One of the most frequent types of mistakes that students of foreign languages make has to do with preposition use. Though prepositions can often be translated from one language to another, it’s usually hard to predict which one is used in what situation when learning a foreign language. It doesn’t help that prepositions can sometimes completely change the meaning of what you’re trying to say, especially in certain set expressions. Here are some pairs of phrases that seem pretty similar, but actually mean very different things.

If you can think of more pairs like this, please post them in comments. Also, feel free to add new sentences that use these phrases in different ways!

1. Hang up / hang out
To “hang up” means to end a phone call; to “hang out” means to spend time relaxing, usually with a friend.
If he hangs up before I’m done talking, I will be too mad to hang out with him this weekend.

2. Look up / look forward
To “look up” means to search and find information about something, usually in a dictionary or some sort of database. To “look forward” to something means to be excited about an event that will happen in the future.
After looking up the plot of Woody Allen’s latest movie, I’m really looking forward to seeing it!

3. Get into / get over
To “get into” means to become involved or interested in something. To “get over” can either mean the opposite of this — to lose interest in something — or it can also mean to recover from something, particularly an illness.
After I get over this flu, which is making me so weak, I’m going to get into biking again.

4. Throw out / throw up
To “throw up” means to vomit, whereas to “throw out” means to dispose of something that is no longer being used. Hint: In this case, “out” and “away” can be used to express the same meaning, so to “throw something out” and to “throw something away” both mean to put it in the garbage.
If my cat throws up on the floor in my living room, I’ll have to throw away the rug that’s in there.

5. Run into / run over
To “run into” someone can have the literal meaning of colliding with their body, but the phrase often means to meet or see someone unexpectedly. To “run over” something means to drive a vehicle over that person or thing.
I was so excited when I ran into my friend that I forgot to look both ways when crossing the street and a car almost ran me over!

6. Put down / put off
To “put down” another person means to insult them or make them feel useless or stupid. To “put off” something, usually some sort of event, means to postpone it.
I put off going out to lunch with my friend because the last time I spoke with her, she kept putting me down.

7. Hand in / hand out
To “hand in” an assignment means to submit it; to “hand out” means to distribute to a group of people. Here, because “in” and “out” are opposites, the two phrases have somewhat opposite meanings. However, be careful, as this is not necessarily always the case.
The teacher handed out the test to all of his students and told them to hand in the answers before the day was over.

8. Break into / break up
To “break into” a place means to forcibly enter it, and is usually used with a place that you should not enter or to which access is usually restricted. To “break up” with someone means to end a relationship.
If your girlfriend breaks into your house in the middle of the night uninvited, that’s probably a pretty good reason to break up with her!

Maya Barzilai

U forgot dix very common one: Round up/ Round off..
Round up-Arrrest, bring together or approximate(maths)
Round off-Conclude

In time/on time.

In time: before the scheduled time.(eg: the meeting is scheduled for 1pm, everyoneis expected to be at the venue IN TIME. )
On time: on the scheduled time.(eg: the meeting is scheduled for 1pm, everyone is expected to be seated ON TIME.)

NYC one @op, at least I learnt something.

Send off et send forth.

Cool.. All taken...

Thewhizzkid1:
U forgot dix very common one: Round up/ Round off..
Round up-Arrrest, bring together or approximate(maths)
Round off-Conclude

I also use to correct people on this bit not until I checked my dictionary one day but I didn't find "round off" then I got confused. But I later did some research online then I understand the difference.

ROUND UP can be correct if it used towards the end of a Report, News, Documentaries, conversations or lectures , e.g "let me round up this report by giving you statistics for NBS. " OR "to round up the news tonight, here are the top stories. ". If used in that contest, It means to summarize or the bring what is being talked about to a close. Or "if someone is explaining something to you and it is taking too long that you don't even understand anymore, you can just say "can you please round what you are saying up I.e to summarize

ROUND OFF on the other hand can be correct if it is used towards the end of an event or a program. E.g "let us round off this wedding ceremony by calling the bride for the vote of thanks.


I hope that helps

'Look up' could also be used in the context of 'drawing inspiration' or 'learning from'. I am looking up to him or , You cannot act that way when a lot of the students are looking up to you....

Hostermipo:
I also use to correct people on this bit not until I checked my dictionary one day but I didn't find "round off" then I got confused. But I later did some research online then I understand the difference.

