Throw at / throw to

 

“Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it.” 

This quote from entertainer Danny Kaye inspires, in addition to being a perfect example of the phrasal verb “throw at.”

Another phrasal verb “throw to” may seem similar to “throw at” but it is not: 

"Throw at" means to throw something with the intention of hitting something. You throw to hit a target.

Ex: 

• Giannis Antetokounmpo threw the ball at the basket. 
• After a snowfall, children have fun throwing snowballs at each other. 

When “throwing to,” you give something to someone by tossing or hurling it. If I throw something to you, you're probably expecting it. 

Ex: 

• Margaret prefers that Frank hand her the car keys instead of throwing them to her from across the room. 
• Aaron Rogers threw the football to one of his receivers. 

Use the correct preposition for "throw at" and "throw to" and be a better English speaker. 

Let’s Get Happy

The Declaration of Independence of the United States proclaims that all people have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. So, what makes you happy? Money? Family? Your work? Whatever it is, let’s say it correctly.

We have happy with and happy about, and there is a subtle difference between the two:

“Happy with” means you are satisfied with the quality or standard of something. 

• The client was happy with their presentation. 
• The chef was not happy with the flavor of the truffles. 

“Happy about” means you are pleased that something happened, or pleased by something. 

• The team was happy about winning the championship. 
• Carlo is not happy about being in debt. 

I often hear English learners say happy about but rarely happy with, and even native speakers seem to use these expressions interchangeably, which is proof that prepositions are a challenge. You will still be understood even if you mix the two up, but knowing the correct uses is always best. 

Made of, made from, made with

How do you know which prepositions go with certain words? For example, “depend on” and “consist of” are fixed phrases. "On" always follows "depend"; "of" always follows "consist". Sometimes it's hard to remember these combinations.

Today’s post talks about make, meaning to manufacture, create or prepare. Make (past tense "made") requires three different prepositions (of, from, or with), depending on the process or materials used.

Use made of if you can identify the material used to make something (the material has not changed):

Ted’s new chair is made of oak wood.
The bride wore a wedding ring made of platinum.
The warmest sweaters are made of wool.


Use made from if the oroginal material has been changed into something completely different in the manufacturing process.

Paper is made from wood.
Wine is made from grapes.
Cheese is made from milk.


Last is made with, when there are multiple materials or ingredients used to produce something and we want to talk about one of them. (If something is made with one main material, use made from.)

Beer is made with yeast.
Nancy’s jam is made with the freshest apricots.
Lisa’s new computer is made with the fastest processor.


To sum up:
Made of = material has not changed
Made from = the material has been changed (we can’t see it anymore)
Made with = when a product is made using many elements and we describe one of them

Collocations with verbs + prepositions

Why do we describe McDonald's as a “fast food” restaurant, not a “quick food” restaurant? Because English speakers are accustomed to using collocations, which are two or more words that often go together. That’s why we say “happy hour” and not “joyful hour”.

Collocations are fixed expressions or word pairings that just sound "right" to native English speakers because we tend to use these combinations over and over again. There is nothing wrong with speaking freely and not collocating, but doing so would reveal that you aren't a native speaker whose meaning many not be clear.

Because these words are “fixed” together, they must be memorized. One area where English learners run into trouble is knowing verb + preposition collocations. It’s vital that they be paired correctly. Using prepositions is rather difficult anyway but people find it easier to remember verbs + prepositions as sets rather than as individual words.

Here is a list of common verb + preposition collocations:

A

• accuse (someone) of ([doing] something)
• 
add (something) to (something else)
• 
admire (someone) for ([doing] something)

• agree on (topic)
• 
agree with (someone)

• apologize to (someone) for ([doing] something)
• 
apply to (a place) for (something)
• 
approve of (something)

• argue with (someone) about (topic)
• 
arrive at (a building, room, site, event)
• 
arrive in (a city, country)
• 
ask (someone) about (someone/topic)

• ask (someone) for (something)

B

• believe in (something)

• belong to (someone)
• 
blame (someone) for ([doing] something)

• borrow (something) from (someone)

C

• care about (someone/something/topic)
• 
comment on (topic)
• 
compare (something) to/with (something else)

• complain to (someone) about (something)
• 
concentrate on ([doing] something)
• 

congratulate (someone) for/on ([doing] something)

• consist of (some things)

