DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS

Dependent prepositions are prepositions that usually accompany specific verbs,

adjectives or nouns. These prepositions are used to attach an object (a noun) to the
verb, adjective or noun.
Using the correct dependent preposition is important for a number of reasons:
• Clarity in meaning: Using an incorrect dependent preposition, or not using one when
you should, might cause another person to become confused. For example, if you say
"depend of" (incorrect) instead of "depend on" (correct), it might not be clear at first
what you are trying to say.
• Sounding more natural: Many expressions in English are idiomatic, meaning that they
follow a conventional pattern that native speakers expect to hear. For example, we say
"interested in" rather than "interested about." Using the correct dependent preposition
is key to sounding natural in English.
• Avoiding misunderstandings: Using an incorrect dependent preposition can lead to
misunderstandings. For example, "laugh at" (to mock) has a different meaning from
"laugh about" (to find something funny).
There isn’t really any logic behind which preposition goes with which verb, adjective or
noun – you just have to memorize and become familiar with them. The table below
shows some common dependent prepositions:
WITH VERBS WITH ADJECTIVES WITH NOUNS
add to according to attack on
agree with accustomed to attitude towards
apply for/to afraid of comparison between
ask for annoyed decrease in
believe in with/about/at delay in
call for confused by/about difference between
choose between different from difficulty in/with
comment on excited about increase in
compare with fed up with information about
complain about friendly with intention of
deal with frightened of knowledge of
decide on good at need for
depend on interested in notice of
forgive (somebody) jealous of on behalf of
for mad at/about preference for
hear of/about opposed to protection from
hope/wait for pleased with reaction to
laugh at popular with reason for
listen to proud of reduction in
pay for satisfied with result of
refer to similar to rise in
thank (somebody) for sorry for/about room for
think of/about tired of solution to
worry about used to
COMMON MISTAKES WITH DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS
As there is no real logic behind which dependent preposition is used for which word, it
is very common for students to make mistakes when deciding which preposition to use
(or whether to use one at all). Here are the most common mistakes students make with
dependent prepositions.
USING THE INCORRECT PREPOSITION
One of the most common mistakes is to use the incorrect preposition, perhaps because
the student’s own language uses a different preposition:
• It will depend of the weather. It will depend on the weather.
• He was thinking in buying a new house. He was thinking of/about buying a new
house.
• We’ll arrive to the train station at 4pm. We’ll arrive at the train station at 4pm.
• I graduated of law. I graduated in law.

OMITTING THE PREPOSITION

Another common mistake is omitting the preposition when it is required:
• I’m listening music. I’m listening to music.
• She asked a coffee. She asked for a coffee.
• Parents care their children. Parents care for their children.
• He was looking a new shirt. He was looking for a new shirt.

ADDING A PHANTOM PREPOSITION

Sometimes students use a preposition when one is not required in English:
• This could become in a bad situation. This could become a bad situation.
• I helped to my parents. I helped my parents.
• She entered to the building. She entered the building.
• We’re going to meet with our neighbors tonight. We’re going to meet our neighbors
tonight.

CONFUSING THE PREPOSITION TO WITH THE TO-INFINITIVE

Many words take the dependent preposition to. Some common verbs that take the
preposition to
are add, contribute, admit, object, refer and consent. Some common adjectives that
take the
preposition to are used, accustomed, opposed, addicted, attracted and allergic.
Remember that a verb
after a preposition is always the gerund form, not the infinitive form:
• He admitted to steal the money. He admitted to stealing the money.
• My wife objected to be called bossy. My wife objected to being called bossy.
• I’m addicted to eat chocolate. I’m addicted to eating chocolate.
• He’s not used to drive on the left. He’s not used to driving on the left.

