Chester Exchange

Higher education institutions in the United States recognize the economic and educational benefits of international students. Although non-native English speakers (NNES) submit evidence of English language proficiency for admission purposes, many struggle with the demands of English. This study draws on qualitative and quantitative data to provide insights into the international student experience from the perspectives of students and faculty.

It examines how English language proficiency affects academic and social adjustment, identifies useful types of support, and considers the effects of English proficiency on intercultural learning. Students are generally satisfied with their proficiency, appreciate English as a Second Language courses, and feel their English is improved through course work and social interaction.

Professors feel students’ skills are adequate but could be improved, and report adjusting their teaching approaches to accommodate NNES. Intercultural interaction aids English development and intercultural growth, but students may tend to remain within their own linguistic groups.

International student enrollments in institutions of higher education in the United States declined from 2003 to 2006. The most significant decreases were 2.4% in 2003 to 2004 and 1.3% in 2004 to 2005 (Institute of International Education, 2007).

Although enrollment trends are currently more positive, they have yet to compensate for previous years of declining or flat enrollments. One benefit of the recent enrollment decreases, however, has been greater awareness that the United States must consider the strength of its position in the “global competition for talent”

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Preposition Rules

Did you know there are hundreds of prepositions in the English language? A fun way to remember prepositions is that they are words that tell you everywhere a bunny can run; for example, a bunny can run:

• up
• down
• near
• far
• by
• at
• around
• close
• always

With some of these popular prepositions in mind, let’s look at six important rules for prepositions.

1. Pair Them Properly

Determining which preposition to use can be a tricky proposition. It’s especially difficult when dealing with idioms – expressions in the English language that don’t necessarily make sense when taken literally.

Idiomatic expressions are expressions you just have to memorize, and when errors are made, they’re almost always prepositional errors. Here are some examples of idioms, along with the correct prepositions:

• George would love to attend the party.
• You’re capable of anything you set your mind to.
• Shelly’s been preoccupied with work lately.
• The teacher is concerned by Janette’s consistent tardiness.
• Employees are prohibited from smoking on company property.

Each of the prepositions in bold are the only acceptable prepositions to follow the verbs that precede them. For example, it wouldn’t be grammatically correct to say “love with” or “capable to.”

For more, enjoy Idioms That Begin with Prepositions.

2. Watch What Follows Them

Prepositions must always be followed by a noun or pronoun. That noun is called the object of the preposition. Note that a verb can’t be the object of a preposition. Let’s look at two examples:

• The bone was for the dog.
  This is correct. The preposition for is followed by the noun “dog.”
• The bone was for walked.
  This is not correct. The preposition for is followed by a verb “walked.” A verb can never be the object of a preposition.

This rule may seem confusing at first; you may have seen words that look like verbs following the preposition to. For example:

• I like to ski.
• These boots are for skiing.

However, in these examples, “ski” and “skiing” are not acting as verbs.

In the first example, to ski is part of the infinitive. An infinitive occurs when a verb is used as a noun, adjective, or adverb. Here, to ski is a thing that the person likes doing, not an action they are performing.

In the second example, skiing is a gerund. Although a gerund is created out of a verb, it’s actually a noun. Here, skiing is a thing that the boots are for. No one in this sentence is performing the act of skiing.

3. Avoid Using Them at the End of Sentences

Because prepositions must be followed by a noun and have an object, they should rarely be placed at the end of a sentence. For example, it’s generally not correct to say:

• The table is where I put my books on.

However, there are certain circumstances where it is acceptable to end a sentence with a preposition. These exceptions exist where the preposition isn’t extraneous. In other words, the preposition needs to be there, and if it wasn’t, the meaning of the sentence would change.

In the above example, the use of the preposition “on” isn’t necessary. We could remove “on” and the meaning would be the same. Therefore, the preposition was extraneous or unnecessary. That said, here’s an example where it’s perfectly acceptable to use a preposition at the end of a sentence:

• I turned the TV on.

If you removed “on” from the end of this sentence, it would change the meaning. Instead of switching on the set, you would be saying that you turned the TV itself. Alternatively, this could be written as, “I turned on the TV.”

4. Never Substitute “Have” for “Of”

Teachers, writers, and grammarians would cringe at this construct:

• I should of come over.

Eek. Although it sounds like we say this all the time; we don’t really. We might say, “I should’ve come over,” but that’s about it. Here’s what the above sentence should look like:

• I should have come over.

