Page 276 - English Grammar in Use

Unit
132 Verb + preposition 1 to and at

A verb + to
talk / speak TO somebody (talk/speak with is also possible)
Who were you talking to?
listen TO …
When I’m driving, I like to listen to the radio. (not listen the radio)
apologise TO somebody (for …)
They apologised to me for their mistake. (not apologised me)

explain something TO somebody
Can you explain this word to me? (not explain me this word)
explain / describe (to somebody) what/how/why …
I explained to them why I was worried. (not I explained them)
Let me describe to you what I saw. (not Let me describe you)

B phone somebody, ask somebody etc. (without to)
phone / call / email / text somebody
I called the airline to cancel my flight. (not called to the airline)
But we say ‘write (a letter) to somebody’.

answer somebody/something
You didn’t answer my email. (not answer to my email)
But we say reply to (an email / a letter etc.).
ask somebody (a question)
If there’s anything you want to know, you can ask me. (not ask to me)

thank somebody (for …)
He thanked me for helping him. (not He thanked to me)

C verb + at
look / stare / glance AT …, have a look / take a look AT …
Why are you looking at me like that?
laugh AT …
I look stupid with this haircut. Everybody will laugh at me.
aim / point (something) AT …, shoot / fire (a gun) AT …
Don’t point that knife at me. It’s dangerous.
We saw someone with a gun shooting at birds, but he didn’t hit any.

D Some verbs can be followed by at or to, with a difference in meaning. For example:
shout AT somebody (when you are angry or aggressive)
He got very angry and started shouting at me.
shout TO somebody (so that they can hear you)
He shouted to me from the other side of the street.

throw something AT somebody/something (to hit them)
Somebody threw an egg at the politician.
throw something TO somebody (for somebody to catch)
Lisa shouted ‘Catch!’ and threw the keys to me from the window.

Verb + preposition 2–5 ➜ Units 133–136 ask for ➜ Unit 133B
264 apologise for / thank somebody for ➜ Unit 135B Other verbs + to ➜ Unit 136D