Fixed Prepositions in English Grammar – Comprehensive Guide

Fixed Prepositions in English Grammar: A Comprehensive Guide

What Are Fixed Prepositions?

Fixed prepositions (also known as dependent prepositions or prepositional collocations) are prepositions that must accompany certain words to create specific meanings. Unlike free prepositions, which can change based on context and spatial or temporal relationships, fixed prepositions are permanently attached to particular verbs, adjectives, or nouns.

The choice of preposition in these combinations is not based on logic or the literal meaning of the preposition—it’s a matter of convention and idiom in English. These combinations must be learned and memorized as complete units.

Key Characteristics

The preposition is required and cannot be omitted
The preposition cannot usually be substituted with another
The meaning is often idiomatic rather than literal
Different languages use different prepositions for the same concepts
They must be learned as fixed expressions

Types of Fixed Prepositions

1. Adjective + Fixed Preposition

Certain adjectives are always or commonly followed by specific prepositions. Here is an extensive list organized alphabetically:

Adjectives with “OF”

afraid of – I’m afraid of the dark.
ashamed of – He was ashamed of his behavior.
aware of – Are you aware of the risks?
capable of – She’s capable of great things.
certain of – I’m certain of the facts.
conscious of – He’s very conscious of his appearance.
envious of – Don’t be envious of others’ success.
fond of – I’m very fond of chocolate.
full of – The room was full of people.
guilty of – He was found guilty of theft.
innocent of – She was innocent of any wrongdoing.
jealous of – He’s jealous of his brother’s achievements.
proud of – We’re proud of your accomplishments.
scared of – Many people are scared of spiders.
short of – We’re short of money this month.
sick of – I’m sick of this weather.
sure of – Are you sure of your answer?
terrified of – She’s terrified of flying.
tired of – I’m tired of waiting.
typical of – That’s typical of him to be late.
unaware of – He was unaware of the danger.
worthy of – This cause is worthy of our support.

Adjectives with “AT”

amazed at – I was amazed at her talent.
bad at – I’m bad at sports.
brilliant at – She’s brilliant at mathematics.
clever at – He’s clever at solving puzzles.
excellent at – They’re excellent at teamwork.
good at – Are you good at cooking?
hopeless at – I’m hopeless at remembering names.
shocked at – We were shocked at the news.
surprised at – I was surprised at his reaction.
terrible at – He’s terrible at telling jokes.
useless at – I’m useless at drawing.

Adjectives with “IN”

absorbed in – He was absorbed in his work.
disappointed in – I’m disappointed in your decision.
dressed in – She was dressed in black.
experienced in – He’s experienced in marketing.
interested in – Are you interested in history?
involved in – They were involved in the project.
rich in – This area is rich in minerals.
skilled in – She’s skilled in negotiation.
successful in – He was successful in business.

Adjectives with “TO”

accustomed to – I’m accustomed to the cold weather.
addicted to – He’s addicted to coffee.
close to – We live close to the city center.
contrary to – That’s contrary to what I heard.
cruel to – Don’t be cruel to animals.
dedicated to – She’s dedicated to her work.
devoted to – He’s devoted to his family.
engaged to – She’s engaged to be married.
equal to – He’s not equal to the task.
exposed to – Children are exposed to too much screen time.
faithful to – He remained faithful to his principles.
generous to – She’s always generous to strangers.
grateful to – I’m grateful to you for your help.
kind to – Please be kind to one another.
married to – She’s married to a doctor.
opposed to – I’m opposed to the new policy.
polite to – Always be polite to your elders.
related to – This is related to our earlier discussion.
rude to – He was rude to the waiter.
similar to – Your answer is similar to mine.
used to – I’m used to getting up early.

Adjectives with “FOR”

anxious for – She’s anxious for news.
appropriate for – This movie isn’t appropriate for children.
eager for – They’re eager for success.
famous for – Italy is famous for its cuisine.
fit for – This water isn’t fit for drinking.
grateful for – I’m grateful for your support.
liable for – You’re liable for any damages.
qualified for – She’s qualified for the position.
ready for – Are you ready for the exam?
responsible for – Who’s responsible for this mess?
sorry for – I’m sorry for your loss.
suitable for – This job is suitable for beginners.
thankful for – We’re thankful for what we have.

