English Prepositions MCQs with Explanations

The fixed pattern is 'accuse somebody OF something', so the clerk was accused of forging signatures. 'Accused for' is the common interference error, and 'accused with' really belongs to the different verb 'charged with'.

'Call off' means to cancel, so a match that is cancelled is called off. 'Call up' means to summon or phone, 'call out' means to order to strike or shout, and 'call down' means to reprimand — none of them expresses cancellation.

The three-word verb meaning tolerate is 'put up with', and the sentence already supplies the 'with'. 'Put off' means postpone, 'put out' means extinguish or inconvenience, and 'put back' means return, so only 'up' completes the idiom.

The adjective 'different' governs 'from': findings are different from estimates. 'Against', 'across' and 'beyond' form no accepted collocation with 'different'.

In the pattern 'It is (or has been) + period + clause referring to the past', the required word is 'since'. 'For' is used before a bare period ('they have not spoken for five years'), and 'from' cannot introduce such a clause.

Latin comparatives take 'to', never 'than': senior to, junior to, superior to, inferior to, prior to. 'Senior than' is tempting because ordinary English adjectives do take 'than'.

'In time' means soon enough for a purpose and takes the pattern 'in time to do something', which is what the infinitive here requires. 'On time' means punctual against a fixed schedule and is not followed by an infinitive of this kind.

'Fall through' means fail to materialise, which suits a deal that collapses. 'Fall out' means quarrel, 'fall away' means diminish gradually, and 'fall off' means decrease or drop from a surface.

'Take after' means resemble a relative, the sense required by 'her grandmother'. 'Take for' means mistake one person for another, 'take to' means develop a liking or habit, and 'take on' means employ or accept.

'Do away with' is the fixed three-word verb meaning abolish, so rules do away with a requirement. 'Do with' appears only in questions and negatives such as 'what did you do with it', and 'of', 'by' and 'from' cannot follow 'do away'.

The idiom is 'come into effect', meaning begin to operate; the noun 'effect' also combines with 'in' in the different phrase 'in effect' (= actually). 'Come to effect' and 'come on effect' are not English.

The phrase is 'with a view to', and the 'to' is a preposition, so it is followed by a gerund: with a view to improving. 'For improving' is the usual tempting error, but the idiom admits no other preposition.

'Between' is used when two items or persons are involved, as in 'the two winners'. 'Among' is reserved for more than two, and 'across' and 'along' express distribution over a space or a line, not sharing.

You agree WITH a person, so 'agree with me' is correct. 'Agree to' takes a proposal or plan, and 'agree on' takes the point settled by both sides; neither can govern the pronoun 'me'.

We use 'good at' to indicate skill or proficiency in something. 'Good in' is also sometimes used but 'good at' is more common and correct.

We use 'allergic to' to indicate what someone is allergic to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'proficient in' to indicate skill or expertise in a particular field or subject.

We use 'married to' to indicate the person someone is married to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'fond of' to indicate liking or affection for something. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'afraid of' to indicate what someone fears. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'allergic to' to indicate what someone is allergic to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'good at' to indicate skill or proficiency in something. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'married to' to indicate the person someone is married to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'afraid of' to indicate what someone fears. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'proficient in' to indicate skill or expertise in a particular field or subject.

We use 'good at' to indicate skill or proficiency in something. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'allergic to' to indicate what someone is allergic to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'married to' to indicate the person someone is married to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'married to' to indicate the person someone is married to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'married to' to indicate the person someone is married to. This is a fixed prepositional phrase.

We use 'proficient in' to indicate skill or expertise in a particular field or subject.