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Dependent prepositions are prepositions that always follow specific verbs, adjectives, or nouns in English. Unlike prepositions of time or place, which follow logical rules, dependent prepositions must simply be learned through memorization and practice. There is no consistent rule that explains why we say "interested in" rather than "interested about," or "depend on" rather than "depend of." This guide provides comprehensive lists of the most important verb-preposition and adjective-preposition combinations, complete with examples to help you memorize them.
Table of Contents
What Are Dependent Prepositions?
A dependent preposition is a preposition that is grammatically tied to a particular verb, adjective, or noun. The preposition "depends" on the word it follows—it cannot be freely swapped for another preposition without changing the meaning or making the sentence incorrect.
She is interested in music. (NOT "interested about")
I agree with you. (NOT "agree to you")
He applied for the job. (NOT "applied to the job")
We depend on technology. (NOT "depend from")
Dependent prepositions are one of the most challenging areas of English for learners because they are largely arbitrary. Learning them requires exposure, practice, and deliberate memorization.
Verbs + About
| Verb + About | Example |
|---|---|
| think about | I'm thinking about your offer. |
| talk about | They talked about the problem. |
| worry about | Don't worry about the exam. |
| complain about | She complained about the noise. |
| dream about | I dreamed about you last night. |
| forget about | He forgot about the meeting. |
| know about | Do you know about the changes? |
| learn about | We learned about history. |
| care about | She cares about the environment. |
Verbs + At
| Verb + At | Example |
|---|---|
| look at | Look at this picture. |
| stare at | Don't stare at people. |
| laugh at | They laughed at his joke. |
| shout at | She shouted at the driver. |
| arrive at | We arrived at the airport. |
| aim at | He aimed at the target. |
Verbs + For
| Verb + For | Example |
|---|---|
| wait for | I'm waiting for the bus. |
| look for | She is looking for her keys. |
| ask for | He asked for help. |
| apply for | She applied for a scholarship. |
| pay for | Who will pay for dinner? |
| apologize for | I apologize for being late. |
| thank for | Thank you for your kindness. |
| blame for | He blamed me for the mistake. |
| prepare for | We are preparing for the exam. |
| search for | Police are searching for the suspect. |
Verbs + From
| Verb + From | Example |
|---|---|
| suffer from | She suffers from allergies. |
| recover from | He is recovering from surgery. |
| prevent from | The rain prevented us from going. |
| differ from | This differs from the original. |
| benefit from | Students benefit from practice. |
| escape from | The prisoner escaped from jail. |
Verbs + In
| Verb + In | Example |
|---|---|
| believe in | I believe in hard work. |
| succeed in | She succeeded in passing the test. |
| participate in | He participated in the competition. |
| result in | The accident resulted in injuries. |
| specialize in | She specializes in cardiology. |
| invest in | They invested in real estate. |
Verbs + Of
| Verb + Of | Example |
|---|---|
| consist of | The team consists of 12 members. |
| think of | What do you think of this idea? |
| dream of | She dreams of becoming a doctor. |
| remind of | You remind me of my sister. |
| accuse of | He was accused of theft. |
| approve of | Her parents don't approve of him. |
| die of | He died of a heart attack. |
Verbs + On
| Verb + On | Example |
|---|---|
| depend on | It depends on the weather. |
| rely on | You can rely on me. |
| concentrate on | Please concentrate on your work. |
| insist on | She insisted on paying. |
| spend on | He spends too much on clothes. |
| comment on | She commented on the results. |
| focus on | Focus on the main issue. |
Verbs + To
| Verb + To | Example |
|---|---|
| belong to | This book belongs to Sarah. |
| listen to | Listen to the teacher. |
| refer to | Please refer to page 5. |
| respond to | She responded to my email. |
| contribute to | Everyone can contribute to the project. |
| adjust to | It took time to adjust to the new schedule. |
| object to | I object to this decision. |
Verbs + With
| Verb + With | Example |
|---|---|
| agree with | I agree with your opinion. |
| deal with | She deals with customer complaints. |
| cope with | He copes with stress well. |
| argue with | Don't argue with the referee. |
| provide with | The hotel provided us with towels. |
| fill with | She filled the glass with water. |
Adjectives + Prepositions
Adjectives + Of
| Combination | Example |
|---|---|
| afraid of | She is afraid of spiders. |
| aware of | Are you aware of the risks? |
| capable of | He is capable of doing it. |
| fond of | She is fond of chocolate. |
| proud of | I'm proud of my daughter. |
| tired of | I'm tired of waiting. |
| jealous of | She's jealous of her sister. |
Adjectives + In
interested in — She is interested in art.
involved in — He was involved in the project.
successful in — She was successful in her career.
Adjectives + For
famous for — Paris is famous for the Eiffel Tower.
responsible for — Who is responsible for this mess?
ready for — Are you ready for the test?
sorry for — I'm sorry for the inconvenience.
Adjectives + About
excited about — She is excited about the trip.
worried about — He is worried about the results.
angry about — They were angry about the delay.
happy about — I'm happy about the news.
Adjectives + With
satisfied with — Are you satisfied with the service?
pleased with — She was pleased with the result.
bored with — I'm bored with this movie.
angry with — She is angry with her brother.
Preposition + Gerund (-ing Form)
When a verb follows a dependent preposition, it must be in the gerund (-ing) form. This is a strict rule with no exceptions.
She is interested in learning Japanese. (NOT "to learn")
He apologized for being late.
I'm thinking about changing jobs.
She insisted on paying for dinner.
They succeeded in completing the project.
Rule: Preposition + verb = always -ing form. This applies to all prepositions in English, not just dependent prepositions.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Wrong Preposition Choice
❌ I'm interested about history. → ✅ I'm interested in history.
❌ It depends of the situation. → ✅ It depends on the situation.
❌ She is afraid from dogs. → ✅ She is afraid of dogs.
Mistake 2: Infinitive After a Preposition
❌ She is good at to cook. → ✅ She is good at cooking.
❌ I apologize for to be late. → ✅ I apologize for being late.
Mistake 3: Adding Unnecessary Prepositions
❌ She discussed about the problem. → ✅ She discussed the problem.
❌ He entered into the room. → ✅ He entered the room.
Practice Exercises
Fill in the correct preposition.
1. She is interested _______ photography.
Answer: in
2. He apologized _______ the mistake.
Answer: for
3. I agree _______ you completely.
Answer: with
4. The result depends _______ your effort.
Answer: on
5. She is afraid _______ flying.
Answer: of
6. Please listen _______ the instructions.
Answer: to
7. He succeeded _______ passing the exam.
Answer: in
8. We are looking _______ a new apartment.
Answer: for
Dependent prepositions are one of the most memorization-heavy areas of English grammar. There are no shortcuts—you must learn each combination individually. However, by studying the lists in this guide, practicing in context, and reading widely in English, you will gradually internalize these patterns and use them naturally.
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