Preposition: With

1. With means in the company of.                     

Pattern 1: verb + with + noun
She is with her sister.
I danced with him.
   

Typical verbs used before with:
be, chat, converse, dance, drink, eat, go, leave, live, play, stay, study, talk, travel, walk, work  

Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun
She spent the weekend with us.       

    Typical verbs used with this pattern:

dance, drink, eat, leave, play, spend, study           

                                                                                             

    Expressions:
to be tied up with—to be occupied with at the moment
He can't come to the phone; he is tied up with a client.
to be in a discussion with—to be talking seriously to
The boss is in a discussion with the manager right now.         

                                                        

    2 With means in the same place as.      

                                   

    Pattern 1: be + with + noun
My hat is with my scarf.               

                                                      

    Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun
Put your coat with mine.
She left her children with the babysitter
.         

                              

    Typical verbs:
keep, leave, put, store        

                                          

    3. With can mean added together.      

         

    Pattern: noun + with + noun
She always drinks her coffee with sugar.
The hotel with meals will cost 200 dollars a day
.         

           

    4. With can describe something by indicating what it has.        

         

    Pattern 1: noun + with + noun
Did you see a woman with a baby a few minutes ago?
I have an article with pictures for my presentation
.               

     

    Pattern 2: be + past participle + with + noun
You will be provided with two sets of keys.              

     

    Past participles used with this pattern:
caught, discovered, found, furnished, provided, seen           

     

    Expression:

to be blessed with—to be lucky to have
He is blessed with good health and good looks.    

 

    5. With can describe a manner of behavior.       

        

    Pattern 1: verb + with + noun
Please handle the piano with care.
They accepted the proposal with enthusiasm
.        

                                                 

    Typical nouns used after with:
anger, care, compassion, courage, delight, discretion, disdain, distress, enthusiasm, fear, feeling, glee, grace, gratitude, happiness, hatred, humility, indifference, kindness, joy, love, optimism, pleasure, pride, regard, sadness, shame, skill, sympathy, tenderness, thanks, understanding                                                                        

     

    Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun
She greeted us with a big smile.
He always starts work with a grumble
.          

                                    

    Typical nouns used after with:
air, cry, expression, frown, greeting, grumble, grunt, handshake, hug, kiss, look, promise, question, shudder, sigh, smile, smirk, thank you, word                                                                                                

   

    Pattern 3: be + adjective + with + noun (thing)
Please be careful with the piano.
I hope he is successful with the mission
.                    

   

    Typical adjectives:
awkward, careful, clumsy, creative, dexterous, quick, skillful, slow, successful, talented, unsuccessful                     

     

    Pattern 4: be + adjective + with + noun (person)
She is very patient with me.
He hasn't been sympathetic with her problems
.              

       

    Typical adjectives:
awkward, belligerent, curt, flexible, forthcoming, frank, friendly, generous, helpful, honest, impatient, open, patient, stiff, sympathetic, truthful                                                                                                              

     

    6. With can describe someone's feelings about something.      

     

    Pattern: be + adjective + with + noun
The child was bored with her toys.
They are very happy with their new home
.         

     

    Typical adjectives used with this pattern:
bored, comfortable, content, delighted, disappointed, frustrated, happy, impressed, pleased, satisfied, thrilled, uncomfortable, unhappy, upset                                                                                              

     

    Expression:
to be in love with—to have a romantic feeling toward
He is (madly) in love with her.                                          
      

 

    7. With can indicate a working relationship.        

 

    Pattern 1: be + with + noun
She is with a real estate company.       

  

    Pattern 2: be + past participle + with + noun
He is involved with that organization.
They are not concerned with our group
.                   

    

    Pattern 3: work + with + noun
His mother works with us.                  

                                         

    8. With can indicate the instrument or tool used for an action.         

        

    Pattern 1: verb + with + noun
She writes with a pen.                         

     

    Typical verbs used before with:
color, clean, cut, dig, draw, eat, paint, serve, sweep, wash, write             

    

    Pattern 2: verb + noun + with + noun
The boy drew a flower with his crayons.
I swept the garage with a big broom
.              

    

    Typical verbs:
attach, clean, clear, cut, dig, draw, dry, eat, erase, fasten, hit, move, nail, open, paint, plow, season, serve, sweep, wash, write                                                                                                                                       

   

    9. With can indicate a noun that covers or fills an area.        

   

    Pattern: verb + noun + with + noun


She filled the pitcher with lemonade.
They planted the bed with white flowers
.         

   

    Typical verbs:
cover, cram, fill, frost, heap, ice, pack, paint, plant, smear, spread, sprinkle, stuff                 

     

    10. With can indicate struggle     

    

    Pattern 1: verb + with + noun
My colleague disagrees with the management.
He is always fighting with his brother
.                      

    

    Typical verbs:
argue, clash, compete, conflict, differ, disagree, fight, quarrel, wrestle               

      

    Expression:
to have it out with—to express anger verbally
After two years of frustration, he finally had it out with his boss.             

