1

KPDS & DS
PREPOSITION LIST

abstain from
It is not clear why their government abstained from elections.

access to
By 1880 European powers had access to most of the markets in
Asias coastal regions.

account for
It is really very hard to account for the political causes of the American Revolution.

accuse of
Big coffee companies now stand accused of placing profits before people.

adapt to
Many people find it difficult to adapt to a new time schedule.

add to
Not only does non-compliance add to the cost of medical care, but it can worsen the quality of life.

adjust to
They must adjust to the new system.

admiration for
His writings show an increasing admiration for tribal customs.

advance in
Even though there have been significant advances in modern medicine, health problems still
abound.

advantage of / on
The main advantages of electric traction on railways are that it is both pleasant and efficient.

affection for
Despite her affection for him, she never trusted Mike.

agree on / over / with
He doesnt agree with the president on many national and international issues.
aim at
Advertising does not always aim at making people spend.

airline on airline
There is a greater risk for cardiac stress on airline flights for people with obstructive sleep apnea.

allocate to
They allocate a loaf of bread to everyone on a daily basis.

altitude at altitude
It's well known that mountaineers may be affected by sickness at high altitudes.

amount of
Events of September 11, 2001, led to a rapid decrease in the amount of air-travel in the world.

angry with
Youre right to be angry with me but I wont make the same mistake again.



2

annoyed with
He was annoyed with me as I was late.

anxious about
I feel anxious about them since a great deal of mist has descended over the mountains.

apologize for
She apologized for not telling the truth.

applicable to
Thermal conductivity is a term that is only strictly applicable to homogeneous materials.

apply to / for
The parents of a deaf child should apply to various local authorities for advice and support.
She decided to apply for the job.

appreciation for
I expressed my appreciation for his offer to lend me money.

approval of
The new drug couldnt get the approval of FDA.

approve of
I dont approve of his ideas, but he may be right on this occasion.

area in area
They live in an area contaminated by chromium.

argue with / against / for
This article argues against abortion.

arise from
Metabolic diseases arise from inherited defects in enzymes involved in the production of energy.

ascribe to
They ascribe high crime rate primarily to inadequate education.

ask about / for
The manager asked about what was going on.
Youngsters cant be independent of their parents while they have to ask for money from them.

associate with
In the past it was not clear whether proteins might be associated with membranes.

attach to
Welsh people are deeply attached to their native tongue.

attempt at
He attempted at filming the moon.

attribute to
Obesity has been attributed to abnormally low basal metabolic rates
(BMRs).

available to
The archive will be free and available to everyone as long as they arent used for commercial
purposes.



3

average on average
On average, men perform better than women at certain tasks.

aware of
She isnt aware of the danger she is facing.

ban on / of
The Supreme Court approved the ban on same-sex marriage.
base on
The economic life of the early colonists in America was essentially based on the land.

basis on a basis
The marital relationship is to be established on a basis of mutual understanding.

battle against
Arctic explorers have to battle against the strong tidal pull on the ice.

begin with
Economists claim that recessions often begin with positive GDP data.

behalf on behalf
She thanked him on behalf of female employees.

belief in
A patients belief in a treatment plays a significant role in its success.

believe in
Many people believe in miracles.

belong to
The earliest really high buildings belong to Chicago.

beneficial to
This new technology will be beneficial to the environment.

benefit from / of
Farmers with the best quality land benefit from all the government support.
During the 1990s scientific research began to highlight the health benefits of wine.

best at ones best
Through biotechnology growers get vegetables and fruit into our homes at their best.

bias against
She is biased against flying and is trying to encourage us to drive to London.

birth at birth
Studies of twins separated at birth provide strong evidence for a substantial genetic influence.
bored with
She is bored with doing the same things day after day.

capable of
Recent research has established that liver tissue can be converted directly into tissue capable of
making insulin.

careful about
Obese women need to be careful about weight gain during pregnancy.