Adjectives with “WITH”

angry with – Don’t be angry with me.
annoyed with – I’m annoyed with his attitude.
bored with – She’s bored with her job.
busy with – He’s busy with his homework.
compatible with – This software is compatible with Mac.
crowded with – The street was crowded with tourists.
delighted with – I’m delighted with the results.
familiar with – Are you familiar with this software?
fed up with – I’m fed up with his excuses.
filled with – The room was filled with smoke.
friendly with – She’s friendly with everyone.
furious with – He was furious with the decision.
happy with – Are you happy with your purchase?
impressed with – I’m impressed with your work.
packed with – The stadium was packed with fans.
patient with – Please be patient with me.
pleased with – She was pleased with the outcome.
popular with – This show is popular with teenagers.
satisfied with – I’m satisfied with my score.

Adjectives with “ABOUT”

angry about – She’s angry about the situation.
anxious about – I’m anxious about the interview.
concerned about – We’re concerned about your health.
confused about – I’m confused about the instructions.
crazy about – He’s crazy about football.
curious about – She’s curious about everything.
enthusiastic about – They’re enthusiastic about the project.
excited about – I’m excited about the trip.
happy about – We’re happy about the news.
mad about – She’s mad about jazz music.
nervous about – He’s nervous about speaking in public.
optimistic about – I’m optimistic about the future.
pessimistic about – Don’t be pessimistic about your chances.
positive about – Try to be positive about things.
serious about – Are you serious about this?
sorry about – I’m sorry about the delay.
upset about – She’s upset about what happened.
worried about – Don’t be worried about it.

Adjectives with “FROM”

absent from – He was absent from class.
different from – This is different from what I expected.
distinct from – This issue is distinct from the other one.
divorced from – She’s divorced from her husband.
exempt from – Students are exempt from this fee.
free from – This product is free from chemicals.
protected from – We’re protected from the rain here.
safe from – You’re safe from harm now.
separate from – Keep this separate from the others.

Adjectives with “ON”

based on – The movie is based on a true story.
dependent on – Success is dependent on hard work.
keen on – I’m not keen on that idea.
reliant on – We’re reliant on technology.

2. Verb + Fixed Preposition

Many verbs require specific prepositions. Here is an extensive list:

Verbs with “OF”

accuse (someone) of – They accused him of lying.
approve of – I don’t approve of his behavior.
beware of – Beware of the dog.
complain of – He complained of a headache.
consist of – Water consists of hydrogen and oxygen.
convince (someone) of – She convinced me of her innocence.
cure (someone) of – The medicine cured him of the disease.
die of – He died of cancer.
disapprove of – Her parents disapprove of her boyfriend.
dream of – I dream of traveling the world.
get rid of – I need to get rid of these old clothes.
hear of – Have you heard of this band?
remind (someone) of – You remind me of my sister.
smell of – The house smells of fresh bread.
suspect (someone) of – They suspect him of theft.
think of – What do you think of this idea?
warn (someone) of – They warned us of the dangers.

Verbs with “AT”

aim at – The campaign aims at young voters.
arrive at – We arrived at the station on time.
glance at – He glanced at his watch.
guess at – I can only guess at the answer.
hint at – She hinted at leaving early.
laugh at – Don’t laugh at me!
look at – Look at this picture.
point at – It’s rude to point at people.
shout at – Please don’t shout at me.
smile at – She smiled at me.
stare at – Stop staring at me!
wonder at – I wonder at the beauty of nature.
work at – He works at a bank.

Verbs with “IN”

arrive in – They arrived in Paris yesterday.
believe in – Do you believe in ghosts?
confide in – You can confide in me.
delight in – She delights in helping others.
dress in – He was dressed in a suit.
end in – The word ends in a vowel.
indulge in – I sometimes indulge in chocolate.
involve in – Don’t involve me in this.
participate in – Everyone can participate in the discussion.
persist in – He persists in making the same mistake.
result in – The accident resulted in serious injuries.
succeed in – She succeeded in passing the exam.
take part in – Will you take part in the competition?

