Master the fixed partnerships between prepositions and other words. This knowledge is non-negotiable for fluent English and is heavily tested in board exams. Learn the patterns, not just memorizing lists.
✅ Recommended for: Class 9-12 (Crucial for Exams)
1. Why Do Fixed Combinations Matter?
| Term | Explanation | Example | Think of it as... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Collocation | A natural pairing of words that native speakers use. | We say "interested in," not "interested on." | A "word marriage" – some words are just meant to be together. |
| Fixed Preposition | The specific preposition that must follow a particular noun, adjective, or verb. | Depend on, afraid of, reason for. | A rule of the language, not a choice. |
| Exam Weightage | A major source of error-correction and fill-in-the-blank questions in CBSE/UP Board exams. | "He has an addiction ___ tobacco." (Answer: to) | High-scoring if you know them, easy to lose marks if you don't. |
2. Common Combinations with Adjectives + Preposition
Adjectives often require a specific preposition when followed by an object.
| Adjective | Preposition | Example Sentence | Related Nouns/Verbs |
|---|---|---|---|
| afraid / scared / terrified | of | She is afraid of spiders. | fear of |
| angry / annoyed / furious | with (person) about (situation) |
He is angry with me. She is annoyed about the delay. |
anger at/towards |
| good / bad / excellent / brilliant | at | Rohit is good at cricket. | skill at/in |
| interested / involved / engaged | in | I am interested in history. | interest in, involvement in |
| famous / known / responsible | for | Agra is famous for the Taj Mahal. | reason for, responsibility for |
| proud / ashamed / jealous | of | We are proud of our team. | pride in (Note: noun changes preposition!) |
| different / separate / distinct | from | Your idea is different from mine. | difference between (for two things) |
| dependent / reliant | on | The project is dependent on funding. | dependence on |
3. Common Combinations with Verbs + Preposition
| Verb | Preposition | Example Sentence | Meaning / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| apologize / thank | for (thing) to (person) |
I must apologize to you for my mistake. | Two prepositions possible in one sentence. |
| believe / specialize / succeed | in | Do you believe in ghosts? She specializes in cardiology. |
Shows faith, expertise, or achievement in a field. |
| complain / dream / think | about (general) of (more specific) |
She dreams about traveling. I thought of a great idea. |
Often interchangeable, but 'of' can suggest suddenness. |
| depend / rely / count | on | You can always depend on your family. | Core meaning: trust or need. |
| listen / speak / talk / refer | to | Please listen to this song. This report refers to last year's data. |
Direction towards someone/something. |
| wait / search / look / pay | for | Wait for me! I will pay for dinner. |
Shows expectation, purpose, or exchange. |
| agree / disagree / argue | with (person/idea) on (topic) to (plan) |
I agree with you on that point. They agreed to our proposal. |
Preposition changes based on what follows. |
| apply / object / reply / respond | to | You must apply to the college. No one objected to the plan. |
Direction or reaction towards something. |
4. Common Combinations with Nouns + Preposition
| Noun | Preposition | Example Phrase | Related Adjective/Verb |
|---|---|---|---|
| advantage / disadvantage | of | One advantage of cycling is exercise. | - |
| answer / solution / key | to | Do you know the answer to question 5? | reply to, solve (no preposition) |
| cause / reason / excuse | for | What was the reason for his absence? | responsible for |
| increase / decrease / rise / fall | in | There was a sharp increase in prices. | increase (v) by (amount) / to (level) |
| interest / belief / skill | in | She has a keen interest in art. | interested in, believe in |
| relationship / connection / difference | between (two things) with (a person) |
The relationship between them is strong. My relationship with my sister is good. |
related to |
| damage / injury / harm | to | The storm caused damage to the roof. | harm (v) (no preposition), injure (v) (no preposition) |
5. Quick Practice (5 Questions)
6. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| Wrong ❌ | Right ✅ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| He is addicted with gambling. | He is addicted to gambling. | Fixed combination: addicted to. |
| I am interested for learning French. | I am interested in learning French. | Fixed combination: interested in. |
| We discussed about the plan. | We discussed the plan. | The verb discuss is transitive; it takes a direct object, NO preposition. |
| She married with a doctor. | She married a doctor. She got married to a doctor. |
Marry is transitive (no preposition). The phrase is get married to. |
| They reached to the station. | They reached the station. | Reach is transitive. Use arrive at (a place) or arrive in (a city). |
| My opinion for this is positive. | My opinion of/about this is positive. | Fixed combination: opinion of/about. |
🎯 Error Hunter: Find the Wrong Preposition
Each sentence has one incorrect preposition. Identify and correct it.
1. I am very proud for my daughter's achievement.
Error: for | Correction: proud of
2. What is the reason of his sudden departure?
Error: of | Correction: reason for
3. Please listen what I am saying.
Error: [missing preposition] | Correction: listen to what
4. He insisted on helping me despite my protests.
Error: [No error. 'Insist on' is correct]
Answers are in grey text above.
7. Memory Aids & Strategies
Group by Preposition:
Don't memorize random lists. Group words that use the same preposition.
• OF: afraid of, proud of, consist of, dream of, think of.
• TO: addicted to, married to, key to, answer to, respond to.
• FOR: reason for, responsible for, famous for, apologize for.
Learn Related Forms Together:
Adjective + Preposition often matches its related Noun + Preposition.
• interested in → interest in
• angry with → anger towards (Note: slight change)
• dependent on → dependence on
Watch for Transitive Verbs (No Preposition!):
Some common verbs do not take a preposition before their object. Memorize these exceptions:
• discuss (something)
• reach (a place)
• marry (someone)
• consider (something)
• enter (a room)
Exam Tip:
1. In error-correction questions, the wrong preposition is a classic trap.
2. In fill-in-the-blanks, see if the blank comes after a specific adjective/noun/verb. Recall its fixed partner.
3. If you're unsure, try saying the phrase aloud. The wrong combination often "sounds" wrong.
4. Create flashcards with the word on one side and its correct preposition on the back.
5. Practice by writing sentences using 3 new combinations every day.
📝 Master Preposition Combinations
Test this crucial exam topic with our 25-question worksheet on fixed preposition patterns!
Go to Common Preposition Combinations WorksheetIncludes answer key • Error correction • Fill-in-the-blanks • Sentence rewriting • Exam-style questions
