verb + preposition + object

In the English Grammar Profile, A1 point 4 in VERBS/prepositional is defined as:

limited range of prepositional verbs followed by noun or pronoun objects.

The examples in the EGP:

    • listen_VV0 to_II music_NN1
    • look_VVI after_II her_PPHO1
    • look_VVI for_IF mushrooms_NN2

Point 31 at B1 is the same as above except: “increasing range”.

James, do you think you can cope with the pressure?

listen

We wish we wouldn’t have to deal with these things.

twincities.com

 

*There is no other higher level for this.  And really this construction is not simple to locate in corpora since prepositions after verbs are not necessarily going to give us prepositional verbs.  For example:

Well, a lot can happen to a man in four years, I guess.

listen

The following are not all considered prepositional verbs.  Many are idiomatic.  Still, it is an interesting approach to phrases/Ngrams.  It is very interesting because although this kind of construction is listed at A1 and B1, the most common examples are often higher.


Here is a search in iWeb for the pattern: lexical verb + preposition + noun

_VV _I _NN

1 KEEP IN MIND 314367 B2 EVP

Building a treehouse is easy

when you keep in mind these instructions.

PELIC student example, Korean, Female, level 4, writing class

2 TAKE INTO ACCOUNT 78263 B2 EVP

3 FELL IN LOVE 69342 B1

By listening to music, 

you can find more songs you never heard before

and you might fall in love with them.

Chinese, Female, level 4, writing class

4 PUT IN PLACE 54864 (possibly C2 = put somebody in their place, but there is no real entry for this in the EVP)

5 BEAR IN MIND 51933 B2

In the event that you find certain sequences or ideas confusing,

 please bear in mind that this is your fault not ours.

listen

 

6 FALL IN LOVE 48892
7 GOING TO WORK 47087
8 TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT 42000
9 SHOWN IN FIGURE 38371

10 TAKING INTO ACCOUNT 37893
11 REQUIRED BY LAW 36821
12 GO TO BED 35855

Here’s an AI created paragraph of these last results:

In the realm of relationships, unexpected connections can lead to a profound journey where hearts intertwine and 6 fall in love. As the complexities of life unfold, the practicalities of 10 taking into account responsibilities must be balanced, even amidst the daily routine of 7 going to work. Both partners must ensure that the needs and dreams of each other are 8 taken into account, embracing open communication and compromise. As shown in Figure, relationships are multifaceted, requiring a holistic approach where individual experiences are considered and harmonized. Along the way, legal obligations 11 required by law should be met with responsibility, while finding solace and rest in the comforting ritual of 12 going to bed, where the connection between hearts is nurtured and the foundation for a fulfilling future is strengthened.


13 GET IN TOUCH 34914 B1

It is useful for international students 

because it is not tricky to use 

and whenever you can use the internet, 

you can get in touch.

Korean, Male, level 4, writing class


14 GO TO SCHOOL 28118

15 LOOKING FOR WAYS 28015 = A1 EVP and EGP

People are trying to put more emphasis on family togetherness,

and they’re looking for ways to help young people have a feeling of hope and satisfaction.

Taiwanese, Female, level 3, reading class

16 TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION 27161
17 COME INTO PLAY 26460
18 STEP BY STEP 25631
19 GO TO WORK 25368
20 GO TO SLEEP 24773
21 COME TO LIFE 24496
22 ASK FOR HELP 22799
23 DESIGNED FOR USE 22143
24 GO ON SALE 22017
25 COME TO TERMS 21861
26 WORK FROM HOME 20834
27 COMES INTO PLAY 19840
28 WENT TO WORK 19141
29 LISTEN TO MUSIC 19129
30 TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION 18916
31 FALLING IN LOVE 18300
32 LISTENING TO MUSIC 18227
33 TAKES INTO ACCOUNT 18208
34 GOING TO BED 18198
35 COME INTO CONTACT 17328
36 GO TO COLLEGE 17114
37 KEEPING IN MIND 15889
38 TAKEN INTO CUSTODY 15461
39 WORKING FROM HOME 15375
40 REMOVE FROM HEAT 14742
41 FEEL AT HOME 14557
42 GOING TO SCHOOL 14529
43 CHANGE OVER TIME 14351
44 WENT TO BED 14321
45 INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION 14013
46 WENT TO SCHOOL 13956
47 BROUGHT TO LIFE 13910
48 INTENDED FOR USE 13496
49 RETURN TO WORK 13394
50 PERMITTED BY LAW 13264
51 WORKING WITH CHILDREN 13243
52 FALLEN IN LOVE 13103
53 STAY AT HOME 13053
54 TALK TO PEOPLE 12816
55 BEARING IN MIND 12533
56 HELD IN PLACE 12430
57 SIGNED INTO LAW 12421
58 BASED ON DATA 12272
59 PUT TO DEATH 12151
60 DEFINED IN SECTION 12142
61 PRECEDED IN DEATH 11686
62 DESCRIBED IN SECTION 11369
63 ASKING FOR HELP 11054
64 DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS 10993
65 APPEAR IN COURT 10990
66 SENTENCED TO DEATH 10916
67 STAY ON TRACK 10820
68 FALLS IN LOVE 10749
69 USED IN COMBINATION 10608
70 GO TO SETTINGS 10567
71 TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION 10540
72 LOOKING FOR WORK 10539
73 LOOK FOR WAYS 10451
74 COME TO FRUITION 10444
75 LEFT TO RIGHT 10391
76 BASED ON INFORMATION 10206
77 GO TO WAR 10075
78 START FROM SCRATCH 10000
79 OFFERED FOR SALE 9960
80 STAY IN PLACE 9934
81 CAME TO LIGHT 9832
82 REST IN PEACE 9751
83 WORKING WITH PEOPLE 9600
84 GO TO COURT 9585
85 PUT ON HOLD 9499
86 COMES TO LIFE 9486
87 REMAIN IN PLACE 9425
88 SET IN STONE 9381
89 FILLED WITH WATER 9327
90 TALKING TO PEOPLE 9267
91 COME TO LIGHT 9262
92 LAST FOR YEARS 9243
93 TAKEN TO HOSPITAL 9209
94 LOOKING FOR PEOPLE 9136
95 WROTE IN MESSAGE 9124
96 USED AS PART 9047
97 GO TO HTTP 9031
98 WENT INTO EFFECT 8998
99 DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER 8957
100 ENABLED BY DEFAULT 8911