Answer the following questions using the dependent preposition in your

answers:
1. What don't you agree with?
2. What are you afraid of?
3. What would you like more information about?
4. What do you always complain about?
5. What are you annoyed by?
6. What do you have difficulty with?
7. What are you interested in?
8. What do you worry about too much?
9. What are you good at?
10. What do you have a great knowledge of?
11. What do you laugh at the most?
12.What are you confused by?
Fill in the blanks with the correct preposition:
1. He has extensive knowledge _____ the subject.
2. He is so good _____ public speaking.
3. His attitude _____ the subject is very narrow-minded.
4. I am so excited _____ the upcoming concert!
5. I believe ______ him – he is such a talented and hard-working artist.
6. I had to choose _____ going to the cinema or out to dinner.
7. I totally agree _____ your opinion – everything you say about this is true!
8. It was an unjustified attack _____ an innocent party.
9. She is unavailable at the moment as she is attending _____ an urgent issue.
10. She was so kind _____ me when I was having problems.
11. The company is aware _____ the problem and is working hard to fix it soon.
12. There is no need _____ violence in any circumstances.

Complete the following sentences using the correct preposition and its
object:
1. Fossil fuels are contributing __________.
2. My brother is really bad __________.
3. The president refused to comment __________.
4. There’s no room __________.
5. I’m thinking __________.
6. They need protection __________.
7. There has been a noticeable rise __________.
8. We need to find a solution __________.
9. William is hoping __________.
10. They objected __________.
11. My daughter is not used __________.
12. My dad is interested __________.

LIST OF 200 DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS TO KNOW

ADJECTIVES AND DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS EXAMPLE

According to According to these documents, you’ve been married for over 20

years.

Accustomed to He’s not accustomed to manual labor.

Afraid of The boy is afraid of spiders.

Anxious about The population seems anxious about the upcoming election.

Ashamed of She’s very ashamed of her family.

Astonished at We were astonished at the detail of the restoration.

Attached toThe handle is attached to the pitcher.

Aware of I’m aware of his mistakes and will address them tomorrow.

Capable of The ship is not capable of sailing through that storm.

Crazy about I was crazy about comic books when I was a kid.

Different from Alice was always different from all of the other girls.

Dissatisfied with I’m very dissatisfied with my purchase and would like a refund.

Doubtful about/ofWe’re doubtful of her abilities to perform the task.

I’m doubtful about your story.

Enthusiastic about The girl was enthusiastic about her upcoming trip to
Disneyland.

Envious of She was envious of her sister’s accomplishments.

Excited about Are you excited about your birthday party?

Famous for The restaurant is famous for its slow cooked dishes.

Fed up withI’m getting fed up with all of the inaction on this issue.

Fond of My grandmother was very fond of him.

Friendly with/to/toward Sue was always friendly with her neighbors

He is friendly to the other children.

She is friendly towards her classmates.

Guilty of He was found guilty of treason.

Hooked on I’ve been hooked on the new season of Stranger Things

Incapable of She’s incapable of committing such a horrible crime.

Interested in Are you interested in anything else?

Jealous of He was very jealous of her ex-husband.

Keen on Johnny was always keen on things dealing with computers.

Kind to Our family dog was very kind to everyone.

Opposed to Most people were opposed to the new rules.

Pleased with The producers were pleased with the first draft of the script.

Popular with The show was popular with teenagers in the 1980s.

Proud of His parents were very proud of him that year.

Puzzled by/about I’m puzzled by people who like to mix mayonnaise and mustard.

That season, everyone was puzzled about whether Joe was the killer or not.

Responsible for As a police officer, he’s responsible for the safety of the public.

Safe from In that moment, we knew we were safe from anything that could harm
us.

Satisfied with I’m not satisfied with the results of this test.

Sensitive to/towards We promised to be sensitive to his special needs.

He was very sensitive towards the plight of animals in need.

Serious about He was very serious about the graduate program.

Sick of I’m sick of staying inside every day!

Similar to Thriller novels are similar to horror novels with some subtle differences.

Sorry for/about He said that he was sorry for scratching her car.

He said that he was sorry about scratching her car.

Suspicious of They were suspicious of the man on the video feed.

Sympathetic to/towards I’m very sympathetic to single mothers.

I’m very sympathetic towards single mothers.