• consent to ([doing] something)
• 
contribute to (something)
• 
count on (someone) to (do something)
• 
cover (something) with (something else)

D

• decide on (topic)
• 
depend on (someone) for (something)

• discuss (something) with (someone)
• 
distinguish (something) from (something else)
• 
dream about/of (someone/something)

E

• escape from (somewhere)
• 
explain (topic) to (someone)
• 
excuse (someone) for ([doing] something)

F

• forgive (someone for ([doing] something)

G

• get rid of (something)
• 
graduate from (a place)

H

• happen to (someone)
• 
help (someone) with (something)
• 
hide (something) from (someone)

I

• insist (up)on (something)

• introduce (someone) to (someone else)
• 
invite (someone) to (an event)

K

• keep (something) for (someone)

M

• matter to (someone)

O

• object to (something)

P

• participate in (something)
• 
pay (price) for (something)
• plan on ([doing] something)
• 
pray for (someone/something)

• prefer (something) to (something else)
• 
prevent (someone) from ([doing] something)

• prohibit (someone) from ([doing] something)

• protect (someone) from (something)
• 
provide (someone) with (something)

R

• recover from (something)
• 
rely (up)on (someone/something)
• 
remind (someone) of (something)
• 
rescue (someone) from (something)
• 
respond to (someone/something)

S

• save (someone) from (something)

• search for (something)

• separate (something) from (something else)
• 
scold (someone) for ([doing] something)
• 
smile at (someone)
• 
speak to/with (someone) about (topic)
• 
stare at (something/someone)
• 
stop (someone) from ([doing] something)
• 
subscribe to (something)
• 
substitute (something) for (something else/someone)

• subtract (something) from (something else)
• 
succeed in ([doing] something)
• 
suffer from (something)

T

• take advantage of (someone/something/situation)
• 
take care of (something/someone)

• talk to/with (someone) about (topic)
• 
thank (someone) for ([doing] something)
• 
travel to (somewhere)


V

• vote for (someone)

• vouch for (someone)

W

• wait for (someone/something)
• 
wish for (something)

• work for (company/something/someone)

Preposition: over

I recently came across (found by chance) a question about the following headline: "At Benghazi Hearing, Shouting Match Over Hillary Clinton’s Emails".

Look at the word "over" and how it is used. A reader asked whether this means it is all over but shouting.

The headline is confusing if you think "over" is used as an adverb meaning "finished" but if you read it more carefully, you will see that "over" is a preposition that means "on the subject of" which is more logical. There was a lot of shouting on the subject of Hillary Clinton's emails at the Benghazi hearing. Of course, with headlines (and the English language in general) information is conveyed in a brief manner and prepositions help us do this.

- Lucy and Ricky often argue "over" money.
- The heated debate "over" unemployment lasted for many hours.
- Don't cry "over" spilled milk = don't be upset "over" something that has already happened and cannot be changed.

Sit on it (or sit in it)?

Prepositions can be confusing for English learners. They certainly don’t make sitting easy. At times we sit "on" something, and other times we sit "in" something. How do you know if it’s sit on or sit in?

1) Think “comfort level”:

It depends on how relaxed you are. You sit "in" furniture where you lounge comfortably, and sit "on" seats where your posture is more upright. You are more likely to sit "on" a bench or ottoman, and more likely to sit "in" an armchair (of course, unless you sit "on" the arms).

If you're (comfortably) installed inside the confines of a seat, use "in" - an armchair, a beanbag chair, a recliner, a wheelchair. A sofa (or couch), though it does have arms, is much more wide open. You can sit "on" it from various directions or places on the couch.  However, you might sit "in" the corner of the couch. 



2) Sitting "in" may also be used in the sense of "occupying":

"I'm sorry, but my friend is sitting "in" that chair." (The friend has gotten up for a minute and someone else starts to sit in it, thinking that it is available.)

I usually prefer to sit "in" the aisle seat of a plane but Mattia likes sitting "in" the window seat.

"Before" at the end of a sentence

It is a rule that prepositions are followed by nouns. They are never followed by verbs.

- "Before" leaving, Alice fed her turtle. (Leaving is a gerund, a noun formed from a verb.)
- Paolo was napping "under" a coconut tree in Hawaii.
- The coffee cups are "on" the table.
- The package is "for" you.

Today’s post highlights a special case when the preposition “before” is at the end of a sentence, followed by nothing. In this situation, "before" means at some unknown time before now. It does not say when, and it’s normally used with the present perfect tense.

