This grammar exercise tests your ability to use prepositions correctly. Complete the following sentences.
1Could you translate this document ............... German for me?
Wrong!
Use "into" when translating something from one language to another.
2You remind me ............... my cousin.
Wrong!
The verb pattern is "remind someone of" when one person or thing makes you think "of" another.
3He wasn't very nice ............... me when we met last week.
Wrong!
Use "to" after adjectives like nice to describe behaviour toward a person.
4This perfume is typical ............... the region.
Wrong!
The adjective typical is followed by "of" when something is characteristic of a place or group.
5Her marriage ............... James didn't last very long.
Wrong!
The noun marriage is followed by "to" when we name the other person.
6He married ............... childhood sweetheart.
Wrong!
The verb marry takes a direct object, so we say "his" without a preposition here.
7I will pay ............... the drinks.
Wrong!
Use "for" after pay when you mean paying the cost of something.
8Everybody was surprised ............... the weather.
Select 2 answers.
Wrong!
Both "at" and "by" can follow surprised in this sentence.
9I tripped ............... the bags and fell on the platform.
Wrong!
Use "over" when someone trips because of an object in their way.
10The customs officers are searching ............... drugs at the airport.
Wrong!
The phrase search for means look for something, so the correct preposition is "for".
11We had a discussion ............... philosophy.
Wrong!
Use "about" after discussion when giving the subject being discussed.
12We have just entered ............... an agreement with them.
Wrong!
The fixed expression is enter into an agreement, so the correct choice is "into".
Answers
- Could you translate this document into German for me?
- You remind me of my cousin.
- He wasn’t very nice to me when we met last week.
- This perfume is typical of the region.
- Her marriage to James didn’t last very long.
- He married his childhood sweetheart.
- I will pay for the drinks.
- Everybody was surprised at / by the weather.
- I tripped over the bags and fell on the platform.
- The customs officers are searching for drugs at the airport.
- We had a discussion about philosophy.
- We have just entered into an agreement with them.