Adjectives and prepositions are two fundamental parts of the English language that frequently appear together in the form of adjective preposition collocations. These collocations are essential for expressing oneself accurately and naturally in English, and they are commonly used in both written and spoken communication.
In this article, we will explore the most common adjective preposition collocations in English, how they are used, and provide examples of their usage. By understanding these collocations, learners can improve their ability to communicate effectively and fluently in English.
Understanding Adjective Preposition Collocations
Adjective preposition collocations are phrases that consist of an adjective and a preposition that are commonly used together to describe or modify a noun or pronoun. These collocations are often idiomatic and cannot be easily understood by looking at the individual words alone. For example, the adjective “interested” is commonly used with the preposition “in” to form the collocation “interested in”, which means to have a feeling of curiosity or concern about something. Other examples include “dependent on”, “famous for”, “similar to”, “afraid of”, and “good at”.
Read the list of useful adjectives and prepositions collocations in English below.
Adjectives + Prepositions: OF
Learn common adjective combinations with the preposition OF in English.
- Accusatory of
- Afraid of
- Ashamed of
- Aware of
- Capable of
- Certain of
- Conscious of
- Critical of
- Devoid of
- Disapproving of
- Disgusted of
- Envious of
- Envious of
- Fond of
- Full of
- Guilty of
- In need of
- Incapable of
- Indifferent of
- Inquisitive of
- Independent of
- Jealous of
- Knowledgeable of
- Nostalgic of
- Proud of
- Resentful of
- Silly of
- Sure of
- Suspicious of
- Tired of
- Typical of
- Unaware of
- Unworthy of
- Vindictive of
- Wary of
- Zealous of
Adjectives and Prepositions: FOR
Learn common adjective collocations with the preposition FOR in English.
- Accountable for
- Appreciative for
- Appropriate for
- Available for
- Beneficial for
- Blamed for
- Capable for
- Critical for
- Credible for
- Desperate for
- Eager for
- Eligible for
- Essential for
- Famous for
- Fit for
- Good for
- Grateful for
- Indispensable for
- Infamous for
- Known for
- Liable for
- Necessary for
- Notorious for
- Optimal for
- Prepared for
- Ready for
- Renowned for
- Responsible for
- Respected for
- Suitable for
- Sympathetic for
- Thankful for
- Unfit for
- Unsuitable for
Adjectives + Prepositions: WITH
List of adjective collocations with the preposition WITH in English.
- Annoyed with
- Associated with
- Blessed with
- Bored with
- Comfortable with
- Compatible with
- Confronted with
- Crowded with
- Delighted with
- Disappointed with
- Disgusted with
- Familiar with
- Fed up with
- Impressed with
- Infatuated with
- Obsessed with
- Popular with
- Pleased with
- Preoccupied with
- Satisfied with
- Struggling with
- Uncomfortable with
- Unfamiliar with
- Unhappy with
- Unimpressed with
- Upset with
Adjectives and Prepositions: TO
List of common adjective collocations with the preposition TO.
- Accustomed to
- Addicted to
- Allergic to
- Attached to
- Attracted to
- Committed to
- Dedicated to
- Devoted to
- Drawn to
- Exposed to
- Immune to
- Indifferent to
- Kind to
- Married to
- Oblivious to
- Open to
- Prone to
- Receptive to
- Related to
- Resistant to
- Sensitive to
- Similar to
- Subject to
- Superior to
- Susceptible to
- Unfriendly to
- Used to
- Vulnerable to
- Welcoming to
Adjectives + Prepositions: ABOUT
List of useful adjective collocations with the preposition ABOUT.
- Ambivalent about
- Angry about
- Anxious about
- Apathetic about
- Apprehensive about
- Ashamed about
- Bored about
- Careful about
- Concerned about
- Confident about
- Confused about
- Curious about
- Depressed about
- Disappointed about
- Disgusted about
- Eager about
- Enthusiastic about
- Excited about
- Fearful about
- Furious about
- Frustrated about
- Grateful about
- Guilty about
- Happy about
- Hopeful about
- Indifferent about
- Insecure about
- Jealous about
- Knowledgeable about
- Nervous about
- Optimistic about
- Passionate about
- Pessimistic about
- Sad about
- Satisfied about
- Serious about
- Skeptical about
- Suspicious about
- Uncertain about
- Unhappy about
- Upset about
- Worried about
Adjectives and Prepositions: IN
Learn useful adjective combinations with the preposition IN in English.
