IDIOMS

Especially troublesome for ESL students are idiomatic expressions that involve the use of particular words in particular combinations that are regarded as standard. The difficulty lies in the fact that there seem to be no structural or grammatical reasons for the particular combinations. The combinations are used simply because they "sound right" to native speakers and writers. A list of commonly used word combinations is provided for reference.

PRACTICE SENTENCES

1. The condemned man was absolved _________________ all guilt.

2. The plan is worthy _________________ our consideration.

3. The school will abide ________________ the parents' decision.

4. Ast the waitress to wait _______________ us quickly.

5. According _______________ the rules, we need four persons to play the game.

6. This room is very similar _______________ the one across the hall.

7. The company could like to acquaint you _______________ their product.

8. Surely he will recover _______________ his latest illness.

9. Can we agree ________________ a meeting date?

10. She is proud ________________ her many accomplishments.

11. He applied ________________ the position of manager.

12. The crowd was protesting _______________ nuclear weapons.

13. We can borrow a car ________________ out host.

14. The test results showed the student was proficient _______________ Spanish and French.

15. The truck collided _______________ the approaching automobile.

16. This recommendation is preferable ________________ the one submitted yesterday.

17. The professor complimented her student _______________ his excellent composition.

18. Is there any reason to object _________________ new proposal?

19. Are you sure you can conform _________________ each regualtion?

20. Bill is married _________________ Sue.

21. The students took delight _________________ the hour of good food and converstion.

22. The spaghetti here is inferior ________________ the lasagne.

23. He was disappointed _________________ the pianist's performance.

24. The two groups entered ________________ negotiations.

Ellen Brinkley; Ohio Wesleyan University; 4/23/82.

abide by				characteristic of
absolve from, by			collide with
abstain from				come from
accede to				compare to, with
according to				compatible with
account for				compliment a person on
accustomed to				composed of
acquaint with				comply with
acquiesce in				confide in a person
acquit of				conform to
adept in				consent to
addicted to				consist of
adhere to				content with
agree to, on something			convince a person of something
agree with a person		
agreeable to				decide on, upon
angry about something			delight in
angry with a person			depend on, upon
apologize to				deprive of
apply for 				desire for
appreciative of				devoid of
approve of 				differ with a person
argue with a person			different from
ask for					disagree with
aspire to				disappointed in
averse to				distaste for
					due to
believe in				
belong to				empty of
blame a person for something		enter into
blame something on a person		envious of
borrow form				expert in

call on
capable of
care for

followed by				reason with
fond of					recover from
foreign to				refrain from
free from, of				related to
					remind a person of
guard against					something/someone
get rid of				retroactive to

have respect for			search for
hear about, from, of			see about
hint at					separate from
					similar to
identical with				substitute for
ignorant of something			superior to
in accordance with			sympathize with
incompatible with			
inconsistent with			talk about, of
independent of 				tamper with
indifferent to				think about, of
inferior to				tired of
in regard to		
insist on, upon				unmindful of
interested in			
invite a person to			wait for
					wait on (serve)
jealous of				worthy of

laugh at
limited to
listen for, to
look at, for, forward to

married to

negligent of

obedient of
object of

peculiar to
pertain to
plan on
preferable to
preparatory to
prerequisite to
prevent a person from something
prior to
proficient in
prohibit from
protest against
proud of
provide for, with