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Ashamed of, not from.
- Don’t Say: He’s now ashamed from his conduct.
- Say: He’s now ashamed of his conduct.
Note: It isn’t correct to use ashamed of meaning shy. Ashamed means feeling shame or guilt about something. Shy means feeling nervous with someone. Instead of saying: I’m ashamed (or shamed) of my teacher, Say: I’m shy of my teacher.
Accustomed to, not with.
- Don’t Say: I’m accustomed with hot weather.
- Say: I’m accustomed to hot weather.
Note: Also used to: He is to the heat.
Travel by train, etc., not with the train, etc.
- Don’t Say: He travelled with the train yesterday.
- Say: He travelled by train yesterday.
Note: We Say: by train, by boat by plane, by bike; also, by land, by sea, by air, by bus; in a bus or on a bus; by car or in a car, by taxi or in a taxi; on horse-back, on a donkey, on a bicycle; on foot.
Absorbed (- very much interested) in, not at.
- Don’t Say: The man was absorbed at his work.
- Say: The man was absorbed in his work.
Aim at, not on or against.
- Don’t Say: She aimed on {or against) the target.
- Say: She aimed at the target.
Note: Use the preposition at to denote direction, throw at, shout at, fire at shoot at, Shoot (without the at) means to kill. He shot a bird (= he hit and killed it)
Accuse of, not for.
- Don’t Say: She accused the man for stealing.
- Say: She accused the man of stealing.
Note: Charge takes with the man was charged with murder.
Afraid of, not from.
- Don’t Say: James is afraid from the dog.
- Say: James is afraid of the dog.
Anxious (= troubled) about, not for.
- Don’t Say: They’re anxious for his health.
- Say: They’re anxious about his health.
Note: Anxious meaning wishing very much takes for. Parents are anxious
Careful of, with or about, not for.
- Don’t Say: Elke’s very careful for her health.
- Say: Elke’s very careful of/about her health.
- Or: You should be more careful with your money.
Note: Take care of: Ram take care of his money.
Arrive at, not to.
- Don’t Say: We arrived to the village at night.
- Say: We arrived at the village at night.
Note: Use arrive in with countries and large cities. Mr. Smith has arrived in London (or New York, India, etc.)
Angry with, not against.
- Don’t Say: The teacher was angry against him.
- Say: The teacher was angry with him.
Believe in, not to.
- Don’t Say: We believe to God.
- Say: We believe in God.
Note: To believe in means to have faith in. To believe (without the in) means to regard something as true: I believe everything he says.
Complain about, not for.
- Don’t Say: Annette complained for the weather.
- Say: Annette complained about the weather.
Note: When talking about illness we use complain of.
- We Say: She complained of a sore throat.
Boast of or about, not for.
- Don’t Say: James boasted for his strength.
- Say: James boasted of (or about) his strength.
Conform to, not with.
- Don’t Say: We must conform with the rules.
- Say: We must conform to the rules.
Note: comply takes with. We’ll comply with your request.
Composed of, not from.
- Don’t Say: Our class is composed from thirty students.
- Say: Our class is composed of thirty students.
Confidence in, not to.
- Don’t Say: I have great confidence to you.
- Say: I have great confidence in you.
Note: In confidence: Let me tell you something in confidence (= as a secret)
Congratulate on, not for.
- Don’t Say: I congratulate you for your success.
- Say: I congratulate you on your success.
Covered with, not by.
- Don’t Say: The mountains are covered by snow.
- Say: The mountains are covered with/in snow.
Consist of, not from.
- Don’t Say: A year consists from twelve months.
- Say: A year consists of twelve months.
Note: Take great care never to use consist in the passive form.
Depend on or upon, not from.
- Don’t Say: It depends from her.
- Say: It depends on (or upon) her.
Cure of, not from.
- Don’t Say: The man was cured from his illness.
- Say: The man was cured of his illness.
Note: Rely on or upon. I can’t rely on (or upon) him.
Deprive of, not from.
- Don’t Say: Nelson Mandela was deprived from his freedom.
- Say: Nelson Mandela was deprived of his freedom.
Die of an illness, not from an illness.
- Don’t Say: Many people have died from malaria.
- Say: Many people have died of malaria.
Note: People die of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork; by violence, by the sword, by pestilence; in battle; for their country, for a cause; through neglect; on the scaffold; at the stake.
Disappointed by, about or at, not from.
(a) by/at/about:
- Don’t Say: Phillipa was disappointed from the low mark she got in the test.
- Say: Phillipa was disappointed by/about/at the low mark she got in the test.
Different from, not than
- Don’t Say: My book is different than yours.
- Say: My book is different from yours.
(b) with/in:
- Don’t Say: Jane was disappointed from her son.