- Lisa has seen Bruce Springsteen in concert "before".
- Alex has never been to Niagara Falls "before".
- I have never heard that song "before".
- Have you ever traveled by plane "before"? No, I have never never flown "before". This is my first time.

Is this your first time reading my blog, or have you visited this site before?

Two ways to use the preposition "by"

Prepositions are tricky (problematic) little words that cause trouble for English learners. Different languages use different prepositions to express the same ideas so you will most likely create errors if translating.

Today’s post discusses two ways to use the preposition “by”.

1) Transportation and how you move from place to place needs “by”.
- You can’t travel to Hawaii by land. You must either go by plane or by boat.
- Nat arrived in Vancouver’s city center by train.
- Carlos travels by bike whenever he can.

*On foot is commonly used for transportation.
Example: Once Nat arrived in Vancouver, she traveled by boat or on foot.



2) “By” is also used to show the method of doing something.
- Mary pays for everything by credit card.
- The party is by invitation only.
- Carlo learned English by listening to Beatles songs.

*For manner or method of payment, in cash / cash is also common.
Example: No, I didn't pay by check or credit card. I paid in cash.


“By” is very handy (convenient) for clarifying the method or means of how you do something. Don't be shy and start using "by" the right way today!

Prepositions of place (location/destination): to, into, onto

Prepositions describe a relationship between other words in a sentence but, all alone, they are difficult to define. Consequently, understanding prepositions is a challenge for English learners. This post explores three prepositions of place: to, into, and onto.


We use “to”, “into”, and “onto” to show movement, when something changes its location or position.

The couple flew to Mexico for their honeymoon.
Andrea poured the Coke into a glass.
Matteo was exhausted and fell onto the sofa to take a nap.

The opposite of “to” is “from” / the opposite of “into” is “out of” / the opposite of “onto” is “off”.

The couple flew home from Mexico after their honeymoon.
The Coke spilled out of the glass when Andrea accidentally knocked it over.
After his nap, Matteo got off of the sofa to eat dinner.

The more you speak, read, and write, the more natural prepositions will be for you.

Interested in

How do you know which prepositions go with certain words? Sometimes it's hard to remember their combinations. Depend on is one of those phrases and interested in is another. In always follows interested for the common phrase, interested in, to indicate your curiosity or concern about something or someone.

Interested in is followed by a noun and, if your focus is an activity, this noun should be in the form of a gerund (a verb form that functions as a noun).


Monty has been interested in horses since he was a child. (noun = horses)
Jack is interested in French cuisine. (noun = French cuisine)
Federica is interested in kickboxing. (noun = kickboxing)

Nic is interested in becoming a professional tennis player. (gerund = becoming)
NASA is interested in exploring other galaxies. (gerund = exploring)
John is interested in flying jets. (gerund = flying)

I am interested in improving your English!

Ask Whom?

It’s natural to translate as you speak when you’re learning a new language but, sometimes, a direct translation is a trap that leads to mistakes in English. Go to home is an example. (It’s go home).

Another possible trap is ask to. In conversation I often hear people say, "I asked to my coworker...", or "I’ll ask to my friend....." No need to ask to, just ask!

I asked my coworker.... I’ll ask my friend. Eliminate to when you talk about asking. (If you have any problems, simply ask me).

Prepositions followed by gerunds

In my previous post, I told you that a preposition is always followed by a noun, but what if you want to use a verb? Use the "-ing" form, which is really a gerund (or verb in noun form).

I’m not used to waking up so early.

Nadia washed her hands before eating.

Thanks for giving me fifty dollars.

Davide dreams about traveling to Australia.

I look forward to seeing you visit this blog again.

Where are you going?

Knowing which preposition to use can make most English learners crazy, probably because there are more than 100 of them (on, in, under, to, before, for, and so on). One central rule to remember is that a preposition is followed by a noun. It is never followed by a verb.

The basic preposition of a direction is to. (The cowboy rode his horse to Mount Rushmore). To expresses movement in the direction of a particular location, but remember these exceptions: home, downtown, uptown, inside, outside, downstairs, upstairs. We never go TO these places.

I’m going home. Stefania’s cat wants to come inside. Is Paolo going outside? Can Mattia drive me downtown?

This is a simple, little rule to help you sound like a native speaker.