Tired of She was tired of all the arguing in the house.

Typical of It’s typical of bear cubs to leave their mothers at six to eight months.

Unaware of He was unaware of the consequences of his actions.

Used to I’m used to living alone now.

Vigilant about They were vigilant about testing everyone for possible
contamination.

NOUNS AND DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS EXAMPLE

Anxiety about She’s having anxiety about moving away from home.

Attack on It was an attack on our values.

Attitude towards Her attitude towards her father was very positive.

Comparison between You can draw a comparison between many acting teaching
methods.

Connection between Is there any connection between Donald and Sarah?

Cruelty towards He showed cruelty towards animals at an early age.

Decrease in We’re seeing a decrease in the number of infections.

Delay in There has been a delay in the delivery of the results.

Demand for Investors are seeing a demand for more Apple products than last
year.

Difference between Scientists are researching the difference between the two
types of elements.

Difficulty in/with She’s having difficulty in breathing while exercising.

They’re having difficulty with their two-year-old.

Impact on The level of pollution in the air has an impact on the health of the
citizens.

Increase in The researcher cited an increase in crime over the past ten years.

Information about I’m seeking information about buying a used vehicle.

Intention of He had no intention of entering the building.

Key to The key to success is good sleep.

Key factor in A key factor in our research was interviewing patients to see how
they felt after the treatment.

Knowledge of The lawyer also had a vast knowledge of baseball history.

Lack of The school was suffering from a lack of supplies for the new year.

Need for Our office has a need for people like you.

Notice of The city sent notice of a delay in garbage pick up next week.

Prevent (something) from The idea is to prevent the dog from entering the house.

Reaction to The child had a positive reaction to the medicine.

Reason for What is the reason for his actions?

Reduction in The company is expecting a reduction in supplies.

Report on I’m looking forward to his report on the weather situation.

Result of It was a result of hard work and determination.

Rise in We’re seeing a rise in the number of speeding tickets this year.

Room for Is there room for one more?

Solution to Scientists are actively looking for a solution to the problem.

Taste for I don’t have a taste for sushi.

Trouble with They’re having trouble with their son.

Way to I’m looking for a way to fix my car with the tools I already have.

VERBS AND DEPENDENT PREPOSITIONS EXAMPLE

Abide by People don’t always abide by the rules.

Abstain from Please abstain from smoking on our porch.

Accuse (somebody) of They accused Joey of stealing the candy, but he didn’t do it.

Add to We need to add to our list of projects this month.

Adhere to He isn’t one to adhere to the rules.

Advise (someone) to Our lawyer advised her to not say anything to the press.

Agree with We don’t agree with him.

Aim at/for They found a solution aimed at creating an amicable settlement.

We always aim for an easy solution to our customer’s problems.

Allow for The weather didn’t allow for a safe flight today.

Apologize for I’d like to apologize for my actions last week.

Approve of Her father didn’t approve of the arrangement.

Argue with/about I don’t want to argue with you.

I don’t want to argue about that.

Arise from Many problems arise from the use of tobacco products.

Arrest for He was arrested for trespassing last year.

Arrive in/at The couple will arrive in five minutes.

The couple will arrive at 7 p.m.

Ask for I didn’t ask for anything too difficult.

Attend to The nurse was the first person to attend to her needs.

Beg for She refused to beg for anything ever again.

Believe in He didn’t believe in removing his shoes before entering a house.

Belong to They don’t belong to that group.

Beware of You should really beware of the bears in the area.

Blame for I’m not the one to blame for his mistakes.

Boast about He was always boasting about his accomplishments.

Borrow (something) from You can borrow it from your brother.

Buy (something) for I’m going to buy a ring for my wife.

Call for The recipe calls for two cups of sugar.

Care about/for He really does care about her.

She will do her best to care for him.

Choose between I can’t choose between the red or the white dress.

Comment on He would always comment on the state of politics in the country.

Compare with Few runners could compare with him when he was at his best.

Complain about They’re always going to complain about low wages.

