The correct prepositions are for, in, of, and of.
You apologize for an action (you apologize to a person, but for an action). We succeed in doing something (never succeed at or succeed with an action). A whole is made up or consists of its parts. You approve of (or disapprove of) someone's behavior.
Collocations
Collocations are combinations of words that frequently occur together in a specific order, creating a natural-sounding expression in a given language. These word pairs or groups are more likely to be used by native speakers than other possible combinations of the same words. A thorough understanding of collocations is crucial for language learners, as it enhances fluency and allows for more natural speech and writing.
There are several types of collocations, including:
- Verb + Noun: In this type of collocation, a verb is paired with a noun to create a specific meaning. Examples include "make a decision," "take a shower," and "perform an operation."
- Adjective + Noun: This collocation type combines an adjective with a noun to describe a particular quality or characteristic. Examples include "strong coffee," "heavy rain," and "bright future."
- Noun + Noun: In this collocation, two nouns are combined to create a compound noun, such as "kitchen table," "traffic jam," and "school bus."
- Adverb + Adjective: This type of collocation pairs an adverb with an adjective to provide more detail or emphasis. Examples include "highly unlikely," "deeply concerned," and "fully aware."
- Adverb + Verb: In this collocation, an adverb is used to modify a verb, such as "strongly believe," "quickly run," and "patiently wait."
- Verb + Adverb: This type of collocation combines a verb with an adverb to describe the manner in which an action is performed. Examples include "speak softly," "work diligently," and "think critically."
Understanding and using collocations effectively can greatly improve a language learner's ability to communicate naturally and accurately. Recognizing these common word combinations is essential for developing fluency and enhancing comprehension in both spoken and written language.
Gerund
The gerund takes the same form (ending in -ing) as the present participle, but is used as a noun (or rather the verb phrase introduced by the gerund is used as a noun phrase). Many uses of gerunds are thus similar to noun uses of the infinitive. Uses of gerunds and gerund phrases are illustrated below:
As subject or predicative expression:
- Solving problems is satisfying.
- My favorite activity is spotting butterflies.
As object of certain verbs that admit such constructions:
- I like solving problems.
- We tried restarting the computer.
In a passive-type construction after certain verbs, with a gap (zero) in object or complement position, understood to be filled by the subject of the main clause:
- That floor wants/needs scrubbing.
- It doesn't bear thinking about.
As complement of certain prepositions:
- No one is better at solving problems.
- Before jogging, she stretches.
- After investigating the facts, we made a decision.
- That prevents you from eating too much.
It is considered grammatically correct to express the agent(logical subject) of a gerund using a possessive form (they object to my helping them), although in informal English a simple noun or pronoun is often used instead (they object to me helping them).
Humor
Humor is subjective, but at least the author tried.
Preposition
Prepositions form a closed word class, although there are also certain phrases that serve as prepositions, such as in front of.
A single preposition may have a variety of meanings, often including temporal, spatial and abstract. Many words that are prepositions can also serve as adverbs. Examples of common English prepositions (including phrasal instances) are of, in, on, over, under, to, from, with, in front of, behind, opposite, by, before, after, during, through, in spite of or despite, between, among, etc.
A preposition is usually used with a noun phrase as its complement.
A preposition together with its complement is called a prepositional phrase.
Examples are in England, under the table, after six pleasant weeks, between the land and the sea.
A prepositional phrase can be used as a complement or post-modifier of a noun in a noun phrase, as in the man in the car, the start of the fight; as a complement of a verb or adjective, as in deal with the problem, proud of oneself; or generally as an adverb phrase.
English allows the use of "stranded" prepositions. This can occur in interrogative and relative clauses, where the interrogative or relative pronoun that is the preposition's complement is moved to the start (fronted), leaving the preposition in place. This kind of structure is avoided in some kinds of formal English.
For example:
- What are you talking about? (Possible alternative version: About what are you talking?)
- The song that you were listening to ... (more formal: The song to which you were listening ...)
Notice that in the second example the relative pronoun that could be omitted.
Stranded prepositions can also arise in passive voice constructions and other uses of passive past participial phrases, where the complement in a prepositional phrase can become zero in the same way that a verb's direct object would: it was looked at; I will be operated on; get your teeth seen to.
The same can happen in certain uses of infinitive phrases: he is nice to talk to; this is the page to make copies of.
