In academic writing, one of the grammar mistakes I always make is about the using of correct prepositions. In English, different words have their own fixed prepositions to go with. I do find it very hard to remember all the combinations. Therefore, I tend to make mistakes like “lacking of something”, “end in doing something”, and “spend time to do something”. On the contrary, we should use “lack”, “end” and “spend” as “lacking something”, “end up” and “spend time doing something”. I think the most likely reason for me to keep making such mistakes is I am not familiar with English. I read too few articles, wrote too few essays and did too few exercises. For prepositions, I think the best way to remember how to use them is through practice and exercises. Once I complete enough exercise, I should be familiar with their usage and pick up the way to use them through the process of learning. Therefore, I will read more academic reading in my future study and pay special attention to the using of prepositions. In addition, I will find more on-line exercises to help me distinguish the right way of using prepositions and common mistakes students tend to make. I know learning prepositions is a time consuming process, but I am sure it is a worthy process.
Some exercises for proposition usage I find:
1. Fill in the right preposition
http://www.nonstopenglish.com/exercise.asp?exid=916
2. Fill in the missing prepositions
http://www.nonstopenglish.com/exercise.asp?exid=918
3. To, for and so that
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1614_gramchallenge37/
(the last exercise is not about preposition. But I still think it's very useful)
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6 comments:
I agree that use of prepositions is always a problem for English learners. I think we should try to remember all the combinations we see. Practices are also very important.
I think instead of remembering all the combinations, why not understand it. By understanding different uses of prepositions will be more efficient than remembering all the combinations as there are lots of combinations in English language
In my opinion, the most efficient way to improve grammatical mistakes is through practices. Since to write a good article or an essay requires continues effort and hard work, therefore, practices is a must. Besides that, do bear in mind that grammar is not something that can be improved overnight. For this reason, let us be determined in pushing ourselves up to another level in either writing or speaking.
Practices is the most effective way to improve on English. By using English often and speak more in english will make us aware when is the right time to use right prepositions.
I do agree that practice and get ourselves to be in touch with the prepostitions as much as possible is the best way to learn them. There is too many of the prepostitions, and thus their combinations, to remember. Also, I think it's no use trying to understand them becuase they all have a fixed combination but not a rule.
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