Verbs with “TO”

adapt to – You’ll need to adapt to the new system.
add to – This adds to our problems.
admit to – He admitted to the crime.
agree to – I agree to your terms.
appeal to – This doesn’t appeal to me.
apply to – This rule applies to everyone.
belong to – This book belongs to me.
compare to – Don’t compare me to him.
confess to – He confessed to the murder.
consent to – She consented to the operation.
contribute to – Everyone contributed to the project.
lead to – This path leads to the beach.
listen to – Listen to me carefully.
object to – I object to this proposal.
occur to – It didn’t occur to me to ask.
prefer (something) to – I prefer tea to coffee.
react to – How did he react to the news?
refer to – What are you referring to?
reply to – Please reply to my email.
respond to – He didn’t respond to my question.
talk to – I need to talk to you.
write to – I’ll write to you soon.

Verbs with “FOR”

account for – How do you account for the missing money?
allow for – We must allow for delays.
apologize for – I apologize for being late.
apply for – She applied for the job.
ask for – He asked for help.
blame (someone) for – Don’t blame me for this.
call for – The situation calls for immediate action.
care for – She cares for her elderly mother.
charge (someone) for – They charged me $50 for the repair.
compensate for – Nothing can compensate for the loss.
hope for – We hope for the best.
leave for – We leave for Tokyo tomorrow.
long for – She longs for her homeland.
look for – I’m looking for my keys.
pay for – Who’s paying for dinner?
prepare for – Are you prepared for the exam?
qualify for – Do I qualify for this discount?
search for – They searched for survivors.
stand for – What does UN stand for?
substitute for – You can substitute oil for butter.
thank (someone) for – Thank you for your help.
vote for – Who did you vote for?
wait for – I’m waiting for the bus.
wish for – What do you wish for?

Verbs with “WITH”

agree with – I agree with you.
argue with – Don’t argue with me.
associate with – I don’t associate with those people.
begin with – Let’s begin with the basics.
collide with – The car collided with a tree.
communicate with – We communicate with email.
compare with – Compare this with the original.
compete with – We compete with larger companies.
comply with – You must comply with the rules.
confuse (something) with – Don’t confuse love with obsession.
cope with – How do you cope with stress?
deal with – I’ll deal with this problem.
disagree with – I disagree with your opinion.
discuss with – I discussed it with my boss.
interfere with – Don’t interfere with my work.
meet with – I’ll meet with them tomorrow.
mix with – Oil doesn’t mix with water.
provide (someone) with – They provided us with equipment.
quarrel with – She quarreled with her sister.
replace with – Replace the old system with a new one.
share with – Can I share this with you?
supply (someone) with – They supplied us with food.

Verbs with “ABOUT”

argue about – They argued about politics.
boast about – He’s always boasting about his achievements.
care about – I care about the environment.
complain about – She complained about the noise.
dream about – I dreamed about you last night.
forget about – Don’t forget about the meeting.
hear about – Did you hear about the accident?
know about – What do you know about this?
laugh about – We laughed about it afterwards.
learn about – I learned about it in school.
lie about – Don’t lie about your age.
read about – I read about it in the newspaper.
speak about – Can we speak about something else?
talk about – What are you talking about?
think about – Think about it carefully.
warn (someone) about – I warned you about him.
wonder about – I wonder about the future.
worry about – Don’t worry about me.

Verbs with “FROM”

benefit from – You’ll benefit from this experience.
borrow from – Can I borrow money from you?
defend from – We defended ourselves from attack.
differ from – My opinion differs from yours.
escape from – He escaped from prison.
graduate from – She graduated from Harvard.
hide from – You can’t hide from the truth.
prevent (someone) from – Nothing can prevent me from going.
prohibit (someone) from – Smoking is prohibited from this area.
protect from – This will protect you from the cold.
recover from – She’s recovering from surgery.
resign from – He resigned from his position.
result from – The damage resulted from the storm.
retire from – He retired from teaching.
suffer from – She suffers from migraines.

Verbs with “ON”

base on – The movie is based on a book.
concentrate on – Please concentrate on your work.
congratulate (someone) on – I congratulate you on your success.
count on – Can I count on you?
decide on – Have you decided on a date?
depend on – It depends on the weather.
insist on – He insisted on paying.
rely on – You can rely on me.
spend (money) on – I spent $100 on groceries.
work on – I’m working on a new project.

3. Noun + Fixed Preposition

Certain nouns are commonly followed by specific prepositions:

Nouns with “OF”

a cause of – What was the cause of the accident?
a lack of – There’s a lack of evidence.
a need of – There’s no need of concern.
a picture of – This is a picture of my family.
a waste of – That’s a waste of time.
an example of – Give me an example of what you mean.
an understanding of – She has a good understanding of physics.
the cost of – What’s the cost of living here?
the price of – The price of oil is rising.

