In Maori grammar, prepositions of the instrument are used to denote the means or the instrument through which an action is performed. These phrases usually start with a verb and are followed by the instrumental preposition “ki te” or “mai i”, and then the instrument that’s used to perform the action. For instance, the sentence “I wrote the letter with a pen” could be translated into Maori as “I tuhi ahau *te reta* ki te peni” (the letter).
Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the correct instrument
1. I whakapaipai ahau *te whare* ki te purerehua. (house)
2. I whakaritea e ia *te kai* mai i te umu. (food)
3. I whakakore e whakamahi *te waka* ki te haere ki te mahi. (car)
4. I tuhituhi ahau *te kupu* ki te pene. (word)
5. I whakatere e ratou *te poti* ki te hoe. (boat)
6. I whakaputa ahau *te oro* mai i te kitē. (sound)
7. I whakatuwhera ahau *te kuaha* ki te kī. (door)
8. I whakakitea e ia *te rongoa* ki te karaihe. (medicine)
9. I whakatapoko ahau *te puni* ki te peita. (room)
10. I whakakii e ia *te wai* ki te ipu. (water)
11. I whakatuwhera e koe *te pukapuka* ki te kape. (book)
12. I whakatoi ahau *te rākau* ki te kapu. (tree)
13. I tahuri ahau *te whariki* ki te karaihe. (rug)
14. I whakatuwhera e koe *te whatitiri* ki te taringa. (thunder)
15. I whakapao ahau *te ma* ki te kī. (lock)
Exercise 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct instrument
1. I whakaputa ahau *te īmēra* mai i te rorohiko. (email)
2. I whakawhanake ahau *te whakaaro* ki te pene. (idea)
3. I whakatere ahau *te waka* ki te hoe. (vehicle)
4. I whakatuwhera ahau *te matapihi* ki te ringa. (window)
5. I whakatoi ahau *te tuara* ki te peita. (back)
6. I whakaritea e ia *te tae* ki te karaihe. (colour)
7. I whakatuwhera e koe *te kete* ki te ringa. (basket)
8. I whakarite ahau *te kai* ki te pereti. (food)
9. I whakararuraru ahau *te rā* ki te titiro. (sun)
10. I whakakore e whakamahi *te waea* ki te whakapā. (cable)
11. I whakatuwhera e koe *te tuhinga* ki te pene. (writing)
12. I whakarite ahau *te moe* ki te whāriki. (sleep)
13. I whakawero ahau *te rā* ki te whare. (sun)
14. I whakakitea e ia *te whare* ki te kanohi. (house)
15. I whakatapoko ahau *te pānui* ki te tae. (notice)