4

carve in / into / on
Greek and Latin inscriptions carved usually in stone are official records of treaties, of public
expenditure or of decrees of a monarch.

cater to / for
There are also special health services catering to the needs of mothers and young children.
Japanese companies will be world leaders in catering for the elderly.

cause of
It is really very hard to account for the political causes of the American Revolution.

change in
Psychoanalysis has brought about a radical change in the study of human behaviour and in the
concepts of psychology.

change into / to
Evaporation can be described as the process by which a liquid is changed into vapour by heat.

charge with
He was charged with cooperating with the enemy.

cite as
Most economists are content to cite Hong Kong and Thailand as proof of their favorite theories -
whatever those theories may be.

coincide with
In Central America, the drop in coffee prices has coincided with drought, causing untold misery to
coffee growers.

collaborate with
Many innocent people were accused of collaborating with the enemy.

combine against / with
These elements need to be combined with others.
come in
The results of the experiment have started to come in.
come into force
Strict measures came into force to prevent the reappearance of malaria in Europe.

come to terms over
After the days of discussion, the two countries finally came to terms over the main points of the
agreement.

comment on
The book comments on innovation and change in the world's art.

commit to
She says that singing alone does not interest her and that she is fully committed to the drama.

communicate with
60 trillion cells in the human body communicate with each other and keep the body as a whole in
balance.

compare with
The sun is a medium-sized star compared with other stars in the universe.

compatible with
Hydrogen peroxide is compatible with aluminium and so is usually stored in aluminium containers.

5

compensate for
The bodys loss of heat is compensated for by the generation of fresh heat.

compensation for
The passengers want cash compensation for the delay.
comply with
There are many reasons why some countries do not comply with this protocol.

compose of
The body is composed of many different types of cells, each with its own structure and function.

concentrate on
The results of the study concentrate on poverty in the county.
concern about / over / of
The suicide attacks have heightened concern about the vulnerability of maritime traffic to terrorist
attacks.

conducive to
Working conditions in this factory are not conducive to productivity.

confide in
He did not tell her about the subject because he doesnt confide in her.

confidence in
Many people lack confidence in the electoral system.

conform to
Why does the adolescent feel a need to conform to peer culture?

consist of
A healthy diet should consist of a certain fixed ratio of protein, fat and carbohydrates.
contact with
Pathogens can enter the body in food or air, through damaged skin, or from contact with infected
organisms.

contribute to
The research carried out at the University of Toronto contributed significantly to our
understanding of cardiovascular disease.

controversy over
The controversy over the use of cameras to stop speeding continues.

convert into / to
Recent research has established that liver tissue can be converted into tissue capable of making
insulin.

convince of
He finally convinced several members of the advantages of the project.

cooperate with
Norway was reluctant to cooperate with foreign companies.

cope with
A broken leg is difficult to cope with and you have to completely change your lifestyle to
accommodate your injury.


6
correct in
He said that he was correct in his decision.
cost at cost
They built seven new hospitals at a cost of 1.5bn.

cradle of
The traditional idea that Asia was the cradle of primeval man has had to be modified.

critical of
The public is highly critical of the presidents handling of economy.

crucial to
Scientists say biodiversity is crucial to ecosystem productivity.

damage from / to
People using tanning booths risk burns, damage to the eyes and skin cancer.
Japan spends a huge amount on its fire service but in return has extraordinary low rates of
damage from fire.

danger in danger
Many companies seem to be in danger of bankruptcy.
deal with
The article discussed techniques and strategies for dealing with stress.
death at death
Many people want to know what happens at death.
decrease in
Events of September 11, 2001, led to a rapid decrease in the amount of air-travel in the world.

dedicate to
The writer dedicated his book to his child.

deduce from
There are many lessons to deduce from the epidemics of 1977 and 1987.

deduct from
We cannot deduct from this report that extraterrestrial civilizations do not exist.

defence against
The US has more than doubled its spending on defence against biological and chemical weapons.

defend against
This county has a right to defend itself against terrorism.

definition of
There is no universally accepted definition of morality.

demand for
The invention of the automobile created an irresistible demand for better roads.

depend on
Economic growth closely depends on political stability.

deprive of
People deprived of REM sleep one night will spend more time in that state on subsequent nights.



7

depth at depth
Temperatures at that depth are expected to reach 275 F.

design for
This software has been designed for the blind.
desire for
She has a great desire for sugary food.

deter from
Tourists are deterred from holidays in this country owing to the ever-increasing violence.

detrimental to
Artificial substances may be detrimental to health.

develop from / out of
This life form developed out of a single cell.

die of
Many children may die of this epidemic unless effective precautions are taken.

different from
Many people believe that men are different from women in many ways.

difficulty with / in
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs which leads to difficulty in breathing.

diminish in
Platelet inhibition by aspirin is diminished in patients during carotid surgery.

disadvantage of
He expressed the disadvantages of distance learning at the meeting.

disagree on / over / with
He disagrees with the president on many national and international issues.

disappointed with
Many students were disappointed with their test grades.
disapprove of
Some students disapprove of the way the teacher handles the problems in the class.

display on display
Items on display in this museum largely belong to the Ottoman period.

dispose of
We have to find a good way to dispose of unused pills.

distinct from
The first European to recognise the Pacific Ocean as distinct from the Atlantic Ocean was the
Spanish explorer Vasco de Balboa.

distinguish between / from
There has always been a tendency to distinguish between innate and acquired behaviour.
Whales have a clever way of distinguishing their own sounds from other sounds.

diverge from
Some people believe that orangutan diverged from the human evolutionary line in the past.