Nouns with “TO”

a solution to – We need a solution to this problem.
a reaction to – What was his reaction to the news?
a reply to – I’m waiting for a reply to my email.
a response to – There was no response to my question.
access to – Do you have access to the database?
an alternative to – Is there an alternative to surgery?
an answer to – I don’t have an answer to that.
an approach to – We need a different approach to the problem.
an attitude to/toward – His attitude to work is poor.
an introduction to – This is an introduction to physics.
damage to – There was damage to the building.
the key to – Hard work is the key to success.

Nouns with “FOR”

a check for – I wrote a check for $500.
a demand for – There’s a huge demand for organic food.
a desire for – He has a strong desire for success.
a need for – There’s a need for change.
a reason for – What’s the reason for the delay?
a reputation for – They have a reputation for quality.
a respect for – She has great respect for her teachers.
a search for – The search for survivors continues.
an excuse for – There’s no excuse for rudeness.
responsibility for – Who has responsibility for this?

Nouns with “IN”

a belief in – I have a strong belief in justice.
a decrease in – There’s been a decrease in sales.
a delay in – There was a delay in the flight.
a difference in – Is there a difference in price?
a fall in – There was a fall in temperature.
a rise in – There’s been a rise in unemployment.
an increase in – We saw an increase in profits.
confidence in – I have confidence in you.
faith in – Don’t lose faith in yourself.
interest in – She has an interest in art.

Nouns with “WITH”

a connection with – Do you have a connection with that company?
a relationship with – She has a good relationship with her boss.
contact with – We lost contact with them.
trouble with – I’m having trouble with my car.

Nouns with “ABOUT”

a discussion about – We had a discussion about the budget.
a doubt about – I have doubts about this plan.
a question about – Do you have any questions about the assignment?
information about – I need information about train schedules.

Nouns with “ON”

a ban on – There’s a ban on smoking here.
a comment on – Do you have any comments on the proposal?
a report on – I read the report on climate change.
an effect on – This will have an effect on sales.
an influence on – She had a great influence on me.
tax on – There’s a tax on luxury goods.

Nouns with “BETWEEN”

a connection between – There’s a connection between diet and health.
a difference between – What’s the difference between these two?
a relationship between – The relationship between the two countries improved.
a link between – Scientists found a link between smoking and cancer.

Variations in Fixed Prepositions

Some words can take different prepositions depending on the context or intended meaning:

Angry

angry with (a person) – I’m angry with my brother.
angry about (a situation) – She’s angry about the decision.
angry at (acceptable, especially in American English) – He’s angry at me.

Arrive

arrive at (a specific point/building) – We arrived at the hotel.
arrive in (a city/country) – They arrived in Tokyo.
arrive on (an island) – We arrived on the island at noon.

Consist

consist of (be made up of) – The team consists of five members.
consist in (formal: exist in) – True happiness consists in contentment.

Depend

depend on (most common) – It depends on the weather.
depend upon (more formal) – You can depend upon me.

Different

different from (standard) – This is different from that.
different than (American English, informal) – It’s different than I expected.
different to (British English) – This version is different to the original.

Disappointed

disappointed in (a person) – I’m disappointed in you.
disappointed with (a thing/result) – She was disappointed with her grade.
disappointed at/about (a situation) – We were disappointed at the news.

Discuss

discuss (no preposition needed) – We discussed the problem.
discuss with (when mentioning the person) – I discussed it with my manager.

Married

married to (standard) – She’s married to a lawyer.
married with (incorrect in standard English, but used to mean “having children”) – He’s married with three kids. (Note: “married with” is not standard for the spouse relationship)

Pleased

pleased with (a result/thing) – I’m pleased with the outcome.
pleased about (a situation) – We’re pleased about the news.
pleased for (someone else’s success) – I’m pleased for you.

Responsible

responsible for (in charge of/caused) – Who’s responsible for this?
responsible to (accountable to) – I’m responsible to the director.

Suffer

suffer from (an illness/problem) – He suffers from diabetes.
suffer (no preposition for experiencing pain) – She suffered greatly.

Think

think of (have an opinion about) – What do you think of this?
think about (consider/ponder) – I’m thinking about your offer.

