1. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. I had to smile        (=was amused by) his optimism.
2. All this luxury was a far cry        (=a very different experience from) the poverty of his childhood.
3. Sooner or later they are seized for their disdainful (=scornful) rebellion        the Most Gracious Lord.
4. Forbidden        you is carrion, and blood, and the flesh of swine, and that over which any name other than God's has been invoked.
5. You have to persevere (=continue steadfastly)        difficult students.
6. The movie bears little resemblance        the original novel.
7. He did his best to infuse (=instil) good humour        his voice.
Answers
1. at 2. from 3. against 4. to 5. with 6. to 7. into

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. Justice will prevail (=triumph)        tyranny.

2. We have narrowed down (=reduce the number of choices) the list        four candidates.

3. Their policies would wreak havoc        (=do great damage to) the economy.

4. The cream is easily absorbed        the skin.

5. Opposition MPs charged (=accuse sb publicly) the minister        neglecting her duty.
6. She's the ideal (=most suitable) candidate        the job.
7. We watched        the fire slowly kindled (=start burning).
Answers
1. over 2. to 3. on 4. into 5. with 6. for 7. as

3. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. It was her teacher who kindled (=arouse or inspire) her interest        music.

2. Calm descended (=arrive and begin to affect)        the crowd.
3. He claims to be descended        (=be related to) a Spanish prince.

4. The surrounding small towns have been absorbed        the city.
5. a new approach patterned        (=model on) Japanese ideas

6. If he loses this referendum, it will sound the death knell (=an omen of death or destruction)        his leadership.

7. the kernel (=central part)        her argument
Answers
1. in 2. on 3. from 4. into 5. on 6. for 7. of

4. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. The earth is illuminated (=shine light on)        the sun.
2. It was not the ideal (=perfect) solution        the problem.
3. I'm sure he could be prevailed        (=persuade) to give a talk.
4. She was engrossed (=occupy fully)        conversation.
5. an unequalled (=better than all others) record        success
6. The study seems to show that nurture (=bringing up) is more important than nature        shaping a child's character and future prospects.
7. She thought that having his child would bind (=unite) him        her forever.
Answers
1. by 2. to 3. upon 4. in 5. of 6. in 7. to

5. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. She has been asked to abridge (=shorten) the novel        radio.
2. Posterity (=succeeding generations) will remember him        a great man.
3. Despite a number of setbacks, they persevered (=persist determinedly)        their attempts to fly around the world in a balloon.
4. He kept his distance as though afraid propinquity (=proximity) might lead him        temptation.
5. His works        far transcend (=exceed) anything that has gone before.
6. Preference will be given        graduates of this university.
7. The vase splintered (=shatter)        a thousand pieces.
Answers
1. for 2. as 3. in 4. into 5. by 6. to 7. into

6. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. A spokeswoman        the government denied the rumours.
2. The country was descending        (=gradually get into a bad state) chaos.
3. The room was charged (=fill with an emotion)        hatred.
4. The aim is to give people more power        their own lives.
5. The author was interested        the Victorian era.
6. He sometimes fantasized (=imagine)        winning the gold medal.
7. There's nothing to stop (=prevent) you        accepting the offer.
Answers
1. for 2. into 3. with 4. over 5. in 6. about 7. from

7. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.
1. He was actuated (=motivate) entirely        malice.
2. She struggled to keep control        her voice.
3. These facts have only just been brought        light (=make new information known to people).
4. The opening scene reveals Iago's deep resentment        Othello.
5. The company's position        regard to (=concerning) overtime is made clear in their contracts.
6. We were brought up to be respectful (=feeling respect)        authority.
7. He bequeathed his entire estate (=all his money and property)        his daughter.
Answers
1. by 2. of 3. to 4. towards 5. with 6. of 7. to

8. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. She had repented        what she had done.
2. Her work is infused (=fill)        an anger born of pain and oppression.
3. The two sides are locked (=be involved)        a bitter dispute.
4. Exercising regularly will pay dividends (=produce great advantages)        the end.
5. Charles decided to shave        (=remove a beard or moustache) his beard.
6. The police were unable to gain entrance (=the opportunity to enter)        the house.
7. Our junior employees are being groomed (=prepare or train)        more senior roles.
Answers
1. of 2. with 3. into 4. in 5. off 6. to 7. for

9. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. She found it hard to live        his high ideals (=principle).
2. Their music has been preserved        posterity (=succeeding generations).
3. His speech emphasized (=stress) the importance of attracting industry        the town.
4. They lived together        husband and wife (=as if they were married) for years.
5. She put the baby        her breast.
6. a society sending its menfolk (=men of a particular community)        to war
7. The dog gave her a painful nip (=a small bite)        the leg.
Answers
1. up to 2. for 3. to 4. as 5. to 6. off 7. on

10. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. a country's laws        regard to (=concerning) human rights
2. Jane and I are related        marriage.
3. David Cameron must ally himself        moderate Muslims.
4. They prostrate themselves        worship.
5. The land is forbidden        them for forty years.
6. He had a big smile        his face.
7. He cradled the child        his breast.
Answers
1. in 2. by 3. with 4. in 5. to 6. on 7. against

1. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. This talk of moving        Australia is all just pie in the sky (an event that sb talks about that seems very unlikely to happen).