8

divide into
A typical explosives factory is divided into two parts: the non-danger and danger areas.

ease at ease
These people are less at ease in their homeland than they expected.

eligible for
She isnt eligible for publicly funded health care.
embark on
Following the outbreak of World War I, Germany embarked on an offensive war.

emerge from
Michelangelo did not like to delegate work to the students, so no great artist emerged from
Michelangelos studio.

emphasis on
It seems that the writer puts emphasis on psychosocial and behavioural aspects of child
development.

end in the end
In the end diseases are likely to wipe out certain species in the world.

enthusiasm for
The tournament stirred a wave of enthusiasm for golf.

equip with
This car is equipped with award-winning features.

evidence for / of
There is no conclusive evidence for any major climatic change in historic
times.

exempt from
The foreigners were largely exempt from taxes.

experiment on
The students at school conducted an experiment on melting point with wonderful success.

experience of
This book deals with the childrens experiences of atomic bomb.

expert in
The firm is seeking a person who is an expert in web design.

extent to an extent / to the extent / to such an extent / to some extent / to a large extent
Our social behaviour reflects to some extent what we feel about the people around us.

factor in
Scientists have found out that an unknown bacteria may be a factor in sudden infant death
syndrome.

failure in
The teacher is trying to find out the failure in the students exam performances.

fall in
There has been a dramatic fall in violence in the region.
familiar with
Doctors were not familiar with the disease and, not surprisingly, failed to recognize it.

9

familiarity with
The article discusses the preschool child's familiarity with rules and authority.

famous for
This actor is famous for playing heroic roles in films.

finance of
Costs and finance of decreasing carbon emissions in the energy sector will be discussed at the
meeting.

fit in
Autistic children generally find it difficult to fit in the society.

focus on
European cinema focuses on issues such as violence, the psychology of marriage and racism.

free from
These children are dreaming a world free from poverty and diseases.

full of
Hospitals were full of injured soldiers after the war.

function in
The results suggest that DC-SIGN has an important function in amplifying tuberculosis infection in
the lung.

glance at
A quick glance at his childhood may explain why he has a tendency for violence.

glance at a glance
She could tell at a glance something was wrong with him.


globe around the globe
The thermal blanket around the globe may cause the average temperature of the earth to rise.

hail as
The firefighter was hailed as a hero for rescuing a baby from a burning house.

history in / throughout history
Military forces and construction crews have been inactivated by malaria throughout history.

identical to
Scientists have developed biofuels nearly identical to gasoline and diesel.

importance on / of
This hospital places a high importance on patients needs.
In her speech she mentioned the importance of choosing the right partner in marriage.

impose on
Taxes imposed on goods and services are called indirect taxes.

increase in
Some doctors believe that increase in severe pneumonia in children may be caused by vaccines.

independent of
Scientists have found that the development of coral reefs is independent of coral species
diversity.


10

indifferent to
Unlike the Europeans, the Japanese are indifferent to their past.

indigenous to
Hepatitis E is believed to be indigenous to economically developed countries.

indulge in
The playwright indulged in metaphorical language.

indulgence in
This illness is associated with indulgence in certain food.

infect with
Those infected with this virus are likely to die.
infer from
It could be inferred from his remarks that he didnt like the scheme.

inflict on
Many people believe that researchers inflict excessive stresses on their study animals.

influence on
The annual rainfall has a profound influence on the success or failure of agriculture.

information about
This web site gives daily information about volcanic activity of the mountain.

insist on
He is insisting on investing in the shares of this company.

insure against
She had her house insured against disasters.

interact with
There is evidence that these animals rarely interact with other animals.

interaction with / of
The article is on corrosive agents and their interaction with materials.
His research was into the interaction of external factors with human development.

interest in
There has been a growing interest in the use of nuclear power in the world.

interfere in / with
The chairman interferes in most of the affairs of the company.

intervene in
The government is likely to intervene in domestic steel prices.

invest in
The firm has decided to invest a great deal of money in new
technologies.

involve in / be involved in
Scientists who are involved in the study of the universe object to his ideas.
involvement in
The government fully supports the American involvement in Africa.



