The Exam Prep Zone

Topic 30 DROP : FALL Drop is used both transitively and intransitively. Fall is always intransitive. * She dropped the plate. The plate dropped out of her hand. * The plate fell to the floor. [fell is second form of fall] In some cases the two verbs are interchangeable. * The temperature has dropped (or fallen ) ten degree since noon. * The wind fell (or dropped ). Drop and fall are combined in numerous ways with preposition and adverbs. * Several friends dropped in to tea (i.e. called without being specially invited). * Seven of us can’t squash into this small car. Two of us had better drop out (i.e. give up the idea of going). * He fell over the cat in the dark room (i.e. stumbled and fell). * He has fallen out (i.e. quarrelled) with all his former friends. * Our carefully made plans all fell through (i.e. came to nothing).

Topic 29 BESIDE : BESIDES The preposition beside means ‘ at the side of ’. * Come and sit beside me (at my side). There’s plenty of room. * He owns a country cottage beside the sea. It also means ‘in comparison with’ * You’re quite tall beside your sister. * My work is poor beside yours. The preposition besides means ‘ in addition to ’, as well as. * She has five other hats besides that wonderful one she’s wearing now. * There were five of us besides John. The adverb besides means ‘moreover’. * It’s too late to go for a walk now; besides , it’s beginning to rain. The adverb besides is sometimes placed at the end of a sentence. * I’m too busy to take you to the theatre this evening; I’m short money, besides .

Topic 28     BEHIND : IN FRONT (OF) Behind and in front (of) are opposites * There is a garden in front of the house and a large orchard behind (the house). [Orchard: garden consisting of a small cultivated wood without undergrowth] Orchard in Urdu language ( پھلوں کا باغ ) ( نخلستان ) * Jack and Mary were sitting two rows in front of me, and Tom and Anne were two rows behind me. Note that before cannot always be used for in front of . Before usually suggests ‘face to face with’, as in ‘to be brought before the magistrates’. Behind and in front are used adverbially. * He couldn’t walk so fast as the others, and slowly fell behind . * The bests are those in front . Behind is used figuratively. * It is unkind to criticize a man behind his back (i.e. when he is not present). * You can’t fight a duel nowadays; you’re behind the times (i.e. out of the date, old-fashioned).

Topic 27     ENJOY : LIKE : AMUSE These verbs may be used with a direct object. * I enjoyed the party very much. * I liked the people I met there. * The games we played there amused me very much. Enjoy and amuse are used with the reflexive pronouns. * They seem to be enjoying themselves. * How do you amuse yourselves on winter evening? Like may be used with an infinitive or a gerund . Enjoy is used with a gerund but not with an infinitive . * Do you like ( enjoy ) playing tennis? * Do you like to read in bed? Note that the infinitive, not the gerund is preferred after would/should like * Would you like to go for a walk? * I should like to know what he has been doing.

Topic 26 DO : MAKE The fundamental meanings of these two verbs are shown in these pairs: * “What are you doing ?” “I’m sewing.” * “What are you making ?” “I’m making a frock.” * “What is she doing ?” “She’s cooking.” * “What is she making ?” “She’s making a cake.” * He has done his homework. * He has made several mistakes in his arithmetic. Make is used in several patterns in addition to that illustrated in the examples above. (1) it is used with a noun or pronoun and an adjective. * The news made her happy. * Why don’t you make yourself useful? (2) Make is used with a noun or pronoun and an infinitive without to * Can you make this fountain-pen work properly? * It was cold, so I made her wear a coat. * Why don’t you make the child behave?

Topic 25 DISCUSS : MENTION Both verbs are used with a direct object. Note the patterns: to discuss something with someone and to mention something to someone . Discuss indicates continued talk or debate ; Mention indicates only a brief reference . Compare: * We discussed some modern English novelists. * He mentioned some modern English novelists in his lecture. Mention may be followed by a that clause. * I forgot to mention that John called while you were out. “Don’t mention it” is used as a phrase to indicate that an apology or thanks are unnecessary. * “Thank you for your help”. “Oh, don’t mention it .” * “Did I tread on your toes? I’m very sorry.” “ Don’t mention it .”

Topic 24 AT The chief uses of the proposition are: (1) to indicate place or position: * I saw him at his office ( at the station, at the sailing club, at my uncle’s, at the barker’s). Note that in is used with name of countries, provinces, countries and large town and cities. At is used with names of institution, etc. Compare the used of in and at in these examples: * He lives in Oxford. * He studied at Oxford (i.e. at the University of Oxford). (2) to indicate direction: * to look (stare, shoot, aim, etc.) at somebody or something; to laugh (smile, growl, etc.) at somebody or something. * What do you think you’re aiming at ? Throw the ball at the wicket, you foot, not at me! (3) to indicate a point of entry or exist (= through or by): * She looked in at the window. * What the teacher says often goes in at one ear out at the other. (4) to indicate a point of time. * At two o’clock; at noon (midnight, dawn, sunset); a...

Topic 23 DIE : BE DEAD Compare the sentences in these pairs: * When I arrived, he was dying . * When I arrived, he was already dead . [was / were is second form of BE verb.] * When he died , in 1946, he was seventy-five years old. * In 1956 he had been dead for ten years. [been is third form of BE verb.] Note the use of the preposition of to show the cause of death. * Hundreds of people died of cholera in the recent outbreak. [outbreak: a sudden violent spontaneous occurrence (usually of some undesirable condition)] * He died of hunger and cold. Die may be followed by an adjective or noun. * My grandfather died an admiral (i.e. was an admiral when he died). * If you will do this for me, I shall die happy (i.e. I shall be happy when I die). Die is used in the Progressive Tenses meaning ‘have a strong wish’. * She was dying to know where you had been. * We are all dying for a chance to go sailing.

Topic 22 BETWEEN : AMONG The chief uses of between are: (1) to indicate position in space or limits. * A river flows between its banks. * How many stations are there between London and Oxford? Between normally indicate only two limits, but when boundaries are concerned, the number may be more than two. Between (not among ) is correct in: * Switzerland lies between France, Italy, Austria, and Germany. (2) to indicate position in time: * Please come between one o’clock and three o’clock. * He lived in Canada between the two World Wars. (3) to indicate limits of distance quantity etc.: * Between five and six kilometres , between thirty and forty tons. * Between freezing point and boiling point. (4) to indicate sharing (used of two only): * Share the money between you and Mary. * Between you and me (i.e. in confidence), I think he is rather foolish. (5) to indicate connection or relationship: * The relationship between tea...

Topic 21 ALONG (Preposition and Adverb) This may mean ‘from one end to the other end (of)’, or ‘through any part of the length (of)’. * We walked along the road. * There were trees all along the banks of the canal. * The ship sailed along the coast. * Pass along the car, please. (A request made to passengers to move away from the entrance and leave it clear.) * Move along , please. * Hurry along , please. * Come along ! (Come on!) * Come along with me.