Common verb + preposition combinations
These combinations are fixed — the preposition cannot be changed. Learn them as chunks.
| Preposition | Common verbs | Example |
|---|---|---|
| about | worry, think, know, talk, complain, care, dream, hear, read | She worries about everything. · Stop complaining about the weather. |
| at | look, stare, smile, laugh, shout, point, glance, arrive (at a place) | Don't stare at people. · She arrived at the station late. |
| for | wait, ask, look, pay, apply, search, thank, blame, vote | I waited for an hour. · She applied for the job. |
| from | suffer, differ, result, escape, borrow, protect, prevent, recover | He suffers from anxiety. · She recovered from the illness quickly. |
| in | believe, specialise, result in, succeed, participate, invest | I believe in hard work. · She specialises in corporate law. |
| of | consist, think (= have an opinion), remind, approve, disapprove, accuse, suspect | The team consists of twelve people. · He reminded me of my father. |
| on | depend, rely, concentrate, insist, spend (time/money on), congratulate | It depends on the weather. · You can rely on me. |
| to | belong, listen, talk, respond, react, object, contribute, refer | This book belongs to Maria. · Please listen to me. |
| with | agree, disagree, deal, help, provide, compare, collide, mix | I agree with you. · It's hard to deal with stress. |
Verb + preposition + -ing:
When the verb + preposition is followed by another verb, use the -ing form: "She's thinking about leaving." · "I'm tired of waiting." · "He's good at solving problems."
Exercises
Choose the correct preposition.
1. I'm thinking ___ changing my job.
2. The project's success depends ___ the team's commitment.
3. She applied ___ a scholarship to study abroad.
4. He still suffers ___ back pain after the accident.
5. Who does this bag belong ___?