In English, some adjectives (describing words like good or afraid) are followed by a fixed preposition (a small word like at, in, of). You can’t always guess the right one with logic, so you have to learn these pairs.
Why it's important
The same adjective can take different prepositions depending on what follows, and using the wrong one can confuse the meaning. For example:
- She’s angry with him. (angry with a person)
- She’s angry about the mistake. (angry about a situation)
Let’s look at some of the most common and useful adjective + preposition patterns.
Common adjective + preposition combinations
1. Adjective + at (skills and abilities)
- He’s good at playing the guitar.
- She’s terrible at spelling.
2. Adjective + in (fields or areas)
- They’re experienced in customer service.
- I’m interested in photography.
3. Adjective + of (fears, and opinions about someone’s action)
- That’s nice of you to say.
- She’s afraid of heights.
4. Adjective + about (thoughts, feelings, topics)
- He’s excited about the concert.
- They were nervous about the results.
5. Adjective + with (relationships or reactions)
- I’m angry with him.
- She’s happy with her results.
6. Adjective + to (attitudes or behavior toward someone)
- Be kind to your classmates.
- He’s always polite to strangers.
