Functional Prepositions — English Grammar Exercises
Interactive exercises with instant feedback. Practice by, with, for, about, of, as, like and their collocations.
Functional Prepositions: Quick Reference
These prepositions describe means, tools, purpose, topics, relations, and roles — not place, time, or movement.
Key Prepositions
- by — means/method: by bus, by email, by hand, by mistake
- with / without — tool/companion: with scissors, with a friend, without help
- for — purpose/reason: for cutting, famous for, responsible for
- about — topic: talk about, worried about, a book about
- of — relation/material: afraid of, made of, a cup of, proud of
As vs Like
- as = role: "She works as a nurse" (she IS a nurse)
- like = comparison: "He runs like a professional" (similar to, but isn't one)
Common Mistakes
✗ The team consists from five members. → ✓ The team consists of five members.
✗ He wrote the essay by a pencil. → ✓ He wrote the essay with a pencil.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'as' and 'like' in English?
'As' describes a role or function — 'She works as a teacher' means she IS a teacher. 'Like' makes a comparison — 'He runs like a professional' means he runs similarly to one, but isn't necessarily a professional. After 'work', 'act', 'serve', 'use', always use 'as' for the actual role.
When do you use 'by' vs 'with' in English?
Use 'by' for means or method — how something is done: by bus, by email, by hand, by mistake. Use 'with' for the tool or instrument used: with scissors, with a pen, with a hammer. A common mistake is saying 'by a pencil' instead of 'with a pencil' — physical tools take 'with'.
Which preposition follows 'consist' — 'of' or 'from'?
Always 'consist of', never 'consist from'. This is a fixed collocation: 'The team consists of five members.' Similarly, 'afraid of', 'proud of', 'made of' — many adjective + preposition combinations use 'of' to show relation or material.