Verb + Preposition | Example Sentence | Notes |
account for | How do you account for the differences between the two financial reports? | To “account for” is to explain or provide a reason |
accuse (someone) of (something) | Dan accused Henry of stealing money from the company. | To “accuse” is to say that someone did something bad |
adapt to | When I moved to a different country, it was hard for me to adapt to the new culture. |
add (something) to (something) | I added some salt to the soup to give it more flavor. | |
adjust to | After I got divorced, I had to adjust to life as a single man. | |
admire (someone) for (something) | I admire Joanne for her dedication. | |
agree on (topic) | My teacher and I agree on the importance of listening practice. | You agree ON a noun: We agree on politics. We don’t agree on religion. |
agree to (do something) | She agreed to make cookies for the party. | You agree TO a verb |
agree with (someone) | I agree with you. | You agree WITH a person |
apologize to (someone) for (doing something) | Barbara apologized to her boss for being late to the meeting. | |
apply to (a university / program) | I applied to the top university in the country – but I didn’t get in. | |
apply for (a job / scholarship) | Sandra applied for a marketing job at a multinational company. | |
approve of | My parents don’t approve of my new boyfriend. | |
argue with (someone) about (something) | I argued with my business partner about how much to invest in advertising. | To argue is to have a verbal conflict. The noun form is “argument” and we also say “have an argument with (someone)” |
arrange for (someone) (to do something) | We’ll arrange for a babysitter to take care of the kids. | |
arrest (someone) for (something) | Pat was arrested for driving without a license. | To “arrest” is when the police take a person into the police station because they are suspected of some crime. This is often in the passive voice: “(Someone) was arrested for…” |
arrive at (a place) | By the time we arrived at the train station, our train had already left. |
arrive in (a city, country) | I’ll be arriving in Berlin on Thursday. | |
ask (someone) about (someone/topic) | She asked them about their plans for the holiday. | You ask someone ABOUT (a topic) |
ask (someone) for (something) | I asked my classmate for a pencil. | You ask someone FOR (a noun) |
ask (someone) to (do something) | The teacher asked me to make copies of the worksheet. | You ask someone TO (a verb). Never say “I asked to him…” |
base on | Our conclusions are based on scientific research. | |
be accustomed to | I’m from Ecuador, so I’m not accustomed to the cold weather! | “I’m accustomed to” is the same as “I’m used to” |
be/get acquainted with | At the conference, I got acquainted with various leaders in the industry. |
be addicted to (something) | The rock star was addicted to heroin. | You can also say you’re “addicted to” interests (like music or sports) – it’s not only for drugs and alcohol! |
be afraid of | My 5-year-old daughter is afraid of the dark. | “Afraid of” is the same as “scared of” |
be angry at/with (someone) for (something) | Bob is angry at his son for driving his car without permission – and crashing it. |
be annoyed at/with (someone) for (something) | I’m annoyed at my husband for forgetting to wash the dishes. | Notice that after “annoyed/angry at someone for…” the verb is in the –ING form. |
be anxious about (something) | Everyone in the class is anxious about the final exam. | |
be associated with | There are a number of risks associated with the surgery. | |
be aware of | I’m not aware of any problems. | |
be blessed with | We’ve been blessed with good health and stable jobs. | To be “blessed with” something is to have received something good / positive, which you’re thankful for. |
be bored with | I’m bored with the classes I’m currently taking. | |
be capable of (something) | This technology is capable of changing the world. | |
be cluttered with (something) | The spare room is cluttered with my sister’s half-finished art projects. | “Cluttered” means there are too many objects in the space, and it’s disorganized. |
be committed to | Our organization is committed to improving education in the community. |
be composed of | The group is composed of doctors and lawyers. | |
be concerned about | I’m concerned about the increasing violence in this neighborhood. | |
be connected to/with | Less education is connected with higher unemployment. | |
be content with | The employees weren’t content with the salary adjustments – they wanted a bigger raise. |
be dedicated to | Veronica is very dedicated to her job. She always does her best work. |
be devoted to | Frank is a great father; he’s so devoted to his family. | |
be disappointed in/with (someone/ something) | We were disappointed in our son when he failed three classes. | |
be discouraged by | I’m discouraged by the poor results of the marketing campaign. | |