11

irrelevant to
Some scientists believe that emissions are irrelevant to future climate changes.

issue at issue
At issue today is whether public schools should take an active role in providing pre-K services.

issue on / over / of
The issue of mental fitness has been very popular recently.
join in / to
A foreign professional rescue team will join in our countrys disaster teams to search for people
under the collapsed building.

keen on
The firm isnt keen on investing in this part of the world.

know of / about
Very little is known about this part of the brain.

lack of
Some scientists claim that lack of sleep may be related to mental illness.

lead to
Worrying about family matters can lead to depression.

light in the light of
Our knowledge of sharks has been modified in the light of new data from satellites.

limit on / to
I think parents put a strict limit on the amount of money children can spend.

limitation on
The city council has put a limitation on building height.

line of
The study of cancer has always been a frustrating line of work.

link between
Before allergic rhinitis and asthma became prevalent, the link between the two disorders was not
suspected.
look at
Doctors use special microscopes to look at inner parts of the eye.
make use of
Teachers should make use of new technologies in their classrooms.
means of
By capital we mean not just money but more especially a means of production.

meeting at meeting
Some important decisions are expected to be taken at a meeting.

mission on mission
Astronauts get used to zero gravity before setting off on a space mission.

negotiate on / with
The government refused the claim that they had negotiated with the terrorists.



12

notorious for
Busy cities are notorious for traffic congestion and pollution.

number of
The number of students who majored in engineering has fallen in recent years.

object to
The old lady objected to selling her land.

obtain from
To obtain power from the sun's rays is to use nuclear power developed at no expense in a distant
laboratory.

open up
This new system is claimed to open up new ways of recycling paper.

operate on
They decided not to operate on him until they got the results of the tests.

parity with
Mental health services have only recently gained parity with other medical conditions.
participate in
For the last two centuries no kings have participated in the game, tennis.

participation in
The teacher is trying to encourage participation in role playing in their classes.

peer into
Scientists have peered into stem cells in live brain.
per cent of
It is claimed that we use only 10 to 20 percent of our minds.
persist in
A gender gap still persists both in wages and levels of advancement.

persistence in
The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of wheezing and evaluate the risk factors for
its persistence in children.

pertinent to
Here is a list of articles pertinent to the discussion topic.

point out
Many scientists have pointed out that the rise in use of high-fructose corn syrup coincides with the
obesity epidemic.

position of
The position of the stars are being observed through a giant telescope.
prejudice against
Many people are prejudiced against flying.

premium on
This software puts a high premium on security.

prepare for
Canadian authorities were not prepared for such a disaster.

13

pressure on
They are putting pressure on him to resign from the job.

prevent from
Some bacteria often prevent harmful micro-organisms from flourishing.

pride in
He takes pride in his fathers success.

prohibition on / of
The government established a prohibition on use of Federal funds for any research involving non-
registered human embryonic stem cell lines.

prone to
Apnea sufferers are more prone to accidents during the day.

proud of
These children didnt have much, but they were very proud of what they had.

provide with
We need to provide our children with a sense of security and identity.

quantity of
Establishments must hold documents which can be used to determine the quantity of milk
processed during the previous year.

range from to
The problems range from global warming to the extinction of a whole species.

rate at this rate / at the rate of
At the summit of the Greenland ice sheet the summer average temperature has decreased at the
rate of 2.2 C per decade since the beginning of the the 20
th
century.

rate of
The atomic bomb blasts at Hiroshima and Nagasaki created a higher rate of cancer than was
expected.

ready for
There are tens of millions of customers who aren't ready for the new technology.

reason for a variety of reasons / for this reason
For a variety of reasons, he dropped out of university in his second year.

reason for
For some economists, the reason for the collapse of the communist economic system was that too
few goods were produced at too high a price.


recognition beyond recognition
Over the past hundred years, glaciers in the Alps have changed almost beyond recognition.

recommend to
A polio vaccination is strongly recommended to travellers in the current polio risk areas in Africa
and Asia.

recruit in / from
120 new caregivers have been recruited in national campaign.


