Prepositions are function words like "to", "over", "through", "in".
0
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0answers
20 views
Try something by video? [closed]
There is a video of a dance and I want to say: I am going to try it in practice (preposition) the video? Would "by" work here?
2
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1answer
48 views
Does this sentence call for an additional “for”?
I'm confronted with two compelling options:
I want to be at least partially responsible for getting them to think differently, or inspiring them to earnestly investigate new topics.
I want to ...
-1
votes
1answer
38 views
“in” or “on” operating system? [closed]
I see both "on Windows" and "in Windows" on the Internet. I'm wondering which way is the correct way? Or maybe they have different meanings?
Thanks!
0
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0answers
34 views
“Across the top” vs. “on the top” [closed]
Which one of the following sentences is correct?
Command buttons across the top of the screen are common to all screens.
Command buttons on the top of the screen are common in all screens.
...
-1
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4answers
111 views
“Lay on the bed” vs. “lay in the bed” [closed]
Which one is more grammatically correct?
I lay on the bed.
I lay in the bed.
1
vote
1answer
49 views
“A tool to do” vs. “a tool that does” vs. “a tool for doing”
I'm the curator of the Open Web Platform Daily Digest link. In the "Tools" section of each daily I write entries in this format:
tool_name, tool_description
For example:
hapi, a server framework ...
0
votes
1answer
62 views
“A snap on the back” vs. “a snap at the back”
I have the hat which has a snap on/at the back of the hat.
Which preposition to use here?
This is the sort of thing the sentence refers to:
2
votes
4answers
213 views
“In a while” vs. “for a while”
I recently got a message that says
Haven't heard anything from you in a while.
I always thought that the right way to say this would be to use for insdead of in. Are both versions correct? ...
-2
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0answers
30 views
“Develop a process for” vs. “develop a process on”
Which one is grammatical?
Develop a process on handling incoming material...
Develop a process for handling incoming material...
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0answers
28 views
Aimed at or to? [closed]
I want to say:
This is our flagship Program for international senior executives aimed at or to enhancing their leadership competencies that are vital to success in today’s global business landscape.
...
1
vote
0answers
32 views
The difference between “to someone” and “for someone” [duplicate]
To many people, we are the scariest animals in the world.
For me, English is the easiest of all subjects.
Why does the former sentence use "to" someone and the latter use "for" someone?
...
1
vote
1answer
133 views
Is it correct to start a sentence with “with” in English?
Is it correct to use with at the beginning of a sentence?
Here's an example sentence:
With the development of the economy, living standards improved.
To my eyes this looks unnatural; I would ...
0
votes
1answer
64 views
Why is it “earn a livelihood at one’s own calling”, not “with/by” one’s own calling?
Both the usage of prepositions and articles are always the biggest headache for non-native English language learners—I think you’ll perhaps experience the same bewilderment when you first face ...
0
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1answer
68 views
Is downtown an adverb of place? [duplicate]
What is the explanation for why we say "I'm going downtown" instead of "I'm going to downtown?"
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0answers
55 views
“Take you in the sky” vs. “bring you up to the sky” vs. “get you in the sky” — which one is correct?
If I have got a pilot licence, I will take you in the sky/bring you up to the sky/get you in the sky. Which one is correct?
0
votes
2answers
90 views
Is it wrong to use “The Albatross is now on the sky”?
Is it wrong to use "The Albatross is now on the sky"?
Is it like we should always say "The Albatross is now in the sky"?
I would like to get an explanation for this. Thanks.
0
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0answers
69 views
New verbs we make by adding “up, off” etc [closed]
help him out or help him
Can anyone tell me what is the difference between two sentences I mentioned above?
what about the list below?
write & write down
come & come up
take & take up
...
0
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0answers
21 views
how to use “in” and “on” different things [duplicate]
There is a really big confusion in me when it comes to using "in" and "on". If I am describing a position of an object I know how the two words differ, but when it comes to other things it really ...
0
votes
2answers
59 views
Technicalities about “%”?
Usage of "%"
I'm almost positive it's a prepositional phrase since it's really means "per cent" or "per 100".
So in a sentence like:
90% of my street are doing lawn work.
It would be "are" and ...
0
votes
1answer
55 views
What to do with a list of verbs with different prepositional needs?
For example:
The community was not supportive of, or happy with the result.
The community was not supportive or happy with the result.
So when using two sets of verbs and prepositions (listing) in a ...
2
votes
2answers
106 views
Why are prepositions out of place with many phrasal verbs?
Please, restrict your answers to etymological info. I browsed some other questions and found some good info here: Is it correct to change the common structure in these phrasal verbs?, which is more ...
2
votes
2answers
61 views
“Starting with” vs. “starting from”
I would like to ask about the difference between the two phrases starting with and starting from.
Take the following two sentences for example:
Please give me all the names starting with A.
...
0
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2answers
41 views
Adapting to OR Adapting with
I wish to have a slogan for a software company. The slogan that I thought of is something like
"Adapting to your Changes"
What I want to say with that slogan is, our company adapts well with the ...
1
vote
2answers
219 views
“I have a question for you” Vs “I have a question to you”
What is the proper way of starting an email:
Hi X,
I have a question for you.
Or
I have a question to you.
Google fings 122M of the first version and 45M of the second one.Is the second ...
0
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0answers
69 views
“Instructions on” vs. “instructions for”
Which of the following is correct?
Instructions on how to do this will be provided in the User Manual.
Instructions for how to do this will be provided in the User Manual.
0
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1answer
48 views
“In the roads” vs. “on the roads” [duplicate]
He is driving in the roads of the mountain.
He is driving on the roads of the mountain.
Which is correct, "in the roads" or "on the roads"?
