There’s no easy way to know which preposition follows an adjective.  The best way to learn this grammar is to learn the adjective and preposition together.  If there’s a verb after the preposition, it must of course be in the gerund form.  Here is a list of the most common adjective + preposition combinations:

absent from:   She’s been absent from class for a week.
afraid of:  She says she’s not afraid of anything.
angry with (at) / about:  She’s angry with (at) her sister.  (both with and at are correct before a person or animal)
He’s angry about the weather.  (use about before a thing)
ashamed of (someone) for / about:  I’m ashamed of myself for lying to my mother.  (for is used before a reason)
They’re both ashamed about their behavior.
aware of:  I wasn’t aware of any problems they were having.
bad at:  He’s bad at remembering names.
based on:  The movie is based on a real-life story.
bored with:  They stopped playing because they were bored with the game.
capable of:  I don’t think he’s capable of murder.
certain of:  I left my wallet right here.  I’m certain of it.
clever at:  She’s quite clever at solving puzzles.
close to:  We all live close to our parent’s house.
compared to (with):  Compared to (with) yesterday it’s much warmer.  (no difference between to and with)
concerned about:  They’re concerned about their son joining the army.
content with:  I’m content with my apartment and don’t want to move.
different from:  This tea tastes different from the tea we had yesterday.
disappointed in (with):  His father was disappointed in (with) him.   (no difference between in and with)
done with:  Could you pass the salt when you’re done with it
dressed in:  Everyone was dressed in black for the funeral.
embarrassed about:  I’m embarrassed about the way I acted last night.
engaged to:  She just got engaged to a wonderful man.
equal to:  Your success will be equal to the amount of work you do.
equipped with:  This car is equipped with GPS.  (Global Positioning System)
excited about:  Everyone is excited about the arrival of the Queen.
familiar with:  I’m not familiar with that language.
famous for:  Thomas Edison is most famous for the invention of the light bulb.
far from:  The place we’re going is far from here.
fond of:  My girlfriend is very fond of chocolates.
free of:  This food is free of artificial colors and flavors.
friendly to (with):  It’s important to be friendly to (with) your coworkers.   (no difference between to and with)
frightened of / about / by:  She seems to be frightened of the dog.  (use of before an ongoing source)
She’s frightened about losing her home.  (use about before a situation)
She was frightened by the loud noise.  (use by before a single source)
furious at (someone) for / about:  She’s furious at him for staying out so late.   (use at before a person or animal)
They’re furious about the decrease in their pensions.  (use about before a thing)
glad about:  I’m glad about your acceptance to university.
good at / with:  He’s good at sports.  (use at before activities)
He’s good with his hands.  (use with before tools)
grateful (to someone) for:  We’re grateful to you for lending us the money.
We’re grateful for all we have.  (to someone can be dropped)
guilty of:  I’m not guilty of this crime.
happy about (with):  They’re not happy about (with) all the delays.  (no difference between about and with)
inferior to:  This cell phone is inferior to the iPhone.
innocent of:  I believe you’re innocent of the charges.
interested in:  He’s been interested in flying for as long as I’ve known him.
involved in:  I don’t want to get involved in your business.
jealous of:  He’s jealous of his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend.
known for:  This restaurant is known for its cheesecake.
lucky at:  I’ve never seen someone so lucky at poker.
made of / from / by / for:  This table is made of reclaimed wood.  (use of for the material)
This table is made from the wood of an old ship.  (use from for the origin)
This table is made by Uhuru, a company in New York City. (use by for the maker)
This table is made for people who love wood furniture.  (use for for the destination)
married to:  They’ve been married to each other for twenty years.
necessary (for someone) to:  It’s not necessary for you to help clean up.
It’s not necessary to clean up tonight.  (for someone can be dropped)
nervous about:  I’m nervous about my first day on the job.
next to:  He put his keys next to his wallet.
opposite of:  The opposite of love is indifference, not hate.
patient with:  She’s always very patient with her students.
perfect for:  Those earrings are perfect for my wife.
polite to:  They’ve taught their children to always be polite to other people.
possible (for someone) to:  Is it possible for people to live on Mars?
Is it possible to live on Mars?  (for someone can be dropped)
proud of (someone) for / to:  She’s proud of her daughter for telling the truth.
She’s proud to represent her company at the conference.
related to:  Are you related to Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook?
responsible for:  Because of his mental illness, he was not responsible for his actions.
satisfied with:  I feel satisfied with my job.
scared of:  Don’t be scared of trying something new.
shy about:  He’s shy about speaking in public.
sick of / with:  I’m sick of watching TV all the time.  Let’s go out.  (sick of means tired of)
I think she’s sick with the flu.  (sick with means physically sick)
slow at:  He’s a little slow at math, but he can usually get the right answer.
sorry for (about):  I’m sorry for the way I acted yesterday.   (no difference between for and about)
superior to:  These speakers are superior to the ones in the other store.
sure of (about):  Are you sure of your answer?  (no difference between of and about)
surprised at (someone) for / by:  I’m not at all surprised at him for making that decision.  (use at before a person or animal)
I’m not at all surprised by his decision.  (use by before a thing)
terrified of:  My sister is terrified of spiders
tired of / from:  Aren’t you tired of spending your whole day inside?  (tired of means you don’t want to do it anymore)
Aren’t you tired from all the activity during the holidays?  (tired from means physically tired)
typical of (for)(someone) to:  It’s typical of her to be late.  (no difference between of and for)
upset with (at) (someone) for / about:  I’m upset with (at) him for breaking the vase.  (no difference between with and at)
I’m upset about the change in government.
worried about:  Are you worried about the weather on your wedding day?
wrong with:  There’s nothing wrong with putting yourself first.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

