/e
© 2007 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Use of Prepositions
Use a preposition to connect the object of the
preposition (noun or pronoun) to another word or
set of words in a sentence.
Our manager recognizes our strengths and
compensates for our weaknesses.
Top executives spend approximately 90 percent of
their time with others.
The need for constant approval at work can be
counterproductive.
PP 14-2
Commonly Used Prepositions
about
behind
during
on
throughout
above
below
except
onto
to
across
beneath
for
opposite
toward
after
beside
from
out
under
in
outside
underneath
against besides
PP 14-3
Compound Prepositions
A compound preposition consists of a combination of
words that is often considered as one preposition and
connects the object of a preposition to another word or
set of words.
Examples
according to
in regard to
apart from
by means of
in place of
along with
instead of
in front of
ahead of
in spite of
because of
out of
PP 14-4a
Compound Prepositions
continued
Examples
I gave the company tour on behalf of my manager.
In addition to Sara, we have five vice presidents in
our company.
Because of my positive attitude, Mary chose me
as group leader.
PP 14-4b
Infinitive Phrases/
Prepositional Phrases
An infinitive phrase consists of the word to
followed by a verb.
A leader has to dramatize a vision for his or her
organization.
Employers need to build the trust of their
employees.
No verb appears in a prepositional phrase.
Leaders set high goals and objectives for
themselves.
PP 14-5
Prepositions and Adverbs
The words by, through, and in can be used as
adverbs without objects. When these same words
take objects, they are prepositions.
The leadership materials finally came in. (In is an
adverb that answers the question Where? No object
follows the word in.)
Leadership workshops are described in the
company handbook. (In is a preposition. In this
sentence, it takes the object handbook.)
PP 14-6
Objects of Prepositions and Pronouns
Use the objective case of a pronoun as the object
of a preposition.
Objective Case
her
him
you
me
us
them
it
whom
We awarded the Web design project to them.
Between you and me, I prefer working in the
Accounting Department.
PP 14-7
Adjective Functions
Use a prepositional phrase as an adjective to
modify a noun or a pronoun.
Place the prepositional phrase after the word or
words being modified or after a linking verb.
Carol requested an office with a window.
John Garcia from Newsweek will interview our
president next week.
Richard was in Bolivia when he learned about the
merger.
PP 14-8
Adverb Functions
Use a prepositional phrase as an adverb to
modify a verb, an adjective, or another
adverb.
A leader assists in problem solving.
A motivated employee completes all
assignments with enthusiasm.
PP 14-9
General Placement
Although it is not incorrect to end a sentence with
a preposition, you should try to place a
preposition before its object in the majority of
sentences.
Avoid
We did not know the appointments that he was scheduled
for.
Revised
We did not know the appointments for which he was
scheduled.
PP 14-10a
General Placement
continued
Examples
Avoid
Some of the technology jargon is difficult to relate to.
Revised
I find it difficult to relate to some of the technology
jargon.
PP 14-10b
Inclusion of Necessary Prepositions
Do not omit a preposition when it is needed.
The delayed flight prevented Lynn from going to
the leadership seminar.
Use separate prepositions when words cannot
be related to one object by the same
preposition.
Teresa has knowledge of and experience with
various management techniques.
PP 14-11
Omission of Unnecessary
Prepositions
Omit prepositions that do not add clarity to the
meaning of a sentence.
Our international headquarters are near the San
Francisco airport. (Do not use near to the San
Francisco airport.)
Do not repeat a preposition in a sentence if
phrases make sense by using the same
preposition.
Our president speaks at national and international
leadership seminars.
PP 14-12
Beside/Besides
Use beside as a preposition to mean “by the
side of” or “not connected with something.”
Darrell usually sits beside me during
management staff meetings.
Use besides as a preposition to mean “in
addition to” or “other than.”
Besides Sherry, the manager promoted Joyce
and Bob.
PP 14-13
Among/Between
Use between to refer to two persons, places,
activities, ideas, things, or qualities.
Our manager distributed the work between the
two programmers.
Use among to refer to more than two persons,
places, activities, ideas, things, or qualities.
I was among those who voted for Andy as the
team leader.
PP 14-14
Different From
Use the word different followed by the
preposition from when from connects an
object to another word or set of words in a
sentence. Do not use “different than.”
The latest sales figures are different from
what I expected.
Marion’s leadership style is quite different
from mine.
PP 14-15
Like/As
Use like to mean “similar to” or “resembling.”
Do not use a verb after the preposition like.
Do not use like to join clauses.
Stacy handles her responsibilities like a true leader.
We are looking for a manager with leadership
characteristics like Gordon’s.
Use the conjunction as or as if to join clauses.
Stacy acts as if she wants to be a leader.
This schedule looks as if it were hastily developed.
PP 14-16
Off/From
Do not use off of in prepositional phrases.
Roger was positive that Edward took the production
results off his desk. (Do not use off of his desk.)