2
votes
1answer
74 views
The meaning of “by so” in the sentence [closed]
Here is the sentence:
A person who agrees to serve as mediator between two warring factions
at the request of both abandons by so agreeing the right to take sides
later. To take sides at a ...
-1
votes
3answers
316 views
Is it proper to use “that” instead of “at which” to refer to speed?
On a physics assignment, I believe that these sentences are grammatically incorrect, but some other students disagree (especially on the second one).
What is the maximum speed that the mass can be ...
0
votes
1answer
84 views
Which preposition: “Write on/at/to this address?”
My exam included this fill-in-the-blank question:
Please write __ this address. (on/at/to)
I filled the blank with on.
Is that correct?
1
vote
2answers
90 views
Why “afraid of” and not “brave of”?
Recently my preschooler's teacher started teaching kids that they should be "brave of" something and not "afraid of" it. Maybe it is simply because "brave of" is never used, but that syntax strikes me ...
0
votes
3answers
105 views
'Meeting us' or 'meeting with us'?
What is the difference between meeting with someone or meeting someone?
For example when I would like to ask someone if he is happy to meet with me and my friend for the first time, how should I ask? ...
1
vote
1answer
57 views
Is “to” inclusive in “I worked at company X from April 2012 to April 2013”? [duplicate]
I have a question about the use of the word to as a time proposition. Is to inclusive in the following sentence?
I worked at company X from April 2012 to April 2013.
-4
votes
1answer
90 views
Difference between 'went home' and 'went to home' [closed]
I'm a little bit confused over the difference between the following sentences.
I went home.
I went to home.
Could someone please explain the difference.
1
vote
0answers
40 views
Help sheet for determiners and prepositions [closed]
I'm trying to produce a simple help sheet for foriegn speakers on English determiners and prepositions.
Specifically, a basic description of when to use each type of determiner, and then the list of ...
7
votes
6answers
403 views
What is “long” doing in “all (time-period) long”?
What part of speech is long playing the part of in the bold parts of the quotations below?
For one thing, it shows at a glance how much money is on hand for any particular purpose all month long. ...
1
vote
2answers
90 views
Why does “for” sound more appropriate than “during” in “I couldn't do anything for the rest of the day”?
I couldn't do anything for/during the rest of the day.
I know that for sounds correct, perhaps because "the rest of the day" is a finite chunk of time like "one hour" or "one week".
However, I ...
1
vote
1answer
67 views
Difference between to live on and to live by
My vocabulary trainer stands "to live on" and my vocabulary trainer says that it means that somebody does something to make one's living (by doing something).
Example: I live on selling cars.
...
-2
votes
2answers
67 views
Is the sentence “The police had evidence on him.” grammatically correct? [closed]
Please cite some sources to show whether the above phrase is correct or not.
-1
votes
2answers
70 views
“work as a journalist on/at a magazine” [closed]
Could you please tell me why and when people use "on a magazine"? I thought it should be at but it seemed that many people use on.
Thank you for your reply.
3
votes
1answer
151 views
Is it common to omit a preposition (in / on / of) before “the month (year / week /day) when they are used adjectively and adverbially?
There was the following sentence in New York Times (April 12) article titled, ‘Lone Wolf’ Theory Gains Ground in Texas Deaths”
“The Kaufman County district attorney’s office is small compared with
...
1
vote
1answer
98 views
What is the difference of “a troubling cut to Social Security” from “a troubling cut of Social Security”?
The Home page of today's (April 11) New York Times carries an article titled ‘In the President’s Budget’ written by their Editorial Board, which is followed by the lead copy -
“The plan for 2014 ...
2
votes
6answers
421 views
Since, until / From, to on invoices or form date ranges
Which is the correct form on an invoice, or a general date range in a form, and why?
Monkey dolls 12 GBP
From 2012-01-03 to 2013-01-02
Monkey dolls 12 ...
1
vote
2answers
83 views
Prepositions 'in' or 'of' for referring to a population of a country
I was wondering about these prepositions in and of. Actually I was making an assignment in Spanish and I came across this problem and I translated it in English but I am still puzzled as to what the ...
9
votes
4answers
227 views
Upvote to/for/on a post?
On Stack Exchange we can upvote comments, answers, and questions.
Is it correct to say that
I put an upvote on a question.
There are four upvotes for this answer.
I made cast an upvote on ...
0
votes
1answer
70 views
“I'm very interested in.” vs “in which I'm very interested.” [duplicate]
You should sell me that book I'm very interested in
or is it better to write it as
You should sell me that book in which I'm very interested
I know that the former is more informal than the ...
2
votes
2answers
90 views
Why is it “objections to moving”, not “objections to move”? [closed]
I got this sentence from the Economist:
There are two primary objections to moving to the chained CPI.
My question is, why have they used moving instead of move after objections to?
-1
votes
1answer
45 views
Usage of both apostrophe and “of” together [duplicate]
I was reading Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd and noticed following sentence:
About those boots of Ralph Paton’s.
It is really in old (old as in early or mid twentieth century) ...
-1
votes
1answer
53 views
“Read the values of a and b” vs. “read the values a and b”
Read the values of a and b.
Read the values a and b.
The context is programming. Do I need to use of? What is the rule to use of before variables?
3
votes
2answers
151 views
“In the market” or “on the market”
I am trying to help a friend of mine proofreading an English email and she has a preposition there that I am not completely certain is correct. The original sentence was this:
[Name of the ...
0
votes
0answers
42 views
Using “on” instead of “about” [duplicate]
Sometimes people use "on" in sense of "about". And I would like to specify when it is appropriate.
A couple examples:
I will look for information on this software.
What is your opinion on that car?
...