- Accomplished in
- Adept in
- Capable in
- Comfortable in
- Competent in
- Confident in
- Experienced in
- Engaged in
- Expert in
- Fluent in
- Gifted in
- Interested in
- Involved in
- Knowledgeable in
- Proficient in
- Skilled in
- Specialized in
- Talented in
- Trained in
- Versed in
- Well-versed in
Adjectives + Prepositions: BY
Here is a list of useful adjective collocations with the preposition BY.
- Accompanied by
- Affected by
- Amazed by
- Astonished by
- Assisted by
- Baffled by
- Bewildered by
- Captivated by
- Charmed by
- Confused by
- Distracted by
- Encouraged by
- Fascinated by
- Frustrated by
- Impressed by
- Inspired by
- Intimidated by
- Intrigued by
- Overwhelmed by
- Puzzled by
- Shocked by
- Stunned by
- Surprised by
- Thrilled by
- Troubled by
- Unaffected by
- Unimpressed by
- Unmoved by
- Unperturbed by
- Unsurprised by
Adjective Preposition Collocations: AT
Learn common adjective preposition combinations with the preposition AT in English.
- Amazed at
- Angry at
- Annoyed at
- Awful at
- Bad at
- Brilliant at
- Clever at
- Delighted at
- Disappointed at
- Excellent at
- Excited at
- Good at
- Hopeless at
- Lucky at
- Mad at
- Present at
- Skilled at
- Slow at
- Successful at
- Surprised at
- Terrible at
Adjectives and Prepositions: FROM
- Absent from
- Apart from
- Banned from
- Detached from
- Different from
- Differentiated from
- Disassociated from
- Disconnected from
- Distant from
- Distinct from
- Excluded from
- Exempt from
- Free from
- Immune from
- Isolated from
- Made from
- Protected from
- Prohibited from
- Removed from
- Separate from
- Separated from
- Shielded from
- Unaffected from
- Unattached from
- Unbiased from
- Unconnected from
- Uninfluenced from
- Unrelated from
- Unsurprised from
- Thrilled from
Adjectives + Prepositions: ON
- Based on
- Built on
- Centered on
- Conditional on
- Dependent on
- Determined on
- Elaborate on
- Embellished on
- Focused on
- Hinged on
- Insistent on
- Intense on
- Keen on
- Obsessed on
- Preoccupied on
- Rely on
- Set on
- Stressed on
- Touching on
- Unwavering on
- Well-versed on
Learn more with a big list of prepositional phrases in English with examples.
Adjective Preposition Combinations | Images
Adjective and Preposition Collocations in English | Image 1
Adjective and Preposition Combinations in English | Image 2
Adjectives and Prepositions | Collocation Examples
List of adjective preposition collocations with example sentences.
- He’s brilliant at football.
- She is good at solving problems.
- Most fathers wish to be present at the birth of their child.
- Dustin is terrible at texting.
- The drought has made farmers anxious about the harvest.
- I’m not crazy about Chinese food.
- You don’t sound very enthusiastic about the idea.
- If there’s anything you’re not happy about, come and ask.
- Consumers are very nervous about the future.
- He’s very sensitive about his weight.
- Are you sure about that?
- He’s not worried about his upcoming examinations.
- What makes you think that you are qualified for this job?
- Charlie has a clever idea/plan for getting us out of our present difficulties.
- If Sarah is free for lunch I’ll take her out.
- She is so grateful for your help.
- The army are said to be ready for action.
- She’s famous for her watercolor paintings.
- The smell is very familiar to everyone who lives near a bakery
- You are free to come and go as you please.
- She had grown accustomed to his long absences.
- She remained bitterly apposed to the idea of moving abroad.
- He was disappointed to see she wasn’t at the party.
- I am extremely grateful to all the teachers for their help.
- Places on the bus are limited to 50 – so book early!
- I was sad to hear that they’d split up.
- It would be unreasonable to expect somebody to come at such short notice.
- He was quite certain of his attacker’s identity.
- What are you frightened of?
- You are in danger of being robbed.
- The house was made of wood with an iron roof.
- It’s very selfish of him to just expect that Polly will do all the childcare.
- It’s stupid of her to go out without a coat.
- How clever of you to buy chocolate chip cookies – they’re my favorites.