be done with (something) | I’m done with my work – time to go home. | |
be dressed in | The robbers were dressed in black. | |
be engaged in (something) | The company is engaged in a legal battle with one of their competitors. | “Engaged in” is like “involved in” |
be engaged to (someone) | My brother is engaged to a woman he met while traveling. They’re getting married next month. | If you are “engaged to” someone, it means you are going to get married to that person |
be envious of | I’m envious of my sister’s success. | |
be equipped with (something) | This building is equipped with a solar power system. | |
be excited about | We’re excited about our upcoming trip around the world. | |
be exposed to | The children of smokers are exposed to secondhand smoke. | |
be faced with (problem / dilemma / decision) | My family didn’t have health insurance, and we were faced with enormous medical bills after my father got sick. |
be faithful to | He’s faithful to his wife – he wouldn’t get involved with another woman. |
be familiar with | Sorry, I’m not familiar with that computer program. I’ve only used it once. |
be famous for | That musician is famous for her poetic song lyrics. | |
be filled with | The stores were filled with shoppers during the week before Christmas. |
be finished with | Don’t throw away the newspaper – I’m not finished with it yet. | |
be fond of | I’m quite fond of peppermint tea. I drink it almost every day. | To be “fond of” something means you especially like it, you have an emotional connection to it. |
be frightened by | My dog was frightened by the fireworks, and hid under the bed. | |
be frightened of | Alex never talks to women because he’s too frightened of rejection. |
be grateful to (someone) for (something) | I’m grateful to Sally for helping me find a new apartment. | |
be guilty of (a crime) | The director was found guilty of sexual harassment. | “Guilty” is the opposite of “innocent” |
be happy about (something) | My family wasn’t happy about my decision to drop out of college. | |
be innocent of (something) | I believe she’s innocent of the charges – she doesn’t seem like a criminal. |
be interested in (something) | I’m interested in photography. | |
be interested in (someone) | Kevin keeps asking me out to lunch, but I’m not really interested in him. | If you are “interested in” someone, it usually means you have romantic interest in that person |
be involved in (something) | Ten politicians were involved in the scandal. | |
be involved with | Sorry, I don’t have any information – I’m not involved with that project. |
be jealous of | All my colleagues are jealous of me because I have the biggest office. |
be known for (something) | Thailand is known for its beautiful beaches. | |
be limited to | This scholarship is limited to applicants from low-income families. | |
be made from (something) | Wine is made from grapes. | We use “made from” when there is a transformation in the process of making the final product |
be made of (material) | This table is made of wood. | We use “made of” when talking about the material (wood, metal, plastic, etc.) |
be married to (someone) | My cousin is married to a dancer. | |
be opposed to | Many of the students are opposed to the new school policy. | |
be patient with (someone) | The teacher was very patient with me when I couldn’t understand the exercise. |
be pleased with | Are you pleased with the results of the project? | |
be polite to (someone) | The woman wasn’t very polite to me when I asked her for directions. |
be prepared for | I didn’t study, so I wasn’t prepared for the test. | |
be proud of | I’m proud of my daughter – she graduated with the highest grades in her class. |
be relevant to | Why are you talking about that? It’s not relevant to this discussion. | |
be responsible for | I’m responsible for training new employees. | |
be satisfied with | I wasn’t satisfied with the quality of that product. | |
be scared of | My wife is scared of spiders. | |
be terrified of | I’m terrified of enclosed spaces – I can get panic attacks in an elevator. | “Terrified” means EXTREMELY scared or afraid |
be thankful for | We’re thankful for everyone who volunteered to help with the program. |
be tired of (doing something) | I want to buy a car. I’m tired of taking the bus. | |
beg for | My ex-boyfriend begged me for another chance, but I said the relationship was over. | To “beg” is to ask repeatedly with a lot of emotion |
believe in | Do you believe in magic? | |
belong to | No, that motorcycle’s not mine. It belongs to my brother. | |
benefit from | The local population will benefit from the new hospital. | |
blame (someone) for (something) | He blamed the other driver for the car accident. | |
blame (something) on (someone) | She blamed the mistakes in the article on the editors. | |
boast about | I hate talking to Ronald because he’s always boasting about how much money he makes. | “Boasting” means to talk about something arrogantly |
