صفحات ۱۱ تا ۲۱

61 Sit at a desk etc., not on a desk etc.

Don’t say: The bank manager was sitting on his desk.

Say: The bank manager was sitting at his desk.

Note: Also sit at a table. But on a chair, on a bench, on a sofa, etc ; in an arm-chair, in a tree or up a tree. A bird sometimes perches (means sits on a tree).

62 Spend on, not for.

Don’t say: I spend a lot of time for my computer.

Say: I spend a lot of time on my computer.

63 Succeed in, not at.

Don’t say: I hope he’ll succeed at his work.

Say: I hope he’ll succeed in his work.

Note: A person succeeds to a property, a title, or an office: Queen Elizabeth a second succeeded to the throne in 1952 Also one person can succeed another.

64 Superior to, not from or than.

Don’t say: This is superior from (or than) that.

Say: This is superior to that.

Note: Also inferior to, junior to, subsequent to, prior to.

65 Sure of, not for.

Don’t say: I’m quite sure for her honesty.

Say: I’m quite sure of her honesty.

Note: Also certain of: I am quite certain of it

66 Surprised at or by, not for.

Don’t say: Harold was surprised for the loud bang.

Say: Harold was surprised at or by the loud bang.

Note: Also astonished at or by, amazed at or by, alarmed at or by, puzzled at or by, shocked at or by

Have another look at…

Prepositions after certain words

Note carefully the prepositions used after the follow in words:

accuse of

accustomed to

afraid of

aim at

angry with or at

arrive at or in

ashamed of

believe in

boast of

careful of, with or about

complain about

composed of

conform to

congratulate on

consist of

cure of

depend on

deprive of

die of

different from

dressed in

fail in

full of

good at

guard against

guilty of

independent of

indifferent to

insist on

interested in

jealous of

look at

married to

no doubt of or about

pleased with

prefer to

proud of

related ro

repent of

satisfied with

similar to

succeed in

superior to

sure of

surprised at or by

suspect of

tired of

translate into

warn of or about

67 Suspect of, not for.

Don’t say: I suspect Kate for stealing the pen.

Say: I suspect Kate of stealing the pen.

Note: Also suspicious of: Dogs are suspicious of strangers

68 Take by» not from.

Don’t say: Robert took his brother from the hand.

Say: Robert took his brother by the hand.

Note: Also: hold by, catch by, seize by, snatch by, grasp by.

69 Tie to, not on .

Don’t say: The girl tied the string on the kite.

Say: The girl tied the string to the kite.

Note: Also bind to: The prisoner was bound to the stake.

70 Tired of, not from.

Don’t say: The boys are tired from eating boiled eggs. Say: The boys are tired of eating boiled eggs.

71 Translate into, not to. Don’t say: Translate this passage to English. Say: Translate this passage into English.

72 Tremble with cold, etc., not from cold, etc. Don’t say: The man was trembling from cold. Say: The man was trembling with cold.

Note: Also shake with and shiver with: The thief was shaking with fear.

73 Warn (a person) of danger, not about danger.

Don’t say: They were warned about the danger. Say: They were warned of the danger.

Note 1: Use warn about for specific things: They warned us about the bumps in the road.

Note 2: We warn a person against a fault: HiS teacher warned him against breaking the rules.

74 Write in ink, not with ink.

Don’t Say: I’ve written the letter with ink. Say: I’ve written the letter in ink.

Note: We use in when we are referring to the final work: The drawing was done in charcoal. Dora writes her letters in green ink When we are referring to the instrument used we use with: The children are learning to write with a pen: Helen prefers to paint with a thin brush.

Misuse of the infinitive

Use the gerund and not the infinitive:

(a) After prepositions or preposition phrases:

75 Without, etc. + -ing.

Don’t say: Do your work without to speak. Say: Do your work without speaking.

76 Instead of, etc. + -ing.

Don’t say: He went away instead to wait. Say: He went away instead of waiting.

(b) After words which regularly take a preposition:

77 Capable: of + -ing.

Don’t say: They’re quite capable to do that. Say: They’re quite capable of doing that.

Note: Also incapable of; to + the infinitive follows able or unable: He is unable to do anything.

78 Fond of + -ing.

Don’t say: She’s always fond to talk. Say: She’s always fond of talking.

79 Insist on + -ing.

Don’t say: Simon insisted to go to London. Say: Simon insisted on going to London.

80 Object to + -ing.

Don’t say: I object to be treated like this. Say: I object to being treated like this.

81 Prevent from + -ing.

Don’t say: The rain prevented me to go. Say: The rain prevented me from going.

82 Succeed in + -ing.

Don’t say: Paula succeeded to win the prize. Say: Paula succeeded in winning the prize.

83 Think of + -ing.

Don’t say: I often think to go to England. Say: I often think of going to England.

84 Tired of + -ing.

Don’t say: The customer got tired to wait. Say: The customer got tired of waiting.

85 Used to + -ing.

Don’t say: She’s used to get up early. Say: She’s used to getting up early.

(C) After certain verbs:

86 Avoid + -ing.

Don’t say: You can’t avoid to make mistakes. Say: You can’t avoid making mistakes.

Note: Also can’t help (means can’t avoid) I can’t help laughing.

87 Enjoy + -ing.

Don’t: say: I enjoy to play football. Say: I enjoy playing football.

Note: Use the gerund or to + Infinitive after verbs meaning to like or to dislike He likes reading English books, or He likes to read English books.

88 Excuse + -ing.

Don’t say: Please excuse me to be so late. Say: Please excuse my being so late.

