Chapter 4 of 518% of exam
Prepositions and Articles
C2 tests prepositions in the most idiomatic and literary phrases, and articles in subtle generic, emphatic or zero-reference uses. This chapter reviews near-native usage.
Idiomatic and Literary Prepositions
Phrases such as 'at loggerheads with', 'on a par with', 'to no avail', 'under no illusion' and 'in deference to' are fixed. The preposition rarely follows a predictable rule.
Subtle and Emphatic Article Use
Articles can carry emphasis or genericity: 'He is THE authority on the subject', 'Man is a social animal' (generic), 'to a man' (idiom). Zero article marks many institutional and abstract references.