borrow (something) from (someone) | I borrowed a dress from my sister. | “Borrow” is the opposite of “lend” (when you borrow, you receive the object temporarily) |
care about (someone / something) | Our company cares about the environment. | |
care for (someone) | Rachel is caring for her 95-year-old grandmother. | It’s also common to say “taking care of” a person |
don’t care for (something) | I don’t care for Mexican food. It’s too spicy for me. | “I don’t care for it” means “I don’t like it very much.” |
cater to (group of people) | Most of the restaurants in this area cater to tourists. | “Cater to” means to be specialized towards that group of people |
charge (someone) for (something) | The restaurant charged us for the water – I thought it was complimentary! | In this case, “charge” means to require money for a product or service |
charge (someone) with (something) | He was charged with assault with a deadly weapon. | In this case, “charge” means when someone is formally accused of a crime |
choose between (someone/ something) and (someone/ something) | I’m trying to choose between Australia and New Zealand for my next vacation. |
collide with | Eight people were injured when a bus collided with a car. | |
come from | The world’s best chocolate comes from Belgium. | |
comment on | A number of people commented on my new haircut. | |
communicate with (someone) | The company needs to communicate with customers. | |
compare (someone /something) to/with (someone/ something) | Organic food is expensive compared to non-organic food. | |
compete with | Pepsi launched a new type of soda to compete with Coca-Cola. | |
complain about | We complained about the slow service in the restaurant. | |
complain to (someone) about (something) | We complained to the manager about the slow service in the restaurant. |
compliment (someone) on (something) | George complimented Erica on her ability to speak French. | |
concentrate on | We’re trying to do too many things; we need to concentrate on one project at a time. |
confess to | The scientist confessed to lying about the results of his research. | To “confess” is to admit that you did something wrong, or reveal a secret |
confuse (someone/ something) with (someone/ something) | You’re confusing a laptop with a netbook – they’re two different types of computers. |
congratulate (someone) for/on ([doing] something) | We congratulated Vanessa on her promotion. | |
consent to (something) | The director consented to the employees’ proposal. | |
consist of | My CD collection consists of jazz and classic rock music. | |
contribute to (something) | Stress can contribute to various health problems. | |
convict (someone) of (something) | He was convicted of child abuse. | When someone is “convicted,” it means they are found guilty of a crime |
convince (someone) to | My wife convinced me to take dance lessons. | |
cope with | Psychologists can help people cope with tragedies. | “Cope with” means to deal with something and emotionally process it – usually a negative thing |
count on | I’m counting on you to finish the work by tomorrow. | “Count on” is like “depend on” |
cover in/with | The mountains are covered with snow. | |
crash into | A drunk driver crashed into a tree near my house. | |
cure (someone) of (something) | The antibiotics cured her of the infection. | “Cure of” is used with diseases, but can also be used with bad habits – “Working as a journalist cured me of my tendency to procrastinate.” |
deal with | How do you deal with an annoying co-worker? | |
decide against | When I needed money, I considered selling my car, but in the end I decided against it. | If you “decide against” something, you decide NOT to do it |
decide between (someone/ something) and (someone/ something) | I’m trying to decide between buying a motorcycle and saving up the money for a car. |
decide on | The government is going to decide on the proposed new law next week. |
dedicate (something) to (someone) | I’d like to dedicate this performance to my mother, who has always helped and inspired me. |
depend on | I’ll be there in 20-30 minutes, depending on the traffic. | Avoid the common error of saying “depend in” or “depend of” – it’s always “depend on”! |
derive (something) from (something) | Many medicines are derived from natural products like plants. | |
deter (someone) from (something) | Difficulties with organic chemistry class deterred me from becoming a doctor. |
differ from | New Year’s traditions differ from country to country. | |
disagree with (someone / something) | I disagree with the decision to close down the program. | |
disapprove of | Religious groups disapprove of that TV show; they say it’s offensive. |
discourage (someone) from (something) | They discouraged us from visiting Paris, saying it was extremely expensive. |
discriminate against | He’s racist – he discriminates against black and Hispanic people. | |