Comply with He refused to comply with the rules of the house.

Conceal (something) from He tried to conceal it from his family.

Concentrate on She had a hard time concentrating on her studies.

Conform to They weren’t one to conform to standard dress.

Congratulate (someone) on We wanted to congratulate her on her victory last week.

Consent to I don’t consent to any sort of test.

Consist of The recipe consists of three types of fruits and some dairy.

Contribute to The author also contributed to the daily newspaper.

Cook for I don’t want to cook for my father.

Deal with They don’t want to deal with the problem at hand.

Depend on/upon She really depends on her sister.

She really depends upon her sister.

Deter (someone) from I didn’t want to deter him from pursuing his dreams.

Disappear from He just seemed to disappear from the face of the Earth.

Discriminate against It’s not just to discriminate against another person.

Dispose of I don’t know where to dispose of this trash.

Distinguish (someone) from He set out to distinguish himself from the rest of the
group.

Do (something) for I’ll do it for her.

Dream of/about I’ve always dreamed of going to Paris.

I’ve always dreamed about going to Paris.

Escape from The men couldn’t escape from their cells.

Excel at/in He excels at computer science.

He excels in computer science.

Exchange (something) for I’m going to exchange it for something else.

Excuse for The is no excuse for making a scene in that situation.

Expect to I don’t expect to get my money back.

Find (something) for He set out to find the hat for her.

Fine (someone) for They decided to fine Jon for leaving his trash out on the
street.

Forget about I can’t seem to forget about her.

Forgive (somebody) for Will you ever forgive your dad for leaving?

Get (something) for I’m going to get a new sweater for him.

Give (something) to Is she going to give the bracelet to her mom?

Hide from We had to hide from the dog.

Hear of/about Did you ever hear of the old man in the tower?

Did you ever hear about the old man in the tower?

Hope for I can hope for a better solution, but it doesn’t seem likely.

Incorporated into The neighborhood was incorporated into the city in 1945.

Insist on I hate to insist on such things, but it helps me sleep.

Interfere with/in She would always interfere with her sister’s affairs.

She would always interfere in her sister’s affairs.

Introduce (someone) toHe was the first one to introduce me to her.

Invite (someone) to Are you going to invite him to your party?

Invest (something) in I was the first to invest money in the company.

Joke about We always joked about running away, but we never did it.

Laugh at Why do they always laugh at her?

Leave for I’m going to leave for my appointment.

Leave (something) for My mom is going to leave my lunch for me at the front office.

Lend (something) to (someone) Can you lend your coat to Jim?

Listen to I like to listen to the radio when I’m working out.

Long for I long for the day when I can go outside again.

Make (something) for She said she’s going to make a cake for her birthday.

Mistake (someone) for I always mistake him for his brother.

Object to They didn’t object to the lighting.

Offer (something) to She wanted to offer a better loan to the couple, but their
credit was awful.

Participate in He always participated in sports when he was a kid.

Pay for I’m not going to pay for it.

Pay (something) to She needs to pay the money to her landlord.

Praise (somebody) for Always praise the dog for behaving well.

Pray for She said she would pray for her.

Prepare for I need to prepare for my test next week.

Present (somebody) with They’re going to present him with the medal at the
ceremony.

Prevent (someone) from We did it to prevent him from buying the house.
Prohibit (someone) from The order prohibits her from being within 30 feet of the
building.

Protect (someone or something) from We have to protect the house from water.

Protest about The group went to protest about a proposed amendment.

Provide (someone) with I always try to provide her with a hot meal at lunch.

Punish (someone) for They’re going to punish him for his actions last month.

Recover from Hopefully she’ll recover from the accident soon.

Refer to If you’ll refer to your sheet, you’ll see what we’re discussing.

Rely on/upon She relied on her sister to bring her water.

She relied upon her sister to bring her water.

Rescue (something or someone) from They sent a helicopter to rescue him from
the river.

Respond to Are you doing to respond to her call?

Run for He said he’s going to run for president.

Result in The flood resulted in extensive damage to the area.

