expressing motion in the direction of (a particular location)

walking down to the shops

my first visit to Africa

we're going to a party

approaching or reaching (a particular condition)

Christopher's expression changed from amazement to joy

she was close to tears

identifying the person or thing affected by or receiving something

you were terribly unkind to her

they donated £400 to the hospice

I am deeply grateful to my parents

identifying a particular relationship between one person and another

he is married to his cousin Emma

she is senior advisor to the chief executive officer

indicating that two things are attached or linked

he had left his dog tied to a drainpipe

they are inextricably linked to this island

concerning or likely to concern (something)

a threat to world peace

a reference to Psalm 22:18

used to introduce the second element in a comparison

the club's nothing to what it once was

placed before a debit entry in accounting

used with the base form of a verb to indicate that the verb is in the infinitive

used without a verb following when the missing verb is clearly understood

he asked her to come but she said she didn't want to

so as to be closed or nearly closed

he pulled the door to behind him