Practice
Preposition collocations
Sign in to saveA learner may know the words responsible and mistake, yet still need the small word for in responsible for a task and mistake in a report. In these common patterns, the preposition belongs with the surrounding word.
Recognize common verb, adjective, and noun collocations with prepositions, then choose the complete pattern that fits the meaning and grammar of a B2 sentence.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
She is responsible for the final report. /ʃiː ɪz rɪˈspɒnsəbl fə ðə ˈfaɪnəl rɪˈpɔːt/
The short answer
Learn the main word and its usual preposition together: apply for a job, aware of a risk, and reason for a delay. Then notice the grammar after the preposition, such as a noun, pronoun, or -ing form.
Priya is responsible for arranging the meeting room.
Why it works: Responsible for is the complete adjective pattern. Arranging is an -ing form after the preposition.
5 more examples
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The project depends on approval from the finance team.
Use depend on for a person, condition, or thing that affects whether something happens.
Not this:The project
depends ofapproval from the finance team. What changes: Depend of is not the usual English pattern. Use depend on. -
I am interested in joining the evening photography class.
Interested in can be followed by a thing, a person, or an -ing form that names an activity.
Not this:I am
interested tojoining the evening photography class. What changes: Interested to is not the pattern for an activity. Use interested in joining. -
Maya apologized for arriving late to the client call.
Apologize for names the action, mistake, or situation that caused the apology.
Not this:Maya
apologized aboutarriving late to the client call. What changes: Apologize about is not the usual pattern when you name the reason for an apology. -
There has been an increase in demand for evening appointments.
Increase in identifies the thing that has become greater.
Not this:There has been an
increase ofdemand for evening appointments. What changes: Increase of does not normally introduce the thing that changed. Use increase in demand. -
We need a solution to the delivery problem before Friday.
A solution is an answer to a problem, question, or difficulty.
Not this:We need a
solution forthe delivery problem before Friday. What changes: Solution to is the usual collocation when you name the problem being solved.
Read the full guide
When you meet a useful collocation, record a full example rather than only two separate words. A sentence shows the meaning, the preposition, and what can follow it. For instance, object to the proposal tells you that object is followed by to before the thing someone disagrees with.
Learn the word with its preposition
Write the whole pattern in your notes. If you write depend on, you are less likely to choose a different preposition when you need the phrase in a sentence.
The start time depends on the train schedule.
Depend on means that one fact or event affects another one.
Which preposition completes the pattern depend ___?
Use on: depend on.
Notice what follows the preposition
After a preposition, English often uses a noun phrase, a pronoun, or an -ing form. This is why interested in learning is natural, while interested in learn is not.
He is keen on improving his presentation skills.
Improving is an -ing form after on. It names the activity that interests him.
Complete the sentence: They are worried about ___ the deadline.
Use missing: They are worried about missing the deadline.
Separate similar adjective patterns
Adjectives with a similar general meaning can use different prepositions. You may be good at a task, responsible for a task, and familiar with a task. The choice depends on the adjective and the meaning.
Our new colleague is familiar with the booking system.
Familiar with means that someone already knows something or has experience of it.
Which preposition follows familiar in this pattern?
Use with: familiar with the system.
Use noun collocations to name relationships
Nouns can have regular preposition partners too. A reason for explains why something happened. A response to replies to an idea, message, or event. These phrases are common in formal and practical writing.
The manager asked for a response to the revised proposal.
Response to identifies the thing that receives a reply or reaction.
Complete the phrase: a reason ___ the delay.
Use for: a reason for the delay.
Check when one word has two patterns
Some words take different prepositions because the relationship changes. You can complain about a problem, but complain to a manager. The first phrase names the topic. The second phrase names the person who receives the complaint.
Jon complained to the supplier about the damaged package.
To identifies the listener, and about identifies the problem.
In complained to the supplier, who receives the complaint?
The supplier receives it.
Before you go
Remember this
Treat a preposition collocation as one item of language. Learn the word before the preposition, the preposition itself, and a complete sentence that shows the meaning. Review similar patterns in groups, but check each one before you reuse it.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Preposition collocations"
What is a preposition collocation?
A preposition collocation is a usual combination of a word and a preposition. It may begin with a verb, adjective, or noun. Examples include depend on, interested in, and a reason for something. Learn the complete pattern because another preposition may change the meaning or sound unnatural.
The project depends on approval from the finance team.
Why can I not translate prepositions word for word?
Languages organize these relationships in different ways. English uses interested in, for example, while another language may choose a different preposition. Learn the English pattern through a full sentence, such as I am interested in joining the class, instead of trying to match each word to a translation.
The project depends of approval from the finance team.
What can come after a preposition in these patterns?
A noun phrase, a pronoun, or an -ing form often follows a preposition. You can say familiar with the system, familiar with it, or interested in learning more. A base verb usually does not follow a preposition in this kind of phrase.
I am interested in joining the evening photography class.
Can the same word use more than one preposition?
Yes. The preposition can show a different relationship. Complain about names the subject of a complaint, while complain to names the person who hears it. Record a separate example for each pattern so that the different meanings stay clear.
I am interested to joining the evening photography class.
How should I practice preposition collocations?
Keep a short list of complete phrases and make one personal sentence for each one. Group patterns by type, such as adjective plus preposition or noun plus preposition. Then review them in context and correct any phrase that does not match the meaning you want to express.
Maya apologized for arriving late to the client call.