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. Pro tip: learn each verb/adjective together with its preposition and one example.
✏️ 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. Correct this: 'They arrived to the airport at 6.'
10. What form of a verb follows a dependent preposition?
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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