Practice using VERBS with the PREPOSITION (OF), look at examples from a story about a mother and daughter facing deportation, and then see how much you understood by taking a short quiz.

What is this story about?

This story is about a mother and daughter facing deportation. The mother, Maria, might be deported back to El Salvador. She has lived in the United States for almost 20 years on a temporary visa called TPS (Temporary Protected Status). Her children were born here, and she and her family made a life for themselves in the U.S. The visa allowed her to stay in the United States legally, but they don’t know if their visas will be extended. Will they be deported, or will they be able to stay in the United States? Let’s practice using verbs + the preposition (of). Then we will look at examples from their story.

Before we look at examples from this story, let’s start with the basics.

The preposition (of) follows certain verbs and adjectives.

After a preposition you could…

1. Put a noun- I’m scared of horror movies. (of +adjective + noun)
2. Put a gerund (-ing) – I’m afraid of watching scary movies. (of + gerund)

Look at the sentences below about the influx of migrants in El Paso, Texas. Which sentences have a noun after the preposition (of), and which sentences have a gerund?

1. Aware of– Are you aware of the migrant situation in El Paso, TX? At one point around 1000 migrants crossed the border into El Paso daily.
2. Consist of– The reasons migrants cross the border are complex. Those reasons consist of poverty, gang violence, war, political instability, and natural disasters among other reasons.
3. Think of– I was thinking of all the migrants in El Paso, TX when the temperature became very cold for a few days. It was heartbreaking because so many people were camped out along the border without shelter.
4. Take care of – We can help take care of the migrants by donating supplies, like blankets, underwear, and socks to shelters.
5. Approve of– Some people approve of giving more humanitarian aid to the migrant situation, while others want more government control of the borders.
6. Sick of/ Tired of– Aid workers get tired of not having enough resources, money, or supplies to help everyone in need.
7. Jealous of–

What did you learn about the migrant situation in El Paso?

Next, look at how the speakers use the verb + the preposition (of) in their story.

These are quotes from the conversation between Maria (the mother) and her daughter (Emily) talking about the possibility of deportation.

1. In this story, “you’ll hear the difficult conversations that one family is having as they deal with the recurring threat of deportation.”
2. Maria says, “ [I’m]…terrified of missing you [my daughter] grow up. It’s terrifying. I think that I’m more afraid of that than [going] back to my country.”
3. Maria says, “I’m afraid of the scar this whole process will leave. Whatever that outcome at the end, it is already scarring my sweet little girl. “
4. Maria says to Emily, “You’re not going to be alone, I promise you that. And I’m very hard to get rid of.”
5. When asked about her hopes for the future, the mother, Maria, says, “… I’m going to die of an old age and be the pain [in] your neck all the time.”
6. “ [Maria’s] family was on the brink of separation. . . .

What do you think?

1. What is the threat that this family is facing?
2. What is the mother most terrified of?
3. What does it mean when the mother says that she’s afraid of the scar that this whole process will leave? What is the scar?
4. What is the mother’s hope for the future?
5. Do you know anyone who has faced a similar situation? What do you think are the challenges for this family and others who are in this kind of situation?

Got it? Now practice these phrases in this short quiz.

Quiz Maker – powered by Riddle

Great job! Keep on improving those grammar skills!

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Improve your listening skills and hear the grammar used in context. Listen to the full conversation between Emily and Maria here.

Continue learning! Learn new academic vocabulary words and expressions in the context of this story from StoryCorps.

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Sources

StoryCorps. (2020, August 14). On the Brink of Separation [Audio podcast episode]. In StoryCorps. Retrieved from https://storycorps.org/podcast/on-the-brink-of-separation/