discuss (something) with (someone) | We need to discuss these problems with the boss. | |
distinguish between (someone/ something) and (someone/ something) | Cashiers need to know how to distinguish between real and counterfeit bills. |
distract (someone) from (something) | The loud music distracted me from my work. | |
dream about/of | I dream about becoming a famous singer someday. | If talking about dreams (hopes) for the future, you can say “dream about” or “dream of.” If talking about a dream you had when you were sleeping, use only “dream about” |
elaborate on (something) | Could you elaborate on that last point? I’d like to know more. | |
escape from (a place) | Three prisoners escaped from the jail last night. | |
exchange (something) for (something) | I exchanged the small shirt for a medium. | |
exclude (someone) from (something) | He excluded them from the meeting. | |
excuse (someone) for (something) | Please excuse me for interrupting. | |
expel (someone) from (a place) | He was expelled from university for using drugs. | “Expel” means someone was forced to leave a group, school, or company – usually because they did something bad |
experiment on | Scientists are experimenting on monkeys to develop new medicines. |
explain (something) to (someone) | The doctor explained the procedure to me in detail. | Never say “He explained me the procedure.” |
feel about | How do you feel about the new company policy? | |
feel like | I don’t feel like going out to a nightclub. I’d rather relax at home tonight. | “I don’t feel like doing it” means “I don’t want to do it; I’m not in the mood for doing it” |
fight about | My kids are fighting about whose turn it is to use the computer. | You “fight about” the topic of the conflict |
fight against | This organization is fighting against discrimination and injustice. | You “fight against” your opponent (when it’s a person or an idea/thing/etc.) |
fight for | After the accident, he was fighting for his life. | You “fight for” something you approve of, or you want to have |
fight with | The protestors are fighting with the police. | You “fight with” your opponent (only when it’s a person) |
forget about (something) | Oh no! I forgot about the meeting – now I’m going to be late. | You “forget about” a noun |
forget to (do something) | I’m cold – I forgot to bring my jacket. | You “forget to” a verb |
forgive (someone) for (something) | I forgave him for taking my camera without asking permission. | |
gaze at | She sat on the beach, gazing at the ocean. | “Gaze” means to look at something for a long time and in a contemplative way |
get back from (a place) | I just got back from the gym – I need to take a shower | “Get back from” is the same as “return from” |
get rid of | I got rid of some old clothes that I don’t wear anymore. | “Get rid of” means to throw away or give away |
get used to | I’m a relaxed person, so it was hard for me to get used to the fast pace of New York City. |
give (something) to (someone) | I gave the keys to Pamela. | You can also say “I gave Pamela the keys.” |
glare at | Rita glared at her husband when he started chatting with a beautiful woman at the club. | “Glare” means to look at someone/something angrily |
graduate from (a place) | He graduated from Harvard University in 1986. | |
grieve for | He’s grieving for his mother, who died just a few days ago. | “Grieve” means to be sad about a loss – usually a death |
grumble about (something) | My husband is grumbling about how early we need to get up to catch our 6 AM flight. | “Grumble” is like “complain” |
happen to | What happened to your car? Did you get in an accident? | |
harp on | The salesman was harping on all the wonderful benefits of the product. | “Harp on” means to emphasize something strongly (and rather annoyingly) |
hear about | Did you hear about the bank robbery that happened last night? | “Hear about” is used for knowing about the details of a situation |
hear from (someone) | My cousin is traveling and doesn’t have much internet access, so I haven’t heard from her lately. |
hear of | I’ve never heard of that movie. | “Hear of” is used for hearing just a mention of something (no details) |
help (someone) with (something) | She really helped me with the problem. | |
hide (something) from (someone) | I hid the cookies from my kids so they wouldn’t eat them before dinner. |
hinge on | The success of this project hinges on teamwork and collaboration. | “Hinge on” is like “depend on” – it means teamwork and collaboration are ESSENTIAL to the success |
hope for (noun) hope to (verb) | I’m hoping for good weather this weekend. My husband and I are hoping to go camping. | |
insist on | I thought the company website was great, but my boss insisted on redesigning it. |
insure against | My car is insured against theft. | |
interfere in (something) | Don’t interfere in the situation if you don’t know all the facts. | “Interfere in” means to get involved in something that you shouldn’t |
