9. _________ Thursday, he sat _his desk and put his papers ___a drawer.

10. He wrote his name ___ the top of a sheet of paper ___his desk.

Task 2. Use these words or groups of words to complete this page. The first or the last letter is given.

Tricky Prepositions

1. Since indicates a point in lime at which something started. For indicates I he length of a period of time. During indicates that something occurred at some time within a period.

I have lived in New York since 1994.

I lived in St. Louis for ten years.

During the time I lived in St. Louis, I got married.

2. Near indicates general proximity. Next to indicates more direct proximity. They live near each other. (They live a few blocks apart.)

His house is next to mine. (They live in adjoining houses.)

3. Between indicates a position relative to two markers. Among indicates a position relative to more than two.

The file cabinet is between the computer and the fox machine.

The document is among my papers somewhere.

4. By is used with a point in time, a deadline; it is the equivalent of no later than.

Until is used with a point in time also; it indicates the end point of an action.

We have to register by August 28.

She was reading until midnight.

Task 3. Write four questions to ask classmates that force them to answer by using one of each of the sets of "tricky prepositions" in item D.

Example: How long have you been studying English?

Answer: I've been studying English for twelve years.

Prepositions Following Verbs and Adjectives

1. Certain verbs are frequently followed by prepositions. Here are some common combinations.

2. Some verbs are followed by a direct object and a preposition. Add to ibis list whenever you can.

blame someone for something congratulate someone on something explain something to someone protect someone from something thank someone for something

throw something at someone (intending to hit the person)

throw something for someone (intending it to be caught)

Phrasal Verbs

Although prepositions are little words, they are packed full of meaning. In fact, one of these little words attached to a verb can completely change the meaning of the verb. When a preposition is attached to a verb in a certain way the preposition is known as a "particle,” and the verb is known as a ’phrasal verb” or a ‘two-word verb.” Phrasal verbs are used more in conversation and informal writing; in formal and scientific writing, one-word equivalents are more common.

1. The combination of verb + particle takes on a new idiomatic meaning, often quite far from the meaning of the verb alone.

put off = postpone; put out = extinguish

She put off going to the dentist.

He put out the flames with a bucket of water.

2. Some phrasal verbs are separable, which means that the particle can be placed after the direct object as well as before it.

He filled out the form.

He filled the form out.

When the object is a pronoun, then you must use it to separate the verb + preposition phrase.

When you want to know the meaning of a word, look

Some phrasal verbs are used with a particle and a preposition, making in effect a three-word verb. These phrasal verbs arc inseparable, which means that the direct object cannot come between the verb and the particle or preposition.