Prepositions "With", "Over", and "By"

With

Used to indicate being together or being involved:

• I ordered a sandwich with a drink.
• He was with his friend when he saw me.
• She has been working with her sister at the nail shop.
• The manager will be with you shortly.

Used to indicate "having":

• I met a guy with green eyes.
• Were you the one talking with an accent?
• People with a lot of money are not always happy.

Used to indicate "using":

• I wrote a letter with the pen you gave me.
• This is the soup that I made with rice and barley.
• He cut my hair with his gold scissors.

Used to indicate feeling:

• I am emailing you with my sincere apology.
• He came to the front stage with confidence.

Used to indicate agreement or understanding:

• Are you with me?
• Yes, I am completely with you.
• She agrees with me.

Over

Used to indicate movement from one place to another:

• Come over to my house for dinner sometime.
• Could you roll over?
• They sent over a gift for his promotion.

Used to indicate movement downward:

• The big tree fell over on the road.
• Can you bend over and get the dish for me?
• He pushed it over the edge.

Used to indicate more than an expected number or amount:

• This amount is over our prediction.
• Kids twelve and over can watch this movie.
• The phone rang for over a minute.

Used to indicate a period of time:

• I worked there over a year.
• She did not sleep there over this past month.

By

Used to indicate proximity:

• Can I sit by you?
• He was standing by me.
• The post office is by the bank.

Used to indicate the person that does something in a passive voice sentence:

• The microwave was fixed by the mechanic.
• The flowers were delivered by a postman.
• The branch office was closed by the head office.

Used to indicate an action with a particular purpose:

• You can pass the exam by preparing for it.
• I expressed my feeling toward her by writing a letter.
• She finally broke the record by pure effort.

Used to indicate a mean or method:

• Please send this package to Russia by airmail.
• I came here by subway.

[Quiz 24.1]

Choose the correct preposition in each sentence.

1) If she left at 4 p.m., she should be here                      (with, over, by) now.
2) Go                      (with, over, by) there and catch my ball.
3)                      (With, Over, By) your determination, you will be able to achieve your dream.
4) I just found it! It was                      (with, over, by) the radio on my desk.
5) I knocked him                      (with, over, by) accidentally.
6) She was                      (with, over, by) me when the accident occurred.

View Answers

[24.1]
1) by
2) over
3) With
4) by
5) over
6) with