多益閱讀文法 - Prepositions Part 1

Key Points

(1) In terms of time usage, 'on' is typically used before a specific date or day, or to reference the morning or afternoon of a specific day.
(2) For locational usage, 'on' often precedes the surface of an object, a street, or a vehicle.
(3) In the context of media information, 'on' can be utilized to link media sources; for example, 'on the Int ernet', 'on the radio', or 'on TV'.
(4) When 'on' means 'about', it usually emphasizes that the following content is serious, formal, or academic. This usage is predominantly found in formal scenarios.

on a daily/weekly/monthly basis
on a regular basis
on sale

on target
on purpose
on hand

on one's own
on time
on your left/right side

on one's departure
on arrival
on holiday/vacation

on a journey
on the phone
on credit

spend money on
have an impact/effect on
work on

live on
be dependent/reply on
depend on

The correct answer is (C) on.

In English, when referring to specific dates, we use the preposition 'on'. So, we say 'on September 23', 'on my birthday', 'on New Year's Eve' etc. Hence, 'The anniversary party will be held on September 23' is the correct usage.

(A) 'in' is incorrect here because 'in' is used with months, years, seasons etc. when the day is not specified. For example, 'in September', 'in 2022', 'in winter'. But since the date is specified here, 'in' can't be used.
(B) 'by' is incorrect as it implies that something will happen before or at a certain time but not later. For example, 'I will finish the report by Friday' means I will finish the report before or at Friday but not later.
(D) 'to' is incorrect because it is used to express motion or direction or purpose. For example, 'I am going to the party', 'I am committed to my work'. It doesn't make sense to use 'to' with a date.

Key Points

Time usage

(1) 'In' is used to refer to a longer length of time, such as a day, a month, a season, or a year. Examples of this would be 'in May', 'in winter', 'in 2018', and 'in the 21 st century'.

(2) When combined with a specific period in the past, 'in' is used to signify 'during that certain period'. Similarly, 'in' plus a certain period in the future means 'during that upcoming period'. for example, 'in the past few years', 'in 10 minutes', or 'in a week'.

in advance
in someone's absence
in stock

in a larger size
in a smaller size
in place

in progress
in effect
increase in

decrease in
rise in
delay in

The correct answer is (A) in.

The phrase "in progress" is a standard English idiom that means "currently happening" or "under way." In the context of the sentence provided, "in progress" correctly communicates the idea that the construction work is currently happening.

(B) "by" is incorrect because "by progress" does not make sense in this context. The preposition "by" is generally used to indicate the means through which an action is performed (e. g., "by car") or the person who performs an action (e. g., "by me"). It does not fit in this sentence contextually or grammatically.
(C) "on" is incorrect because "on progress" is not a standard English phrase or idiom. The preposition "on" is generally used to indicate a surface that something is located on (e. g., "on the table") or the day or date when something happens (e. g., "on Tuesday"). It does not communicate the idea that the construction work is currently happening.
(D) "to" is incorrect because "to progress" in this context would mean that the construction work is progressing or moving forward, not that it is currently happening. The preposition "to" generally indicates direction, destination, or position. It does not correctly communicate the idea that the construction work is currently happening and so does not fit in this sentence contextually or grammatically.

The correct answer is (B) in.

The phrase "in advance" is a set adverbial phrase used to describe something done before a set time or earlier than expected. In this context, the new general manager achieved the sales target before the given time, thus he did it "in advance".

(A) "for advance" is incorrect because it is grammatically incorrect and makes no sense in this context. "For" is usually used to denote purpose or intended destination, which is not the scenario in this context.
(C) "at advance" is also incorrect as "at" is generally used to point out specific times or places, and it is not used with the word "advance".
(D) "on advance" is incorrect because "on" is usually used to designate days and dates, or touching the surface of something, which is not the scenario in this context.

Key Points

Time usage

When it comes to time, 'at' is typically used to pinpoint a specific moment such as an hour or minute. for example, "at 4 pm" or "at the moment". The phrases "at night" or "at midnight" are unique cases. Here, 'at' is used to denote the specific time frame just before one goes to bed. Unlike "in the morning" or "in the afternoon" which encompass broader time ranges, "at night" or "at midnight" are more specific.

Location usage

When discussing locations, 'at' emphasizes a particular point or spot within a place. For example, 'at' can be used to specify locations that can be identified as a single point, such as "at the door", "at the entrance", "at the coffee shop", "at the top of the stairs", or "at the top right corner of the page". Large places can also be referred to using "at" if they are perceived as a "single point" by the speaker. Examples include "at the corner of High Street and Sycamore Street" or "at the stadium".