interfere with (something) | The flight delay interfered with our travel plans. | “Interfere with” means to add an obstacle that delays or prevents something from happening |
introduce (someone/ something) to (someone/ something) | I’d like to introduce you to a friend of mine from college. | |
invest in | The city is investing thousands of dollars in improving public transportation. |
invite (someone) to | She invited me to her birthday party. | |
joke about | Chris is always joking about how bad he is at sports. | “Joke about” is to talk about it with humor, in a funny/comedic way |
jot down (something) | I jotted down a few notes during the presentation | “Jot down” is the same as “write down” – jot means “to write quickly” |
keep (someone/ something) from (doing something) | A password keeps people from accessing your account. | “Keep someone from doing something” is the same as “prevent someone from doing something” |
know about | He knows a lot about computers. | |
laugh about | Our travel disaster was annoying at the time, but we laughed about it later. | You “laugh about” a situation |
laugh at | When I said something stupid, everyone laughed at me. | You typically “laugh at” a person (although sometimes “laugh at” is used for a situation – “I laughed at her reaction to the news.” |
learn about | I like learning about other cultures. | |
lend (something) to (someone) | I lent a book to my friend six months ago, and he hasn’t given it back yet. | “Lend” is the opposite of “borrow.” When you lend something, you give it to someone else temporarily |
listen to | I usually listen to music on my mp3 player while I exercise. | |
long for | I long for a job in which I have more flexible hours! | To “long for” something means you REALLY want something |
look at | I looked at the pictures from Jason’s vacation. | |
look forward to | I’m looking forward to having lunch with you next week. | “Look forward to” means you are happy or excited for something in the future. |
matter to (someone) | We can take the 8 AM or the 11 AM train – it doesn’t matter to me. | |
meet with (someone) | I met with the department manager to discuss the project. | |
mistake (someone/ something) for (someone/ something) | My sister looks like a famous actress, so people always mistake her for a celebrity. |
object to | I object to the idea that stay-at-home moms are lazy. They work really hard! | If you “object to” something, it means you oppose it or strongly disagree with it |
participate in (something) | Representatives from 15 countries will participate in the conference. |
pay for | I paid $100 for this perfume. | |
plan on | We plan on attending the party. | “Plan on” is followed by the -ING form of the verb |
praise (someone) for (something) | He praised me for my creative solution to the problem. | |
pray for | I’m praying for you to feel better soon. | |
prefer (something) to (something) | I prefer swimming to biking. | |
prepare for | The sports team is preparing for the tournament next month. | |
present (someone) with (something) | The company presented Randy with an award for excellent service. | |
prevent (someone/ something) from (doing something) | Computer problems prevented me from finishing my work yesterday. |
prohibit (someone) from (doing something) | Employees are prohibited from smoking inside the office. | |
protect (someone) from (something) | Wearing a bicycle helmet can protect you from serious head injuries. |
provide (someone) with (something) | We provided all the children with computers. | |
punish (someone) for (something) | I punished my teenage daughter for going to a party without my permission. |
quarrel with (someone) about/over (something) | We quarreled with the hotel receptionist about the extra charges on our bill. | “Quarrel” is the same as “argue” (have a verbal conflict) |
react to | Environmental groups are reacting to the city’s plans to build a new shopping center in the middle of the park. |
recover from (something) | She stayed home from work because she’s still recovering from pneumonia. |
refer to (something) | Please refer to the diagram on page 15. | |
related to | The website has information on various topics related to pregnancy. | “Related to” is also used for family members – “I’m related to a famous actor. He’s my cousin.” |
rely on | You can’t rely on other people to make you happy. | “Rely on” is like “depend on” |
remind (someone) of (something) | You remind me of my sister – you have a similar personality. | |
remind (someone) to (do something) | I reminded my husband to buy some milk at the store on the way home from work. |
reply to | I’ll reply to your e-mail later today. | |
rescue (someone) from (something) | The coast guard rescued the fisherman from the sinking boat. | |
respond to | The film director responded to the criticisms about his latest movie. |
result in (something) | The advertising campaign resulted in hundreds of new customers for the company. |
