English Grammar Exercises – Prepositions – Verb + preposition 5: in/into/with/to/on

Exercise 1   

Complete the sentences using these verbs (in the correct form) + a preposition:

believe   concentrate   divide   drive   fill   happen   insist   invite   succeed

1   I wanted to go alone, but my friends ……………………. coming with me.

2   I haven’t seen Mike for ages. I wonder what has ……………………. him.

3   We’ve been ……………………. the party, but unfortunately we can’t go.

4   It’s a very large house. It’s ……………………. four apartments.

5   I don’t ……………………. ghosts. I think people imagine that they see them.

6   Steve gave me an empty bucket and told me to ……………………. it ……………………. water.

7   I was driving along when the car in front stopped suddenly. I couldn’t stop in time and……………………. the back of it.

8   Don’t try and do two things together. ……………………. one thing at a time.

9   It wasn’t easy, but in the end we ……………………. finding a solution to the problem.

Exercise 2   

Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first.

1   There was a collision between a bus and a car.

    A bus collided …………………….

2   I don’t mind big cities, but I prefer small towns.

    I prefer …………………….

3   I got all the information I needed from jane.

    Jane provided me …………………….

4   This morning I bought a pair of shoes which cost £70.

    This morning I spent …………………….

5   There are ten districts in the city.

    The city is divided …………………….

Exercise 3   

Put in the correct preposition. If the sentence is already complete, leave the space empty.

1   The school provides all its students ……………………. books.

2   A strange thing happened ……………………. me a few days ago.

3   Mark decided to give up sport to concentrate ……………………. his studies.

4   Money should be used well. I don’t believe ……………………. wasting it.

5   My present job isn’t wonderful, but I prefer it ……………………. what I did before.

6   I hope you succeed ……………………. getting what you want.

7   As I was coming out of the room, I collided ……………………. somebody who was coming in.

8   There was an awful noise as the car crashed ……………………. a tree.

9   Patrick is a photographer. He specialises ……………………. sports photography.

10   Do you spend a lot of money ……………………. clothes?

11   I was amazed when Joe walked into the room. I couldn’t believe ……………………. it.

12   Somebody broke ……………………. my car and stole the radio.

13   I was quite cold, but Tom insisted ……………………. having the window open.

14   The teacher decided to split the class ……………………. four groups.

15   I filled the tank, but unfortunately I filled it ……………………. the wrong kind of petrol.

16   Some words are difficult to translate ……………………. one language ……………………. another.

Exercise 4   

Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use a preposition.

1   I wanted to go out alone, but my friend insisted …………………….

2   I spend a lot of money …………………….

3   I saw the accident. The car crashed …………………….

4   Chris prefers basketball …………………….

5   The restaurant we went to specialises …………………….

6   Shakespeare’s plays have been translated …………………….