The correct answer is (D) at.

In English, we use the preposition "at" to specify a specific location or point. Hence, "at the corner of East Road and 21 st Street" is the correct use of this preposition. It gives the precise location of the accounting office.

(A) "for" is incorrect because it is used to indicate the purpose or function of something, not a location.
(B) "under" is incorrect because it is used to indicate something being below or beneath something else. The accounting office is not beneath the corner of East Road and 21 st Street.
(C) "in" is incorrect because it is used to specify that something is enclosed or surrounded. The accounting office is not enclosed or surrounded by the corner of East Road and 21 st Street.

at the expense of
at hand
at someone's request

at your earliest convenience
at all times
at times

at a high/low price
at high/low speed
at a/the rate of

at the moment

Key Points

(1) Purpose: When "for" is used to express a purpose, it's typically followed by a verb ending in "-ing" to explain why something is done. For example, "I'm studying hard for passing the exam."

(2) Beneficiary: "For" can also be used to indicate the person who is intended to benefit from something. For example, "I made this cake for you."

(3) Duration: In terms of time, "for" is used to specify the duration or length of time an action has been occurring. for example, "I've been waiting here for two hours."

(4) Suitability: "For" often indicates suitability or appropriateness. For example, "This book is perfect for beginners."

(5) Reason or Cause: When used to express a reason or cause, "for" is typically followed by a noun. For example, "He was late for traffic."

(6) Exchange: "For" can also imply an exchange, often involving money or goods. For example, "I bought this shirt for $20."

(7) Assignment: It is also used to express an assignment or plan for a specific time. For example, "I have a meeting scheduled for 3 pm."

Remember, the usage of "for" can vary widely, and these are just some of the most common uses.

wait for
prepare for
apply for

look for
care for
call for

place an order for
be suitable for
search for

demand for
need for
deadline for

responsibility for
be ready for
be available for

be good for
be bad for

The correct answer is (D) for.

The phrase "take responsibility for" is a common English idiom, meaning to accept that you are in charge of something or caused something to happen. In this case, the sentence is saying that proactive employees accept that they are the ones who caused their actions and thus should be held accountable for them.

(A) "to" is incorrect because it is not used after "responsibility" in English. You cannot take responsibility to something; the correct preposition is "for".

(B) "by" is incorrect because it would imply that the actions themselves are what make the employees responsible, which is not the intended meaning in this context.

(C) "on" is incorrect because it would imply that the employees are assuming responsibility on top of something else, which is not the intended meaning here. The intended meaning is that the employees are accepting duty or blame for their actions, making "for" the appropriate preposition.

The correct answer is (C) for.

In English grammar, certain verbs, adjectives and nouns are regularly followed by specific prepositions. The verb 'eligible' is usually followed by the preposition 'for', to mean that someone has the necessary qualities, skills, etc. for something.

(A) The preposition 'in' which normally refers to a location or place is incorrect here because it does not match with 'eligible' to convey the intended meaning.
(B) The preposition 'with' typically denotes possessing something or accompanied by something or someone. It doesn’t fit in this context.
(D) The preposition 'to' usually denotes the direction, end point, or the recipient of something and does not work with 'eligible' in this context.

The correct answer is (B) for.

In this context, "for" is the correct preposition to use with "search" when you're talking about looking for something specific, such as job opportunities. The phrase "search for" is used when the object of the search is the goal or intended result of the action. Here, the sentence implies that you're using the database to find job opportunities at Morrison Electronics.

(A) "In" is not the correct preposition to use with "search" in this context. "Search in" would be used if you were talking about looking for something within a specific location or group, such as "search in the database". However, here we are talking about the goal or result of the search, not the location.
(C) "On" is also not the correct preposition to use with "search" in this context. "Search on" would be used if you were talking about searching on a specific platform or medium, such as "search on the internet". However, here we are talking about the goal or result of the search, not the platform or medium.
(D) "To" is not the correct preposition to use with "search" in any context. "To" is a preposition of movement, direction, or time, and doesn't make sense with "search".

Key Points

Time usage

When it comes to time, 'at' is typically used to pinpoint a specific moment such as an hour or minute. For instance, "at 4 pm" or "at the moment". The phrases "at night" or "at midnight" are unique cases. Here, 'at' is used to denote the specific time frame just before one goes to bed. Unlike "in the morning" or "in the afternoon" which encompass broader time ranges, "at night" or "at midnight" are more specific.