amazing:  wonderful and surprising
She has an amazing ability to remember people’s names.
My grandmother was an amazing, independent woman.

cautious:  careful to avoid danger
You can’t be too cautious when traveling abroad.
It’s a good idea to be cautious when you’re driving at night.

elderly:  very old (for people)
An elderly couple live next door.
The government has programs to care for elderly people.

frozen:  hard because of low temperature.
We should put this frozen food in the freezer.
The turkey we bought was still frozen the following day.

guilty:  having done something wrong
Everyone thought he was guilty of taking the money.
If you run, the police will think you’re guilty.

innocent:  having done nothing wrong
She was found to be innocent of the crime.
During war many innocent people are killed.

natural:  pure with nothing artificial
This bread is made with only natural ingredients.
She needs little makeup because she has a natural beauty.

old-fashioned:  used in the past, not modern
They had a 1920s party, so everyone wore old-fashioned clothes.
She wanted an old-fashioned wedding in a church.

pleasant:  pleasing, giving pleasure
It was a pleasant day for a long walk.
What a pleasant surprise to find you here.

serious:  having an important or dangerous result
We need to have a serious conversation.
He’s in the hospital with a serious illness.

sharp:  having an edge that can cut easily or a point that is thin
I need a sharp knife to cut the turkey meat.
She likes to draw with a sharp pencil.

thankful:  happy that someone has helped or something has happened
She was thankful for all the help he gave her.
Everyone was thankful when the storm ended.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

When asking for or giving permission, 3 modal verbs are used: can, could and may.  Although many people think that may is more polite than the other 2, all 3 are equally polite, especially if you add please.  You can ask for permission either for yourself or for someone else.  Remember that the verb after these modals is always in the simple form.

Examples:
Can I please use your washroom?
Can my friend get a free sample too, please?

Could I just get my money back, please?
Could my child please stay here until I get back?

May I please have another slice of cake?
May my mother have this seat, please?

(Notice that please can go either before the simple form verb or at the end of the sentence.)

Negative permission is called prohibition.  Use can and may in the negative to indicate that someone doesn’t have permission.

Examples:
You can’t park your car in my neighbor’s driveway.
Your friend cannot stay here overnight.

