Plain English

PREPOSITIONS

303. Have you noticed that all of these phrases, which we have been studying and using as adjectives and adverbs, begin with a little word like of, with, from, in, at or by, which connects the phrase with the word it modifies? We could scarcely express our meaning without these little words. They are connecting words and fill an important function. These words usually come first in the phrase. For this reason, they are called prepositions, which means to place before.

Let us see what a useful place these little words fill in our language. Suppose we were watching the play of some boys outside our windows and were reporting their hiding place. We might say:

• The boys are hiding in the bushes.
• The boys are hiding among the bushes.
• The boys are hiding under the bushes.
• The boys are hiding behind the bushes.
• The boys are hiding beyond the bushes.

These sentences are all alike except the prepositions in, among, under, behind and beyond. If you read the sentences and leave out these prepositions entirely, you will see that nobody could possibly tell what connection the bushes had with the rest of the sentence. The prepositions are necessary to express the relation of the word bushes to the rest of the sentence.

But this is not all. You can readily see that the use of a different preposition changes the meaning of the sentence. It means quite a different thing to say, The boys are hiding in the bushes, and to say, The boys are hiding beyond the bushes. So the preposition has a great deal to do with the true expression of our ideas.

The noun bushes is used as the object of the preposition, and the preposition shows the relation of its object to the word which it modifies. You remember that nouns have the same form whether they are used as subject or as object, but if you are using a pronoun after a preposition, always use the object form of the pronoun. For example:

• I bought the book from him.
• I took the message to them.
• I found the place for her.

In these sentences the pronouns, him, them, and her are used as objects of the prepositions from, to and for. So we have used the object forms of these pronouns.

304. The noun or pronoun that follows the preposition, and is used with it to make a phrase, is the object of the preposition. The preposition is used to show the relation that exists between its object and the word the object modifies. In the sentence above, The boys are hiding in the bushes, the preposition in shows the relationship between the verb phrase, are hiding and the object of the preposition, bushes.

The noun or pronoun which is the object of a preposition may also have its modifiers. In the sentences used about the noun bush, which is the object of the prepositions used, is modified by the adjective the. Other modifiers might also be added, as for example:

• The boys are hiding in the tall, thick bushes.

The entire phrase, in the tall, thick bushes, is made up of the preposition in, its object bushes and the modifiers of bushes, the, tall and thick.

305. The preposition, with its object and the modifiers of the object, forms a phrase which we call a prepositional phrase. These prepositional phrases may be used either as adjectives or as adverbs, so we have our definitions:

A preposition is a word that shows the relation of its object to some other word.

A phrase is a group of words used as a single word.

A prepositional phrase is a phrase composed of a preposition and its object and modifiers.

An adjective phrase is a prepositional phrase used as an adjective.

An adverb phrase is a prepositional phrase used as an adverb.

306. Here is a list of the most common and most important prepositions. Use each one in a sentence:

• above
• about
• across
• after
• against
• along
• around
• among
• at
• before
• behind
• below
• beneath
• beside
• between
• beyond
• by
• down
• for
• from
• in
• into
• of
• off
• over
• to
• toward
• through
• up
• upon
• under
• with
• within
• without

ADVERBS AND PREPOSITIONS

307. Many of the words that are used as prepositions are used also as adverbs. It may be a little confusing to tell whether the word is an adverb or a preposition, but if you will remember this simple rule you will have no trouble:

A preposition is always followed by either a noun or a pronoun as its object, while an adverb never has an object.

So when you find a word, that can be used either as a preposition or an adverb, used alone in a sentence without an object, it is an adverb; but if it is followed by an object, then it is a preposition. This brings again to our minds the fundamental rule which we have laid down, that every word is classified according to the work which it does in a sentence. The work of a preposition is to show the relation between its object and the word which that object modifies. So whenever a word is used in this way it is a preposition. For example: He went about his business.

