Use of English – English Grammar Exercises for B2
You are about to post a long, funny story on Facebook about a disastrous date. However, as you read your draft, you realize your grammar is full of dependent preposition errors! To make sure your friends understand the story (and don’t tease you for bad grammar), you need to fix the mistakes before hitting “Post”. Choose the correct option (A, B, C, or D) to fix each sentence.
1 Draft: I apologized her about being late, but she still seemed annoyed.
Correction: I apologized ______ being so late, but she still seemed annoyed.
(A) her for
(B) to her about
(C) to her for
(D) with her for
2 Draft: To be fair, she blamed me on the terrible traffic.
Correction: To be fair, she blamed ______ the terrible traffic.
(A) on me for
(B) me for
(C) me about
(D) me to
3 Draft: When we arrived, the waiter congratulated us for our anniversary (even though it was our first date).
Correction: When we arrived, the waiter congratulated us ______ our anniversary.
(A) about
(B) with
(C) in
(D) on
4 Draft: Despite my best efforts, I didn’t succeed to impress her.
Correction: Despite my best efforts, I didn’t succeed ______ her.
(A) in impressing
(B) to impressing
(C) on impressing
(D) for impressing
5 Draft: I wanted to look generous, so I insisted to pay for the expensive wine.
Correction: I wanted to look generous, so I insisted ______ for the expensive wine.
(A) to paying
(B) for paying
(C) on paying
(D) in paying
6 Draft: When I dropped the wine glass, she accused me to ruin the evening.
Correction: When I dropped the wine glass, she accused me ______ the evening.
(A) about ruining
(B) of ruining
(C) for ruining
(D) on ruining
7 Draft: I wanted to show off, but I am simply not capable to handle spicy food.
Correction: I wanted to show off, but I am simply not capable ______ spicy food.
(A) to handling
(B) for handling
(C) in handling
(D) of handling
8 Draft: Thank goodness the waiter prevented the soup to spill on my shirt.
Correction: Thank goodness the waiter prevented the soup ______ on my shirt.
(A) from spilling
(B) of spilling
(C) for spilling
(D) against spilling
9 Draft: Whether we got a table or not all depended of the restaurant’s strict policy.
Correction: Whether we got a table or not all depended ______ the restaurant’s strict policy.
(A) from
(B) with
(C) on
(D) about
10 Draft: Looking around, the romantic decor reminded me to a movie I saw once.
Correction: Looking around, the romantic decor reminded me ______ a movie I saw once.
(A) to
(B) of
(C) about
(D) from
11 Draft: I sincerely hope she forgives me about the terrible mess I made.
Correction: I sincerely hope she forgives me ______ the terrible mess I made.
(A) for
(B) on
(C) of
(D) with
12 Draft: She was silent, but she clearly didn’t approve with my silly jokes.
Correction: She was silent, but she clearly didn’t approve ______ my silly jokes.
(A) to
(B) on
(C) for
(D) of
13 Draft: Honestly, I prefer casual street food than fancy, overpriced places.
Correction: Honestly, I prefer casual street food ______ fancy, overpriced places.
(A) over
(B) from
(C) to
(D) better than
14 Draft: I was so embarrassed that I complained the manager about the awkward silence.
Correction: I was so embarrassed that I complained ______ the awkward silence.
(A) the manager on
(B) to the manager about
(C) at the manager about
(D) with the manager for
15 Draft: When the bill came, I couldn’t rely in my credit card working.
Correction: When the bill came, I couldn’t rely ______ my credit card working.
(A) on
(B) with
(C) to
(D) about
16 Draft: I was completely unaware about the restaurant’s “cash only” policy.
Correction: I was completely unaware ______ the restaurant’s “cash only” policy.
(A) for
(B) on
(C) to
(D) of
17 Draft: She looked at me like asking, “Who was responsible of this disastrous booking?”
Correction: She looked at me like asking, “Who was responsible ______ this disastrous booking?”
