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C1 Advanced Grammar ⏱️ 12-Minute Lesson

Verb + Object + Preposition Patterns

Master formal structures for reporting corporate actions, assigning responsibility, and presenting evidence.

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How to use this lesson

👩‍🏫 For Teachers:

Use this module as a 12-minute core grammar guide and rapid practice session in class.

Check answers together using the provided clear structure patterns.

🧑‍🎓 For Learners:

Read the four simple rule blocks carefully and note the underlined parts in each example.

Try all 12 practice items from easy to hard to test your recall.

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Learn which small word (of, for, from, with, to) follows each verb and its object in formal English.

Rule Book

Core Pattern Guide

Pattern 1: accuse somebody of (+ noun / -ing) Reporting wrong actions

You use this word pattern when you say someone did something bad. The person goes right after the action word, and "of" comes before the wrong action.

Why this works (Corporate Context Examples):

1. The staff accused the owner of ignoring every warning.

2. The audit team alleged a cover-up and accused the executive of trying to conceal major financial losses.

Pattern 2: blame for / hold responsible for / blame on Assigning fault

You use these words to say who caused a problem. Put "for" before the bad event, or put "on" when you put the bad event first.

Why this works (Corporate Context Examples):

1. The shop owners blame the road works for the fall in sales.

2. The board members hold the manager responsible for gross negligence, and the firm may be liable for the damage.

3. The press blamed the data leak on a weak password policy.

Pattern 3: deter somebody from (+ -ing) Preventing actions

You use this pattern when something stops a person from doing an action. You must always use an -ing action word right after the word "from".

Why this works (Corporate Context Examples):

1. High legal costs deter many people from taking a complaint to court.

2. Fear of corporate retaliation deters employees from providing honest testimony.

Pattern 4: credit somebody with / attribute something to Linking causes & achievements

You use these words to link a person or cause to an outcome. Use "credit with" mostly for good things and "attribute to" for any result.

Why this works (Corporate Context Examples):

1. The report attributes the rise in complaints to the new online form.

2. Regulators credit the new oversight committee with ensuring full compliance across all branches.

Practice Exercises

12 interactive items testing all four patterns across four exercise types.

12 Questions Total

Question 1 Choose the correct sentence

Select the grammatically correct sentence:

Hint: (wrongdoer)

____ a. The committee accused the director of concealing crucial audit records ____ b. The committee accused the director for concealing crucial audit records ____ c. The committee accused the director with concealing crucial audit records

Question 2 Choose the correct sentence

Select the grammatically correct sentence:

Hint: (stop)

____ a. Threat of retaliation deters staff to expose fraud ____ b. Threat of retaliation deters staff from exposing fraud ____ c. Threat of retaliation deters staff from expose fraud

Question 3 Choose the correct sentence

Select the grammatically correct sentence:

Hint: (cause)

____ a. Investigators attribute the oversight to poor staff training ____ b. Investigators attribute the oversight with poor staff training ____ c. Investigators attribute the oversight for poor staff training

Question 4 Rewrite the sentence

Original sentence: "Everyone says that Ana saved the project."

Hint: (praise)

Complete the rewritten sentence below:

Everyone ____

Question 5 Rewrite the sentence

Original sentence: "The board says the manager is responsible for the gross negligence."

Hint: (fault)

Complete the rewritten sentence using the verb "blame":

The board ____

Question 6 Rewrite the sentence

Original sentence: "The investigator claims that the executive hid vital testimony."

Hint: (guilty)

Complete the rewritten sentence using the verb "accuse":

The investigator ____

Question 7 Fill gaps

Type the missing words to complete the corporate compliance report sentence:

Hint: (duty)

Regulators hold the company ____ non-compliance during the annual audit.

Question 8 Fill gaps

Type the missing preposition and the -ing form of "conceal" to complete the sentence:

Hint: (prevent)

Strict penalties deter corrupt officials ____ evidence of financial misconduct.

Question 9 Fill gaps

Type the single missing preposition to complete the sentence:

Hint: (reason)

Analysts attribute the failure in safety procedures ____ severe corporate oversight.

Question 10 Correct the error

Read this message to a colleague containing a grammar error:

💬 "Hi Alex! The legal team accused the director to conceal the internal audit report."

Type the corrected version of the underlined error: Hint: (preposition)

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Question 11 Correct the error

Read this message to a colleague containing a grammar error:

💬 "Hey Sam! Senior management blamed the compliance failure for the new team yesterday."

Type the corrected version of the underlined error: Hint: (direction)

____

Question 12 Correct the error

Read this message to a colleague containing a grammar error:

💬 "Hi Pat! The CEO credited the auditor for expose the fraud."

Type the corrected version of the underlined error: Hint: (action)

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Verb + Object + Preposition Patterns

Verb + Object + Preposition Patterns

How to use this lesson

Core Pattern Guide

Practice Exercises

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