BUT NOT:  You could not smoke in this room. (which is past ability, not prohibition)

You may not leave class early.
Your dog may not lie on the sofa.
(Note:  You cannot contract may not (mayn’t.))

Besides these 3 modals you can also ask permission with Is it alright/okay (with you) if …, Do you mind if…, and Would you mind if…. 

With Is it alright/okay (with you) if and Do you mind if… always use the present simple form of the verb.

Examples:
Is it alright if my friend comes with us?
Is it okay with you if I don’t stay long?

Do you mind if I close the window?
Do you mind if I sit down?

After Would you mind if…, you can use the present simple or the past simple tense, and there’s no difference in meaning.

Examples:
Would you mind if I get something to eat?
Would you mind if I got something to eat?

Would you mind if I leave early?
Would you mind if I left early?

NOTE: To give permission when someone uses the expressions Do you mind if… and Would you mind if…, say, “No, not at all,” or “No, go ahead.”  Without these extra words after “No,” the listener may think you’re not giving permission.  If you don’t want to give permission, don’t just say “Yes,” but say “Yes I do” or “Yes I would.”

Conversation:

Brian:  Is it alright if I leave early today?  I have a job interview this afternoon.

Teacher:  Sure.  No problem.  Just remember to do your homework for tomorrow.

Brian:  Could I do it on the weekend.  I have a test in math tomorrow and I have to study.

Teacher:  You can’t skip your homework in this class.  Without practice you won’t learn as well.

Brian:  I understand, but I’ve really got a lot to do tonight.   Would you mind if I skip it this once?

Teacher:  No, not at all.  I guess one time won’t hurt.

Brian:  Thanks.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

by Elvis Presley

an American singer and actor (1935 – 1977), regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century.  He is often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll.”  This song was written by Walter Earl Brown for the grand finale on NBC’s Comeback Special “Elvis,” which aired in June, 1968.  Although Elvis didn’t write the song, it reflected his discouragement over the assassinations of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy.

There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why can’t my dream come true
Oh why?

There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why won’t that sun appear

We’re lost in a cloud
With too much rain
We’re trapped in a world
That’s troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly

Deep in my heart there’s a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer’s (answer’s) gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, there’s a beckoning candle, yeah
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
Let it come true right now
Oh yeah

Vocabulary:

got to:  there’s got to
strong winds:  a large movement for change
doubt:  disbelief
warmer sun:  better time
cloud:   a place where we can’t see
rain:  bad things happening
trapped:  unable to escape
as long as:  while
redeem his soul:  make things right with himself
trembling:  frightening
gonna:  going to
somehow:  in some way
beckoning:  attracting, inviting

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

There’s no easy way to know which preposition follows a noun.  The best way to learn this grammar is to learn the noun and preposition together.  If there’s a verb after the preposition, it must of course be in the gerund form.  Here is a list of the most common noun + preposition combinations:

attention to:  His attention to detail is excellent.
cause of:  What is the cause of all this pollution?
component of:  Liquid hydrogen is one component of rocket fuel.
contribution to:  The scientist made many important contributions to his field.
cure for:  There’s no cure for the common cold.
decrease in:  There has been a decrease in crime over the last decade.
demand for:  There’s not much demand for paper bags anymore.
difficulty with:  She’s been having difficulty with her oldest daughter lately.
effect of (something) on (something / someone):  The effect of pollution on the children is severe.
example of:  Give me an example of the unfairness that you’ve experienced.
exception to:  The only exception to this rule is when you’re sick.
excuse for:  There’s no excuse for being late.
experience with: I’ve had no experience with this type of problem.
expert on [or in]:  He’s an expert on European history.
form of:  Watching TV is a form of homework in ESL classes.
group of:  A group of students is meeting after lunch to discuss the final exam.
improvement in:  There’s been no improvement in your father’s health.
increase in:  In the late 1940s there was a sharp increase in population.
influence on:  My grandfather had a big influence on my choice of career.
interest in:  She has no interest in astronomy.
origin of:  What is the origin of this word?
possibility of:  There’s absolutely no possibility of our arrival on time.
price of:  The price of gasoline has been increasing.
probability of:  There’s a 60% possibility of rain tomorrow.
quality of:  The quality of cars made in that country is quite high.
reason for:  There’s no good reason for forgetting your anniversary.
reliance on:  He’s developed a reliance on sleeping pills.
solution to:  I don’t see an easy solution to this problem.
supply of:  We have a good supply of ice for the party.
team of:  A team of doctors is on its way to the affected area.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

