Adjective and preposition combinations

The adjective and preposition usually work as a familiar pair. Write the complete phrase interested in in your notes. This gives you a pattern that you can use again in speaking and writing.

We are interested in joining the local class.

Interested in is the phrase. Joining is an -ing form because it follows a preposition.

Which preposition completes I am interested ___ learning more?

Use in: I am interested in learning more.

Use good at when you describe ability in a subject, task, sport, or activity. The word after at can be a noun, such as maths, or an -ing form, such as solving problems.

Rosa is good at finding clear examples.

Finding names the activity that Rosa does well.

My uncle is good at chess.

Chess is a noun, so an -ing form is not needed.

Complete the sentence: Tariq is good ___ organising meetings.

Use at: Tariq is good at organising meetings.

Use interested in when a topic, person, or activity attracts someone's attention. It can introduce a noun phrase or an -ing form. This pair describes the person who has the interest.

Are you interested in this training course?

This training course is the topic that interests the listener.

Several neighbors are interested in growing vegetables.

Growing vegetables is the activity that interests them.

Which form fits the sentence: He is interested in build models or He is interested in building models?

Use building models. A verb after in takes the -ing form.

Use afraid of before the thing, person, situation, or activity that causes fear. It can be followed by a noun phrase or an -ing form. This pattern is different from afraid to plus a base verb.

The child is afraid of the loud noise.

The loud noise is the thing that causes fear.

I am afraid of forgetting the appointment.

Forgetting is an activity, so it uses the -ing form after of.

How do you describe a fear of flying?

Say afraid of flying. Flying names the activity that causes fear.

Use responsible for to say what someone must manage, protect, decide, or complete. It often appears at work, at home, and in group projects. The phrase can be followed by a thing or by an -ing form that names the duty.

Who is responsible for the visitor list?

The visitor list is the job that needs an owner.

Sam is responsible for locking the office.

Locking the office names Sam's duty.

Complete the question: Who is responsible ___ sending the reminder?

Use for: Who is responsible for sending the reminder?

Use proud of when an achievement, effort, quality, or person gives someone a feeling of pride. The phrase can refer to your own work or to another person. An -ing form works when the object is an activity or achievement.

I am proud of my sister's patience.

Her patience is the quality that creates the feeling of pride.

They were proud of completing the course.

Completing the course is the achievement they feel proud about.

Which preposition follows proud when you name an achievement?

Use of: We are proud of our progress.

After a preposition, choose a noun phrase, a pronoun, or an -ing form. Do not normally use to plus the base verb after a preposition. Compare interested in learning with ready to learn. The first phrase has a preposition. The second has an infinitive pattern.

We are worried about missing the train.

Missing follows about because the preposition needs an object in this phrase.

She is proud of it.

It is a pronoun, so it can follow the preposition directly.

Choose the natural ending: He is good at repair bikes or He is good at repairing bikes.

Use repairing bikes. The verb takes the -ing form after at.