Meaning & use
prepare
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To make something ready for use or for an event.
Grammar: Takes an object: prepare a meal, prepare a report.
Patterns
- prepare something
- prepare something for something
- prepare something in advance
She prepared a simple meal for the guests.
The committee prepared a detailed report for the meeting.
He prepared his equipment the night before the climb.
verbtransitive or intransitive
To make yourself or someone else ready to deal with something.
Grammar: Can take an object (often reflexive) or stand alone: prepare yourself for bad news; prepare for the worst.
Patterns
- prepare for something
- prepare yourself for something
- prepare someone for something
The training prepared us for the difficult conditions.
Prepare yourself for some bad news.
The residents are preparing for the storm.
verbintransitive
To study or practice in order to be ready for an exam or task.
Grammar: No object; often followed by 'for': prepare for an exam.
Patterns
- prepare for an exam
- prepare for a test
- prepare for a job interview
She is preparing for her final exams.
He spent the weekend preparing for the interview.
Students need time to prepare for the test.
Word forms
| third person singular | prepares |
|---|---|
| past tense | prepared |
| past participle | prepared |
| -ing form | preparing |
Common combinations
- prepare a meal
- He prepared a meal for the whole family.
- prepare for the worst
- We should prepare for the worst and hope for the best.
- prepare in advance
- You can prepare the sauce in advance.
- prepare the ground for something
- The talks prepared the ground for a peace agreement.
- be well prepared
- She was well prepared for the interview.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- preparation noun
- The act of getting ready, or something done to get ready.
- preparatory adjective
- Done or used to get ready for something.
- prepared adjective
- Ready for something, or made in advance.
Commonly confused: prepare or prepair?
prepare vs prepair
This is a common misspelling; the correct spelling is 'prepare'.
Practice
The students are ______ for their final exams.
Choose one answer.
The verb 'prepare' can be used intransitively with 'for' to mean 'get ready for'. 'Preparing for' would need an object after it (e.g., preparing for their exams), but here 'for' is already after the blank. 'Preparing to' would need a verb after it (preparing to take exams). 'Prepared' is the past tense and does not fit with 'are'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “prepare”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.