Location usage

When discussing locations, 'at' emphasizes a particular point or spot within a place. For example, 'at' can be used to specify locations that can be identified as a single point, such as "at the door", "at the entrance", "at the coffee shop", "at the top of the stairs", or "at the top right corner of the page". Large places can also be referred to using "at" if they are perceived as a "single point" by the speaker. Examples include "at the corner of High Street and Sycamore Street" or "at the stadium". 

The correct answer is (D) at.

In English, we use the preposition "at" to specify a specific location or point. Hence, "at the corner of East Road and 21st Street" is the correct use of this preposition. It gives the precise location of the accounting office.

(A) "for" is incorrect because it is used to indicate the purpose or function of something, not a location.

(B) "under" is incorrect because it is used to indicate something being below or beneath something else. The accounting office is not beneath the corner of East Road and 21st Street.

(C) "in" is incorrect because it is used to specify that something is enclosed or surrounded. The accounting office is not enclosed or surrounded by the corner of East Road and 21st Street. 

at the expense of

at hand

at someone's request

at your earliest convenience

at all times

at times

at a high/low price

at high/low speed

at a/the rate of

at the moment

Key Points

(1) Purpose: When "for" is used to express a purpose, it's typically followed by a verb ending in "-ing" to explain why something is done. For example, "I'm studying hard for passing the exam."

(2) Beneficiary: "For" can also be used to indicate the person who is intended to benefit from something. For example, "I made this cake for you."

(3) Duration: In terms of time, "for" is used to specify the duration or length of time an action has been occurring. For instance, "I've been waiting here for two hours."

(4) Suitability: "For" often indicates suitability or appropriateness. For example, "This book is perfect for beginners."

(5) Reason or Cause: When used to express a reason or cause, "for" is typically followed by a noun. For example, "He was late for traffic."

(6) Exchange: "For" can also imply an exchange, often involving money or goods. For example, "I bought this shirt for $20."

(7) Assignment: It is also used to express an assignment or plan for a specific time. For example, "I have a meeting scheduled for 3 pm."

Remember, the usage of "for" can vary widely, and these are just some of the most common uses.

wait for

prepare for

apply for

look for

care for

call for

place an order for

be suitable for

search for

demand for

need for

deadline for

responsibility for

be ready for

be available for

be good for

be bad for

The correct answer is (D) for.

The phrase "take responsibility for" is a common English idiom, meaning to accept that you are in charge of something or caused something to happen. In this case, the sentence is saying that proactive employees accept that they are the ones who caused their actions and thus should be held accountable for them.

(A) "to" is incorrect because it is not used after "responsibility" in English. You cannot take responsibility to something; the correct preposition is "for".

(B) "by" is incorrect because it would imply that the actions themselves are what make the employees responsible, which is not the intended meaning in this context. 

(C) "on" is incorrect because it would imply that the employees are assuming responsibility on top of something else, which is not the intended meaning here. The intended meaning is that the employees are accepting duty or blame for their actions, making "for" the appropriate preposition. 

The correct answer is (C) for.

In English grammar, certain verbs, adjectives and nouns are regularly followed by specific prepositions. The verb 'eligible' is usually followed by the preposition 'for', to mean that someone has the necessary qualities, skills, etc. for something.

(A) The preposition 'in' which normally refers to a location or place is incorrect here because it does not match with 'eligible' to convey the intended meaning.

(B) The preposition 'with' typically denotes possessing something or accompanied by something or someone. It doesn’t fit in this context.

(D) The preposition 'to' usually denotes the direction, end point, or the recipient of something and does not work with 'eligible' in this context. 

The correct answer is (B) for.

In this context, "for" is the correct preposition to use with "search" when you're talking about looking for something specific, such as job opportunities. The phrase "search for" is used when the object of the search is the goal or intended result of the action. Here, the sentence implies that you're using the database to find job opportunities at Morrison Electronics.

(A) "In" is not the correct preposition to use with "search" in this context. "Search in" would be used if you were talking about looking for something within a specific location or group, such as "search in the database". However, here we are talking about the goal or result of the search, not the location.

(C) "On" is also not the correct preposition to use with "search" in this context. "Search on" would be used if you were talking about searching on a specific platform or medium, such as "search on the internet". However, here we are talking about the goal or result of the search, not the platform or medium.

(D) "To" is not the correct preposition to use with "search" in any context. "To" is a preposition of movement, direction, or time, and doesn't make sense with "search".