Imagine prepositions as metaphors: e.g. I have something on my mind (which means it's heavy and it's a problem). Or you could say you have something in mind (which means you remember it and you intend to do something about it). If you visualise things in this way it will help you to remember prepositions more easily.
Easy Practice Exercise: 1. I'm going...Edinburgh.......Tuesday......a friend. Would you like to come......us? 2. Are you going........train? 3. Well, I'd like to go....plane, but my friend wants...drive. He says it gives us more freedom so we're going...his car. I don't think he's a particularly good driver so I'm not very happy...this idea! Answers: 1. I'm going to Edinburgh on Tuesday with a friend. Would you like to come with us? 2. Are you going by train? 3. Well, I'd like to go by plane, but my friend wants to drive. He says it gives us more freedom so we're going in his car. I don't think he's a particularly good driver so I'm not very happy with this idea! Difficult Practice Exercise (n.b. remember the idea of the metaphor): 1. Are you....some sort of trouble? 2. Yes. I'm....debt and don't know how to get......(2 words) it. I don't have any money...in my account...the bank. 3. It really gets......my nerves. I have nightmares...my sleep. 4. Do you? I resolve my problems...my sleep. Before I go to sleep I turn the problem......(2 words) my brain. Then ....the morning the answer pops... 5. You're lucky. I'm too worried to fall asleep. I can't drop...(2 words) sleep. Then I'm useless...work the following day. 6. Why can't you get it ........your head that worrying won't help? 7. Yes, I know. I'm tired...worrying and working and just getting .....more debt. 8. You could save money ... not going .... so much, spending more time...home and giving...smoking and eating..... You could save... and pay...your debts. 9. What? Life wouldn't be worth living. I'd go ....(2 words) my mind! 10. Then you're stuck....your problems. They won't go.... (2 words) their own! Answers: 1. Are you in some sort of trouble? 2. Yes. I'm in debt and don't know how to get out of it. I don't have any money in my account in the bank. 3. It really gets on my nerves. I have nightmares in my sleep. 4. Do you? I resolve my problems in my sleep. Before I go to sleep I turn the problem over in my brain. Then in the morning the answer pops up! 5. You're lucky. I'm too worried to fall asleep. I can't drop off to sleep. Then I'm useless at work the following day. 6. Why can't you get it into your head that worrying won't help? 7. Yes. I know. I'm tired of worrying and working and getting into more debt. 8. You could save money by not going out so much, spending more time at home and giving up smoking and eating out. You could save up and pay off your debts. 9. What? Life wouldn't be worth living. I'd go out of my mind! 10. Then you're stuck with your problems. They won't go away on their own! See The A - Z of English Grammar & Usage for the rules.
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