_VV _I _P

1 THINK ABOUT IT 127672
2 THINK OF IT 85136
3 LOOK AT IT 80994
4 SEEMS TO ME 76704
5 FEEL LIKE YOU 65678
6 AGREE WITH YOU 63445
7 LOOKS LIKE IT 63184
8 LOOKING FOR SOMETHING 56575
9 WORK FOR YOU 53348
10 GO FOR IT 52729
11 SHARE WITH YOU 52128
12 WORK WITH YOU 48747
13 SOUNDS LIKE YOU 46078
14 HEAR FROM YOU 45339
15 HAPPENED TO ME 44815
16 DEAL WITH IT 42768
17 TALK ABOUT IT 42267
18 WORKS FOR YOU 41255
19 FEEL LIKE IT 39205
20 PAY FOR IT 38219
21 THINKING ABOUT IT 35483
22 RID OF IT 32618
23 SEEMS LIKE IT 31026
24 WORRY ABOUT IT 30897
25 SAID TO ME 30284
26 WORK FOR ME 30185
27 WAITING FOR YOU 30055
28 WORKING ON IT 29342
29 TALK TO YOU 29294
30 LOOKING AT IT 29243
31 WORKED FOR ME 28797
32 KNOW ABOUT IT 26569
33 SAID TO HIM 25757
34 LOOKS LIKE YOU 25472
35 COME TO YOU 25328
36 SENT TO YOU 24463
37 TALKING ABOUT IT 23625
38 BROUGHT TO YOU 22900
39 TALK TO THEM 22899
40 RID OF THEM 22665
41 SEE FOR YOURSELF 22635
42 LOOKING FOR SOMEONE 22569
43 WORKS FOR ME 22472
44 OCCURRED TO ME 22370
45 SOUNDS LIKE IT 22280
46 TALK TO HIM 21977
47 GO WITH IT 21759
48 WORK WITH THEM 20843
49 THOUGHT ABOUT IT 20831
50 KNOW ABOUT YOU 20534
51 CLICK ON IT 20267
52 CAME TO ME 20135
53 ASSOCIATED WITH IT 20032
54 GET TO IT 19779
55 FEELS LIKE IT 19727
56 HEARD OF IT 19644
57 TALK TO ME 19280
58 WAIT FOR IT 18866
59 ATTACHED TO IT 18686
60 LOOKED AT ME 18453
61 COME TO ME 18381
62 LOOK AT THEM 18192
63 DEAL WITH THEM 17485
64 FELT LIKE IT 17472
65 LISTEN TO IT 17441
66 STICK WITH IT 17065
67 WORK ON IT 16576
68 GET OVER IT 16390
69 LOOK AT ME 15624
70 PAID FOR IT 15558
71 COME TO US 14939
72 THINK OF THEM 14937
73 STICK TO IT 14670
74 HAPPEN TO ME 14640
75 HAPPEN TO YOU 14558
76 SAID TO THEM 14531
77 WORKING WITH YOU 14471
78 WORKING WITH THEM 14329
79 SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES 14228
80 LOOKED AT IT 14134
81 FEEL TO IT 13775
82 WORKING FOR YOU 13750
83 GO ABOUT IT 13636
84 GIVEN TO YOU 13489
85 LOOKING AT YOU 13308
86 LISTEN TO THEM 13274
87 FORGET ABOUT IT 13104
88 SAY TO YOU 12976
89 LOOKED LIKE IT 12868
90 SHARE WITH US 12643
91 GIVEN TO ME 12584
92 TALK TO HER 12426
93 LOOK INTO IT 12341
94 GET INTO IT 12316
95 REFER TO IT 12274
96 HEARING FROM YOU 12242
97 SEEMED TO ME 11959
98 PROVIDED TO YOU 11846
99 THOUGHT TO MYSELF 11840
100 APPLY TO YOU 11742


Here are C1 idiomatic examples:

What comes to mind 

when you think of the Renaissance?

listen

Roxy passed with flying colors.
Charlie‘s up next.
Want to watch?

listen

Here’s a C2 idiomatic example:

But I‘ll make sure to give you a ring

 if anything else springs to mind.

Eden

 

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