11.7. Prepositions

11.7.1. Choose the correct form by underlining the right element

1. Millie opened an account with the bank in/on the High Street.

2. Funnily enough, Edward met his future wife in/on the plane.

3. The couple exchanged glances across/over the table.

4. My office was right over/above the baker's on the ground floor.

5. Luckily our hotel room was above/over the beach.

6. The problem is that Rosy get hysterical some/at times.

7. Everybody congratulated Steve on/with winning the lottery.

8. The congress do not agree about/with the new policy of the Premier.

9. The Queen was angry about/with the theft of her favourite vase.

10. My uncle is the best in/at drawing birds.

11. Please do not be rude to/with my friends.

12. The road jam was caused by a big log in/on the way.

11.7.2. Re-write the sentences by using the given words and leaving the meaning intact. You can change the word form if necessary. E.g. You could see Janet and then Pamela at the table. To. You could see Pamela sitting next to Janet at the table.

Members of the cabinet came to the hotel on the eve. At. Everybody thinks the fire was started intentionally. Purpose. There was something wrong with the car engine. Order. The order to attack was apparently given by mistake. Error. The messenger was acting as the government's spokesmen. Behalf. Eventually, the conflict was settled and everybody was happy. End. Repair work was finished strictly to schedule. Dead. The driver promised to return an hour later. In. It all happened the next day after 11 September. On. Jonathan's new address is 21 Downing Street. At. They met when they were travelling by sea. Cruise. The family now live outside London. Outskirts.

11.7.3. Read the text and tick off correct lines with  . Write down unnecessary elements and/or corrections made in each line in the space provided. The beginning has been done for you.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23

Forty-one days at Easter Sunday is a special sporting day in England. All over the country people celebrate the start on this period by using over all their milk, flour and eggs. They make pancakes of the ingredients and then held pancake races down the streets. Each town has its own rules to the pancake races. The players must be women more the age of 16 and they wear a hat and an apron. They must run for nearly 400 metres with a frying pan and a pancake on it. They must throw the pancake in the air (toss it) at least 3 times for the race. The first woman to the finish line with a pancake in her pan is the winner. Another traditional sport of the street football game. A town is divided the two teams, depending of where you live. The ball is not kicked but 'hugged' close on the chest. The shopkeepers in the centre of town have to cover their windows by wooden boards to stop the crowds of players smashing on the glass. All locals, young and old, enjoy this very livestock and sometimes violent game. The goal is to get the ball at one end of town to the other of the shortest time possible.

Before 

11.7.4. Fill in the gaps in the text by making correct choices

Scientists have announced plans to build a nuclear power station (…1…) Mars. All the necessary technical drawings have (…2…) been completed, and - after a few minor problems have been ironed (…3…) - all will be ready (…4…) the construction work to begin. The power plant on Mars should be (…5…) and running (…6…) 2030 but experts are already asking questions (…7…) the feasibility of the project. The first extra-terrestrial nuclear power station will serve (…8…) permanent research camp which, scientists believe, could be set up on Mars (…9…) the next 30 years. The station will be constructed (…10…) the mountainous areas of Mars, in one of the canyons, perhaps, on the beach of a (…11…) sea. It will produce enough power for future space missions (…12…) the planet to be fully self-(…13…) and will not need more than six engineers to maintain. Scientists say that the station is now (…14…) ready to be built - all they have to do is to find a way to protect staff and environment (…15…) radiation. Another stumbling block is how to deliver ready-made building modules to a construction (…16…) 300 million kilometres (186.4 million miles) (…17…) from Earth. The plan is that the heavier equipment will be delivered to Mars (…18…) an automatic expedition. More delicate goods will arrive (…19…) a manned spaceship. Its crew will build both the station and the research base for (…20…) future expeditions. On (…21…) of that, recreation facilities will also be constructed. (…22…) the end, a joined expedition of engineers and researchers will arrive to service the station and (…23…) exploratory work. Later, visitors (…24…) an excursion will become a reality.

1. A/ on B/ in C/ at D/ of

2. A/ now B/ thus C/ then D/ yet

3. A/ in B/ over C/ down D/ out

4/ A/ of B/ for C/ to D/ so

5. A/ in B/ down C/ up D/ on

6. A/ on B/ in C/ by D/ at

7. A/ about B/ for C/ of D/ to

8. A/ on B/ the C/ in D/ for

9. A/ for B/ during C/ over D/ within

10. A/ on B/ at C/ in D/ beneath

11. A/ deep B/ former C/ latter D/ large

12. A/ to B/ in C/ on D/ at

13. A/ contained B/ relied C/ cared D/ sufficient

14. A/ about B/ near C/ almost D/ closely

15. A/ from B/ of C/ off D/ towards

16A/ side B/ sight C/site D/ sigh

17. A/ down B/ up from C/ straight D/ away

18. A/ with B/ by C/ on D/ in

19. A/ in B/ on C/ by D/ with

20. A/ all B/ every C/ any D/ some

21. A/ more B/ top C/ above D/ over

22. A/ At B/ In C/ By D/ For

23. A/ Make B/ Commit C/ Do D/ Fulfil

24. A/ in B/ on C/ for D/ with

11.7.5. Complete the text by closing gaps with only one word (preposition) or a word with a preposition (e.g. "in a row"). One case in this task is a "zero" preposition.

(…1…) 5 August 1962, screen icon Marilyn Monroe was found dead (…2…) bed (…3…) her Los Angeles home. The 36-year-old actress' body was discovered (…4…) the early hours of this morning by two doctors who were called (…5…) her home by a concerned housekeeper. The doctors were forced to break (…6…) the bedroom after being unable to open the door. She was found lying in her bed (…7…) an empty bottle of sleeping pills (…8…) her side. The local coroner, who visited the scene later, said the circumstances (…9…) death indicated a "possible suicide". Marilyn Monroe life story was (…10…) rags to riches. She was born (…11…) 1 June 1926 in Los Angeles. Her mother had mental problems which (…12…) Norma (maiden name of Marilyn) spending most (…13…) her childhood in foster homes and orphanages. Her first marriage failed in 1946 (…14…) to her career as a photographic model. By 1946 she had signed her first studio contract (…15…) 20th Century Fox and changed her name (…16…) Marilyn Monroe. Since 1947 she appeared in 30 films. Her second marriage (…17…) a baseball star lasted just nine months. Then she married (…18…) a playwright Arthur Miller but that marriage ended (…19…) 1961. The star's romantic life has long been the subject (…20…) speculation and she was linked (…21…) President Kennedy. Millions of fans (…22…) the world were deeply shocked (…23…) the star's premature and tragic death.