Here, about is a preposition and business is its object. But in the sentence, He is able to be about, about is used as an adverb. It has no object.

He sailed before the mast. Here, before is a preposition introducing the phrase before the mast, which modifies the verb sailed. But in the sentence, I told you that before, before is an adverb modifying the verb told.

By applying this rule you can always readily determine whether the word in question is an adverb or a preposition.

Exercise 4

Tell whether the words printed in italics in the following sentences, are prepositions or adverbs and the reason why:

1. He came across the street.
2. He is without work.
3. Come in.
4. He lives near.
5. He brought it for me.
6. I cannot get across.
7. We will go outside.
8. This is between you and me.
9. He can go without.
10. Stay in the house.
11. Do not come near me.
12. They all went aboard at six o'clock.
13. He enlisted in the navy and sailed before the mast.
14. I do not know what lies beyond.
15. I will soon be through.
16. The aeroplane flew above the city for hours.

PHRASE PREPOSITIONS

308. Sometimes we have a preposition made up of several words which we have used so commonly together that they are used as a single word and we call the entire phrase a preposition. As, for example: According to—on account of—by means of, etc.

1. He answered according to the rule.
2. I could not go on account of illness.
3. He won the election by means of fraud.
4. The strike was won by help of all the comrades.
5. You can learn to spell only by dint of memory.
6. We speak incorrectly by force of habit.
7. He went to New York by way of Chicago.
8. Ferrer died for the sake of his ideals.
9. In consideration of this payment, we will send you the set of books.
10. Germany issued her ultimatum in defiance of the world.
11. In view of all the facts, we are convinced of his innocence.
12. He will gladly suffer in place of his comrade.
13. In conformity with the information contained in your letter,
14. I will join you on the 10th.

Exercise 5

Mark the prepositions in the following quotation. In the first three paragraphs the prepositional phrases are printed in italics. Determine whether they are used as adjective phrases or as adverb phrases. Underscore the prepositional phrases in the remainder of the quotation and determine which word is used as the object of the preposition.

THE SUNLIGHT LAY ACROSS MY BED

In the dark one night I lay upon my bed. And in the dark I dreamed a dream. I dreamed God took my soul to Hell.

And we came where hell opened into a plain, and a great house stood there. Marble pillars upheld the roof, and white marble steps led up to it. The wind of heaven blew through it. Only at the back hung a thick curtain. Fair men and women there feasted at long tables. They danced, and I saw the robes of women flutter in the air and heard the laugh of strong men. They feasted with wine; they drew it from large jars which stood somewhat in the background, and I saw the wine sparkle as they drew it.

And I said to God, "I should like to go up and drink." And God said, "Wait." And I saw men coming into the banquet house; they came in from The back and lifted the corner of the curtain at the sides and crept inquickly; and they let the curtain fall behind them; they bore great jars they could hardly carry. And the men and women crowded round them, and the newcomers opened their jars and gave them of the wine to drink; and I saw that the women drank even more greedily than the men. And when others had well drunken they set the jars among the old ones beside the wall, and took their places at the table. And I saw that some of the jars were very old and mildewed and dusty, but others had still drops of new must on them and shone from the furnace.

And I said to God, "What is that?" For amid the sounds of the singing, and over the dancing of feet, and over the laughing across the winecups, I heard a cry.

And God said, "Stand away off."

And He took me where I saw both sides of the curtain. Behind the house was a wine-press where the wine was made. I saw the grapes crushed, and I heard them cry. I said, "Do not they on the other side hear it?"

God said, "The curtain is thick; they are feasting."

And I said, "But the men who came in last. They saw?"

God said, "They let the curtain fall behind them—and they forgot!"

I said, "How came they by their jars of wine?"

God said, "In the treading of the press these are they who came to the top; they have climbed out over the edge and filled their jars from below; and have gone into the house."

And I said, "And if they had fallen as they climbed—?"