Save (someone) from We fought to save the house from demolition.

Search for They’re going to search for their neighbor’s dog.

Sell (something) to Is she going to sell it to you?

Send (something) to Just send it to her cousin instead.

Sentence to We found out he was sentenced to life in prison.

Smile at She always smiled at him.

Spend (something) on I like to spend time on my cooking hobby.

Stare at I like to stop and stare at the ocean waves every afternoon.

Stop (someone or something) from We couldn’t stop him from leaving.

Subscribe to Do you subscribe to the New York Times?

Substitute for She sent her assistant to substitute for her.

Succeed in He will always succeed in business affairs.

Suffer from She suffers from a lack of good judgement.

Talk with/to (someone) aboutWe need to talk to him about his actions.

We need to talk with him about his actions.

Thank (someone) for Remind me to thank Jenny for her beautiful flowers.

Think of/about Think of something you need to do.

Think about something you need to do.

Vote for They asked us to vote for her father.

Wait for We’re not going to wait for him all night.

Warn (someone) about He needs to warn him about the computer virus.

Worry about I don’t worry about anything.

List of 200 Dependent Prepositions to Know

Adjectives and
Dependent Example
Prepositions
According to these documents, you’ve
According to
been married for over 20 years.
Accustomed to He’s not accustomed to manual labor.
Afraid of The boy is afraid of spiders.
The population seems anxious about the
Anxious about
upcoming election.
Ashamed of She’s very ashamed of her family.
We were astonished at the detail of the
Astonished at
restoration.
Attached to The handle is attached to the pitcher.
Aware of I’m aware of his mistakes and will address
 them tomorrow.
The ship is not capable of sailing through
Capable of
that storm.
I was crazy about comic books when I was
Crazy about
a kid.
Alice was always different from all of the
Different from
other girls.
I’m very dissatisfied with my purchase and
Dissatisfied with
would like a refund.
We’re doubtful of her abilities to perform
the task.
Doubtful about/of
I’m doubtful about your story.
The girl was enthusiastic about her
Enthusiastic about
upcoming trip to Disneyland.
She was envious of her sister’s
Envious of
accomplishments.
Excited about Are you excited about your birthday party?
The restaurant is famous for its slow
Famous for
cooked dishes.
I’m getting fed up with all of the inaction on
Fed up with
this issue.
Fond of My grandmother was very fond of him.
Sue was always friendly with her neighbors

Friendly with/to/toward He is friendly to the other children.

She is friendly towards her classmates.

