📞 +44 7424 720 271 ✉️ info@elitelanguage.co.uk 💬 WhatsApp
B1 – C1

Verb + Preposition Combinations: The Complete Guide

Everything you need to use fixed verb and adjective + preposition combinations correctly in English, with common mistakes and exam practice.

📖 Reading time: ~10 minutes ✅ Reviewed by a CELTA-qualified teacher 🎯 Covers A1 to B2

📋 What's in This Guide

  1. 1. Introduction — Verbs With Fixed Prepositions
  2. 2. Quick Summary
  3. 3. Common Verb + Preposition Combinations
  4. 4. Adjective + Preposition Combinations
  5. 5. How This Differs From Phrasal Verbs
  6. 6. Common Mistakes
  7. 7. Exercises
  8. 8. Mini Quiz
  9. 9. Exam Focus — Cambridge, IELTS, SELT
  10. 10. Frequently Asked Questions
  11. 11. Related Grammar Guides
  12. 12. Book a Free Level Test

1. Introduction — Verbs With Fixed Prepositions

Many English verbs and adjectives are followed by one specific, fixed preposition, "depend ON," "interested IN," "good AT", and there's usually no logical reason for which preposition it is, it simply has to be learned alongside the verb itself. Using the wrong one doesn't just sound slightly off, it's often flagged as a clear, basic error, since native speakers have zero flexibility here: "depend of" or "depend from" simply isn't an option.

2. Quick Summary

⚡ Verb + Preposition at a Glance

DefinitionA verb paired with one fixed, non-negotiable preposition
Exampledepend ON, believe IN, apologise FOR, listen TO
Common Mistake"discuss about" instead of just "discuss" (no preposition needed at all)
Memory TipLearn the verb and its preposition together as one unit, never separately
🇪🇸
Resumen en español Muchos verbos y adjetivos en inglés van seguidos de una preposición fija ("depend ON", "interested IN", "good AT"), sin ninguna lógica que lo explique. Estas combinaciones casi nunca coinciden con la preposición usada en español ("depender DE" vs. "depend ON"), lo que provoca errores frecuentes por transferencia directa del español.

3. Common Verb + Preposition Combinations

Verb + PrepositionExample
depend onIt depends on the weather.
believe inI believe in second chances.
apologise forShe apologised for being late.
listen toWe listened to the announcement carefully.
wait forI'm waiting for the bus.
look forI'm looking for my keys.
look afterCan you look after my dog this weekend?
think about / ofI've been thinking about the offer.
worry aboutDon't worry about the results.
succeed inShe succeeded in passing the exam.
consist ofThe team consists of five people.
complain aboutHe complained about the service.
deal withI'll deal with it tomorrow.
insist onHe insisted on paying for dinner.
congratulate onI congratulated her on the promotion.
💡
Some verbs take NO preposition at all A few verbs are commonly given a wrong preposition by learners because a similar verb in their own language needs one: "discuss" (not "discuss about"), "marry" (not "marry with"), "enter" (not "enter into" a room, though "enter into" an agreement is correct in a formal, different sense).

4. Adjective + Preposition Combinations

The same fixed-pairing principle applies to many common adjectives too.

Adjective + PrepositionExample
interested inI'm interested in learning Spanish.
good at / bad atShe's good at maths but bad at chemistry.
afraid ofHe's afraid of spiders.
proud ofWe're proud of your progress.
married toShe's married to a doctor.
similar toThis is similar to what we discussed.
responsible forWho's responsible for this decision?
famous forThe city is famous for its architecture.
worried aboutI'm worried about the exam.
keen onHe's quite keen on the idea.

5. How This Differs From Phrasal Verbs

It's easy to confuse this topic with phrasal verbs, but they're structurally different. A phrasal verb's particle changes the verb's core meaning entirely (give up = quit, look up = search for information), often allowing the object to move around the particle. A verb + preposition combination keeps the verb's original meaning intact, the preposition just fixedly connects it to its object, with no meaning shift and no flexibility in word order.

TypeExampleMeaning Shift?
Phrasal verbShe gave up smoking.Yes, "give up" means "quit," unrelated to "give"
Verb + prepositionShe depends on her parents.No, "depend" keeps its normal meaning; "on" is just fixed

6. Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect✅ CorrectWhy
It depends of the weather.It depends on the weather."Depend" is fixedly paired with "on," never "of" or "from."
I'm interested on this topic.I'm interested in this topic."Interested" takes "in," not "on."
Let's discuss about the plan.Let's discuss the plan."Discuss" takes a direct object with no preposition at all.
She's married with a doctor.She's married to a doctor."Married" is fixedly paired with "to."
I apologise about the delay.I apologise for the delay."Apologise" is fixedly paired with "for."