God said, "They had been wine."

I stood away off watching in the sunshine, and I shivered.

And after a while I looked, and I saw the curtain that hung behind the house moving.

I said to God, "Is it a wind?"

God said, "A wind."

And it seemed to me that against the curtain I saw pressed the forms of men and women. And after a while, the feasters saw it move, and they whispered one to another. Then some rose and gathered the most worn-out cups, and into them they put what was left at the bottom of other vessels. Mothers whispered to their children, "Do not drink all, save a little drop when you have drunk." And when they had collected all the dregs they slipped the cups out under the bottom of the curtain without lifting it. After a while the curtain left off moving.

I said to God, "How is it so quiet?"

He said, "They have gone away to drink it."

I said, "They drink it—their own!"

God said, "It comes from this side of the curtain, and they are very thirsty."

And still the feast went on.

Men and women sat at the tables quaffing great bowls. Some rose, and threw their arms about each other and danced and sang. They pledged each other in the wine, and kissed each other's blood-red lips.

Men drank till they could drink no longer, and laid their heads upon the table, sleeping heavily. Women who could dance no more leaned back on the benches with their heads against their lovers' shoulders. Little children, sick with wine, lay down upon the edge of their mothers' robes.

I said, "I cannot see more, I am afraid of Hell. When I see men dancing I hear the time beaten in with sobs; and their wine is living! Oh, I cannot bear Hell!"

God said, "Where will you go?"

I said, "To the earth from which I came; it was better there."

And God laughed at me; and I wondered why He laughed.—Olive Schreiner.

SPELLING

LESSON 18

There are a number of words that are ordinarily followed by a preposition with its phrase. We make a great many mistakes in the use of the proper preposition with these words. Our spelling lesson this week covers a number of these words with examples illustrating the appropriate preposition to be used with each word. Learn to spell these words, look up their meaning in the dictionary and use each word with its proper preposition in sentences of your own construction.

MONDAY

• Abhorrence, of; We have an abhorrence of war.
• Abhorrent, to; War is abhorrent to us.
• Acquaint, with; I will acquaint you with the facts in the case. You will then be acquainted with the facts.
• Acquit, of; The man was acquitted of the charge.
• Adequate, to; Our resources are not adequate to the demand.

TUESDAY

• Angry, with, at; We are angry with persons and angry at things.
• Astonished, at or by; (Never with) I am astonished at you, or by you, not with you.
• Confer; We confer with people, upon or about matters.
• Contrary; A thing is contrary to our ideas, (not from or than).
• Controversy; with, between, or about, (not over). I had a controversy with you. There is a controversy between the two about the result.

WEDNESDAY

• Convicted, of (not for). He was convicted of the crime.
• Copy; We copy after people, from things, and out of books.
• Deprive, of, (not from). We are deprived of an education.
• Desire, of and for; We may speak of the desire of a man, meaning man's desire; but we should always say "He has a desire for position, for wealth," etc.
• Die, of, for and from; A person dies of, not from, a disease. He dies from the effects of an injury. One person may die with another, but never with a disease, for the disease does not die.

THURSDAY

• Differ, from, among, about, concerning, with; Persons or things differ from each other; that is, they are dissimilar in appearance. Two persons may differ with each other; that is, contend or disagree. Several persons differ among themselves about or concerning some matter.
• Dissent, from (not to). There was a general dissent from that idea.
• Guilty, of (not for). He is guilty of the crime.
• Incentive, to (not for). It is a great incentive to action.
• Receive, from, (not of). Received from John Smith, thirty dollars, etc.

FRIDAY

• Infer, from, (not by). I infer this from your remarks, not by your remarks.
• Introduce; A man is introduced to a woman, a speaker to an audience; into society or into new surroundings. We introduce a bill in Congress or a resolution in a committee.
• Involved, in (not with). We are involved in difficulties.
• Listen; We listen for the expected news; we listen to our friends, not at.
• Married; One person is married to another, not with another.