“Have” is an important helping verb. The preposition “of” does nothing here to link or join ideas together, as every preposition should.

5. Don’t Confuse “In” and “Into”

When you want to express motion toward something, use “into” rather than “in.” Reserve “in” for moments when you want to indicate a location. Here are some examples:

• I swam in the lake. (Indicating location)
• I walked into the pub. (Expressing motion)
• Look in the cupboard. (Indicating location)
• She drove into the city. (Expressing motion)

6. Try Not to Interchange “Than” and “From”

We’ll close with more of a suggestion than a hard and fast rule. It deals with the word “different.” Try to avoid this:

• You look different than your mother.

Instead, opt for:

• You look different from your mother.

While the first example isn’t wrong, per se, a bonafide grammarian would scoff at the pairing. Why not go for the surefire win over the potentially eyebrow-raising format?

Peaceful Prepositions

Sometimes, it seems like prepositions are the peacemakers of the English language. They join it all together with cohesion and clarity. They maintain a thought’s fluidity. For more on these peacemakers, check out these preposition games and preposition worksheets.

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Present Uses

1: First, we use the present continuous for things that are happening at the moment of speaking. These things usually last for quite a short time and they are not finished when we are talking about them.

• I’m working at the moment.
• Please call back as we are eating dinner now.
• Julie is sleeping.

2: We can also use this tense for other kinds of temporary situations, even if the action isn’t happening at this moment.

• John’s working in a bar until he finds a job in his field. (He might not be working now.)
• I’m reading a really great book.
• She’s staying with her friend for a week.

Compare this with the present simple, which is used for permanent situations that we feel will continue for a long time.

• I work in a school. (I think this is a permanent situation.)
• I’m working in a school. (I think this is a temporary situation.)

3: We can use the present continuous for temporary or new habits (for normal habits that continue for a long time, we use the present simple). We often use this with expressions like ‘these days’ or ‘at the moment’.

• He’s eating a lot these days.
• She’s swimming every morning (she didn’t use to do this).
• You’re smoking too much.

4: Another present continuous use is for habits that are not regular, but that happen very often. In this case we usually use an adverb like ‘always’, ‘forever’ or ‘constantly’. Often, we use the present continuous in this way to talk about an annoying habit.

• You’re forever losing your keys!
• She’s constantly missing the train.
• Lucy’s always smiling!

Future Uses

5: The next use is for definite future arrangements (with a future time word). In this case we have already made a plan and we are pretty sure that the event will happen in the future.

• I’m meeting my father tomorrow.
• We’re going to the beach at the weekend.
• I’m leaving at three.

We can’t use this tense (or any other continuous tense) with stative verbs.

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Present Uses

1: We use the present simple when something is generally or always true.

• People need food.
• It snows in winter here.
• Two and two make four.

2: Similarly, we need to use this tense for a situation that we think is more or less permanent. (See the present continuous for temporary situations.)

• Where do you live?
• She works in a bank.
• I don’t like mushrooms.

3: The next use is for habits or things that we do regularly. We often use adverbs of frequency (such as ‘often’, ‘always’ and ‘sometimes’) in this case, as well as expressions like ‘every Sunday’ or ‘twice a month’. (See the present continuous for new, temporary or annoying habits).

• Do you smoke?
• I play tennis every Tuesday.
• I don’t travel very often.
• He takes the ball, he runs down the wing, and he scores!

4: We can also use the present simple for short actions that are happening now. The actions are so short that they are finished almost as soon as you’ve said the sentence. This is often used with sports commentary.

Future Uses

5: We use the present simple to talk about the future when we are discussing a timetable or a fixed plan. Usually, the timetable is fixed by an organization, not by us.

• School begins at nine tomorrow.
• What time does the film start?
• The plane doesn’t arrive at seven. It arrives at seven thirty.

6: We also use the present simple to talk about the future after words like ‘ ‘when’, ‘until’, ‘after’, ‘before’ and ‘as soon as’. These are sometimes called subordinate clauses of time.

• I will call you when I have time. (Not ‘will have’.)
• I won’t go out until it stops raining.
• I’m going to make dinner after I watch the news.

Conditional Uses

7: We use the present simple in the first and the zero conditionals. (See the conditionals section for more information.)

• If it rains, we won’t come.
• If you heat water to 100 degrees, it boils.

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