Set phrases with ‘by’ and ‘at’

Here are some set phrases with prepositions. This time it’s with ‘by’ and ‘at’.

• By accident: Sorry! It was a mistake. I did it by accident!

Listening for Details

Idiom "get the gist"

Idiom "happen by"

couldn't care less

The correct phrase is "couldn't care less," but dictionaries and language experts say the Americanism "could care less" is gaining ground and even acceptable in some situations.

Idiom "happy as a lark"

Phrasal Nouns

Many phrasal verbs can become nouns. For example, you can “start up” a company (phrasal verb) or work in a “start-up” (phrasal noun) – a small company. When a phrasal verb becomes a phrasal noun, sometimes the verb comes first, like “start-up”; and sometimes the preposition comes first, such as “outbreak”.