SATURDAY

• Matter, with, (not of). What is the matter with this?
• Opposition, to (not against). There is opposition to the motion.
• Part, to part from, means to leave. I will part from my friends. To part with means to give up. A fool soon parts with his money.
• Remedy, for; We have a remedy for the disease.
• Preventive, against; We have a preventive against disease.

PLAIN ENGLISH

LESSON 19

Dear Comrade:

In this lesson we are completing our study of the preposition. The preposition is one of the last parts of speech which we take up for study and it is also one of the last parts of speech to be added to our vocabulary. The child does not use the preposition when it first begins to talk. It uses the names of things; words of action; words that describe objects and actions. It does not begin to use prepositions until it begins to relate ideas.

The relation of ideas means that we are thinking; combining ideas into thoughts. Then we begin to need prepositions, which are words of relation, connecting words, expressing the relationship between ideas. The measure of the fullness and richness of our lives is the measure of our understanding of the world about us, of the relationship existing between the different phases of that world and of our relationship to it all.

So words do not mean much to us until we can relate them to our own lives and our own experiences. When you look up a word in the dictionary, do not study the word alone; study also the thing for which it stands. A person with a good memory might acquire a vocabulary by sheer feat of memory; but what good would it do unless each word could be related to practical experience? It is only in this way that words become alive to us. We must have an idea, a concept and knowledge of the thing for which the word stands.

So let us use our dictionary in this way. Do not be satisfied when you have looked up a word simply to know how to spell and pronounce the word and understand somewhat of its meaning. Do not be satisfied until it has become a live word to you. Have a clear image and understanding of just what each word stands for. Use the words in sentences of your own. Use them in your conversation. Make them a part of your every-day life.

Do not pass over any of the words in the lesson without understanding their meaning. Study the poem Abou Ben Adhem in this week's lesson. After you have read it over a number of times, close the book and rewrite the poem in prose in your own language. Then compare your version with the poem. Note where you have used different expressions and decide which is the better, the words used in the poem or your own words. Rewrite it several times until you have a well-written version of this poem.

Exercises such as this will increase your vocabulary and quickly develop the power of expression. No power can come in any department of life without effort having been expended in its acquisition. Our great writers have been careful students. Robert Louis Stevenson says that he has often spent a half a day searching for the particular word which he needed to express precisely the idea in mind. Stevenson is a master of the English and this power came to him by this sort of studious and earnest work.

Yours for Education,

THE PEOPLE'S COLLEGE.

AN IMPORTANT WORD

309. Things are not always to be judged by their size. Sometimes the most important things are very small and unimportant in appearance. A great machine is before you. You see its giant wheels, its huge levers. These may seem to be the most important parts of the machine, but here and there throughout this great machine are little screws and bolts. These bind the giant parts together. Without these connecting links, the great wheels and levers and revolving belts could not work together. Let a little bolt slip out of its place in the mechanism, and the great wheels stop, the throbbing machinery comes to a standstill. No work is possible until this little bolt has been replaced.

So in our sentence building, the preposition is the bolt that joins words together. The importance of the preposition in a language increases just in proportion as the nation learns to think more exactly and express itself more accurately.

We found in our last lesson that by changing a preposition we can change the entire meaning of the sentence. A man's life may depend upon the use of a certain preposition. You may swear his life away by bearing testimony to the fact whether you saw him within the house, or without the house; or before dark, or after dark.

310. The preposition is an important word in the sentence. We can use it to serve our purpose in various ways. We have found, for instance, that we can use it:

First, to change an adjective into an adjective phrase. As, for example:

• The fearless man demands his rights.
• The man without fear demands his rights.

Second, to change an adverb into an adverb phrase. As, for example:

• We want to possess peacefully the fruits of our labor.
• We want to possess in peace the fruits of our labor.