- Say: Jane was disappointed with/in her son.
Note: Before a person we use with or in, before a thing we use at, about or by and before a gerund we use at; Keith is very disappointed at not winning the prize. We use that (optional before a new clause): I was disappointed (that) I didn’t get an invitation.
No doubt (n) of or about, not for.
- Don’t Say: I’ve no doubt for his ability,
- Say: I’ve no doubt of (or about) his ability.
Divide into parts, not in parts.
- Don’t Say: I divided the cake in four parts.
- Say: I divided the cake into four parts.
Note: A thing may be divided in half or in two: Paul divided the apple in half (or in two).
Note: Doubtful of: I am doubtful of his ability to pass.
Dressed in, not with.
- Don’t Say: The woman was dressed with black.
- Say: The woman was dressed in black.
Note: The woman was in black is also correct.
Exchange for, not by.
- Don’t Say: He exchanged his collection of matchboxes by some foreign stamps.
- Say: He exchanged his collection of matchboxes for some foreign stamps.
Note: In exchange for: He gave them his old car in exchange for a new one.
Exception to, not of.
- Don’t Say: This is an exception of the rule.
- Say: This is an exception to the rule.
Note: We say with the exception of: She liked all her subjects with the exception of physics
Fail in, not from.
- Don’t Say: Steven failed from math’s last year.
- Say: Steven failed in math’s last year.
Full of, not with or from.
- Don’t Say: The jar was full with (or from) oil.
- Say: The jar was full of oil.
Note: Fill takes with: Jane filled the glass with water.
Get rid of, not from.
- Don’t Say: I’ll be glad to get rid from him.
- Say: I’ll be glad to get rid of him.
Good at, not in. (Good at means Skill)
- Don’t Say: My sister’s good in math’s.
- Say: My sister’s good at math’s.
Note 1: Bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at, etc. However, weak in: He’s weak in grammar.
Glad about, not from or with.
- Don’t Say: Francis was glad from (or with) receiving your letter.
- Say: Francis was glad about receiving your letter.
Guilty of, not for.
- Don’t Say: He was found guilty for murder.
- Say: He was found guilty of murder
Guard against, not from.
- Don’t Say: You must guard from bad habits.
- Say: You must guard against bad habits.
Independent of, not from.
- Don’t Say: Clare’s independent from her parents. /
- Say: Clare’s independent of her parents.
Note: We say dependent on: A child is dependent on its parents.
Insist on, not to.
- Don’t Say: He always insisted to his opinion.
- Say: He always insisted on his opinion.
Indifferent to, not for.
- Don’t Say: They’re indifferent for politics.
- Say: They’re indifferent to politics.
Note: Persist takes in: He persisted in his silly Ideas.
Jealous of, not from.
- Don’t Say: He’s very jealous from his brother.
- Say: He’s very jealous of his brother.
Interested in, not for.
- Don’t Say: She’s not interested for her work.
- Say: She’s not interested in her work.
Note: Also take an interest in: She takes a great interest in music.
Leave for a place, not to a place.
- Don’t Say: They’re leaving to England soon.
- Say: They’re leaving for England soon.
Look at, not to
- Don’t Say: Look to this beautiful picture.
- Say: Look at this beautiful picture.
Married to, not with.
- Don’t Say: Angela was married with a rich man.
- Say: Angela was married to a rich man.
Live on, not from.
- Don’t Say: He lives from his brother’s money.
- Say: He lives on his brother’s money.
Note: Feed on: Some birds feed on insects.
Note: Also gaze at, stare at, etc. But: look after (= take care of); look for (= try to find); look over (= examine); look into (= examine closely); look on or upon (= consider); look down on (= have a low opinion of), look up to (= respect); look out for (= expect); look forward to (= expect with pleasure); look to (= rely on)
Note: Also engaged to: Sally was engaged to Peter for a year before they got married.
Opposite to, not from
- Don’t Say: Their house is opposite from ours.
- Say: Their house is opposite to ours.
Note: Opposite ours is also correct.
- Play for a team, not with a team.
Don’t Say: He plays regularly with that team.
Say: He plays regularly for that team.
Pass by a place, not from a place.
- Don’t Say: Will you pass from the post-office?
- Say: Will you pass by the post-office?
Note: Also pass the post-office is correct.
Popular with, not among.
- Don’t Say: John’s popular among his friends.
- Say: John’s popular with his friends
Prefer to, not from.
- Don’t Say: I prefer a blue pen from a red one.
- Say: I prefer a blue pen to a red one.
Note: Also preferable to: This car is preferable to my old one.
Pleased with, not from.
- Don’t Say: The teacher is pleased from me.
- Say: The teacher is pleased with me.
Note: We say pleased at or pleased with if an abstract noun or a clause follows: They were pleased at (or with) what he said; They were pleased at (or with) her results.
