名人教英文：不能忽视的前置词
平日看书信或电邮，留意到不少人用错前置词（preposition）。虽然前置词属虚词，但用错的话还是会影响读者的印象，甚至词不达意。
一些词语须配以特定的前置词。形容词例子包括：
． able to do something: the singer is able to reach high notes.
．capable of something/ doing something: this student is capable of learning independently.
．committed to something/ doing something: the organisation is committed to promoting gender equality.
．dedicated to something/ doing something: this class is dedicated to the study of poetry.
．involved in something: more and more people are willing to get involved in politics.
．preoccupied with something: mr chan is too preoccupied with his work to handle his family issues.
动词例子包括：
．prevent... from doing something: the campaign aims to prevent teenagers from taking drugs.
．prohibit... from doing something: many countries prohibit shops from selling alcohol to minors.
．protect... from/against something: it is claimed that the vaccine can protect the elderly against the flu.
名词例子有request for、demand for等等。这两个字作动词用时，都是及物动词（transitive verb），不用配前置词，例如：
．the demand for good quality healthcare services has been increasing.
．the people demand better healthcare services.
有些动词加上前置词，组成phrasal verb后，词义会有不同。open原本有「打开（对象）」、「开设（店铺）」等意思，如：
． i opened the envelope.
． she opened a restaurant last month.
open up在某些情况和open相通，却有其他解法，例如「开拓（市场、领域、机会等）」：
． the company has opened up a new market.
又例如eat into不解作「吃」，而是指「侵蚀」、「耗费」等：high rental prices in hong kong are eating into people's savings.
前置词的用法往往约定俗成，想掌握得好，唯有多阅读，不肯定时就要查字典。
英语单词词汇学习：
campaign（社会、政治）运动
committed to, dedicated to 致力于
involved in 参与
preoccupied with 只顾着
prohibit 禁止