7. Exercises

A. Gap Fill — Complete with the correct preposition (10 questions)

1. It depends ___ how much time we have.
2. I'm really interested ___ photography.
3. She apologised ___ being late.
4. Can you look ___ my cat while I'm away?
5. He's quite good ___ maths.
6. The team consists ___ ten players.
7. I'm worried ___ the exam results.
8. She succeeded ___ finding a new job.
9. We're proud ___ your achievement.
10. He's responsible ___ managing the budget.
Show Answers (A)
1. on   2. in   3. for   4. after   5. at   6. of   7. about   8. in   9. of   10. for

B. Multiple Choice (5 questions)

1. It depends ___ the weather. (a) on (b) of
2. I'm interested ___ history. (a) on (b) in
3. She's afraid ___ the dark. (a) of (b) from
4. Let's discuss ___ the plan. (a) about (b) [no preposition]
5. He's married ___ a teacher. (a) with (b) to
Show Answers (B)
1.a 2.b 3.a 4.b 5.b

C. Error Correction (5 questions)

1. It depends of the weather.
2. I'm interested on this topic.
3. Let's discuss about the plan.
4. She's married with a doctor.
5. I apologise about the delay.
Show Answers (C)
1. It depends on the weather.
2. I'm interested in this topic.
3. Let's discuss the plan.
4. She's married to a doctor.
5. I apologise for the delay.

D. Freer Practice — Write Your Own Sentences (2 tasks)

1. Write a sentence using "depend on."
2. Write a sentence using "interested in" and a sentence using "good at."
Show Answers (D)
Model answers will vary. Examples:
1. "Whether we go out depends on the weather."
2. "I'm interested in cooking." / "She's good at languages."

8. Mini Quiz

1. It depends ___ the situation.

2. I'm interested ___ art.

3. She's afraid ___ spiders.

4. He's married ___ a doctor.

9. Exam Focus — Cambridge, IELTS, SELT

ExamHow This Is TestedSample Question
Cambridge B1 Preliminary / B2 FirstFixed preposition choice is a classic Reading Part 5 open cloze pattern."She apologised ___ being late." (for)
IELTS Speaking & WritingAccurate fixed prepositions signal natural, error-free control at higher bands.Using "good at," "interested in" and "depend on" naturally across a range of topics.
Trinity GESE/ISE (SELT)These combinations appear constantly in everyday conversational topics about interests and routines."What are you interested in?"

10. Frequently Asked Questions

A verb that is always followed by one specific, fixed preposition, such as "depend on" or "listen to," with no logical rule, just a fixed pairing to learn.
A phrasal verb's particle changes the verb's core meaning (give up = quit); a verb + preposition combination keeps the verb's normal meaning, the preposition is just a fixed connector.
Yes — adjectives like "interested in," "good at" and "afraid of" follow the same fixed-pairing principle as verbs.
Often because an equivalent verb in their own language needs a preposition where English doesn't, like "discuss about" instead of the correct "discuss."
No consistent logical rule exists, these pairings need to be memorised individually alongside the verb itself, ideally through repeated exposure in real sentences.
Yes — they come up constantly in everyday conversational topics like interests, routines and opinions.
Phrasal VerbsHow this differs from true phrasal verbs CollocationsOther natural, fixed word combinations Prepositions of PlaceThe core meanings these prepositions build on General English CoursesBuild every grammar point with expert guidance

📅 Ready to Master Verb + Preposition Combinations — and Every Other Grammar Point?

Reading about grammar takes you part of the way. Real fluency comes from using it, in conversation, with a tutor who corrects you immediately. Book a free level test with Elite Language Solutions and find out exactly where you are.

📅 Book a Free Level Test View English Courses

Grammar: keep learning

Free grammar workbook

Take this grammar point with you

Keep this lesson free online, then use the Complete English Grammar Companion for revision and extra practice. Enter your email once to unlock the free PDF.

Get the free Grammar Companion →

The lesson above stays completely free. Only the optional PDF download is email-gated.

Chat on WhatsApp