There’s no easy way to know which preposition follows a verb.  The best way to learn this grammar is to learn the verb and preposition together.  If there’s a verb after the preposition, it must of course be in the gerund form.  Here is a list of the most common verb + preposition combinations:

account for:  How do you account for the missing $500
accuse (someone) of:  The police accused him of murder.
adjust to:  It will take him a while to adjust to the the new culture.
agree with / to / on:  I don’t agree with you.
She won’t agree to separate bank accounts.
We don’t agree on many things, but we agree on this.
apologize for:  He apologized for forgetting to pick her up.
apply to:  She’s going to apply to at least three universities.
approve of:  I don’t approve of your new boyfriend.
argue with:  He argues with his brother all the time.
arrive at:  They arrived at school at 8:30.
ask for:  Go to the teacher and ask for help.
attach (something) to: They want you to attach a photo to your application form.
begin with:  Why don’t we begin with your personal information
believe in:  The children still believe in Santa Claus.
belong to: Those glasses don’t belong to me.
blame (someone) for:  She blames me for everything that goes wrong.
care about / for:  I don’t care about winning.
She cares for her sick mother.
compare (something/someone) with:  Compare Coke with Pepsi and you’ll find that Pepsi is sweeter.
compete with:  The shelves come in a box complete with instructions on how to assemble.
complain about:  It’s upsetting to be around people who complain about things all the time.
concentrate on:  I’ll make dinner, and you concentrate on finishing your homework.
consist of:  This recipe consists of flour, milk, eggs, honey and vanilla.
contribute to:  Cars that use gasoline contribute to global warming.
cooperate with:  We only want team members who can cooperate with each other.
count on:  You can count on me to support you for class president.  (=depend on)
cover (something/someone) with:  He covered her with a blanket after she fell asleep on the sofa.
deal with:  How do you deal with a child who won’t obey you?
decide on:  It’s time to decide on a wall color for this room.
depend on:  We know we can depend on our babysitter.
devote to:  Everyone knows she’s devoted to her family.
dream of / about:  Last night I dreamed of (about) hiking across a desert.
engage in:  The children are not allowed to engage in online chat rooms.
escape from:  Three men escaped from prison over the weekend.
excel in:  His son excels in math and science.
fight for:  The rebels are fighting for independence.
forgive (someone) for:  She’ll never forgive him for missing her birthday party.
hide (something) from (someone):  The parents hid the presents from their children.
hope for:  This is the best outcome I could ever hope for.
insist on:  I insist on seeing the manager.
interfere with:  It’s a bad idea to interfere with a police investigation.
look forward to:  We look forward to your arrival in our beautiful city.
object to:  She objects to anyone calling her by her first name.
participate in:  If you don’t want to participate in the game, you can leave now.
pay for:  He paid for his purchase with a credit card.
plan on:  I didn’t plan on anyone getting hurt.
pray for:  Let’s pray for sunshine on the day of the picnic.
prevent (someone) from:  We need to prevent him from hurting himself.
protect (someone) from:  There are many vaccines to protect you from disease.
provide (someone) with:  The school provided each student with a laptop computer.
recover from:  It took her ten days to recover from her surgery.
refer to:  He referred to a dictionary to check the spelling
rely on:  She relies on her father for financial support.
rescue (someone) from:  We rescued our cat from the SPCA.
respond to:  She wouldn’t respond to our questions.
result in:  The information we gave the police resulted in his arrest.
search for:  They searched for the perfect pizza.
shout at:  Don’t shout at the children.
stare at:  Would you please stop staring at me?
stop (someone) from:  My friend stopped me from making a big mistake.
subscribe to:  How many years have you subscribed to this magazine?
substitute for:  Sometimes there’s no substitute for hard work.
succeed in:  He succeeded in opening the locked door.
take advantage of:  We should take advantage of the 2-for-1 sale.
take care of:  She has to take care of her younger sister this weekend.
thank (someone) for:  Thank you for inviting me to your wonderful party.
vote for:  Who are you going to vote for?
wait for:  Wait for me in front of the library.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

