Learn the word and its preposition together
Many adjectives and verbs go with one preposition, and the choice often has no logic. Learn them as one chunk: interested in, depend on.
| Word + preposition | Example |
|---|
| Feelings | worried / nervous about · afraid / scared / proud of · tired of (= bored with) | My cat is scared of the vacuum cleaner. |
| Skills | good / bad / terrible at (a skill, an activity) · good / great with (people, animals, tools, your hands) | He's good with computers. |
| Other adjectives | interested in · responsible / famous for · allergic / married / similar to · patient with (a person) | My nephew is interested in old cars. |
| Verbs | apply for (a job) · apply to (a company, a school) · depend on · care about · talk to or with (a person) · talk about (a topic) · wait / pay for · thank someone for · listen / belong / reply to · agree with · fall in love with | We depend on our car. |
What comes after the preposition?
A noun or a pronoun (afraid of snakes, afraid of them), or a verb with -ing (good at singing).
In questions
The preposition usually stays at the end: What are you so nervous about? Which company did she apply to?
Watch out
- Not the preposition of your own language: interested about, afraid from, depend of, good in cooking. (good in + a school subject is fine in American English: good in math.)
- The preposition can change the meaning: good at tennis (a skill) · good with kids (you deal with them well) · good for you (healthy).
- Some verbs take no preposition: discuss the plan (not discuss about), call or contact someone, answer a question, enter a room, marry someone.
- A few words also take another preposition: depend upon (formal), worried for (a person in danger), excited for (American English).
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