Questions
Like many other Western European languages, English historically allowed questions to be formed by inverting the positions of verb and subject. Modern English permits this only in the case of a small class of verbs ("special verbs"), consisting of auxiliaries as well as forms of the copula be. To form a question from a sentence which does not have such an auxiliary or copula present, the auxiliary verb do (does, did) needs to be inserted, along with inversion of the word order, to form a question. For example:
- She can dance. → Can she dance? (inversion of subject she and auxiliary can)
- I am sitting here. → Am I sitting here? (inversion of subject I and copula am)
- The milk goes in the fridge. → Does the milk go in the fridge? (no special verb present; do-support required)
The above concerns yes-no questions, but inversion also takes place in the same way after other questions, formed with interrogative words such as where, what, how, etc. An exception applies when the interrogative word is the subject or part of the subject, in which case there is no inversion. For example:
- I go. → Where do I go? (wh-question formed using inversion, with do-support required in this case)
- He goes. → Who goes? (no inversion, because the question word who is the subject)
Note that inversion does not apply in indirect questions: I wonder where he is (not *... where is he). Indirect yes-no questions can be expressed using if or whether as the interrogative word: *Ask them whether/if they saw him*.
Negative questions are formed similarly; however if the verb undergoing inversion has a contraction with not, then it is possible to invert the subject with this contraction as a whole. For example:
- John is going. (affirmative)
- John is not going. / John isn't going. (negative, with and without contraction)
- Isn't John going? / Is John not going? (negative question, with and without contraction respectively)
Tag questions are formed with a special verb and pronoun subject: isn't it?; were there?; am I not?
Verb
A verb is a word that expresses an action, a state, or an occurrence — and it's the engine of every English sentence. Understanding how verbs work is foundational to everything else in English grammar, from forming questions to building complex sentences.
Verb Forms
Most English verbs have five inflected forms:
- Base form (go, write, climb) — used as an infinitive, imperative, present subjunctive, and present indicative in all persons except third-person singular.
- -s form (goes, writes, climbs) — used for the present tense, third-person singular (she writes).
- Past tense (went, wrote, climbed) — also called the preterite.
- Past participle (gone, written, climbed) — identical to the past tense for regular verbs, but often different for irregular verbs.
- -ing form (going, writing, climbing) — serves as the present participle and gerund.
The verb be is a special case with more forms than any other English verb (am, is, are, was, were, been, being). Modal verbs like can, must, and should have fewer forms than typical verbs.
Main Verbs and Auxiliaries
Verbs in English often appear in combinations: one or more auxiliary verbs paired with a main verb.
- The dog was barking very loudly.
- My hat has been cleaned.
- Jane does not really like us.
The first verb in the combination is the finite verb (it carries tense and agrees with the subject). The rest are nonfinite (infinitives or participles). Notice that these verbs don't always sit next to each other — as in does not really like.
Tense, Aspect, and Mood
English expresses tense (time reference), aspect (how an action unfolds over time), and mood (the speaker's attitude toward the action) mostly through verb combinations rather than word endings. That's why you'll encounter labels like "present progressive" or "conditional perfect" — these are specific tense–aspect–mood combinations built with auxiliaries.
Self-check: If you can change the time of a sentence by swapping one word (She runs → She ran), that word is the verb.
Keep Practising
To build your verb skills from the ground up, try these challenges: Basics. "To be" in Present Tense, Basics. Common Uses of Auxiliary Verbs, and Transitive and Intransitive Verbs.
B1 | Intermediate
B1 is the intermediate level of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). It marks the point where you move beyond survival English and start expressing yourself with real independence — describing experiences, explaining opinions, and handling everyday situations without a script.
What a B1 user can do
At this level, you're expected to:
- Understand the main points of clear, standard speech and writing on familiar topics — work, school, travel, hobbies.
- Handle most travel situations in English-speaking environments.
- Produce simple connected text on topics you know or care about.
- Describe experiences, events, hopes, and plans, and give brief reasons and explanations for your opinions.
- Communicate in routine tasks that require a straightforward exchange of information.
What B1 grammar looks like
B1 is where grammar starts to get more layered. You're not just forming basic sentences anymore — you're combining ideas, using different tenses with more precision, and starting to handle structures like the passive voice, modal verbs for necessity and possibility, and gerunds vs. infinitives. You're also expected to build complex sentences with linking words and dependent clauses.
Typical B1 grammar areas include:
- Future tenses — distinguishing will, going to, and the present continuous for future plans
- Passive voice — The report was written yesterday.
- Modal verbs — You should apply early. / She might be late.
- Used to — I used to live in Berlin.
- Verb patterns — knowing whether a verb takes a gerund, an infinitive, or both (I enjoy reading vs. I decided to leave)
What B1 doesn't mean
B1 speakers still hesitate, make grammatical errors, and sometimes struggle with less familiar topics. That's normal. The key difference from A2 is that you can keep a conversation going and get your point across even when things aren't perfect. The step up to B2 involves handling more abstract topics, understanding nuance, and producing more complex, accurate language.
Self-check: Can you tell a friend about a recent trip — what happened, what you liked, and what you'd do differently — without switching to your native language? If yes, you're likely operating at B1 or above.
Ready to find out where you stand? Try Are you B1/Intermediate? Test your English CEFR Level to figure out!, then build your skills with challenges like Basics. Passive Voice, Basics. Modal verbs, and Used to.
Difficulty: Medium
Medium difficulty. Difficulty levels represent author's opinion about how hard a question or challenge is.