Prepositions

Verb + prep.
OF: accuse, approve, assure, beware, boast
(or about), complain (or about), consist, convince (or
about), cure, despair, dream (or about), expect (or
from), hear (or from), be/get rid, smell, suspect, think
(or about), tire(d), warn (or against)…
FROM: borrow, defend (or against), demand
(or of), differ, dismiss, draw, emerge, escape, excuse
(or for), hinder, prevent, prohibit, protect (or against),
receive, separate, suffer. ….
IN: believe, delight, employ(ed),
encourage, engage(d), experience(d), fail, help (or
with), include, indulge, instruct, interest(ed), invest,
involve(d), persist, share. ….
ON: act, base(d), call, comment, count,
live, concentrate, congratulate, consult (or about),
decide, depend, economize, embark, experiment,
insist, lean (or against), operate, perform (or in), pride
(oneself), rely, vote (on a motion/for someone), write
(or about). ….
TO: accustom(ed). amount, appeal, apply
(or for), attach(ed), attend, belong, challenge,
compare (or with), condemn(ed), confess, confine,
consent, convert, entitle(d), listen, mention, object,
occur, prefer, react (or against), reply, respond, see,
submit, surrender, turn, yield. ….
AT: amuse(d) (or by), arrive (or in),
astonish(ed) (or by), exclaim, glance, guess, knock,
look, point (or to), shock(ed) (or by), stare,
surprise(d) (or by), wonder (or about), work (or on).
FOR: account, ask (or of), act (or on),

apologize, blame, beg, call, charge, exchange, hope,
look, mistake, mourn, pay, prepare, provide, search,
thank, vote (or on), wait (or on). ….
WITH: agree, begin, communicate, compare
(or to), compete (or against), comply, confuse,
contrast (or to), cope, correspond, disgust(ed), finish,
help (or in), interfere (or in), mix, occup(ied), part,
please(d), quarrel (or about), reason, satisf(ied) (or
by), threaten(ed). ….
Adj. + Prep.
FOR: available, difficult, eager, enough,
famous, fit, grateful (or to), late, perfect, qualified (or
in), ready (or to), responsible, sorry, sufficient,
thankful (or to), useful (to sb for st), valid….
WITH: acquanted, angry (with someone / at
something), busy (or at), consistent, content,
crowded, friendly, familiar (or to), identical, patient,
popular. ….
OF: afraid, ahead, aware, capable, careful
(or with), certain, confident, conscious, envious,
fond, full, guilty, ignorant, independent, jealous, kind
(or to), north/south/east/west, short, shy, sure,
worthy. ….
TO: acceptable, accustomede, agreable,
close, contrary, cruel, dear, equal, faithful, fatal,
harmful, important, indifferent, inferior, kind, liable,
likely, lucky, new, obedient, obvious, pleasant, polite,
previous, rude, sensitive, similar. ….
AT: bad, clever, efficient, expert (or in),
good, indignant, present, quick, sad (or about), slow,

skilful (or in). ….
FROM: absent, away, different, far, safe. ….
IN : deficient, fortunate, honest, interested,
rich, successful, weak….
ON: dependent, intent, keen. ….
ABOUT: confused, curious, doubtful (or
of), enthusiastic, reluctant (or to), right (or in),
serious, uneasy. ….
Prepositional phrases
With ‘at’
at + meals (lunch, etc.) at length
at + place at a loss
at + points of time at the moment
at all events at most
at all times at once
at any rate at pains
at best/worst at peace/at war
at fault at play/at work
at first at present
at first sight at a profit
at hand at sea
at ... km per hour at sight
at last at table
at least at the time
at leisure at times
With ‘by’
by + bus, etc. by hand
by + time by heart
by + weight by land/sea/air
by accident by luck

by air by marriage
by all means by means of
by any/no means by mistake
by birth by name
by chance by post
by cheque/credit card by right(s)
by day/by night by stages
by degrees by surprise
by design by virtue of
by far by the way
by force by way of
With 'for' and 'from'
for + period of time from A to Z
for the better/the best from bad to worse
for a change from the first
for ever from good to bad
for once from the heart
for sale from now on
for a walk, etc. from then on
With 'in'
in + place in the end
in + time in fact
in action in full
in addition in general
in all in half/in halves
in any case, in any event in a hurry
in brief in ink/in pencil
in business in love
in case of in a minute
in cash in no time