Common Mistakes with Fixed Prepositions

1. Using the Wrong Preposition

Incorrect	Correct
❌ I’m good in math.	✅ I’m good at math.
❌ She’s afraid from spiders.	✅ She’s afraid of spiders.
❌ He depends from his parents.	✅ He depends on his parents.
❌ I’m interested for music.	✅ I’m interested in music.
❌ We arrived to the airport.	✅ We arrived at the airport.
❌ She apologized about being late.	✅ She apologized for being late.
❌ I graduated in Harvard.	✅ I graduated from Harvard.
❌ He’s married with a doctor.	✅ He’s married to a doctor.

2. Adding Unnecessary Prepositions

Incorrect	Correct
❌ We discussed about the problem.	✅ We discussed the problem.
❌ She married with him.	✅ She married him.
❌ They reached to the destination.	✅ They reached the destination.
❌ Please contact with me.	✅ Please contact me.
❌ I entered into the room.	✅ I entered the room.

3. Omitting Required Prepositions

Incorrect	Correct
❌ I’m waiting the bus.	✅ I’m waiting for the bus.
❌ She’s good math.	✅ She’s good at math.
❌ It depends the weather.	✅ It depends on the weather.
❌ I apologize the mistake.	✅ I apologize for the mistake.
❌ Listen me carefully.	✅ Listen to me carefully.

Tips for Learning Fixed Prepositions

1. Learn Combinations, Not Individual Words

Don’t learn words in isolation. Always learn them with their fixed prepositions as complete phrases:

Learn: “good at” (not just “good”)
Learn: “depend on” (not just “depend”)
Learn: “interested in” (not just “interested”)

2. Keep a Personal List

Create your own list of fixed prepositions you frequently use or struggle with. Review and practice them regularly.

3. Use Context and Example Sentences

Learn prepositions in context rather than as isolated rules. Example sentences help you remember how they’re used naturally.

4. Practice with Exercises

Complete fill-in-the-blank exercises to reinforce your knowledge:

Example Exercise:

She’s very good _____ playing the piano. (at)
I’m interested _____ learning Spanish. (in)
We arrived _____ London yesterday. (in)
Don’t worry _____ the exam. (about)
This depends _____ your decision. (on)

5. Pay Attention to Native Speakers

Listen to how native speakers use prepositions in context. Reading and listening extensively will help you internalize these patterns.

6. Don’t Translate Directly

Avoid translating prepositions directly from your native language. Different languages use different prepositions for the same concepts.

7. Use Mnemonics

Create memory aids for difficult combinations:

“I’m interested IN going INside the museum”
“I’m good AT being AT the right place”

8. Group by Preposition

Study words that take the same preposition together:

Words with “OF”: afraid of, proud of, tired of, full of
Words with “AT”: good at, bad at, look at, laugh at

9. Be Patient

Learning fixed prepositions takes time and practice. Don’t expect to master them immediately. Regular exposure and use will improve your accuracy over time.

Fixed Prepositions in Academic and Professional English

Academic Writing

according to – According to recent studies…
consistent with – This is consistent with previous findings.
contrary to – Contrary to popular belief…
in accordance with – In accordance with the guidelines…
in addition to – In addition to this…
in contrast to – In contrast to the first group…
in relation to – This is important in relation to our hypothesis.
with regard to – With regard to your question…
with respect to – With respect to the methodology…

Business English

in charge of – Who’s in charge of this project?
in compliance with – We operate in compliance with regulations.
on behalf of – I’m calling on behalf of the company.
with reference to – With reference to your email…
in response to – In response to your inquiry…
subject to – This offer is subject to availability.

Summary

Fixed prepositions are an essential part of English grammar that must be learned through exposure and practice. Key points to remember:

Fixed prepositions are permanent combinations that cannot be changed
They occur with adjectives, verbs, and nouns
The choice of preposition is based on convention, not logic
They must be learned as complete phrases
Different languages use different prepositions for the same concepts
Regular practice and exposure are essential for mastery
Context is crucial for understanding and remembering these combinations

By studying this guide and practicing regularly, you’ll develop a strong command of fixed prepositions and improve your overall fluency in English.

This comprehensive guide covers the most common and important fixed prepositions in English grammar. Regular review and practice will help you use these combinations naturally and correctly.