save (someone) from (something) | The fireman saved the child from the burning building. | |
scold (someone) for ([doing] something) | The teacher scolded the student for coming to class late. | To “scold” is to reprimand or criticize someone for doing something wrong |
search for | I’m searching for a two-bedroom apartment in the city center. | You can use “searching for” or “looking for” |
separate (something) from (something) | I separated last year’s documents from this year’s documents. | |
share (something) with (someone) | I shared the food with my brother. | |
shout at | My mother shouted at me when I left a big mess in the kitchen. | To “shout” is to yell, to speak very loudly. You can also say “yell at” |
show (something) to (someone) | I showed my new cell phone to all my friends. | |
smile at (someone) | She smiled at me. | |
speak to/with (someone) about (someone / something) | I spoke with my son’s teacher about his behavior in school. | Both “to” and “with” can be used after “speak,” but “with” implies more of a two-way conversation. If the conversation is only one way, use “to” – “The president spoke to an audience of 5,000.” |
specialize in (something) | I’m a biologist. I specialize in the study of tropical plants. | |
spend (money/time) on | I spent $300 on this backpack because I wanted one that was really high-quality. |
stand for | NATO stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. | |
stare at | When I dyed my hair bright green, a lot of children stared at me. | “Stare” means to look at something intensely for a long time |
stem from | The current health crisis stems from lack of nutritional education. | “Stem from” is like “originate in” |
stop (someone) from (doing something) | I stopped the child from playing with the scissors. | |
subject (someone) to (something) | I was subjected to verbal abuse from my boss in my previous job – that’s why I quit. |
subscribe to | I don’t subscribe to any magazines – I just read them online. | |
substitute (something) for (something) | You can substitute chicken for beef in this recipe. | |
succeed in (doing something) | She succeeded in running a marathon in under 4 hours. | |
suffer from | My aunt suffers from arthritis. | |
suspect (someone) of (something) | He is suspected of planning a terrorist attack. | |
take advantage of (someone/ something/ situation) | With low interest rates, many people took advantage of the opportunity to buy a house. | If you “take advantage of” someone, it has a negative connotation – you are using that person for your own benefit. If you “take advantage of” a situation, it can be negative, but it can also be neutral – as in the example sentence. |
take care of | I’m taking care of my neighbors’ dog while they’re traveling this weekend. |
talk to/with (someone) about (topic) | I need to talk with you about plans for next year. | Similar to “speak to/with” |
tell (someone) about (something) | Caroline told us about her trip to South Africa. | |
thank (someone) for (something) | Thank you for helping me with my homework. | |
think about | I’m thinking about taking piano lessons. | |
think of | He thought of a great way to increase sales. | |
translate (something) into (a language) | We need to translate this document into Italian. | |
travel to (somewhere) | We’re traveling to Moscow by train. | |
trust (someone) with (something) | I trust her with my car – she’s a careful driver. | |
turn into | The city is going to turn this old church into a museum. | “Turn into” means to transform |
use (something) for (-ING) / to (infinitive) | I use vitamins to give me more energy. | |
vote against | That senator voted against a law proposing stricter measures for gun control. | “Vote against” means you oppose it, you vote NO |
vote for | I’m going to vote for Janet for president. | “Vote for” means you support it, you vote YES |
vouch for (someone / something) | I can vouch for him – he’s an honest and dependable guy. | If you “vouch for” someone/something, it means you recommend it because you have experience with it |
wait for (someone/something) | I can’t leave yet because I’m waiting for my wife to finish putting on her makeup. |
warn about | They warned us about the poisonous snakes in the forest. | |
waste (money/time) on | I wasted $10 on a flashlight that didn’t even work. | |
work for (a company / person) | I work for a car dealership. | |
work on (a project / task) | We’re working on a new project. | |
worry about | My grandmother always worries about my safety. | |
write about | The journalist wrote about the election. | |
write to (someone) | Make sure to write to your grandparents and thank them for the gift. |
yap about | The secretaries were yapping about the newest episode of the TV show. | To “yap” is to talk or chat in an annoying way |
yearn for | The poor children are yearning for a better life. | “Yearn for” is like “long for” – it means you really want something, with a lot of emotion |