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We'll be there between 6 and 6.30 It can also occasionally be used to refer to more than two things, etc when they are viewed separately and there are not many
Please don't smoke between courses
Appendix 25
Switzerland is between France, Germany,
Austria and Italy Between is often used in comparisons and differences when there are two things, etc
What is the difference between these two
watches? It can also be used to refer to 'shared activity' when there are two or more than two
The scouts collected money for the blind
Between (or Among) them they got £800 Among (and the less common amongst) + plural noun refers to a mass of things, etc which cannot be viewed separately
Were you among the members present7 It is often used to refer to three or more
Professor Webster is among the world s
best authorities on Etruscan civilization
25.14 'but (for)' and 'except (for)'
But for introduces a condition [> 14. 22]
We would have been able to get here on
time but for the heavy snow Except for means 'with the exception of
Everyone has helped except for you But and except are used without for to mean 'with the exception of, especially after every/any/no compounds However, we cannot use but and except as prepositions without for to begin a sentence
Everyone but/except you has helped
Except/But for you everyone has helped We can only use except (not except for) in front of a prepositional phrase
We go to bed before 10, except in the
summer. We use but (not except) in questions like
Who but John would do a thing like that? For but and except as conjunctions [> 8 4 4 ]
25.15 'by', 'near' and 'on'
These words can be used to mean 'not far from1 By can mean 'right next to' or 'beside' a person, ob|ect or place and is interchangeable with beside and next to
I sat by the phone all morning Near usually suggests 'a short way from1 rather than 'right next to
We live near London - just 20 miles south Near (not by) is associated with not far from
We live near/not far from the sea The opposite of near is a long way from or (quite) far from
We live a long way from/(quite) far from
the sea Near (but not by) can be modified by very
The play is very near the end By can be modified by right and close for emphasis [> 8 21]
The hotel is right by/close by the station On can mean 'right next to' or 'beside' when we refer to a line
Our house is right on the road/on the river.
On my right I have Frank Milligan and on
my left I have Frank Mulligan On is often found in place-names for towns, etc by the sea or on rivers
Southend-on-sea, Stratford-(up)on-A von
25.16 by' and 'past'
Both words are often interchangeable with verbs of motion (go, run, walk, etc) to mean 'beyond a point in space or time'
He went right by/past me without speaking Several days went by/past before I had news
25.17 'by', 'with' and 'without'
By and with can be used to mean 'by means of
but they are not generally interchangeable
By occurs in fixed phrases [> App 26 2] like by
bus, and in passive constructions [> 12 5]
Our dog was hit by a bus By (often + -ing) can refer to 'method' You can lock this window by moving this catch to the left (that is how you must do it) By can refer to time, measure or rate I'm paid by the hour/day/week You can only buy eggs singly, not by the pound
We also use it when referring to any kind of measurement against a scale
He's shorter than I am by six inches
Interest rates have gone up by 3 per cent We use by to mean 'via' when referring to routes
We drove to the coast by the main road With and without refer to things (especially tools/instruments) which we use or need to use
You might get it open with a bottle-opener
(i e that is what you need to use)
It won't open without a bottle-opener With can also refer to 'manner'
Paul returned my greeting with a nod
25.18 'down', 'up', 'under' and 'over'
Down is the opposite of up and indicates
direction towards a lower level
Let's climb up the hill, then climb down Though down is most commonly used with verbs of movement, it can (like across, along and up) be used with position verbs to indicate a place away from the speaker There is no suggestion of 'at a lower level' in this use
We live down the street Under conveys the idea of 'being covered
Let's sit under this tree
There are a lot of minerals under the sea Over can have the meaning 'covering'
Keep this blanket over you
25.19 'due to' and 'owing to'
Some grammars draw a distinction between these two prepositions on the grounds that due is an adiective and must therefore be associated with a noun + be It can be replaced by caused by
Our delay (noun) was due to/caused by
heavy traffic Owing to is associated with a verb It can be replaced by because of
The broadcast was cancelled (verb) owing
to/because of the strike In practice, this distinction is ignored by many educated speakers who use due to in the same way as owing to or because of
He lost his pb due to/owing to/because
of a change in management
Appendix 25
25.20 'for [> 7.32 16.40.9]
Common uses:
- purpose The best man for the job
- + -ing I need this for sewing
- destination This is the train for York
- recipient Here's a gift for you
I've got news for you
- reason / did it for the money
- duration He s been away for days
- exchange / bought it for £5
- meaning What's French for 'cat'7
- (= as) / did it for a joke
- (= instead of) III do it for you [> 1 13 3]
- (= in favour of) Are you in favour of this?
- res, I'm all for it The opposite is against I m against the idea
- intention Let's go for a swim
(After go and come for is not followed by ing)
- specific time reference (not 'period of time)
/ // order a taxi for 11
| 25.21 ' f r om ' [ From is often reference can - a place - a person - a group a quotation - distance - abstract |
| > 8.9] used to indicate origin The be to Gerda is from Berlin Who'sthat letter from7 We re from the councilThis line is from 'Hamlet'She's away from workHe died from a strokeI acted from self-interest |
- for and to For is not used in (rant of a
to-infinitive, but can be followed by a gerund
to express purpose or reason
/ used this tool to drill a hole
This tool is used for drilling holes
He was praised for being punctual
25.22 i n ' a n d 'out'
Used as particles, in and out often refer to 'entrance and 'exit as in Way In and Way Out or simply In and Out The meaning can be extended to cover incoming and outgoing mail, as in the nouns in-tray and out tray
25.23 in spite of, etc.
(Although is a conjunction and introduces a
clause By comparison, in spite of (always
three words), despite and notwithstanding
do not, and are very formal Here is a 'scale
The temperature has dropped, but it is still
warm
It is still warm (although the temperature
has dropped
It is still warm, in spite of the drop in
temperature
It is still warm, despite the drop in
temperature
It is still warm, notwithstanding the drop in
temperature Notwithstanding can be used at the end of a sentence to convey even greater formality
It is still warm the drop in temperature