    

    Pattern 2: have + a + noun + with
She has an argument with him every morning.
They are having a quarrel with the neighbors right now
.           

      

    Typical nouns:
argument, bout, contest, disagreement, fight, match, quarrel              
 

    Pattern 3: be + in + noun + with
She is in competition with him for the promotion.
It's too bad your ideas are in conflict with those of the majority
.        

 

    11. With can indicate support or cooperation.        

 

    Pattern 1: verb + with + noun
They are cooperating with the authorities.
You have to comply with the rules
.                    

 

    Typical verbs:
agree, collaborate, comply, concur, cooperate, empathize, harmonize, help, negotiate, sympathize, work                 

    

    Expressions:
to get along with—to cooperate with
I get along with my roommate, even though she is not my best friend.
to be with—to support
Don't be nervous when you are giving your speech; we are all with you.            

   

    Pattern 2: verb + a + noun + with + noun
She signed a contract with us.                            

 

    Typical nouns:
agreement, business, contract, friendship, partnership, relationship               

   

    Expression:
to do business with—to have negotiations with
We don't do business with them anymore.               

 

    Pattern 3: be + in + noun + with + noun
Are you in agreement with the decisions they made?         

 

    Typical nouns before with:
accord, agreement, cahoots, concert, collaboration, compliance, concurrence, cooperation, harmony, partnership, sympathy                                                                                                                               

   

    12. With means at the same time as.
He rises with the sun.
They opened the show with a song
.         

  

    Typical verbs:
begin, celebrate, close, dedicate, end, start          

   

    13. With means at the same rate as.
Wine improves with age.
Wisdom comes with experience.
With time, you will forget
.                       

 

    14. With means in the same direction as.      

   

    Pattern: verb + with + the + noun
It will take longer because we will be with the traffic.
They drifted down the river with the current
.                           

 

    Typical verbs used before with:
be, cruise, drift, drive, float, go, ride, sail       

 

    Typical nouns used after with the:
current, flow, tide, traffic, wind            

 

    15. With can indicate separation.      

    

    Pattern: verb expression + with + noun
I hate to part with my old books.
Our company severed relations with that client years ago.
He is through with her; he doesn't want to see her again
.
            

   

    Typical verb expressions used before with:
be finished, be through, break up, cut ties, fall out, part, part company, sever relations, split up                    

 

    16. With is used in a comparison or contrast.       

 

    Pattern 1: noun + verb + with + noun
Your blouse clashes with your skirt.            

 

    Verbs commonly used with this pattern:
clash, compare, contrast, go, look good         

  

    Pattern 2: compare/contrast + noun + with + noun
Let's compare this computer with that one.                        

   

    17. With can indicate equality.      

 

    Pattern: be + adjective + with + noun
This side is not even with that side.
Our team is tied with theirs: the score is two to two.
         

 

    Typical adjectives used before with:
comparable, even, level, on a par, parallel, tied            

  

    18. With can indicate the cause of a condition.       

   

    Pattern 1: adjective + with + noun
The branches of the trees were heavy with snow.
The girl's face is wet with tears.
                                    

   

    Pattern 2: verb in gerund form + with + noun
The newlyweds were beaming with happiness.           

   

    Typical verbs used before with:
aching, beaming, crying, dancing, fuming, screaming, shouting, smiling, trembling            

 

    Typical nouns used after with:
anger, fear, glee, happiness, joy, mirth, rage, shame, zeal            

 

    Pattern 3: with + the + noun
With the traffic in this city, it takes a long time to get to work.
Their lifestyle changed completely with the birth of their first baby.
            

 

    Typical nouns used after with the:
arrival, bills, birth, change, crime, death, decrease, departure, guests, increase, move, problems, rain, traffic, trouble, worries                                                                                                                                     

 

    Pattern 4: with + (all) + possessive noun or pronoun + noun
With all his talent, he should be famous.
She is quite popular, with all her beauty and charm.
                          

 

    Typical nouns after with:
beauty, charm, education, influence, intelligence, money, power, talent               

      

    19. With can mean despite.    

      

    Pattern: with + (all) + possessive noun or pronoun + noun
I love him with all his faults.
With all her problems, she is quite serene.
                                     

   

    20. Expressions  

   

    to be with someone—to follow or understand
Please repeat that; I'm not with you.                      

   

    to be charged with something—to be formally accused of a crime
The boy was charged with breaking and entering.                                 

 

    Down with something—a rallying call to eliminate oppressors
Down with the tyrants!                                                                      

 

    Off with someone—a call for someone to leave
Off with you, and don't come back!                           

 

    21. Phrasal verbs   

 

    (get) on with (nonseparable)—to start something right away
Let's get on with this job; I want to go home early.
On with the show!                                                                         

   

    get away with—escape a misdeed without penalty
He tore up his parking fine and got away with it.           

 

    put up with—tolerate
The house is beautiful, but I can't put up with the noise of the airplanes.