14

reduction in
A general reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere may contribute to
the development of ice ages.

refer to
You must never refer to the matter or discuss it with other people.

refrain from
She has refrained from telling us how much they paid for the new system.

regard as
Until recently allergic rhinitis was regarded as a trivial problem.

regardless of
Regardless of its advantages, the use of the system has not gained wide popularity.

related to
The research project he had undertaken was related to the problems of adolescence.

relationship between
The passage is mainly concerned with the relationship between literature and life.

relevant to
The committee may exclude the information if they consider that it is not relevant to the subject.

rely on
The countrys economy relies on multi-national giants, not on oil reserves.
remain of
Coal is formed from the remains of trees and other plants.
reply to
The Chairman told members that he had replied to the Ministers letter.

reputation for
The School has a reputation for excellence, and attracts students regionally, nationally and
internationally.

research on / into
The team has been carrying out research on volcanoes for years.
resort to
As schizophrenia is now so prevalent, many psychiatrists are disposed to resort to quick, drastic
methods of treatment.

result in / from
Although the three reforms resulted in failure, they gave the chance to Chinese people to contact
western ideas.
The adviser thinks that these problems resulted from the inexperience of the students.

return in return / in return for
Some unions provide optional benefits in return for higher contributions.
revolt against
In recent months Latin America has witnessed a growing popular revolt against globalization and
the free market.

rise in
The Gulf Stream causes an average ten percent rise in temperature in northern Europe throughout
the winter.
15
risk at risk
The miners knew their lives were at risk from the presence of toxic gases.

role in
A patients belief in a treatment plays a significant role in its success.
sample of
A free sample of the product is available at stores.
satisfied with
Government was satisfied with the results of national vaccination campaign.

scale on scale
The continuing slump in the price of raw coffee has caused hardship for growers on a scale
unseen for decades.

search for
The detectives had been searching for the murderer for a long time before they arrested him.

secrecy in secrecy
It is difficult to carry out such experiments in secrecy.

secret in secret
He told me in secret that he had a police record and had killed someone.

sensitive to
Infants and children may be especially sensitive to health risks posed by pesticides.

separate from
The poles froze during the last ice age and caused ocean levels to drop and the Mediterranean
was separated from the Black Sea.

set up
The government is planning to set up a wheat research centre in the area.

shortcut to
This icon enables you a shortcut to the website.

shortage of
The acute shortage of nursing staff in government hospitals has been reaffirmed by a survey
conducted last month.

siege under siege / during the siege
There was a shortage of food when the city was under siege.
similar to
Ritalin is similar to cocaine and like cocaine it is a powerful stimulant that increases alertness and
productivity.

sky across sky / in sky
They saw some objects flashing across the sky.

slump in
The slump in the price of corn has caused hardship for growers.

specialize in
At the World Bank she specialized in loans for economic aid programs for developing countries.


16
spend on
The US spends a great deal of money on defence against biological and chemical weapons.

statute under statute
Under a recent statute, smoking in public places is banned.

stick to / with
If you stick to the rules, there will not be any problems in the laboratory.

study into / on / of
The results of this new study on/into scholarly communication is quite controversial.

subject to
Since the skin is the frontier between the patient and his environment, it is subject to influences
from within and without.

suitable for
According to the FDA this new diet drug may be not be suitable for some people.

superior to
A number of qualities make tigers physically superior to all other animals regardless of size.

supply with / to
Small businesses in the region supplied local people with their needs.

surprise to the surprise of sb. / to sb.s surprise
To the surprise of the doctors, he has made significant improvement.
surprised at
Even he himself was surprised at the result of the elections.
survey on
The Foundation carried out a survey on working conditions in 12 countries.

susceptible to
Overweight people are more susceptible to fungal infections than are those of normal weight.

switch off / on
Street lights in suburban areas are switched off after midnight as part of council plans to save
energy.
When they switched on the television news, they saw images of their neighborhood completely
submerged.

take into consideration
A doctor should take into consideration the emotional and physical state of the patient.

talk of
The new government is talking of sending man to the moon.
temperature at temperature(s) / at 50 c
At room temperature, unsaturated fats, such as those found in oil, are usually liquid.

term under the term
Any defective parts are replaced under the terms of this contract.
time on time
They always completed the work on time and in a professional manner.


17

topic on
Topics on deafness and hearing loss will be discussed at the meeting.

triumph over
The book presents the ability of the human spirit to triumph over suffering.

turn into / to
Matter can be turned into energy, and energy can be turned into matter.

turn out
An apparently harmless invention may turn out to be harmful.
understanding of
The research carried out at the University of Toronto contributed significantly to our understanding
of cardiovascular disease.

use of
The controversy over the use of cameras to stop speeding continues.

vision of
This book lays the foundation for a new vision of democracy in Latin America.

vote for
In November, millions voted for the Democrats to protest the government and the war, and in
hopes they would end it.

vulnerable to
Coral reefs are all rich in marine species found only in small areas and therefore highly vulnerable
to extinction.

way on sb.s way
NASA's Cassini spacecraft released the Huygens probe and sent it on its way to Saturn's largest
moon, Titan.

worry about
Worrying about family matters can lead to depression.