2. They say        their tongues what is not in their hearts.
3. He turned a deaf ear        (=refuse to listen to) the rumours.

4. the extermination (=termination)        rats and other vermin

5.        the lifetime of the present government

6. The band has been spurred (=encourage)        by the success of their last single (=a piece of recorded music).

7. The truck was blown        kingdom come (=completely destroy with an explosion).

Answers

1. to 2. with 3. to 4. of 5. in 6. on 7. to

2. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. The various sections of the Arabian Peninsula have only seldom been united        one government.

2. As night fell, our enthusiasm began to ebb        (=decrease).

3. This increase in exports bears testimony        the successes of industry.

4. It is not        the bounds of possibility that we'll all meet again one day.

5. I was given a free hand        designing the syllabus.

6. Out of over 400 staff there are just 7 that fall        this category.

7. Terrorists remain a potential menace        the stability of the government.

Answers

1. under 2. away 3. to 4. beyond 5. in 6. into 7. to

3. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. She abhors any form of cruelty        animals.

2. After a lot of thought, I opted        buying a motorbike.

3. It is advisable to practise each exercise individually        first (=in the beginning).

4. Animals in the zoo have lost the capability        catch/       catching food for themselves.

5. I was spurred (=encourage)        action by the letter.

6. The pyramids are an eloquent testimony        the ancient Egyptians' engineering skills.

7. It is hard to fathom (=understand) the pain felt        the death of a child.

Answers

1. towards 2. against 3. at 4. to/of 5. into 6. to 7. at

4. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. a lifetime        experience

2. Fund-raising is peripheral (=of minor importance)        their main activities.

3. The best provision is the fear        God.

4. The balloons had been inflated (=fill with gas or air)        helium (=inert gas).

5. a factory gutted (=destroy the inside of a building)        fire

6. They dragged the inert (=not able to move) body        the river.

7. He plans to appeal        his conviction (=an act of finding somebody guilty of a crime).

Answers

1. of 2. to 3. of 4. with 5. by 6. out of 7. against

5. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. This falls        the heading of scientific research.

2. You pay your last respects        a traveller to God (Great and Glorious is He!).

3. You lay him        the depths of a crevice (=narrow opening) in the earth.

4. I enjoin His obedience and discommend (=disapprove) transgression        Him.

5. May joy and peace abide (=live)        us all.

6. Everything which distracts you        your Lord is an evil omen (=a sign of what is going to happen in the future) for you.

7. They make their disputations (=arguments)        the judges.

Answers

1. under 2. to 3. in 4. against 5. in 6. from 7. before

6. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. God strips the son of Adam        his chattels (=movable property).

2. She was motivated        deep religious conviction (=firm belief).

3. The cyclone has resulted        (=lead to) many thousands of deaths.

4. When the Scales are erected, people will be judged        verity (=truth).

5. If he resigned it would be tantamount        (=having the same bad effect as) admitting that he was guilty.

6. They believed that their souls would be condemned to burn in hell        eternity (=time without end).

7. The fire is stoked        (=add fuel to a fire).

Answers

1. of 2. by 3. in 4. with 5. to 6. for 7. up

7. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. Are you secure        death?

2. This case falls        my jurisdiction.

3. They were so engrossed        /       what they were doing that they didn't hear me come in.

4. Detectives are so far (=until now)        a loss to explain the reason for his death.

5. God has prohibited this        the believers.

6. They will assail you        sharp tongues.

7. All payments are contingent        (=depending on) satisfactory completion dates.

Answers

1. from 2. outside 3. in/with 4. at 5. to 6. with 7. upon

8. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. May God protect you and me        an evil doom (=death)!

2. His diary was not published        his lifetime.

3. It is far        clear (=it is not clear) what he intends to do.

4. I don’t want to put you        any inconvenience.

5. You were not created        jest (joke; fun).

6. All my efforts were        no purpose (= failed).

7. I came to Lahore        /       the express purpose of seeing you.

Answers

1. from 2. During 3. From 4.to 5. In 6. To 7. for/with

9. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. After graduating she opted        a career in music.

2. He refused to rule        the possibility of a tax increase.

3. My trainer spurred (=encourage) me to keep        a pace of four miles an hour.

4. They will announce the result        the vote tonight.

5. Prostrate yourselves        Adam!

6. He had an aversion (=a strong feeling of not liking)        getting up early.

7. The watch was a gift (=present)        my mother.

Answers

1. for 2. out 3. up 4. of 5. before 6. to 7. From

10. Fill in the blanks with suitable prepositions.

1. The Emissary said, ‘Sufficient is death        a warner.’

2. He gave her a sum of money which she used        good purpose (=well).

3. She has a great gift (=a natural ability)        music.

4. He couldn't fathom        (=understand) what the man could possibly mean.

5. As the President's car drew up, the crowd broke        (=begin laughing, singing, etc. suddenly) loud applause (=approval shown by clapping the hands).

6. The children were engrossed (=occupy somebody's attention)        the story.

7. Most decent people abhor corruption        government.

Answers

1. as 2. to 3. for 4. out 5. into 6. by 7. in