Or: Please excuse me for being so late.

89 Finish + -ing.

Don’t say: Have you finished to speak? Say: Have you finished speaking?

Note: To + infinitive or the gerund follow verbs meaning to begin: She began to speak, or She began speaking.

90 Go on (continue) + -ing.

Don’: say: The music went on to play all day. Say: The music went on playing all day.

Note: Also keep on: She kept on playing the piano.

91 Mind (object to) + -ing.

Don’t say: Would you mind to open the door? Say: Would you mind opening the door?

Have another look at …

Use of the gerund

Use the gerund (and not the infinitive):

1 After prepositions.

Examples: He worked without stopping. She played instead of working.

2 After words which regularly take a preposition, such as fond of, insist on, tired of, succeed in and things like that.

Examples: I’m tired of doing the work again. He succeeded in catching the rat.

3 After certain verbs, such as avoid, enjoy, finish, stop, risk, excuse.

Examples: They enjoy playing footbail. The wind has stopped blowing.

4 After the adjectives busy and worth.

Examples: Lena was busy writing a book. This date is worth remembering.

5 After certain phrases. such as it’s no use, it’s no good, I can’t help, would you mind, look forward to.

Examples: Ithink its no use trying again. I can’t help feeling angry about it.

Use the gemnd or the ihfinitive after certain verbs, such as begin, like, dislike, hate, love, prefer.

Example: He began to talk or He began talking.

92 Practise + -ing.

Don’t say: You must practise to speak English. Say: You must practise speaking English.

93 Remember + -ing.

Don’t say: I don’t remember to have seen him. Say: I don’t remember seeing him.

Or: I don’t remember having seen him.

94 Risk + -ing.

Don’t say: Don’t say We couldn’t risk to leave him alone. Say: We couldn’t risk leaving him alone.

95 Stop + -ing.

Don’t say: The wind has almost stopped to blow. Say: The wind has almost stopped blowing.

Note: Also give up (means stop): He gave up smoking.

(d) After certain adjectives:

Busy + -ing.

Don’t say: He was busy to revise the exams. Say: He was busy revising for the exams.

97 Worth + -ing.

Don’t say: Is today’s film worth to see? Say: Is today’s film worth seeing?

(e) After certain phrases:

98 Have difficulty in + -ing.

Don’t say: She has no difficulty to do it. Say: She has no difficulty in doing it.

99 Have the pleasure of + -ing.

Don’t say: I had the pleasure to meet him. Say: I had the pleasure of meeting him.

Note: Also take pleasure in: He takes great pleasure in helping others.

100 It’s no use + -ing.

Don’t say: It’s no use to cry like a baby. Say: It’s no use crying like a baby.

101 It’s no good + -ing.

Don’t say: It’s no good to get angry. Say: It’s no good getting angry.

102 Look forward to + -ing.

Don’t say: I look forward to see him soon. Say: I look forward to seeing him soon.

103 There is no harm in + -ing.

Don’t say: There’s no harm to visit her now. Say: There’s no harm in visiting her now.

Use of the wrong tense

104 Using the past tense after did instead of the infinitive without to.

(a) To ask questions:

Don’t say: Did you went to school yesterday? Say: Did you go to school yesterday?

(b) To make negatives:

Don’t say: I did not went to school yesterday. Say: I did not go to school yesterday.

Use the present infinitive without to, not the past tense after the auxiliary did.

Note: the answer to a question beginning with did is always in the past tense: Did you see the picture? Yes, I saw the picture; or Yes, I did.

105 Using the third person singular after does instead of the infinitive without to.

(a) To ask questions:

Don’t saiy: Does the gardener waters the flowers? Say: Does the gardener water the flowers?

(b) To make negatives:

Don’t say: The man doesn’t waters the flowers. Say: The man doesn’t water the flowers.

After the auxiliary does use the infinitive without to, and not the third person of the present.

Note: The answer to a question beginning with Does is always in the present tense, third person: Does he like the cinema? — Yes, he likes the cinema, or Yes, he does.

106 Using the third person singular after can, must, etc., instead of the infinitive without to.

Don’t say: Ian can speaks English very well. Say: Ian can speak English very well.

After the verbs can. must, may, shall. and will, use the infinitive without to, and not the third person of the present.

107 Wrong sequence of tenses.

Don’t say: Rachel asked me what I am doing. Say: Rachel asked me what I was doing.

When the verb in the main clause is in the past tense, use a past tense in subordinate clauses.

Note: This rule doesn’t apply (1) to verbs within quotations, (2) to facts that are true at all times. We say:

She said, ‘I am wanting for your answer’.

2 He said that London is a great city.

108 Using will or ‘ll instead of would or ‘d in a subordinate clause.

Don’t say: He said (that) he will/’ll come tomorrow. Say: He said (that) he would/’d come tomorrow.

Will/’ll changes to would/’d in subordinate clauses, when the verb in the main clause is in a past tense

109 Using may instead of might in a subordinate clause.

Don’t say: Last Sunday Ailsa told me that she may come.

Say: Last Sunday Ailsa told me that she might come.

May changes to might in subordinate clauses, when the verb in the main clause is in the past simple tense.

Note: The conjunction that is never preceded by a comma.

110 Using can instead of could in a subordinate clause.

Don’t say: Ben thought he can win the prize. Say: Ben thought he could win the prize.

Can changes to could in subordinate clauses, when the verb in the main clause is in the past simple tense.

111 Using the past simple tense after to + the infinitive.

Don’t say: He tried to kicked the ball away. Say: He tried to kick the ball away.

Don’t use the simple past tense after to.