[Grammar] check + on/of

Status
Not open for further replies.

Jack8rkin

Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2010
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Russian
Home Country
Russian Federation
Current Location
Russian Federation
Hello!
Which preposition do you usually use with the noun "check"? A check on / a check of or both? What is gramtically correct? (I came across both the options)
 
(not a teacher)

I've never heard of "a check of."

"A check on the baby revealed that it was still sleeping." sounds correct.

"A check of the baby revealed..." is ambiguous because, as odd as it sounds, it might mean that the baby did a check. Given the context, it should be obvious that the baby is sleeping, but still it sounds odd.

Also, when used as a verb, you hear "check on." For example: "Check on the soup to make sure it is not boiling over." In this sentence, you are commanding someone to inspect soup.
 
Thanx a lot!
Anyway, is not the verb "check" transitive?
Can you say "check the soup"? Or the meaning will change in that case?
 
Thanx a lot!
Anyway, is not the verb "check" transitive?
Can you say "check the soup"? Or the meaning will change in that case?

Yes, You can use the verb ‘check’ transitively as well as intransitively.
So as a verb, “Did you check the soup before serving?”, is correct.

By the by, on your previous post, prepositions such as on, in, of, about can be used after the word ‘check’ as a noun. ‘on’ is primarily used in the sense of examination to make certain the way someone/something should be.
It's my job to keep a check on stock levels.
But when used in the sense of verifying something ‘of’ is more appropriate; as:
A background check of someone is necessary to collect basic information about an individual.
Please make a careful check of each unit before sale
 
Hello!
Which preposition do you usually use with the noun "check"? A check on / a check of or both? What is gramtically correct? (I came across both the options)
"Check of" can used.
"A check of your punctuation revealed a few errors."

Prepositions don't depend on the word before them, but the prepositional phrase that is appropriate.
Perhaps you're confusing it with the phrasal verb "to check on".

Is "check to" or "check for" grammatically right?
"I'm leaving the grammar check to my sister."
"I'm leaving the grammar check for my sister to do."
 
Is "check to" or "check for" grammatically right?
"I'm leaving the grammar check to my sister."
"I'm leaving the grammar check for my sister to do."

In the above cases "to" and "for" has nothing to do with the "check". They are part of indirect object in that case, and I guess it's not the thing I meant.

What I got from the Longman Dictionary is this:
"I did a quick check of all the windows, locked the door and left."
All other examples there use "ON".
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ask a Teacher

If you have a question about the English language and would like to ask one of our many English teachers and language experts, please click the button below to let us know:

(Requires Registration)
Back
Top