Prepositions and Their Respective Nouns, Adjectives and Verbs

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I. PREPOSITIONS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE NOUNS, ADJECTIVES AND 
VERBS. 
VERBS AND PREPOSITIONS 
arrive at / in somewhere Apologize to someone for something or for 
someone 
belong to somebody ask about something, ask for something 
borrow something from somebody agree to a proposal, with a person, on a price, 
in principle 
concentrate on something / doing 
something 
argue about a matter, with a person, for or 
against a proposition 
depend on something / somebody correspond to a thing, with a person 
explain something to somebody differ from an unlike thing, with a person 
listen to something / somebody live at an address, in a house or city, on a 
street, with other people 
pay somebody for something care for someone 
wait for somebody / something give up something or someone 
worry about somebody / something talk to someone about someone or something 
think about somebody / something dream about something or someone (during 
sleep), dream of something (mental picture of 
the future) 
 
 
 
ADJECTIVES AND PREPOSITIONS 
 
PREPOSITION EXAMPLE 
ABOUT 
angry / annoyed / furious / happy 
/ careless about something 
I'm really angry about our losses on the 
stock market! 
excited about something He's excited about his birthday party next 
week. 
worried / upset /sorry about 
something 
He's worried about his upcoming 
examinations. 
AT 
Use the good / excellent / 
brilliant at something OR at doing 
something 
They are excellent at planning fun 
parties. 
bad / hopeless/ angry at 
something OR at doing something 
Unfortunately, I'm hopeless at being on 
time. 
AT / BY 
amazed / astonished / shocked / 
surprised at OR by something 
I was amazed at his stamina. 
FOR 
angry with someone for something I'm really angry with John for his total 
lack of responsibility. 
famous / responsible for 
something 
She's famous for her watercolor paintings. 
sorry for doing something He says he's sorry for shouting at you. 
(to feel or be) sorry for someone I really feel sorry for Pam. 
FROM 
different from someone / 
something 
 
His photographs are very different from 
his paintings. 
OF 
nice / kind / good / generous of 
someone (to do something) 
It was very nice of him to buy me a 
present. 
mean of someone (to do 
something) 
It was very mean of Susan to say that to 
Tom. 
stupid / silly of someone (to do 
something) 
I'm afraid it was stupid of me to come. 
intelligent / clever / sensible of 
someone (to do something) 
That was quite sensible of Tom. 
impolite / polite /rude of 
someone (to do something) 
 
I can't believe how rude it was of Jack to 
shout at his daughter in front of all those 
people. 
unreasonable of someone (to do 
something) 
It's unreasonable of you to expect to 
understand everything immediately. 
proud of something or someone. 
 
I'm very proud of my daughter's wonderful 
progress in school 
ashamed of someone or something She's ashamed of her bad grades. 
jealous / envious of someone or 
something 
She's really envious of her sister's wealth. 
aware / conscious of something Teens are often overly conscious of skin 
blemishes. 
capable / incapable of something 
 
Peter is quite capable of conducting the 
meeting on his own. 
fond of someone or something She is so fond of her niece. 
short of / tired of something I'm afraid I'm short of cash tonight. 
ON 
to be keen on something She is very keen on horses. 
TO 
married / engaged to someone Jack is engaged to Jill. 
nice / kind / good / generous to 
someone 
She was very generous to me when I was 
staying with her. 
mean / impolite / rude / 
unpleasant / unfriendly / cruel to 
someone 
How can you be so unfriendly to your 
neighbors? 
similar to something His painting is similar to Van Gough. 
WITH 
angry / annoyed / furious with 
someone for something 
I'm furious with my brother for having lied 
to me! 
delighted / pleased / satisfied / 
familiar with something 
He is quite satisfied with his results. 
bored / fed up / disappointed 
with something 
Let's go. I'm fed up with this party. 
crowded with (people, tourists, 
etc.) 
Disneyland is crowded with tourists in 
July. 
 