in the circumstances in order
in comfort in pain
in comparison in person
in conclusion in practice
in control in public
in danger in return
in debt in short
in demand in tears
in depth in time
in detail in turn
in doubt in view of
With 'off'
off duty off the record
off one's head off the road
off the point off school, off work
With 'on'
on + day/date on holiday
on account of on the hour
on approval on the job
on average on a journey
on behalf of on loan
on business on no account
on condition on offer
on the contrary on one's own
on credit on purpose
on demand on the radio/TV
on display on sale
on duty on strike
on fire on the (tele)phone
on foot on time

on guard on a visit
on hand on the way
With 'out of'
Those marked * form their opposite with in.
out of breath out of the ordinary
*out of character *out of pain
*out of control *out of place
*out of danger *out of pocket
out of date *out of practice
*out of debt out of reach
*out of doors *out of season
*out of fashion *out of sight
*out of favour *out of step
*out of focus *out of stock
*out of hand *out of style
out of hearing *out of touch
out of humour *out of tune
*out of love *out of turn
*out of luck *out of use
*out of order *out of work
With 'past' and 'to'
past belief to advantage
past care to a great extent
past control to hand
past hope to the point
With 'under'
under age under orders
under control under pressure
under cover under repair
under one's feet under the rules

under the impression under suspicion
under (no) obligation under the weather
With 'up to', 'with', 'within', 'without'
up to date within the law
up to mischief within range
(not) up to much within reach
up to no good without bothering
up to one's ears without ceremony
up to (you) without delay
with regard to without a doubt
with respect to without exception
with the exception of without fail
within one's income without prejudice
Some adjectives and related nouns + prepositions
Key: sby = somebody; stg = something
adjective noun
absent from a place absence from
afraid of sby/stg fear of sby/stg
amazed at/by sby/stg amazement at
angry at/about stg anger at/about stg
angry with sby anger with sby
annoyed at/about annoyance at/about
annoyed with sby annoyance with
anxious about/over sby/stg anxiety about/over
ashamed of sby/stg shame at stg
aware of sby/stg awareness of
awful at (doing) stg -
bad at (doing) stg -
bored by/with sby/stg boredom with
busy at or with stg -

capable of (doing) stg capability for
careful of/with sby/stg carefulness with
careless of danger carelessness of
certain of/about facts certainty of/about
clever at (doing) stg cleverness at/in
content with stg contentment with
contrary to advice -
curious about sby/stg curiosity about stg
different from/to sby/stg difference from/to
eager for stg eagerness for stg
easy (= not worried) about -
excited about/at/by/over excitement about/at
faithful to sby/stg faithfulness to
famous for (doing) stg fame as...
fond of sby/stg fondness for
free from danger freedom from
free of charge freedom of speech
full of stg -
glad about stg gladness about
good/no good at (doing) stg -
good with one's hands -
grateful to sby for stg gratitude to/for
happy about/at/over/with happiness at/over
interested in/by sby/stg interest in sby/stg
jealous of sby/stg jealousy of sby/stg
keen on (doing) stg keenness on
kind to sby kindness to sby
late for work lateness for work
married to sby marriage to sby
nervous of sby/stg nervousness about

obliged to sby/stg obligation to
pleased about/with sby/stg pleasure about
ready for sby/stg readiness for stg
right about sby/stg -
sad about sby/stg sadness about
safe from stg/for sby safety from stg
satisfied with sby/stg satisfaction with
separate from stg separation from
slow at (doing) stg slowness at
sorry about/for (doing) stg sorrow for (doing)
sorry for sby -
surprised about/at/by surprise about/at
terrible at (doing) stg -
thankful to sby for stg thankfulness to/for
worried about sby/stg worry about/over
wrong about sby/stg -
Verb + preposition transitive (non-idiomatic)
Related nouns + most common prepositions
Verbs marked * are often passive.
verb noun
*advise against doing stg advice against
agree about stg agreement about
*agree to a proposal agreement to
agree with sby agreement with
aim at/for a target aim at/for
apologize to sby for stg apology to sby
*apply to sby for stg application to
*approve of sby/stg approval of
arrive at/in arrival at/in
*ask for sby/stg -

