These questions show expressions that often acquire the wrong preposition or lose a required one. You need to recognise the intended relationship, then rebuild the whole English frame rather than translate one word at a time.
Store the roles with the expression
First locate the central word and label the complement's role. Is it a spouse, listener, source, destination, activity, condition, achievement or provider? Then recall the complete construction and check word order. For example, a tutor explains a method to a newcomer: the information is the direct object, and to introduces the listener. Friends may laugh at a comic remark when it triggers an immediate reaction. A traveller may borrow a charger from a host, so from points back to the provider.
| Relationship | Codified frame | Original example |
|---|---|---|
| Spouse or listener | be married to someone; explain something to someone | married to a dentist; explain the schedule to Ravi |
| Object of attention or determining factor | listen to something; depend on something | listen to a podcast; depend on sunlight |
| Components or attributed source | consist of parts; according to a source | consist of four sections; according to the memo |
| Point-like destination or immediate cause of laughter | arrive at a place; laugh at a remark | arrive at the terminal; laugh at a cartoon |
| Joined activity or medical condition | participate in an activity; suffer from a condition | participate in a rehearsal; suffer from migraines |
| Achievement and recipient, or item and provider | congratulate someone on something; borrow something from someone | congratulate Jo on her award; borrow a drill from Ken |
Role order prevents two common reversals. Explain does not use the double-object pattern: place the information directly after the verb and introduce the listener with to. Borrow and lend point in opposite directions: a receiver borrows from a provider, while a provider lends to a receiver.
Classic transfer traps
| Trap | How to reject it |
|---|---|
| Married with for marital status | When naming a spouse, the adjective frame is married to. Do not import the link used in another language. |
| Dropping to after listen | A nearby hearing verb can take a direct object, but listen needs to before the object of attention. |
| According with, according by or according from | An attributed source follows according to. The other links do not express that relationship in this frame. |
| Arrive to a point-like destination | To marks goals after many movement verbs, but arrive uses at for a point or ordinary place and in for a city or country. |
| Participate at or on, and suffer of or with | An activity joined follows in. An illness or condition experienced follows from. |
Try it
Which sentences correctly give the listener after explain? Select all that apply.
- Please explain me the route.
- Please explain the route to Nina.
- The guide explained us the rule.
- The guide explained the rule to us.
Everyone reacted immediately to the pun itself. Everyone laughed … the pun.
- on
- about
- at
- to
I received a ladder temporarily from my neighbour. Which sentence matches those roles?
- I borrowed the ladder to my neighbour.
- I borrowed the ladder at my neighbour.
- I lent the ladder to my neighbour.
- I borrowed the ladder from my neighbour.