PREPOSITIONS AND NOUNS 
PREPOSITION EXAMPLE 
IN 
a rise in something There has been a rise in prices recently. 
an increase in something We have seen many increases in production levels. 
a fall in something There has been a fall in prices recently. 
a decrease in something We have seen many decreases in production levels. 
to be OR to fall in love with 
someone 
I fell in love with my wife at first sight. 
OF 
a cause of something She is the cause of all his problems. 
a photograph OR a picture of 
something or someone 
He took a photograph of the mountains. 
An approval of There has been a general approval of the project. 
An awareness of He has an awareness of the difference between the two 
versions 
An understanding of She has a keen understanding of the whole process. 
TO 
damage to something I did a lot of damage to my car the other day. 
an invitation to a 
celebration of some type 
We were invited to their wedding. 
reaction to something Her reaction to his behavior was quite funny. 
a solution to a problem He provided the solution to our financial situation. 
an attitude to something (or 
TOWARDS something) 
Your attitude to your problems doesn't help them get 
resolved. 
WITH 
a relationship / a 
connection / a contact with 
someone or something 
My relationship with Mary is wonderful. 
BETWEEN 
a connection / a 
relationship / a contact / a 
difference between TWO 
things 
There is no connection between the two crimes. 
FOR 
(to go / come) for a walk Let's go for a walk. 
(to go / come) for a swim We went for a swim as soon as we arrived. 
(to go / come) for a drink Would you like to come over for a drink? 
(to go / come) for a visit I'd love to come for a visit sometime. 
a check for (amount of 
money) 
She gave me a check for $50. 
a demand for something Unfortunately, there wasn't enough demand for our 
product. 
a need for something There is a real need for discipline in this class. 
a reason for something I have a reason for doing that! 
(to have something) for I had bacon and eggs for breakfast. 
breakfast / lunch / dinner / 
supper (US English) 
a fondness/ a desire / a 
concern for 
She has really a fondness for sweets. 
 
NOUNS THAT FOLLOW PREPOSITIONS 
IN ON AT 
In love On purpose/ second 
thought 
At all cost (a todo custo) 
In a hurry On trial/on fire/on a 
diet 
At any cost (de jeito 
nenhum) 
In other words On the other hand At all events (de 
qualquer forma) 
In pencil / in ink On duty/the way At least (pelo menos) 
In fact on holiday (UK English) / 
vacation (American 
English) 
At worst (na pior das 
hipóteses) 
In short (em resumo) On someone’s own 
(alone) 
At your disposal (à sua 
disposição) 
In color blood (a 
sangue frio) 
On horseback At ease (à vontade) 
In full (por extenso) On the average/the 
contrary 
At hand 
In kind (em espécie) On the air/ business At intervals 
(periodicamente) 
In the least (nem um 
pouco) 
on a tour / on a trip / 
on an excursion 
At the latest (no mais 
tardar) 
In a good mood on the telephone /strike At length (finalmente) 
In pain On earth (cargas d’água) At the most (no máximo) 
In the long run (a 
longo prazo) 
On all fours (de quarto) At any price (a qualquer 
custo) 
In one’s shoes (no lugar 
de alguém) 
On the loose (à solta) At rest (em repouso) 
In mourning (de luto) On the premises (nas 
dependências) 
At one’s own riskIn time (em tempo, a 
tempo) 
On the rocks (com gelo) At first sight 
In writing (por escrito) On the spot (no ato, no 
local) 
At sunrise- sunset 
In tears/debt/a 
whisper 
On display (à mostra) At a time (de cada vez) 
 On the pill (tomando 
contraceptivo) 
 
 On account of (em 
virtude de) 
 
 On the whole (no geral) 
 On time (em cima da 
hora) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BY OUT OF FOR 
By the dozen (por 
dúzia) 
Out of 
breath/cash/danger 
For a change /ages 
By far (de longe) Out of doors (do lado de 
fora) 
For the better/the 
worse 
By hand (à mão) Out of love/date/fashion For keeps (para sempre) 
By heart (de cor) Out of work/order/reach For instance 
By one’s side/sight Out of shape/the 
way/print 
For good (para sempre) 
By mistake/accident Out of one’s mind For nothing/hire/sure 
By all means/no means For fun 
By check (credit card) For life (para toda a 
vida) 
By the way/chance