become of sby -
begin with stg/by doing -
believe in sby/stg belief in sby/stg
belong to sby/stg -
*borrow from sby -
choose between choice between
confess to sby/to stg confession to
*deal with sby/a problem -
*depend on sby/stg dependence on
differ from sby/stg difference from/to
dream about/of (doing) dream of
emerge from a place emergence from
fail in an exam failure in
*guess at the truth guess at
identify with sby identification with
insist on (doing) stg insistence on
knock at the door knock at...
*know of/about knowledge of
*laugh at/about sby/stg laughter at stg
*listen to sby/stg -
*look after sby/stg -
*look at sby/stg -
look for sby/stg -
meet with sby (AmE) meeting with
*object to sby/stg objection to
*pay for sby/stg pay(ment) for
quarrel with sby/about stg quarrel with/about
*read about stg -
reason with sby -
*refer to sby/stg reference to

*rely on sby/stg reliance on
*reply to sby reply to sby
*report on sby/stg to sby report on
resign from a job resignation from
retire from one's job retirement from
*search for sby/stg search for
(it) smell of stg smell of stg
succeed in (doing) stg success in (doing)
suffer from an illness -
*talk to sby about stg talk to sby about
(it) taste of stg taste of stg
trade with sby/in stg trade in stg
trust in sby/stg trust in sby/stg
*vote for/against sby/stg vote for/against
wait for sby/stg (long) wait for
*wish for wish for
*write to sby/about stg -
Verb + object + preposition transitive
Related nouns + most common prepositions
verb noun
absent oneself from work absence from
accuse sby of stg accusation of
adapt stg to stg adaptation to
add stg to addition to stg
admire sby for stg admiration for
advise sby about stg advice to/about
appoint sby as/to a post appointment as/to
arrange stg for sby arrangement for
assess stg at a price assessment of/at
associate sby/stg with association with

attach stg to stg attachment to
betray a secret to sby. betrayal of
blame sby for stg blame for stg
charge stg to my account charge to
charge sby with a crime charge against
claim stg from sby claim to stg
combine stg with stg combination of/with
compare sby/stg with comparison with
compensate sby for stg compensation for
congratulate sby on stg congratulations on
connect sby with stg connexion with
convert sby to stg conversion to
defend sby from stg defence against
describe stg to sby description of
discuss stg with sby discussion with
divide a number division by
excuse sby for stg excuse for stg
explain stg to sby explanation of
forgive sby for stg forgiveness of/for
hide stg from sby -
identify stg with/as stg identification with
include stg in stg else inclusion of stg in
inform sby of/about stg information about
insure sby against stg insurance against
interest sby in stg interest in stg
invest money in stg investment in
lend stg to sby loan to sby
neglect sby/stg for sby/stg neglect of
refer sby/stg to sby reference to
remind sby of sby/stg reminder of stg

repeat stg to sby repetition of stg
reserve stg for sby reservation for
return stg to sby return of stg to
rob sby of stg robbery of
search sby for stg search for stg
share stg with sby share of/with
steal stg from sby (theft) of/from
stop sby from doing stg -
tell sby about stg -
translate stg from/into translation into
turn stg in stg else -
use stg for stg else use of stg for
Verb + preposition transitive (idiomatic)
Verbs marked * can go into the passive.
eggs don't agree with me (= have a bad effect)
you answer to him (= explain yourself)
appear for me in court (= represent)
you're asking for trouble (= seeking/inviting it)
you can't bank on his help (= rely on)
* I didn't bargain for this (= not prepared for)
please bear with me (= listen patiently)
she's broken with him (= parted from)
she burst into the room/burst into tears
*please call for me at 6 (= come and collect)
can I call on you tomorrow? (= visit you)
I came across this old book (= found it)
he came at me with a knife (= attacked)
*where did you come by this? (= obtain)
he came into a lot of money (=inherited)
what came over you? (= affected)

