8 Ways to Use "With" - EnglishClass101

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Lesson Transcript

Hey everybody.

My name's Daphne, and welcome to today's lesson.

So in today's lesson, we'll be talking about eight ways to use "with," the word "with."

So here I have listed eight different ways that you can use "with."

So number one we have over here says, to show accompaniment, together with someone or something.

So for example, on the board, I am going to the store with my friend.

So you are accompanying your friend to the store, you are going with your friend, he or she.

The next one we have is, I want coffee with milk.

So you want coffee, but not by itself, so it's together with something.

And in this case, coffee with milk.

So some people might like black coffee, but some people prefer it with milk.

Next we have, he lives with his parents.

So he lives not by himself, he lives with his parents.

So that's how you use "with" to show accompaniment.

The examples I have here are, the first one, he cut the paper with scissors.

So maybe you can cut paper just by tearing it apart, but in this case, he cut the paper with scissors.

Write your name with a pen.

So maybe if you are signing a formal document, you would want to write your name with a pen and not with a pencil so that it won't get erased.

So with a pen.

That's the instrument or the tool that is being used.

And the last example we have right here says, I cut the meat with a knife.

And in this example, you are using the knife to cut the meat.

So you cut the meat with a knife, or you could cut vegetables with a knife.

And here I have some examples.

She lives in a house with a red door.

So this sentence has a house and a red door, and the red door describes the house.

So this house is a house with a red door.

You could say, "She lives in a house with a brown garage door."

Something like that is fine too.

So it's describing what the house looks like, the features of the house.

Or you can also use it to describe people.

So in this second example, what we have is, the woman with blonde hair is tall.

Unfortunately, that woman is not me because I am not tall, even though I do have blonde hair.

But the woman with blonde hair is tall.

So that is the third way that you can use "with."

For example, basically how something is done.

So in the example that I have written on the board here, she spoke with great confidence.

So the verb is that she is speaking, right?

So she spoke, or she spoke in the past.

So that means that when she was speaking, she was very confident.

So she spoke with great confidence.

With respect.

And with what?

With respect.

Or maybe you want to treat your new colleague with respect.

So that's the manner that you are treating somebody.

And then the last example I have written here is, "She spoke with a smile."

So she was speaking, and in what way?

How was she speaking?

With a smile.

So that means while she was talking and while she was speaking, she probably had a very nice, big smile on her face.

Maybe it could also be, "He listened with great sadness."

So maybe if he heard really bad news, so he was listening carefully and intensely.

And how was he listening?

He was listening with sadness.

So that is the fourth way that you would use the word "with."

Number two, to indicate a tool or an instrument that is being used.

Number three, physical features or description.

And feel free to try to come up with your own sentences that are different than the examples I have written here on the board.

So the examples I have here will make more sense once I go over them.

So the glass, and the contents of the glass is water.

So we have a glass, a cup, a mug, whatever you want, and it is filled, or in this case, was filled with water.

That's what it was filled with.

So that's the contents of the glass.

Or we have, this is for covering something, "She covered her child with a blanket."

So maybe her child, she could tell her child was getting cold.

Maybe the kid was shivering.

So she covered her child with, so using a blanket.

So with a blanket.

Or maybe if you're playing a game of, uh, pin the tail on the donkey, you would cover your eyes with a blindfold or with a cloth, right?

So you're using something, a cloth blindfold, to cover yourself with.

Then we have this next example, which is, "The container was filled with snacks."

That means the container, the contents of this container or box is snacks.

So filled with snacks.

A box, a cup, a jar, whatever it is.

And now we have number six, the sixth way to use the word "with," which says feelings or reactions after adjectives.

So here I have two examples.

So what is the feeling right here?

I am happy, and the reason why you're happy is with my test results.

So maybe you just took a test and you scored very well.

You had one of the top scores, so that's why I am happy with my test results.

Then we have this second example: "I am frustrated with my job."

So that just means that your job is the reason for your frustration, so the things you have to do in your work.

So I am frustrated with my job.

Or maybe you could be very happy.

Let's say you got a new job and you love the things you do.

You find it very fun.

It's enjoyable.

So I am happy with my new job.

That would be another way to use "with."

We have show opposition or conflict.

And here are the examples.

So this is some kind of conflict because they're fighting, right?

They're opposing each other.

The two brothers fought with each other.

So competing, that is going against each other, some kind of opposition, conflict.

So you're competing with.

Then we have this sentence, "My views are at odds with company policy."

So at odds just means doesn't agree with.

So my views are at odds with company policy, meaning that your views oppose or are in conflict with your company's policy.

So maybe your company has strict policy on how you should dress, and you don't really believe that that gives you freedom to do what you would like.

So your views are at odds with your company's policy.

So that's using "with" to show some kind of opposition or some kind of conflict at hand.

Now, we have the last and final way to use "with."

These are just a small list of other phrasal verbs that you can use with.

So for example, agree with is something that you might use or hear the word "with."

Comply with, to cope with, and then to deal with.

So these are just phrasal verbs that are common ways that "with" can be used.

So I agree with you.

Your boss maybe wants you to do.

So I'm complying with my boss.

Uh, if you cope with something, so maybe let's just say something really bad happened, and you don't know how to cope with the sadness.

So that means you don't know how to handle.

It's very similar to deal with, but cope kind of has a more negative connotation, so to cope with something.

And then we have to deal with.

So let's just quickly go over all of them one more time.

So number one is to show that you are together with someone or something.

So for example, I'm going to the store with my friend.

I'm going to the movies with my boyfriend, with my girlfriend.

Or it could also be for things like food.

So I want coffee with milk, or, uh, I would like my pancakes with maple syrup, hopefully, because most people love maple syrup.

Um, some people don't, but to each their own.

And number two, we have indicate an instrument or a tool.

So basically, what you're using something for.

So he cut the paper with scissors.

So he was cutting paper using scissors.

Write your name with a pen.

Then we have three, which is a description or a physical feature.

So for example, you can be describing a place.

Or you can describe people.

So the woman with black hair, blonde hair, blue eyes, whatever it is.

Then we have number four, which is expressing manner, so how something is done.

For example, she spoke with great confidence, meaning that when she was speaking, she was confident.

That was the manner that she spoke with.

Then we have number five, which is the contents of something.

It could be to cover something, filling something, something that contains.

So for example, the glass or the cup was filled with water, with orange juice.

Or she covered her child with a blanket.

So something is being covered with this item, a blanket.

Then we have number six, which is feelings or reactions.

So here I'm feeling happy, right?

I am happy with my test result.

Or I am frustrated with my job.

Then we have number seven, to show some kind of a conflict or opposition.

So here in this example, fighting, so the two brothers fought with each other.

Um, our team will compete with the other team tomorrow, so they are on different sides.

They're going against each other.

That's the opposition or conflict.

So agree with, comply with, cope with, deal with.

And of course, there are plenty more.

And that is it for today's lesson.

So I hope you enjoyed, and I'll see you next time.

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