在英语错误中，“及物动词+介词+宾语”(transitive verb+preposition+object)，是常见的一种。所谓及物动词，就是谓语动词(predicative verb)，不必通过介词引荐宾语。相反的，不及物动词(intransitive verb)是不带宾语的。有许多动词，虽然性质是及物的，但不一定要有宾语，如下列的①a和②a便是这种情形：

①a. We study every day.

b. Do you study English every day.

②a. Please write clearly next time.

b. Can you write your #position now?

如果本质上就是不及物动词，就不会有宾语;若要宾语，就要借介词之助，一起连用才行，如③b和④b;③a和④a是错的;

*③a. The children are listening the music.

b. The children are listening to the music.

*④a. She is laughing the crippled man.

b. She is laughing at the crippled man.

反之，及物动词不必靠介词，就可以带宾语，如上述的①b和②b ，又如⑤和⑥：

⑤ John is giving a book to me.

⑥ Who will answer this question?

如果无意中把介词加上，就错了，如：

*⑦ Who will answer to this question?

下列这句从房地产广告中看到的句子，也犯了同样的错：

“We have many buyers awaiting for available units here.”

“Awaiting”是个及物动词，后面的介词“for”是多余的，要去掉;不然把“awaiting”改为“waiting for”也行。

许多人习惯上喜欢把介词加到及物动词后面，然后才带出宾语。最常见的是“emphasize/stress on/upon”和“discuss about”，如：

⑧ Singaporeans seem to have emphasized on material gains.

⑨ In our education system, we stress upon examination results.

⑩ World leaders spent a lot of time discussing about worsening economic problems.

显然的，这三句里的介词“on/upon”和“about”是多余的，不必要的。

下面是些类似的错误：

● The young must obey to their elders.

● Do not approach to that odd-looking man.

● The audience attacked on the rude speaker.

● Nothing can escape from his parents' eyes.

● Do you hope to serve for your nation?

● When did Susan marry with Paul?

介词“to, on, from, for, with”都要去掉才对。

为什么会有这些错误呢?主因是分不清楚及物动词和不及物动词的性质。其次，就是对同一个动词及其名词的句型有些混淆。解决之道有二。

第一，要把“及物动词+宾语”和“不及物动词+介词+宾语”划分清楚，如：

I did not answer him./ I did not reply to him.

He reached Londan yesterday./ He arrived in London yesterday.

第二，把及物动词转化为名词，然后加上适当的介词和宾语，如：

Don't approach such a person.

Is oral practice a good approach to language teaching?