Mistakes are often made by people who don’t really know how to use an apostrophe ( ‘ ), so here is an explanation of its use.

The apostrophe is used in 3 situations.

1.  It’s used to indicate possession.  Put ‘s after the name or word that possesses.

Examples:
Paul’s parents are visiting for the holidays.
The Johnston’s house is three kilometers out of town.

Note:  If a name ends in an s, then add ’s.

Examples:
The Jones’s boat sank off the coast of Panama.  [When saying the name, you actually say 2 s’s]
We going for dinner at the Harris’s.

The one exception for possession is the word its.  This possessive word has no apostrophe because it’s is the contraction for it is.

Examples:
I only have one shoe.  Where is its mate?
I don’t like this room.  Its color is terrible.

But if a word is plural and ends in an s, then just add an apostrophe without another s.

Examples:
She lived at her parents’ house while she was going to university.
Both of her sisters’ boyfriends are doctors.

2.  It’s used to show that a letter has been dropped in a contraction.

Examples:
They aren’t coming to our party.  [aren’t = are not]
Don’t forget to lock the door behind you.  [don’t = do not]

Sometimes you will see words that have an apostrophe in place of the g in -ing because that’s how people really pronounce it.  However, this is only done in informal writing or when quoting someone.

Example:
“Would you like to go dancin’ tonight, sweetheart?”

Note:  The word o’clock always has an apostrophe.

Example:
The movie starts at six o’clock.  [In very old English this word was the contraction of of the clock.]

3.  It’s used to make numbers and letters plural.

Examples:
Her son got three A’s and two B’s on his report card.
There were a lot of 10’s and 20’s in the cash register.

But don’t use it after years.

Examples:
In the 1990s personal computers became popular.
This building dates from the early 1900s.

© 2013 Ambien Malecot

basic:  simplest, first, most important
The basic colors are red, yellow and blue.
This course teaches the basic history of Europe.

clumsy:  not able to use your hands or feet well.
She’s a clumsy person who drops things all the time.
He’s a clumsy dancer with two left feet.

damp:  a little bit wet, moist
Just wipe that table with a damp cloth, and it’ll be clean enough.
It’s very damp in this basement.

friendly:  like a friend, welcoming and supportive
Let me give you a little friendly advice.
Don’t worry about the natives.  They’re generally friendly.

giant:  unusually large, huge
At the concert there were giant speakers on either side of the stage.
Apple has become a giant corporation that employs over 115,000 people.

hollow:  with nothing inside, not solid
He found a bear sleeping in a hollow log in the forest.
Although the chocolate bunny looked solid, it was hollow inside.

lonely:  feeling all alone, sad because of no friendships
He was a lonely boy who had very few friends.
She felt lonely without her family close by.

plain:  with nothing added, without pattern or decoration
Her favorite snack was plain yogurt.
He had on jeans and a plain T-shirt.

rude:  impolite, not concerned about others’ feelings
Everyone was shocked by his rude behavior.
I left the store angry because the salesperson was rude to me.

slippery:  unable to walk on or hold
She fell on the wet and slippery floor.
He couldn’t hold on to the slippery fish.

tough:  difficult to do or experience
Because they were so small for their age, both children had a tough time at school.
With his father losing his job, it was a tough year for the family.

wild:  uncontrolled, of nature
On their hike in the mountains they found bushes of wild blueberries.
When their parents were out of town, the kids threw a wild party.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.

by Nickelback

a Canadian rock band which formed in 1995 in Hanna, Alberta.  The band is lead by vocalist Chad Kroeger and includes vocalist Ryan Peake, bassist Mike Kroeger, and drummer Daniel Adair, who replaced Ryan Vikedal in 2005.  Nickelback is one of the most successful Canadian bands, selling more than 50 million albums worldwide.