Third, to express a meaning which we can express in no other way; as, for example, They are fighting for their country. There is no single word which we can use to express the meaning which we express in the phrase, for their country.

311. So the preposition has given us a new means of expression, the prepositional phrase. We can, by its help, use a phrase in place of an adjective to modify a noun or a pronoun, and in place of an adverb to modify a verb or an adjective. And we can also use the prepositional phrase to express relationship which we cannot express by a single adjective or adverb.

If I want to tell you that I see a bird in yonder tree, such an expression would be impossible without that little preposition in. By the use of various prepositions, I can express to you the relationship between the bird and the tree. I can tell you whether it is under the tree, or in the tree, or over the tree, or flying around the tree, or near the tree. By the use of the various prepositions, I can express accurately the relationship that exists between the bird and the tree.

Exercise 1

Look up the list of prepositions in Section 306, on page 184. Use the following pairs of words in sentences and use as many different prepositions as you can to express the different relationships which may be expressed between these words. For example, take the two words, man and house. You may say:

• The man went around the house.
• The man went about the house.
• The man went over the house.
• The man went under the house.
• The man went without the house.
• The man went into the house.
• The man went by the house.
• The man went beyond the house.
• The man went to the house.

A GOVERNING WORD

312. The preposition shows the relation between two words. In this way it enables us to use a noun or a pronoun as a modifying word. For example, in the sentence given above, I see the bird in the tree, the preposition in shows the relationship between bird and tree, and makes of tree a modifying word. It expresses a different meaning than if we used the word tree as an adjective. For we do not mean that we see a tree bird, but a bird in a tree. So with the help of the preposition in, we have used tree as a modifying word.

But the preposition in also governs the form of the word that follows it. Since nouns have the same form whether they are used as subject or object, this does not mean any change in the form of the nouns. But pronouns have different forms for the subject and object, so when we use a pronoun with a preposition, we must use the object form. There are seven object forms of the personal pronouns, and after a preposition, always use one of these object forms.

• He gave it to me.
• Give it to him.
• Give it to her.
• Add this to it.
• Bring it to us.
• I will give it to you.
• He gave it to them.

313. Be careful to always use the object form of the pronoun following a preposition. Observe this also in the use of the relative and interrogative pronoun "who." The object form is "whom." For example:

• To whom will you go?
• This is the man to whom I wrote.
• For whom are you looking?
• Where is the woman for whom you would make such a sacrifice?

Where to Put the Preposition

314. The preposition generally precedes its object. This is the reason it was given its name, preposition, meaning to place before. Sometimes, however, the preposition is separated from its object. This is often true when it is used with an interrogative or relative pronoun. With these pronouns, the preposition is often thrown to the end of the sentence. For example:

• This is the book about which I was speaking; or, This is the book which I was speaking about.
• To whom shall I give this letter; or, Who shall I give this letter to?

The sentence, To whom shall I give this letter, is grammatically correct; but in ordinary usage we use the form, Who shall I give this letter to?

While the rule calls for the object form of the relative pronoun after a preposition—so that the use of to whom is grammatically correct—in common usage we use the subject form of the pronoun when it is used so far away from the preposition which governs it. So we find this use common. For example, instead of saying, For whom is this letter? we say, Who is this letter for?

315. In poetry also, we often find the object coming before the preposition. For example:

Boughs is here the object of the preposition between, but in this poetic expression the object is placed before the preposition. Note also in the following:

316. After an interrogative adjective, the preposition is also often thrown to the end of the sentence. As, for example:

• What men are the people talking about?
• Which person did you write to?

With these few exceptions, however, the preposition usually precedes its object, as:

• We were astonished at the news.
• He arose from his sleep.

POSSESSIVE PHRASES

317. Review Lesson 4, in which we studied the possessive use of nouns. You will recall that we make the possessive form of the nouns by the use of the apostrophe and s. But instead of using the possessive forms of the name of inanimate things; that is, things without life, we generally denote possession by the use of a phrase. Thus we would say, The arm of the chair, instead of, The chair's arm; or, The roof of the house, instead of, The house's roof.