(A) to
(B) for
(C) about
(D) with
18 Draft: As I washed dishes to pay the bill, I felt like everyone was laughing to me.
Correction: As I washed dishes to pay the bill, I felt like everyone was laughing ______ me.
(A) with
(B) about
(C) at
(D) on
19 Draft: Earlier, she had objected to sit near the kitchen door, and she was right.
Correction: Earlier, she had objected ______ near the kitchen door, and she was right.
(A) on sitting
(B) for sitting
(C) against sitting
(D) to sitting
20 Draft: By 9 PM, I was just looking forward to go home and hide under my blankets.
Correction: By 9 PM, I was just looking forward ______ home and hide under my blankets.
(A) to going
(B) for going
(C) on going
(D) about going
ANSWER KEY & EXPLANATIONS
1 (C) to her for
Explanation: The correct dependent prepositions are apologize TO someone FOR something. You cannot “apologize someone”.
2 (B) me for
Explanation: You blame someone FOR something. (Alternatively, you can “blame something ON someone” -> She blamed the traffic on me, but that wasn’t an option).
3 (D) on
Explanation: You congratulate someone ON something (e.g., an anniversary, passing an exam, winning a game). It is never “congratulate for”.
4 (A) in impressing
Explanation: The verb succeed is always followed by IN + V-ing. It is a very common FCE trap to put “succeed to do” because “manage to do” exists.
5 (C) on paying
Explanation: You insist ON doing something. It is never followed by an infinitive with “to”.
6 (B) of ruining
Explanation: You accuse someone OF doing something. You don’t accuse them “to do” or “for doing” it.
7 (D) of handling
Explanation: The adjective capable takes the preposition OF + V-ing. (If you want to use the infinitive, you must use able: “I am not able to handle“).
8 (A) from spilling
Explanation: You prevent someone/something FROM doing something.
9 (C) on
Explanation: It always depends ON something. Translating directly from other languages often causes people to incorrectly say “depends of”.
10 (B) of
Explanation: You remind someone OF someone/something. (e.g., “You remind me of my mother”).
11 (A) for
Explanation: You forgive someone FOR something.
12 (D) of
Explanation: The verb approve takes the preposition OF (e.g., “approve of a decision”, “approve of my behavior”).
13 (C) to
Explanation: When stating general preferences, you prefer [Noun A] TO [Noun B]. You do not use “than” with the verb prefer.
14 (B) to the manager about
Explanation: You complain TO someone ABOUT something.
15 (A) on
Explanation: You always rely ON someone or something.
16 (D) of
Explanation: The adjectives aware and unaware always take the preposition OF.
17 (B) for
Explanation: You are responsible FOR something.
18 (C) at
Explanation: You laugh AT someone. Laughing with someone implies shared joy, but here, the context is mockery/embarrassment.
19 (D) to sitting
Explanation: The verb phrase is object TO something. Because “to” here is a preposition (not part of an infinitive), it must be followed by a noun or a gerund (V-ing). Therefore, “objected to sitting” is correct.
20 (A) to going
Explanation: Similar to question 19, the phrase is look forward TO something. The “to” is a preposition, so it must be followed by a gerund (V-ing). Therefore, “looking forward to going” is the correct B2 structure.
GRAMMAR POINTS TO REMEMBER
In FCE/B2 English, prepositions are not logical; they are collocations (words that habitually go together). Direct translation from your native language will often lead to embarrassing grammar mistakes.
1 The “To + V-ing” Trap:
Normally, “to” is followed by a base verb (I want to go). However, when “to” functions as a preposition, it MUST be followed by a noun or an -ing verb. Memorize these two vital B2 phrases:
- I object to waiting here. (NOT object to wait)
- I look forward to seeing you. (NOT look forward to see)
2 High-Frequency Verb + Preposition Pairs:
- Apologize TO someone FOR something.
- Complain TO someone ABOUT something.
- Accuse someone OF something.
- Congratulate someone ON something.
- Prevent someone FROM something.
3 Success & Failure:
- You succeed IN doing something.
- You are capable OF doing something.