Do not substitute off for from in certain
phrases.
Lorraine borrowed paper from Erica during the
meeting. (Do not use off Erica as the prepositional
phrase.)
PP 14-17
In/Into
Use in to indicate a “location or position within
a place.”
Please place your self-evaluation form in my
mailbox.
Use into to indicate “movement or direction
from outside to inside” or a “change of
condition or form.”
Please step into my office to discuss your concerns.
We divided the report into three sections.
PP 14-18
To/Too/Two
Use the preposition to to indicate “toward.”
Please e-mail this message to all of the other
managers.
Use to as an infinitive or as a part of an
infinitive phrase.
She plans to promote Gale next month.
Use too as an adverb to indicate an
“excessive amount” or “also.”
The president made the hiring decision too quickly.
Our company is moving to Minneapolis too.
PP 14-19a
To/Too/Two
continued
Use two to indicate the number.
We have two outstanding candidates for the R.B.
Rutledge Leadership Award this year.
The selection committee chose two candidates for
the president to interview.
PP 14-19b
Identification of
Idiomatic Expressions
An idiom refers to an expression that has evolved
from general usage through the years but which
has no established rule for this usage.
Many idioms involve a verb and preposition
combination.
PP 14-20a
Identification of
Idiomatic Expressions
continued
A pattern develops with idiomatic expressions.
When the word following the expression is a
person, generally the preposition with is preferred.
You agree with a person, you get angry with a
person, you argue with a person, you concur with
a person, and you talk with a person.
PP 14-20b
Accompanied by/
Accompanied by or with
accompanied by
(a person)
accompanied by or
with
(an item)
Wesley is accompanied by an interpreter on his
trips to Japan.
Jan’s leadership award was accompanied with a
check for $500.
PP 14-21
Adapted from/Adapted to
adapted from
adapted to
(taken from another
source)
(adjusted to)
Our performance evaluation is adapted from a
computer software program that Leon purchased.
The new manager soon adapted to our
company’s culture.
PP 14-22
Agree in/Agree on/
Agree with
agree in
agree on
agree with
(principle)
(a plan)
(a person)
Oscar agreed in principle with the plan for the
new building.
The staff agreed on the need to lengthen our
customer service hours.
The managers agreed with the employees about
replacing the copy machine.
PP 14-23
Angry at/Angry about/Angry with
angry at, angry about
(a situation)
angry with
(a person)
Bill is angry about our antiquated e-mail system.
My manager was angry with Lucy for not
regulating Internet usage in her department.
PP 14-24
Argue about/Argue for/Argue with
argue about
argue for
argue with
(situation)
(something)
(a person)
Several employees argued about the evaluation
system.
Our manager argued for decision-making
software.
Sometimes I argue with Richard.
PP 14-25
Arrive at/Arrive by
arrive at
arrive by
arrive in
(time, specific location,
conclusion)
(type of transport)
(general location)
She will arrive at 6 p.m.
They plan to arrive by train.
Peggy plans to arrive in St. Louis by Monday.
PP 14-26
Concur in/Concur with
concur in
concur with
(an opinion)
(a person)
Most employees concurred in recommending
that we reorganize our department.
Do you concur with Zachary about the lack of
leadership in our company?
PP 14-27
Correspond by/Correspond to/
Correspond with
correspond by
(means)
correspond to
(show similarity)
correspond with
(a person by writing)
We feel that correspondence by mail is too slow.
The expense allocation corresponded to
employee requests.
Our president corresponds with a leadership
consultant in Vail.
PP 14-28
Enter in or on/Enter into
enter in or on
(record)
enter into
(agreement)
Our receptionist enters every visitor’s name and
address in a log book.
The union and the managers entered into a
binding arbitration agreement.
PP 14-29
Live at/Live in/Live on
live at
live in
live on
(address, place)
(area)
(street, amount)
We decided that those lawyers must live at their
offices.
Most federal workers live in the Washington, D.C.
area.
I could not live on the salary that they offered me
during the interview.
PP 14-30
Reconciled to/ Reconciled with
reconciled to
reconciled with
(to accept)
(to bring into agreement)
We are finally reconciled to the fact that we will
not receive a raise this year.
Our accountant insists on the reconciliation of
our returns with the sales.
PP 14-31
Talk about/Talk for
talk about
talk for
(something)
(time period)
Lorraine did not want to talk about her salary.
The manager talked for an hour about the
reorganization plans.
PP 14-32
Talk to/Talk with
talk to
talk with
(tell something to someone or to
an audience)
(converse with an individual or
small group)
Have you talked to your coworkers about your
concerns?
Loretta and I talked with our manager about job
sharing.
PP 14-33
Wait at/Wait for/Wait on
wait at
wait for
wait on
(location)
(person, thing)
(customer)
Please wait at the front door for a security
clearance.
We waited for our manager’s response to the
scheduling problem.
Waiting on a customer is always a first priority for
us.
PP 14-34