Preside at or over, not in.
- Don’t Say: Who presided in the last meeting?
- Say: Who presided at (or over) the last meeting?
Proud of, not for.
- Don’t Say: He’s very proud for his promotion.
- Say: He’s very proud of his promotion.
Note: We say take (a) pride in A craftsman takes a pride in his work .
Related to, not with.
- Don’t Say: Are you related with Simon in any way? /
- Say: Are you related to Simon in any way?
Rejoice at or in, not for.
- Don’t Say: We rejoiced for her success.
- Say: We rejoiced at (or in) her success.
Note: Also, relation to: Is he any relation to you?
Repent of, not from.
- Don’t Say: He repented from his crime.
- Say: He repented of his crime.
Similar to, not with.
- Don’t Say: Your house is similar with mine.
- Say: Your house is similar to mine.
Satisfied with, not from.
- Don’t Say: Are you satisfied from your marks?
- Say: Are you satisfied with your marks?
Note: Also, content with, delighted with, unhappy with, happy with, displeased with, dissatisfied with, disgusted with.
Spend on, not for.
- Don’t Say: I spend a lot of time for my computer.
- Say: I spend a lot of time on my computer.
Succeed in, not at.
- Don’t Say: I hope he’ll succeed at his work.
- Say: I hope he’ll succeed in his work.
Note: A person succeeds to a property, a title, or an office: Queen Elizabeth II succeeded to the throne in 1952. Also, one person can succeed another.
Sit at a desk etc., not on a desk etc.
- Don’t Say: The bank manager was sitting on his desk.
- Say: The bank manager was sitting at his desk.
Note: Also sit at a table. But on a chair, on a bench, on a sofa, etc.; in an arm-chair, in a tree or up a tree. A bird sometimes perches {= sits) on a tree.
Superior to, not from or than.
- Don’t Say: This is superior from (or than) that.
- Say: This is superior to that.
Note: Also inferior to, junior to, senior to, subsequent to, prior to.
Sure of, not for.
- Don’t Say: I’m quite sure for her honesty.
- Say: I’m quite sure of her honesty.
Note: Also certain of: I am quite certain of it
Suspect of, not for.
- Don’t Say: I suspect Kate for stealing the pen.
- Say: I suspect Kate of stealing the pen.
Surprised at or by, not for.
- Don’t Say: Harold was surprised for the loud bang.
- Say: Harold was surprised at/by the loud bang.
Note: Also astonished at/by, amazed at/by, alarmed at/by, puzzled at/by
Note: Also suspicious of: Dogs are suspicious of strangers.
Take by, not from.
- Don’t Say: Robert took his brother from the hand.
- Say: Robert took his brother by the hand.
Note: Also: hold by, catch by, seize by, snatch by, grasp by.
Tie to, not on.
- Don’t Say: The girl tied the string on the kite.
- Say: The girl tied the string to the kite.
Note: Also bind to: The prisoner was bound to the stake
Warn (a person) of danger, not about danger.
- Don’t Say: They were warned about the danger.
- Say: They were warned of the danger.
Note 1: Use warn about for specific things: They warned us about the bumps.
Note 2: We warn a person against a fault: His teacher warned him against breaking the rules.
Translate into, not to.
- Don’t Say: Translate this passage to English.
- Say: Translate this passage into English.
Tremble with cold, etc., not from cold, etc.
- Don’t Say: The man was trembling from cold.
- Say: The man was trembling with cold.
Tired of, not from.
- Don’t Say: The boys are tired from eating boiled eggs.
- Say: The boys are tired of eating boiled eggs.
Note: Also shake with and shiver with: The thief was shaking with fear.
Write in ink, not with ink.
- Don’t Say: I’ve written the letter with ink.
- Say: I’ve written the letter in ink.
Note: We use in when we are referring to the final work: The drawing was done in charcoal. Dora writes her letters in green ink. When we are referring to the instrument used, we use with: The children are learning to write with a pen. Helen prefers to paint with a thin brush.
Have another look at…
Prepositions after certain words
Note: carefully the prepositions used after the following words:
accuse of | guilty of |
accustomed to | independent of |
afraid of | indifferent to |
aim at | insist on |
angry with, at | interested in |
arrive at, in | jealous of |
ashamed of | look at |
believe in | married to |
boast of | no doubt of or about |
careful of, with, about | pleased with |
complain about | prefer to |
composed of | proud of |
conform to | related to |
congratulate on | repent of |
consist of | satisfied with |
cure of | similar to |
depend on | succeed in |
deprive of | superior to |
die of sure of | different from |
surprised at, by | |
dressed’ in | suspect of |
fail in | tired of |
full of | translate into |
good at | warn of about |
guard against |
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