Quick Answer:
Preposition combinations are fixed phrases where specific prepositions follow adjectives, verbs, or nouns. Examples: interested IN, depend ON, afraid OF, reason FOR. These combinations must be memorized as they often don't follow predictable rules.
Adjectives & Adverbs
Preposition Combinations (2026)
This preposition combinations guide is designed for English learners worldwide, including those preparing for IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge, and other international exams. We use neutral global English suitable for academic and professional contexts.
Certain adjectives and verbs are commonly followed by specific prepositions. Learning these combinations is essential for fluent and natural-sounding English. This page serves as a quick reference for many of these common pairings.
A
- be absent from
- be accused of
- be accustomed to
- be acquainted with
- be addicted to
- be afraid of
- agree with
- be angry at, with
- be annoyed with, by
- apologize for
- apply to, for
- approve of
- argue with, about
- arrive in, at
- be associated with
- be aware of
B
- believe in
- blame for
- be blessed with
- be bored with, by
C
- be capable of
- care about, for
- be cluttered with
- be committed to
- compare to, with
- complain about, of
- be composed of
- be concerned about
- consist of
- be content with
- contribute to
- be convinced of
- be coordinated with
- count (up)on
- be covered with
- be crowded with
D
- decide (up)on
- be dedicated to
- depend (up)on
- be devoted to
- be disappointed in, with
- be discriminated against
- distinguish from
- be divorced from
- be done with
E
- dream of, about
- be dressed in
- be engaged in, to
- be envious of
- be equipped with
- escape from
- excel in, at
- be excited about
- excuse for
- be exhausted from
- be exposed to
F
- be faithful to
- be familiar with
- feel like
- fight for
- be filled with
- be finished with
- be fond of
- forget about
- forgive for
- be friendly to, with
- be frightened of, by
- be furnished with
G
- be gone from
- be grateful to, for
- be guilty of
H
- hide from
- hope for
I
- be innocent of
- insist (up)on
- be interested in
- be introduced to
- be involved in
J
- be jealous of
K
- keep from
- be known for
L
- be limited to
- be located in
- look forward to
M
- be made of, from
- be married to
O
- object to
- be opposed to
P
- participate in
- be patient with
- be pleased with
- be polite to
- pray for
- be prepared for
- prevent from
- prohibit from
- be protected from
- be proud of
- provide with
Q
- be qualified for
R
- recover from
- be related to
- be relevant to
- rely (up)on
- be remembered for
- rescue from
- respond to
- be responsible for
S
- be satisfied with
- be scared of, by
- stare at
- stop from
- subscribe to
- substitute for
- succeed in
T
- take advantage of
- take care of
- talk about, of
- be terrified of, by
- thank for
- think about, of
- be tired of, from
U
- be upset with
- be used to
V
- vote for
W
- be worried about
Frequently Asked Questions About Preposition Combinations
What are preposition combinations?
Preposition combinations are fixed phrases where specific prepositions follow certain adjectives, verbs, or nouns. For example, "interested IN," "depend ON," "reason FOR." These combinations must be memorized as they often don't follow logical rules.
Why are preposition combinations important for IELTS?
Preposition combinations are heavily tested in IELTS, especially in Writing and Speaking. Using correct combinations demonstrates native-like fluency and can significantly improve your band score. Incorrect prepositions are common errors that lower scores.
How can I memorize preposition combinations?
Effective strategies include: learning them in context through reading, grouping by preposition (all "of" combinations together), using flashcards, practicing with sentence completion exercises, and keeping a personal notebook of combinations you encounter.
What are the most common adjective + preposition combinations?
Common examples include: afraid OF, angry WITH (person)/AT (thing), good AT, interested IN, keen ON, proud OF, responsible FOR, similar TO, worried ABOUT, different FROM. These frequently appear in exams and everyday English.
What are the most common verb + preposition combinations?
Common examples include: depend ON, consist OF, belong TO, believe IN, apply FOR, look AT, listen TO, wait FOR, agree WITH, apologize FOR. These are essential for natural-sounding English.
What is the difference between preposition combinations and phrasal verbs?
Preposition combinations follow verbs/adjectives with their original meaning (look at = direct eyes toward). Phrasal verbs have idiomatic meanings different from the base verb (look after = take care of). Both are important for fluency.