oxford_guide_to_english_grammar

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132 Preposition + gerund
We can also use verbs with about e.g. talk about, think about, worry about.
People were complaining about having to walk so far.
With most of the verbs in this pattern, the gerund can have a subject.
Sue insists on everyone reading the letter.
3 The pattern They prevented me from speaking
A gerund can also follow a verb + object + preposition.
I'd like to congratulate you on breaking the world record.
The article accuses the government of concealing important information.
We can use:
accuse ...of
blame... for
charge... with
congratulate ...on
deter... from forgive... for stop... from
discourage... from prevent... from strike ...as
excuse... for punish... for thank... for
excuse... from remind ...of use... for
a We can also use verbs with about, e.g. tell, inform, warn.
I warned you about leaving your money around.
b In the passive, the preposition comes directly after the verb.
The government is accused of concealing important information.
4 The pattern She's keen on riding
A gerund can follow an adjective + preposition.
I'm nervous of saying the wrong thing.
What's wrong with borrowing a little money?
We can use:
afraid of
amazed at
angry about/at
annoyed about/at
anxious about
ashamed of
aware of
bad at
bored with
capable of
content with
dependent on
different from/to
exited about/at
famous for
fed up with
fond of
good at
grateful for
guilty of
happy about/with
interested in
keen on
nervous of
pleased about/with
ready for
responsible for
satisfied with
sorry about/for
successful in
surprised at
used to • 100(2c)
worried about
wrong with
5 For joining and to join
a
After some verbs and adjectives we can use either a preposition + gerund or a
to-infinitive, with no difference in meaning.
The people voted for joining/voted to join the European Community.
We can use these expressions:
aim at doing/to do
amazed at finding/to find
angry at finding/to find
annoyed at finding/to find
content with being/to be
grateful for having/to have
pay for having/to have
ready for taking/to take
satisfied with being/to be
thankful for having/to have
surprised at finding/to find
vote for doing/to do