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Collocations

10 Useful Adjective Collocations with By

Collocations are an essential part of the English language. They are often used by native speakers to convey their ideas more effectively. Among these collocations, those including the preposition “by” are particularly useful.

This article will explore some of the most common collocations with “by” and provide examples of how they are used in everyday conversation. You will discover various sections, beginning with a list of adjective collocations with “by,” followed by examples, practice exercises, and adjective collocation examples. By the end, you will have a better grasp of these useful collocations.

Adjective Collocations with By

Adjective Collocations with ByPin
Adjective Collocations with By – Created by 7ESL

List of Adjective Collocations with By

  • Amazed by
  • Delighted by
  • Disturbed by
  • Excited by
  • Fascinated by
  • Impressed by
  • Inspired by
  • Selfish by
  • Shocked by
  • Surprised by

Adjective + By Collocations with Examples

Amazed by

  • Meaning: Feeling astonishment or wonder towards something.
  • Example: I am amazed by the beauty of the sunset every evening.

Delighted by

  • Meaning: Feeling extreme pleasure or satisfaction towards something.
  • Example: She was delighted by the news that she got the job she applied for.

Disturbed by

  • Meaning: Feeling uneasy or unsettled by something.
  • Example: They’re disturbed by the behavior of their neighbor.

Excited by

  • Meaning: Feeling enthusiasm or anticipation towards something.
  • Example: She said she wasn’t excited by the party, but she still attended.

Fascinated by

  • Meaning: Feeling captivated or intrigued by something.
  • Example: The tourists were fascinated by the history of the castle.

Impressed by

  • Meaning: Feeling admiration or respect towards something.
  • Example: The customers are impressed by the excellent service at the hotel.

Inspired by

  • Meaning: Feeling motivated or influenced by something.
  • Example: The students are inspired by the teacher’s passion for the subject.

Selfish by

  • Meaning: Being focused or concerned only with oneself.
  • Example: They feel it’s selfish by habit to never consider other people’s feelings.

Shocked by

  • Meaning: Feeling surprise or disbelief towards something.
  • Example: He was shocked by the sudden death of his pet.

Surprised by

  • Meaning: Feeling unexpected or astonished by something.
  • Example: I’m not surprised by the fact that she won the award, she’s very talented.

Adjective Collocations with By | Practice and Exercises

Fill in the blank

  1. She was ___________ the beautiful scenery on her hike.

Answer: Amazed by

  1. He was ___________ the gift he received from his girlfriend.

Answer: Delighted by

  1. She was ___________ the loud noises coming from the construction site.

Answer: Disturbed by

  1. He was ___________ the idea of traveling to a new country.

Answer: Excited by

  1. She was ___________ the history of the ancient ruins.

Answer: Fascinated by

  1. He was ___________ the quality of service at the restaurant.

Answer: Impressed by

  1. She was ___________ to write a novel after reading her favorite author’s book.

Answer: Inspired by

     8. She was ___________ the news of her friend’s sudden death.

Answer: Shocked by

     9. He was ___________ the surprise party his friends threw for him.

Answer: Surprised by

A2 Knowledge Check · 5 questions

10 Useful Adjective Collocations with By — Practice Quiz

1 / 5
Q1

Question 1: Which adjective + preposition collocation means 'feeling captivated or intrigued by something'?

Question 1 options
"Fascinated by" means feeling captivated or intrigued by something. The other options have different meanings: "amazed by" means feeling astonishment, "impressed by" means feeling admiration, and "excited by" means feeling enthusiasm.
Q2

Question 2: The collocation 'disturbed by' means feeling enthusiasm or anticipation towards something.

Question 2 options
This is false. "Disturbed by" means feeling uneasy or unsettled by something. The collocation that means feeling enthusiasm or anticipation is "excited by."
Q3

Question 3: The tourists were ___ the history of the castle.

Question 3 options
"Fascinated by" is the correct collocation here, meaning the tourists felt captivated or intrigued by the castle's history. This matches the example given in the article for this collocation.
Q4

Question 4: Match each adjective + 'by' collocation to its correct meaning.

Question 4 options
Amazed by
Delighted by
Inspired by
Shocked by
Feeling motivated or influenced
Feeling extreme pleasure or satisfaction
Feeling astonishment or wonder
Feeling surprise or disbelief

Select an item on the left, then tap its match on the right.

"Amazed by" means feeling astonishment or wonder. "Delighted by" means feeling extreme pleasure or satisfaction. "Inspired by" means feeling motivated or influenced. "Shocked by" means feeling surprise or disbelief.
Q5

Question 5: He was ___ the sudden death of his pet.

Question 5 options
"Shocked by" is the correct collocation, meaning he felt surprise or disbelief about his pet's sudden death. "Delighted by" and "excited by" express positive emotions that don't fit this sad context, and "impressed by" means admiration, which is also inappropriate here.

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