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in lieu of
In lieu of something means instead of it, as a substitute or alternative. It is a formal expression. Used with verbs:
e.g.
He took an extra day's holiday in lieu of overtime payments.

inside
1) If someone or something is inside a place or container, they are surrounded by its sides or boundaries. Used with verbs:
e.g.
She kept her children inside the house while they had colds.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
We must keep constant temperature and humidity inside a clean room.
Also used as an adverb:
e.g.
After the explosion, only the police and firemen were allowed to go inside.

2) If you are inside an organization, you are part of it and so have knowledge or powers connected with it. Used with verbs:
e.g.
Many people in the UK believe that Britain should stay inside the European Community.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
That reporter has a contact inside the British Embassy whom he gets his information from.

3) If you say that someone has a feeling inside them, you mean that they have this feeling but have not expressed it. Used with verbs:
e.g.
He felt anger gradually rising inside him as he listened to the news of the tragedy.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
He felt the happiness inside him expanding.

4) If something is inside a door, it is in a building, near the door.
e.g.
He put the basket of clothes down just inside the door, where his wife could see it.

5) If you do something inside a particular amount of time, you do it before that amount of time has passed.
e.g.
Not many athletes can run 100 metres inside 10 seconds.
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in spite of
1) You use in spite of to introduce something which makes the situation or event you are mentioning seem surprising.
e.g.
The school went ahead with their Sports Day, in spite of the bad weather.

2) If you do something in spite of yourself, you do it although you did not mean to or expect to.
e.g.
He was fascinated by her speech on feminism, in spite of himself.
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instead of
If you have or do one thing instead of another, you have or do the first thing and not the second, although the second is more usual, or is expected and preferable.
e.g.
He was wearing a scarf instead of a tie.
The company pays the fare if staff travel by train instead of by car.
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into
1) If someone or something goes into a place, thing or group, they are then in it or part of it. Used with verbs:
e.g.
He had to go into town on some business.
The need for low energy consumption is incorporated into the new building regulations.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
He found acceptance into the community very difficult to achieve.

2) If someone or something crashes into something, they collide with it forcefully.
e.g.
He lost control of the car and crashed into the barrier at the side of the road.

3) You use into when saying that someone or something starts being in a particular state or being involved in a particular activity. Used with verbs:
e.g.
He didn't intend going into teaching but that's what happened.
The project ran into some early difficulties but was completed successfully.

4) You can use into with some verbs when you are saying that someone is made or persuaded to do something.
e.g.
He didn't want to take part but I talked him into it.
He was lulled into a false sense of security by the news.

5) If something changes or is made into a new form, it then has this form.
Used with verbs:
e.g.
Solar panels take radiation from the sun and convert it into electricity.
The financial report is divided into three sections.

6) When someone changes into clothes of some kind, they put them on.
e.g.
He took off his suit and changed into jeans and a T-shirt.

7) You use into to indicate what is being investigated. Used after nouns:
e.g.
He took part in a major philosophical enquiry into world affairs.
The study provided a number of insights into language acquisition.

8) If you lay into someone or tear into them, you attack or criticize them.
e.g.
The champion really laid into the challenger in the third round, ending in a knock-out victory.

9) If one thing merges or blends into another, there is no clear distinction between the two things.
e.g.
One day blended into another
The town gradually merges into farmland after a few kilometres.

10) If something continues into a period of time, it continues until after that period of time has begun.
e.g.
The economic trend was expected to continue into the mid-1990's.

11) If someone is into a particular type of thing, they are very interested in it or like it a great deal; an informal use.
e.g.
He has been into modern jazz for many years now.
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irrespective of
If something is true or happens irrespective of a particular factor, that factor does not affect the situation.
e.g.
The new tax is the same for everyone, irrespective of income.
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like
1) If someone or something is like another person or thing, they have similar characteristics. Used with verbs:
e.g.
He is like his brother in some ways, but not in others.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
I would love to have a house like yours.

2) If you ask what something or someone is like, you are asking for a description of that thing or person.
e.g.
It's been a long time, I can't remember what she looked like now.

3) You can use like when giving an example of the thing you have just mentioned. Used with nouns:
e.g.
You must take care of your luggage in crowded places like airports and train stations.

4) You can also use like to indicate that someone or something is in the same situation as another person or thing.
e.g.
He was worried about the future, like everyone else in the company.

5) If someone behaves or is treated like a particular thing, their behaviour or treatment is similar to the behaviour or treatment of that thing.
e.g.
He is watching them like a hawk.
The demonstrators were rounded up like cattle by the police.
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minus
Minus a particular part or thing means with that part or thing removed.
e.g.
He came back after a few minutes, minus his wallet and necktie.
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near (to)
If someone or something is near a place or near to it, they are only a short distance from it. Used with verbs:
e.g.
He is staying near Kyoto.
Used with nouns:
e.g.
He called from a telephone box near Kobe station.
Also used as an adverb:
e.g.
The community centre is quite near.

2) If you are near to a situation or near it, you are almost in that situation or state.
e.g.
Many millions of people are near starvation in Africa.
She sounded very sad, near to tears.

3) If something happens near a particular time or near to it, it happens just before or just after it.
e.g.
The cherry blossom viewing season is usually near the beginning of April.

4) If something is similar to something else, you can say it is near to it or near it.
e.g.
His opinions are usually fairly near the truth.

5) If something is near a particular amount or near to it, it is a little less or more than that amount.
e.g.
The experiments are mainly conducted at temperatures near to 1000° Celsius.
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END of Chapter Seven