318. We also use a possessive phrase when the use of a possessive form would give an awkward construction. As, for example: Jesus' sayings. So many hissing sounds are not pleasant to the ear and so, we say instead, The sayings of Jesus.

319. We use a phrase also where both nouns are in the plural form. In many words, there is no difference in the sound between a single noun in the possessive form and a plural noun in the possessive form. We can readily tell the meaning when it is written, because the place of the apostrophe indicates the meaning, but when it is spoken the sound is exactly the same. As, for example:

• The lady's hats.
• The ladies' hats.

Written out in this way, you know that in the first instance I am speaking of the hats belonging to one lady, but in the second instance of the hats belonging to two or more ladies. But when it is spoken, you can not tell whether I mean one lady or a number of ladies. So we use a phrase and say, The hats of the lady; or, The hats of the ladies. Then the meaning is entirely clear.

320. Sometimes we want to use two possessives together, and in this case it is better to change one of them into a phrase; for example, This is my comrade's father's book. This is an awkward construction. Say instead, This is the book belonging to my comrade's father.

321. Do not overlook the fact, however, that the phrase beginning with of does not always mean possession. Consider the following examples and see if there is not a difference in meaning:

• The history of Wilson is interesting.
• Wilson's history is interesting.

In the first instance, I mean the history of Wilson's life is interesting; in the second instance I mean the history belongs to or written by Wilson is interesting. So there is quite a difference in the meaning. The phrase of Wilson used in the first example does not indicate possession.

Note the difference in meaning between the following sentences:

• The picture of Millet is good.
• Millet's picture is good.
• The statue of Rodin stands in the park.
• Rodin's statue stands in the park.

Would you say:

• The invention of gunpowder, or gunpowder's invention?
• The destruction of Louvain, or Louvain's destruction?
• The siege of Antwerp, or Antwerp's siege?
• The boat's keel, or the keel of the boat?

COMMON ERRORS

322. Prepositions are usually very small and seemingly unimportant words, yet we make a great many mistakes in their use. It is these little mistakes that are most difficult to avoid.

Notice carefully in your own speech this week, and in the conversation which you overhear, the use of the prepositions. Notice especially the following cautions:

1. Do not use prepositions needlessly. We often throw a preposition in at the close of a sentence which we have already used in the sentence, and which we should not use again. The little preposition at is most frequently used in this way. See how many times this week you hear people use such phrases as:

• At which store do you trade at?
• At what corner did you stop at?

The last at is entirely unnecessary. It has already been used once and that is enough. We also use at and to at the close of sentences beginning with an interrogative adverb, where they are not necessary. For example, we say:

• Where did you go to?
• Where did you stop at?
• Where am I at?

The correct form of these sentences is:

• Where did you go?
• Where did you stop?
• Where am I?

Do not use at and to in this way, they are entirely superfluous and give a most disagreeable sound to the sentence. Do not close a sentence with a preposition in this way.

2. Do not omit the preposition where it properly belongs. For example, we often say:

• The idea is no use to me.

We should say, The idea is of no use to me.

• I was home yesterday.

We should say, I was at home yesterday.

3. Do not use the preposition of with a verb that requires an object. The noun cannot be the object of both the verb and the preposition. As, for example:

• He does not remember of seeing you.
• Do you approve of his action?

Remember and approve are both incomplete verbs requiring an object, and the nouns seeing and action are the objects of the incomplete verbs remember and approve. The preposition of is entirely superfluous. The sentences should read:

• He does not remember seeing you.
• Do you approve his action?

Other verbs with which we commonly use the preposition of in this way are the verbs accept and recollect. As, for example:

• Will you accept of this kindness?
• Will you try to recollect of it?