Guilty of He was found guilty of treason.
I’ve been hooked on the new season of
Hooked on
Stranger Things
She’s incapable of committing such a
Incapable of
horrible crime.
Interested in Are you interested in anything else?
Jealous of He was very jealous of her ex-husband.
Johnny was always keen on things dealing
Keen on
with computers.
Kind to Our family dog was very kind to everyone.
Most people were opposed to the new
Opposed to
rules.
The producers were pleased with the first
Pleased with
draft of the script.
Popular with The show was popular with teenagers in
 the 1980s.
His parents were very proud of him that
Proud of
year.
I’m puzzled by people who like to mix
mayonnaise and mustard.
Puzzled by/about
That season, everyone was puzzled about
whether Joe was the killer or not.
As a police officer, he’s responsible for the
Responsible for
safety of the public.
In that moment, we knew we were safe
Safe from
from anything that could harm us.
I’m not satisfied with the results of this
Satisfied with
test.
We promised to be sensitive to his special
needs.
Sensitive to/towards
He was very sensitive towards the plight of
animals in need.
He was very serious about the graduate
Serious about
program.
Sick of I’m sick of staying inside every day!
Thriller novels are similar to horror novels
Similar to
with some subtle differences.
He said that he was sorry for scratching her
car.
Sorry for/about
He said that he was sorry about scratching
her car.
They were suspicious of the man on the
Suspicious of
video feed.
I’m very sympathetic to single mothers.
Sympathetic to/towards
I’m very sympathetic towards single
mothers.
She was tired of all the arguing in the
Tired of
house.
It’s typical of bear cubs to leave their
Typical of
mothers at six to eight months.
He was unaware of the consequences of his
Unaware of
actions.
Used to I’m used to living alone now.
They were vigilant about testing everyone
Vigilant about
for possible contamination.
Nouns and
Dependent Example
Prepositions
 She’s having anxiety about moving away from
Anxiety about
home.
Attack on It was an attack on our values.
Her attitude towards her father was very
Attitude towards
positive.
You can draw a comparison between many
Comparison between
acting teaching methods.
Is there any connection between Donald and
Connection between
Sarah?
He showed cruelty towards animals at an early
Cruelty towards
age.
We’re seeing a decrease in the number of
Decrease in
infections.
There has been a delay in the delivery of the
Delay in
results.
Investors are seeing a demand for more Apple
Demand for
products than last year.
Scientists are researching the difference
Difference between
between the two types of elements.
She’s having difficulty in breathing while
exercising.
Difficulty in/with
They’re having difficulty with their two-year-old.
The level of pollution in the air has an impact on
Impact on
the health of the citizens.
The researcher cited an increase in crime over
Increase in
the past ten years.
I’m seeking information about buying a used
Information about
vehicle.
Intention of He had no intention of entering the building.
Key to The key to success is good sleep.
A key factor in our research was interviewing
Key factor in patients to see how they felt after the
treatment.
The lawyer also had a vast knowledge of
Knowledge of
baseball history.
The school was suffering from a lack of supplies
Lack of
for the new year.
Need for Our office has a need for people like you.
The city sent notice of a delay in garbage pick
Notice of
up next week.
Prevent (something) The idea is to prevent the dog from entering the
from house.
 The child had a positive reaction to the
Reaction to
medicine.
Reason for What is the reason for his actions?
The company is expecting a reduction in
Reduction in
supplies.
I’m looking forward to his report on the weather
Report on
situation.
Result of It was a result of hard work and determination.
We’re seeing a rise in the number of speeding
Rise in
tickets this year.
Room for Is there room for one more?
Scientists are actively looking for a solution to
Solution to
the problem.
Taste for I don’t have a taste for sushi.
Trouble with They’re having trouble with their son.
I’m looking for a way to fix my car with the tools
Way to
I already have.
Verbs and Dependent
Example
Prepositions
Abide by People don’t always abide by the rules.
Abstain from Please abstain from smoking on our porch.
They accused Joey of stealing the candy, but
Accuse (somebody) of
he didn’t do it.
We need to add to our list of projects this
Add to
month.
Adhere to He isn’t one to adhere to the rules.
Our lawyer advised her to not say anything
Advise (someone) to
to the press.
Agree with We don’t agree with him.
They found a solution aimed at creating an
amicable settlement.
Aim at/for
We always aim for an easy solution to our
customer’s problems.
The weather didn’t allow for a safe flight
Allow for
today.
I’d like to apologize for my actions last
Apologize for
week.
Her father didn’t approve of the
Approve of
arrangement.
I don’t want to argue with you.
Argue with/about
I don’t want to argue about that.
 Many problems arise from the use of
Arise from
tobacco products.
Arrest for He was arrested for trespassing last year.