*can I count on you for help? (= rely)
*my aunt descended on me (= visited)
*you can't dictate to me (= give me orders)
he's dying for a drink (= wants one badly)
stop digging at me (= finding fault with me)
this dress will do for Jane (= be all right for)
shall I do for you now? (= clean your room)
I could do with a drink (= want one badly)
I can't do without you (= manage without)
*bills are eating into my savings (=using up)
*he's entered for an exam/into a discussion
he's fallen for her (=fallen in love with)
I won't fall for that trick (= be deceived by it)
he fell on his food (= ate it greedily)
she's finished with him (= parted from)
she flew into a rage (= became very angry)
I gather from John that... (= understand)
please gather round me now (= support)
*stop getting at me (= constantly criticizing)
he got into trouble/debt/difficulties
she's got over her illness (= recovered from)
*you can't get round me (= persuade)
*how do we get round this problem? (= solve)
I'm going about my business/work
let's go after him (= try and catch)
the dog went for the postman (= attacked)
the picture went for £1,000 (= was sold for)
*I'll go into the matter (= consider, investigate)
the house grew on me (= became attractive)
I must hand it to you (=praise you for it)

it hangs on this agreement (= depends)
stop harping on it (= always referring to)
he headed for home (= went)
I won't hear of it (= refuse to consider it)
help him to some potatoes (= serve him with)
I hit on this idea (= had/got this idea)
*you must hold to our agreement (= keep to it)
*he jumped at the idea/suggestion/opportunity
*don't jump on me for this (= blame me for this)
keep at it (= work persistently)
*you can't keep a secret from me (= not tell)
*who keeps him in money? (= supplies him)
I'm keeping off tobacco (= not indulging in)
*please keep to the point/plan, etc.
he kicked up a fuss/a noise
*someone landed me into trouble
*I've been landed with this (= given a bad task)
please lay off him (= stop attacking him)
*leave it to me (=give me the responsibility)
*leave him to it (= let him get on with it)
he lives on fruit (i.e. that's what he eats)
he lives with her (i.e. but is not married to her)
*we'll have to look into this (= investigate it)
you can look over the house (= inspect it)
she looked right through me (= ignored me)
I hope we can look to you for help/support
*I can't make anything of this (= understand it)
you won't pass for a nun (= be accepted as)
*let's pass over that (= avoid the subject)
don't pick/peck at (= eat without appetite)

he plays at being a teacher (i.e. he's not serious)
don't play on my feelings (try to gain my sympathy)
*I'll press for a rise in pay (= try hard for)
*how much do you put it at? (= value it)
*put some money on a horse (= make a bet)
*I'll put money towards it (= contribute money)
she's reading for a degree (= studying)
*can you read much into this? (= understand)
he's rolling in money (= has a lot of money)
we'll be rooting for you (AmE) (= supporting)
he suddenly rounded on me (e.g. in anger)
I ran across/into her (= met by chance)
will he run for president? (= try to be elected)
we'd better run for it (= escape quickly)
*a bus ran into my car (= hit it)
we've run into difficulties/trouble/problems
the cost runs into millions (= reaches)
he ran through a fortune (= spent quickly)
I can't run to a new car this year (= afford)
*don't rush into it (without consideration)
I'll see about fixing that fence (= arrange)
can we see over the house? (= examine)
*I saw through it (= understood the truth)
*will you see to the supper? (= attend to it)
*he sat on my application (= did nothing)
we sat through a boring film/lecture, etc.
I'll sleep on your suggestion (= decide later)
I hope you'll stand by me (= support me)
she's standing for parliament (= to be elected)
I won't stand for your rudeness (= tolerate it)

don't stand over me (= supervise me)
we must step on it (= hurry up)
I hope you'll stick by me (= remain loyal)
I swear by this medicine (= have confidence)
he takes after his father (= resembles)
he took to English quickly (= found it easy)
work is telling on him (having a bad effect)
*he didn't touch on the subject (= mention it)
*I'm toying with it (= considering lightly)
he's turned against us (= become hostile)
*I've been turned off it (= lost interest)
it turns on this letter (= depends on)
*you can turn to me for help (= ask me for)
I waded through it (= finished with difficulty)
*who's waiting on you? (= serving)
I walked into a job (= got a job easily)
I walked into a trap (i.e. carelessly)
Arsenal walked over Chelsea (= beat easily)
Verb + particle transitive (idiomatic)
Verbs marked *take the object before the particle.
he *answered me back (= contradicted)
blow the balloon up (= inflate)
they blew it up (= destroyed by explosion)
she broke the engagement off (= ended)
who brought it about? (= caused to happen)
they brought down the ruler (= defeated)
we'll bring the job off (= succeed in doing so)
they'll bring your article out (= publish)
*bring him round (= to consciousness)