ROUND UP can be correct if it used towards the end of a Report, News, Documentaries, conversations or lectures , e.g "let me round up this report by giving you statistics for NBS. " OR "to round up the news tonight, here are the top stories. ". If used in that contest, It means to summarize or the bring what is being talked about to a close. Or "if someone is explaining something to you and it is taking too long that you don't even understand anymore, you can just say "can you please round what you are saying up I.e to summarize

ROUND OFF on the other hand can be correct if it is used towards the end of an event or a program. E.g "let us round off this wedding ceremony by calling the bride for the vote of thanks.


I hope that helps

Don't get...I will still research on it anyway..

Been/being
On pls elucidate on the above

muaa:
Been/being
On pls elucidate on the above

before I do mistake the word "been" 4 being.The word "been" means the action has already taken place while the word "Being"means the action is stil going on.The being goes with is, are ,was, etc,while the been goes with have,had and has.An example, he has been reading since yesterday.They had been singing.They are being friendly.He is being called upon.

Informative

Many thanks to OP,and the contributors!!!!! You guys 're the best!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

all of them are not confusing to me. who mixes them up sef?

gunners160:
before I do mistake the word "been" 4 being.The word "been" means an the action has already taken place while the word "Being"means the action is stil going on.The being goes with is, are ,was, while the been goes with have,had and has.An example, he has been reading since yesterday.They had been singing.They are being friendly.He is being called upon.

On point. This could help too.
https://www.nairaland.com/1848734/difference-betwwen-been-being

Chinum:



On point. This could help too.
https://www.nairaland.com/1848734/difference-betwwen-been-being

thanks alot man.But what is d difference between in and at?sometimes,I do hear I am in Lagos and I am at Lagos.

In bed/ on bed
To be in bed means to be asleep or be sleeping but when one is on bed, one isn't asleep but just on it.
*The caring mother on bed, watches over the baby in bed.
* I am usually in bed for 8 hours everyday.

muaa:
Been/being
On pls elucidate on the above

"Been" is usually used for past activities while "Being" applies to present activities, a past continuous activity or even a future continuous one.
*The boy has been flogged.(It happened)
* The boy is being flogged.( It is happening).
*When the results of the election were being read yesterday, the chairman opened his mouth. ( The action is past, but the narrator was trying to describe what happened during a continuous event).

* The results of the elections have been read yesterday ( past event).
*When the righteous are being raptured, the sinners will look on. ( A future event)

Thanks OP

gunners160:
thanks alot man.But what is d difference between in and at?sometimes,I do hear I am in Lagos and I am at Lagos.

Based on the example you gave, both of them are correct. You can be in Lagos and you can be at Lagos depending on how it is used . What will determine maybe or not it is correct is how it is used. Don't let me confuse you. Here is the explanation;

When you are comparing two locations, "in" is used for the larger one while "at" is used for the smaller and more specific one.
E.g
I live in Nigeria, at lagos.
I live in Lagos, at Ikeja.
I live in Ikeja, at Popoola street.
I live in Popoola street, at number 12.
I live in number 12 Popoola street, at flat 2.

See as you people sy vex me ah ah so @op you used to mix that up?

gunners160:
thanks alot man.But what is d difference between in and at?sometimes,I do hear I am in Lagos and I am at Lagos.

In Lagos means the person is in Lagos currently.

You cannot be at Lagos; at is used to refer to a location you are not in currently.

E.g. my aunt stays at Abuja.

Even within Lagos, if I stay at Work, then Shomolu will be referred to as 'at'

Esdb:
See as you people sy vex me ah ah so @op you used to mix that up?

i tire o
i con dey wonder
which kin person dey make that kine mistake

This are the few I could think of

lose !=loose
who's!=whose
breath!=breathe
cloths!=clothes
discreet!=discrete
there!=their
bare!=bear
this!=these
affect!=effect

Nice thread

Please vote kiddablingzz for mr nairaland

These are normal
Nuffing confusing

I see...

The funniest part is that sensible topics like this hardly make front page unlike political matter

naturalwaves:

Based on the example you gave, both of them are correct. You can be in Lagos and you can be at Lagos depending on how it is used . What will determine maybe or not it is correct is how it is used. Don't let me confuse you. Here is the explanation;

When you are comparing two locations, "in" is used for the larger one while "at" is used for the smaller and more specific one.
E.g
I live in Nigeria, at lagos.
I live in Lagos, at Ikeja.
I live in Ikeja, at Popoola street.
I live in Popoola street, at number 12.
I live in number 12 Popoola street, at flat 2.

menh,God bless you.