Topic 15
ABOUT
PREPOSITION AND
ADVERB
About is used with verbs of movement meaning
“in various direction”
“to various places”.
* After walking about the studio all
morning the actors were tired out.
* Would you like to spend a year travelling about
the world?
* She’s always changing the position of the
furniture; she loves moving things about.
* The children were climbing about on
the rocks.
It is used with other verbs in various senses. It may mean ‘here
and there’ in various places’.
* There were books and papers lying about the room.
* People were sitting about on the grass.
It may mean “concerning” , “with regard to”
* Don’t say anything more about it.
* What is he so angry about?
* Don’t be careless about your personal
appearance.
It is used with to and an infinitive.
* He was about to leave (i.e. was
just going to leave, was on the point of leaving) when it started to rain.
* As I was about to say (just going to
say) when you interrupted me, …
It is used in combination with some verbs in special sense
Come about means “happen” and
Bring about means “cause to happen”.
* His dismissal came about in a strange
way.
* What brought about your sudden change
of plans?
About is used as an adverb of degree meaning “approximately”. It is
used in contrast with “just” or “exactly”.
* I’ll come (at) about ten o’clock.
* The box contains about a hundred
eggs.
* We’ve come about 16 kilometres.
* She’s about as tall as you.