Grammar Smart 3rd Edition - Princeton Review 2014

E. Idioms
Part 3. Putting It All Together

If you’ve ever studied a foreign language, you know what idioms are—and how muc trouble they can be. An idiom is simply, a peculiarity, a rule of usage that applies only to particular instance. For example, to mean “We have got the same problem” we say “we’r in the same boat,” not “We’re in the same car.” Idioms include all of the expressions we us that are unique to English, including cliches: eat crow, jump the gun, rain cats and dogs and so on. They also include preposition usage, which is what we’re interested in here. I you are a native English-speaker, you probably, with a few exceptions, use idioms correctl without even thinking about it. If you’re in doubt, you can try looking up the word in dictionary, which often will list the appropriate preposition and usage.

Idiom List #1

These idioms always take the same preposition-no matter what.

With

afflicted with: I am afflicted with measles and dandruff.

argue with: Shut up and don’t argue with me!

comply with: You must comply with the new regulations.

consistent with: Her speeches are not consistent with her actions.

meet with (Things other than people. See Idiom List #3): Are you certain that the new design meets with Federal regulations?

tamper with: The spy tampered with the engine and the plane when down.

To

according to: According to Reagan, the 1980s were “Morning in America.”

analogous to: The fallacy in her argument is that she makes everything analogous to everything else.

averse to: The man was averse to running for office.

aversion to: The woman had an aversion to politics.

cater to: He spent all day catering to his boss’s whims.

conform to: The men refused to conform to the expectations of Mr. Dingdong.

consider to be (the to be may be dropped): He considers her to be the candidate best for the job.

Or: He considers her the candidate best for the job.

equal to: I am not equal to the task.

forbid to: I forbid you to sit on that chair.

intend to (not on doing): She intends to make partner before she is thirty.

oblivious to: He lives in a dream world, oblivious to reality.

ought to: She ought to put air in her tires.

preferable to (not than): Eating ice cream is preferable to cleaning the house.

prior to: Prior to the election, Democrats were subjected to background checks.

superior to (not than): Italian cooking is superior to English cooking.

temerity to: My boss had the temerity to ask me to pick up his dry cleaning.

tie to: In making her point, she tied her economic theory to sociological data.

try to (not and): Try to finish your work quickly so we can leave for the party.

Of

ask of: What do you ask of life?

capable of: That cretin is capable of anything.

composed of: My wardrobe is composed of black pants and white shirts.

desirous of: I am desirous of more fun.

in search of: The girl was in search of a way to improve her backhand.

necessity of/for: Love is a necessity of a happy life.

partake of: After I eat the mousse I will partake of the pudding.

From

buy from: Don’t buy anything from that sleazy operator.

different from: That potato is different from this one.

divergent from: I like the man even though his views are divergent from mine.

prohibit from: The parents do not prohibit their child from staying up late.

separate from: The man could not separate reality from fantasy.

As

define as: Mental health has been defined as the ability to love and work.

depict as: Women are constantly depicted as ditzy victims in that action director’s movies.

regard as: The public regards the 1980s as the “Greed Decade.”

For

craving for: I have a craving for chocolate bunnies.

mistake for (not as): Don’t mistake me for a fool.

On, Against, Over, At, In

lavish on: The man lavished presents on his child.

prejudiced against: I am prejudiced against beautiful people.

dispute over: The men had a dispute over money.

chip at: The sculptor chipped away at the marble in order to create a statue fit for a king.

confide in: Vicki Vale was overjoyed when Batman confided in her about his secret identity.

Idiom List #2

These idioms take different prepositions, depending on the circumstance.

agree to (a contract; implies concession or settlement): I agree to your demands.

agree with (a person, a place; implies harmony): Paris agrees with me.

angry about (an event, idea, etc.): Bob is angry about the demonstration.

angry at (a person): Wanda is angry at me.

angry with (a person; more confrontational than angry at): Max is angry with me.

compare to (to show similarity): You can compare my copy to the original.

compare with (to show difference and similarity): His work can’t compare with mine.

consist in (to mean reside or inhere): Success consists in valuing hard work.

consist of (to mean composed of): My meal consists of bread and jam.

correspond to (to mean match; be in agreement): The results of the experiment correspond to the predictions.

correspond with (to mean exchange letters): The lovers corresponded with each other while one of them was on location in Paris.

decide on (a noun): Let’s decide on a place to eat.

decide to (do something): Let’s decide to have some fun.

differ with (to mean disagree): I differ with him politically.

differ from (to mean unlike): Hats differ from shoes.

different from (not than): Hats are different from shoes.

fail in (an attempt): The man failed in his efforts.

fail to (to something): The man failed to finish his painting.

practice for/to (when practice is a verb): I have practiced for my recital. I am practicing to be an actor.

practice of (when practice is a noun): The practice of red-lining is heinous.

reconcile to (to mean accept hardship): He was reconciled to his sad fate.

reconcile with (a person): After the fight, Pinky reconciled with Gomez.

result from (when result is a verb): A bad temper results from lack of sleep.

result in (when result is a verb): Lack of sleep results in bad temper.

result of (when result is a noun): A bad temper is a result of lack of sleep.

sympathy for (to mean have compassion for): I have sympathy for Bob.

sympathy with (to mean agreement; sharing of feelings): I have sympathy with your position.

Idiom List #3

These words do not take prepositions. All of them are commonly misused.

continue: continue the meeting. Not: continue with the meeting.

equally: equally important. Not: equally as important.

inside: inside the box. Not: inside of the box.

meet: meet people. Not: meet with people. But you can meet with difficulties.

name: named Minister of Fun. Not: named as Minister of Fun.

off: I fell off my bed. Not: I fell off of my bed.

tend: tend the campfire. Not: tend to the campfire.

visit: visit your grandmother. Not: visit with your grandmother.

Quick Quiz #31

Idioms

Fill in the blank with the correct preposition:

1. His fashion sense is different (from, than) mine.

2. He is afflicted (by, with) color blindness.

3. He is prohibited (from buying, to buy) any clothes for me.

4. Compared (with, to) my clothes, his clothes are stunningly tasteless.

5. We often dispute (about, over) whether to wear sequins or leather.