My best friend gave me the best advice
He said each day’s a gift and not a given right
Leave no stone unturned, leave your fears behind
And try to take the path less traveled by
That first step you take is the longest stride

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
If today was your last day

Against the grain should be a way of life
What’s worth the prize is always worth the fight
Every second counts ’cause there’s no second try
So live like you’ll never live it twice
Don’t take the free ride in your own life

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
And would you call old friends you never see
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you’re dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you’ll finally fall in love
If today was your last day

If today was your last day
Would you make your mark by mending a broken heart?
You know it’s never too late to shoot for the stars
Regardless of who you are
So do whatever it takes
‘Cause you can’t rewind a moment in this life
Let nothing stand in your way
‘Cause the hands of time are never on your side

If today was your last day
And tomorrow was too late
Could you say goodbye to yesterday?
Would you live each moment like your last?
Leave old pictures in the past
Donate every dime you have?
And would you call old friends you never see?
Reminisce old memories
Would you forgive your enemies?
And would you find that one you’re dreaming of?
Swear up and down to God above
That you’ll finally fall in love
If today was your last day

Vocabulary:

given right:  something that’s yours and no one can take away
Leave no stone unturned:  look at all the possibilitie
path less traveled:  a way of life that’s all yours
stride:  step
like:  as if it was
donate:  give away
dime:  piece of money
against the grain:  not doing what everyone else is doing
what’s worth the prize is always worth the fight:  if the reward is good, then you should fight for it
counts:  is important
free ride:  the kind of life where you don’t have to try very hard
reminisce:  remember and talk about
forgive:  release bad feelings
enemies:  people who have hurt you
one:  one person
swear up and down:  sincerely promise
make your mark:  do something important and be remembered
mending:  fixing
shoot for the stars:  try to do something that you don’t think you can do
regardless of:  it doesn’t matter
whatever it takes:  everything that’s necessary to do
rewind:  go back and do again

© 2015 Ambien Malecot for vocabulary lesson only

adorable:  cute and lovable
What an adorable child you have.
John and Julia are an adorable couple.

blind:  not able to see
Are you blind?  I’m standing right here!
He is blind to the opportunity I’m offering him.

comfortable:  feeling good and relaxed
This is a very comfortable office chair.
I don’t feel comfortable when your mother is here.

deep:  far down from the surface
They had to dig a deep well to find water.
The ship sank in deep water

flat:  horizontal, smooth, without high or low areas
I need a flat surface so I can sign my name on this paper.
Everywhere he looked, the ground was flat, which was perfect for farming.

gentle:  careful, soft, not rough
They could feel a warm, gentle wind on their faces.
He chose the most gentle horse for his daughter to ride.

important:  needing more attention than other things
Please listen.  I have an important announcement to make.
The scientist made an important discovery.

lazy:  not wanting to work, idle
His teacher says he’s a lazy student and could do much better if he tried.
My lazy friends don’t want to help me move this weekend.

odd:  strange, unusual
That’s odd.  I’m sure I left my keys on this table, but they aren’t here.
She has an odd habit of sucking on her hair when she’s working.

rotten:  not able to be eaten, over-ripe
One of the apples was rotten, so he had to throw it out.
I know the banana is brown, but it’s not rotten.

simple:  easy to understand
It’s a simple question.  Were you home last night?
Math in elementary school is quite simple.

weak:  with little energy, not strong
His doctor told him not to do any hard exercise because of his weak heart.
When she got sick, she was so weak that she had to stay in bed all day.

Pronunciation Exercise: Listen and repeat the above vocabulary on the audio file below.

Use these flashcards to help you study.

When you think you’re ready, do the following exercise.