Grammar › Prepositions › Dependent Prepositions
Dependent Prepositions
Some verbs and adjectives are always followed by a fixed preposition. Learn them as pairs:
- Adjective + preposition — good at, interested in, afraid of, proud of.
- Verb + preposition — depend on, listen to, wait for, apologise for.
After the preposition, use the -ing form of a verb: interested in learning, tired of waiting (not 'to learn').
Common dependent prepositions
These are collocations — fixed pairs to memorise, not rules to work out.
| Type | Examples |
|---|---|
| Adjective + preposition | good at, interested in, afraid of, proud of, keen on, married to |
| Verb + preposition | depend on, listen to, wait for, look for, apologise for, belong to |
| Often confused | arrive at (a place) / in (a city), agree with (a person) / on (a plan) |
After the preposition, a verb takes the -ing form.
When and how to use them
1. Adjective + preposition
- She’s good at maths and interested in science.
- I’m afraid of spiders.
2. Verb + preposition
- It depends on the weather. Please wait for me.
- He apologised for being late.
3. -ing after the preposition
- I’m interested in learning Italian. They’re tired of waiting.
⚠️ Don’t translate directly from your language — the preposition is often different: depend on (not
depend of), listen to (notlistenwith nothing).
Common mistakes
1. Wrong preposition. good in maths → good at maths; depend of → depend on.
2. Infinitive instead of -ing. interested in to learn → interested in learning.
3. Dropping the preposition. Listen me → Listen to me.
✏️ Practice: Dependent Prepositions
1. She's very good ___ maths.
2. I'm really interested ___ history.
3. It ___ on the weather.
4. Please listen ___ me carefully.
5. He's afraid ___ spiders.
6. We waited ___ the bus for twenty minutes.
7. I'm interested ___ Spanish next year.
8. She apologised ___ late.
9. Choose the correct version of: 'They arrived to the airport at 6.'
10. What form of a verb follows a dependent preposition?
11. Fill in the gap
I'm afraid ___ spiders.
Type one word.
12. Correct the mistake
I'm interested in to learn Chinese.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
13. Correct the mistake
Please listen me.
Type the whole corrected sentence.
Frequently asked questions
What are dependent prepositions?
Prepositions that are fixed to a specific verb or adjective: good at, interested in, depend on. They can't be guessed from a rule — they must be memorised.
What form of the verb follows the preposition?
The -ing form: She's good at drawing; I'm interested in learning Spanish; He apologised for being late.
Are some of these different in American and British English?
A few, yes: 'different from' (both), 'different to' (British), 'different than' (American). When unsure, 'different from' is safe.
How should I learn them?
In chunks, with an example: 'depend on — It depends on the weather.' Grouping by preposition (things you're afraid OF, good AT) also helps.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Dependent Prepositions”:
- Can use common adjective + preposition and verb + preposition collocations (CEFR B1).
- Can use the -ing form after a dependent preposition.
- Can learn dependent prepositions as fixed chunks.
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