These sentences should read:

• Will you accept this kindness?
• Will you try to recollect it?

The Correct Preposition

323. We make a great many mistakes also in the choice of prepositions. For example, the preposition between refers to two objects and should never be used when you are speaking of more than two, thus:

• We settled the quarrel between the two men.

This is correct, but it is incorrect to say:

• We settled the quarrel between the members of the Union.

We cannot settle a quarrel between a dozen people. When there are more than two, use the word among. We can perhaps attempt to settle a quarrel among a dozen people. Between refers to two objects, among refers to more than two. For example:

• Divide the work between the two men.
• Divide the work among twenty men.

324. Do not confuse the use of in and into. When entrance is denoted use into. As, for example:

• He came into the room.
• He got into the auto.

Often the use of in will give an entirely different meaning to the sentence. For example:

• He ran in the water.
• He ran into the water.
• The man acted as our guide in the city.
• The man acted as our guide into the city.
• The horse ran in the pasture.
• The horse ran into the pasture.

325. Do not use below and under to mean less or fewer in regard to an amount or number. Below and under have reference to place only. It is correct to say:

• He went under the bridge.
• He came out below the falls.

But it is incorrect to say:

• The price is below cost.
• There were under fifty present.

Say instead:

• The price is less than cost.
• There were fewer than fifty present.

326. Do not misuse over and above. These prepositions have reference only to place. They are incorrectly used to mean more than or greater than.

It is correct to say:

• The boat anchored above the landing.
• He flew over the city.

It is incorrect to say:

• He bought above a hundred acres.
• He lives over a mile from here.

These sentences should be:

• He bought more than a hundred acres.
• He lives more than a mile from here.

THE PREPOSITION WITH VERBS

327. In our first lesson on prepositions, we had a list of verbs and the correct preposition to use with these verbs. There are a few words which we use very commonly in which the meaning is slightly different according to the preposition which we use in connection with the verb. Foreigners especially who are learning the English language have great difficulty with the prepositions. Here are a few of these common words:

Adapt. With adapt we can use either the preposition to or for. For example; we adapt ourselves to circumstances, that is, we accommodate or conform ourselves; but a thing can be adapted for a certain purpose.

Agree. We can use the prepositions with and to with the verb agree, but with different meanings. For example, we say, We agree with you about a certain matter; and, We agree to the proposal which you make.

Ask. We ask a favor of a person. We ask a friend for a favor. We ask about some one or thing that we wish to hear about.

Charge. There are several prepositions we can use with the verb charge. Your grocer charges you for the things that you buy. If you run an account you are charged with a certain amount. These things are charged to you; but in war the enemy charges upon you.

Compare. One thing is compared with another in quality, but it is compared to another when we are using the comparison for an illustration.

Complain. We make complaint to the manager of the things we do not like.

Comply. We comply with the request of another, but he does a thing in compliance with that request. Do not use the preposition to with compliance.

Correspond. With correspond, we use either the preposition with or to. For example, I may correspond with you, meaning that I communicate with you by letter, but one thing corresponds to another, meaning that it is like the other.

Disgust. We are disgusted with our friends sometimes at the things which they do. We are disgusted with people and at things.

Reconcile. With reconcile, we use either the preposition with or to. For example, I may become reconciled with you; that is, I am restored to friendship or favor after an estrangement. But we reconcile one thing to another; that is, we harmonize one thing with another.

Taste. We have a taste for music, art or literature, but we enjoy the taste of good things to eat. When taste refers to one of the five senses, use the preposition of, but when you use it to mean intellectual relish or enjoyment, use the preposition for.

Exercise 2

Mark all of the prepositional phrases in the following poem:

Exercise 3

Mark all of the prepositions in the following poem. Write the entire phrases and mark the word which is the object of the preposition. For example, in the phrase in the second line; from a rich dream, dream is the object of the preposition from; and a and rich modify the noun dream.