Verb + at
look/have a look/stare/glance (etc.) AT ...:
* Why are you looking at me like that?
laugh/smile AT ...:
* I look stupid with this haircut. Everybody will laugh at me.
aim/point (something) AT..., shoot/fire (a gun) AT... (='in the direction of'):
* Don't point that knife at me. It's dangerous.
* We saw some people with guns shooting at birds.
Verb + to
talk/speak TO (somebody) ('with' is also possible but less usual):
* Who was that man you were talking to?
* Can I speak to Jane, please?
listen TO ...:
* We spent the evening listening to music. (not 'listening music')
write (a letter) TO ...:
* Sorry I haven't written to you for such a long time.
but phone/telephone somebody (no preposition):
* Did you phone your father yesterday? (not 'phone to your father')
invite (somebody) TO (a party/a wedding etc.):
* They only invited a few people to their wedding.
Some verbs can be followed by at or to, with a difference of meaning. For example:
shout AT somebody (when you are angry):
* She got very angry and started shouting at me.
shout TO somebody (so that they can bear you):
* She shouted to me from the other side of the street.
throw something AT somebody/something (in order to bit them):
* Somebody threw an egg at the minister.
throw something TO somebody (for somebody to catch):
* Judy shouted 'Catch!' and threw the keys to me from the window.
Explain/describe/apologize
We say explain something (TO somebody):
* Can you explain this word to me? (not 'explain me this word')
also: 'explain (to somebody) that/what/how/why ...':
* I explained to them what I wanted them to do. (not 'I explained them')
Describe is similar:
* Let me describe to you what I saw.
Note that we say 'apologize TO somebody (for ...)':
* He apologized to me. (not 'He apologized me')
but 'thank somebody (for something)', 'ask somebody (for something)':
* He asked me for money. (not 'He asked to me')
EXERCISES
131.1 Complete the sentences. Choose one of the following verbs (in the correct form) + the correct preposition:
explain invite laugh listen point glance speak throw throw write
1. I look stupid with this haircut. Everybody will _laugh at_ me.
2. I don't understand what this means. Can you _explain_ it _to_ me?
3. I --- my watch to see what the time was.
4. We've been --- the party but unfortunately we can't go.
5. Please --- me! I've got something important to tell you.
6. Don't --- stones --- the birds! It's cruel.
7. If you don't want to eat that sandwich, --- it --- the birds. They'll eat it.
8. Sally and Kevin had an argument and now they're not --- one another.
9. I --- Joanna last week but she hasn't replied to my letter yet.
10. Be careful with those scissors! Don't --- them --- me!
131.2 Put in to or at where necessary.
1. They only invited a few people _to_ their wedding.
2. Look --- these flowers. Aren't they pretty?
3. Please don't shout --- me! Be nice to me!
4. I saw Sue as I was cycling along the road. I shouted --- her but she didn't hear me.
5. Don't listen --- what he says. He doesn't know what he's talking about.
6. Can I speak --- you for a moment? There's something I want to ask you.
7. Do you think I could have a look --- your newspaper, please?
8. I'm a bit lonely. I need somebody to talk ---.
9. She was so angry she threw a chair --- me.
10. The woman sitting opposite me on the train kept staring --- me.
131.3 You ask somebody to explain some things that you don't understand. Write sentences using explain (something) to me or explain to me (how/what ... etc.).
1. (I don't understand this word.) _Can you explain this word to me?_
2. (I don't understand what you mean.) _Can you explain to me what you mean?_
3. (I don't understand this question.) Can you explain ---.
4. (I don't understand the system.) Can ---.
5. (I don't understand how this machine works.) ---.
6. (I don't understand what your problem is.) ---.
131.4 Put in to where necessary. If the sentence is already complete, leave an empty space (-)
1. I know who she is but I've never spoken _to_ her.
2. George won't be able to help you, so there's no point in asking (-) him.
3. I like to listen --- the radio while I'm having breakfast.
4. We'd better phone --- the restaurant to reserve a table.
5. I apologized --- Bridget for the misunderstanding.
6. Don't forget to write --- me while you're away.
7. I thanked --- everybody for all the help they had given me.
8. I explained --- everybody what they had to do.
9. Mike described --- me how the accident happened.
10. I'd like to ask --- you some questions.
131.1
3 glanced at
4 invited to
5 listen to
6 throw stones at
7 throw it to
8 speaking to
9 wrote to
10 point them at
131.2
2 at 3 at 4 to
5 to 6 to 7 at
8 to 9 at 10 at
131.3
3 Can you explain this question to me?
4 Can you explain the system to me?
5 Can you explain to me how this machine works?
6 Can you explain to me what your problem is?
131.4
3 to 4 - 5 to
6 to 7 - 8 to
9 to 10 -