- The kids are busy with their homework.
- The fall in retail sales is directly connected with the decline in employment.
- He’s fed up with his job. He wants to quit.
- You should be generous with your time.
- Be careful with the glasses.
- There’s something wrong with the printer.
- The book was inspired by a real person.
- The teacher was surprised by the student’s question.
- Many people were shocked by the sex scenes in the film.
- There was a large crowd present in the auditorium.
- They were successful in winning the contract.
- He was connected in some way with that fraud scandal a couple of years back.
Pitfalls of Using Adjective Preposition Collocations
One common pitfall is uncertainty about which prepositions pair correctly with specific adjectives. There are no strict grammatical rules dictating these combinations, which may lead to confusion and errors. To minimize this issue, learners should familiarize themselves with common collocations and practice using them in context.
Another pitfall pertains to the varying nuances that collocations can convey. Depending on the context and the preposition used, the meaning of a combination may differ. This can be particularly challenging for non-native speakers who may misinterpret or misuse certain collocations. To overcome this, learners should pay close attention to the context in which collocations are used.
In addition, it is important to note that collocations may vary between different dialects, regions, or cultures. What may be a common adjective preposition collocation in one area might not be widely used or even understood in another. Developing an awareness of these differences can help learners avoid misunderstanding or miscommunication.
Moreover, falling into the trap of overusing these collocations in writing or speech can make the communication sound scripted, monotonous, or repetitive. While it’s useful to know and apply these combinations, it’s essential to balance their use with other methods of conveying thoughts and ideas.
Strategies for Learning Adjective Preposition Collocations
Learning adjective preposition collocations can greatly improve your English language skills, as these are commonly used phrases that are essential for fluency and accuracy. To effectively learn and practice these collocations, you can employ several strategies.
Firstly, it’s crucial to engage with authentic content like articles, books, and conversations. Observe how native speakers use these collocations in context, helping you grasp their natural usage. Take notes and try to identify patterns or common pairings as you encounter them.
Next, create flashcards with the adjective on one side and its preposition collocation on the other. Review these flashcards regularly to boost your memory retention. This technique allows for easy self-testing, enabling you to gauge your mastery of each collocation effectively.
Practice exercises are another valuable tool. Multiple resource websites provide practice materials specifically designed to help you learn and improve your adjective preposition collocations. Some examples include quizzes, worksheets, and online activities that target these language skills.
Additionally, try group study or peer learning. Working with others can create a fun and interactive learning environment. Explaining the collocations to one another helps to solidify your understanding, while hearing different perspectives can lead to the discovery of new pairings and usage ideas.
Finally, use the collocations in everyday communication, both written and spoken. This helps to reinforce your learning and encourages the natural use of the collocations in context. Remember, practice makes perfect, so try incorporating the learned collocations into conversations and written text as often as possible.
Adjective Preposition Collocations | Video
Common adjective preposition collocations with pronunciation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common adjective-preposition pairings?
There are many common adjective-preposition combinations in the English language. Some examples include “afraid of,” “angry at,” “bored with,” “excited about,” “famous for,” “good at,” “interested in,” “proud of,” and “tired of.” It is essential to become familiar with these pairings when learning and practicing English to communicate effectively and accurately.
What’s the grammatical rule for using adjectives and prepositions in a sentence?
There isn’t a single, overarching grammatical rule for using adjectives and prepositions in a sentence. Instead, it is crucial to understand that specific adjectives naturally pair with particular prepositions, forming collocations. When you encounter an adjective, learn and remember the preposition that usually accompanies it.
Are there any exceptions to adjective-preposition collocations?
While there are many standard adjective-preposition collocations, there can be occasional exceptions depending on context or regional usage. However, these exceptions are relatively rare, and focusing on learning and practicing the common pairings will help to ensure accurate and effective communication.
How do gerunds work with adjective-preposition combinations?
Gerunds are verbs ending in -ing that function as nouns. When using gerunds in combination with adjectives and prepositions, the gerund typically follows the preposition. For example:
- She’s interested in learning English.
- They’re famous for creating innovative products.
As with adjective-preposition collocations, it is crucial to become familiar with common pairings to use gerunds accurately in your sentences.
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Nice!. its worth studying it, but you can add more adjectives and they’re prepositions. like dedicated , acquainted , devoted etc.. . But keep up the good work!
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