The couple will arrive in five minutes.
Arrive in/at
The couple will arrive at 7 p.m.
Ask for I didn’t ask for anything too difficult.
The nurse was the first person to attend to
Attend to
her needs.
Beg for She refused to beg for anything ever again.
He didn’t believe in removing his shoes
Believe in
before entering a house.
Belong to They don’t belong to that group.
You should really beware of the bears in the
Beware of
area.
Blame for I’m not the one to blame for his mistakes.
He was always boasting about his
Boast about
accomplishments.
Borrow (something) from You can borrow it from your brother.
Buy (something) for I’m going to buy a ring for my wife.
Call for The recipe calls for two cups of sugar.
He really does care about her.
Care about/for
She will do her best to care for him.
I can’t choose between the red or the white
Choose between
dress.
He would always comment on the state of
Comment on
politics in the country.
Few runners could compare with him when
Compare with
he was at his best.
They’re always going to complain about low
Complain about
wages.
He refused to comply with the rules of the
Comply with
house.
Conceal (something)
He tried to conceal it from his family.
from
She had a hard time concentrating on her
Concentrate on
studies.
They weren’t one to conform to standard
Conform to
dress.
Congratulate (someone) We wanted to congratulate her on her
on victory last week.
Consent to I don’t consent to any sort of test.
 The recipe consists of three types of fruits
Consist of
and some dairy.
The author also contributed to the daily
Contribute to
newspaper.
Cook for I don’t want to cook for my father.
They don’t want to deal with the problem at
Deal with
hand.
She really depends on her sister.
Depend on/upon
She really depends upon her sister.
I didn’t want to deter him from pursuing his
Deter (someone) from
dreams.
He just seemed to disappear from the face
Disappear from
of the Earth.
It’s not just to discriminate against another
Discriminate against
person.
Dispose of I don’t know where to dispose of this trash.
Distinguish (someone) He set out to distinguish himself from the
from rest of the group.
Do (something) for I’ll do it for her.
I’ve always dreamed of going to Paris.
Dream of/about
I’ve always dreamed about going to Paris.
Escape from The men couldn’t escape from their cells.
He excels at computer science.
Excel at/in
He excels in computer science.
Exchange (something)
I’m going to exchange it for something else.
for
The is no excuse for making a scene in that
Excuse for
situation.
Expect to I don’t expect to get my money back.
Find (something) for He set out to find the hat for her.
They decided to fine Jon for leaving his trash
Fine (someone) for
out on the street.
Forget about I can’t seem to forget about her.
Forgive (somebody) for Will you ever forgive your dad for leaving?
Get (something) for I’m going to get a new sweater for him.
Is she going to give the bracelet to her
Give (something) to
mom?
Hide from We had to hide from the dog.
Hear of/about Did you ever hear of the old man in the
tower?
 Did you ever hear about the old man in the
tower?
I can hope for a better solution, but it
Hope for
doesn’t seem likely.
The neighborhood was incorporated into the
Incorporated into
city in 1945.
I hate to insist on such things, but it helps
Insist on
me sleep.
She would always interfere with her sister’s
affairs.
Interfere with/in
She would always interfere in her sister’s
affairs.
Introduce (someone) to He was the first one to introduce me to her.
Invite (someone) to Are you going to invite him to your party?
I was the first to invest money in the
Invest (something) in
company.
We always joked about running away, but
Joke about
we never did it.
Laugh at Why do they always laugh at her?
Leave for I’m going to leave for my appointment.
My mom is going to leave my lunch for me
Leave (something) for
at the front office.
Lend (something) to
Can you lend your coat to Jim?
(someone)
I like to listen to the radio when I’m working
Listen to
out.
I long for the day when I can go outside
Long for
again.
She said she’s going to make a cake for her
Make (something) for
birthday.
Mistake (someone) for I always mistake him for his brother.
Object to They didn’t object to the lighting.
She wanted to offer a better loan to the
Offer (something) to
couple, but their credit was awful.
He always participated in sports when he
Participate in
was a kid.
Pay for I’m not going to pay for it.
Pay (something) to She needs to pay the money to her landlord.
Praise (somebody) for Always praise the dog for behaving well.
Pray for She said she would pray for her.
Prepare for I need to prepare for my test next week.
 They’re going to present him with the medal
Present (somebody) with
at the ceremony.
We did it to prevent him from buying the
Prevent (someone) from
house.
The order prohibits her from being within 30
Prohibit (someone) from
feet of the building.
Protect (someone or
We have to protect the house from water.
something) from
The group went to protest about a proposed
Protest about
amendment.
I always try to provide her with a hot meal
Provide (someone) with
at lunch.
They’re going to punish him for his actions
Punish (someone) for
last month.
Hopefully she’ll recover from the accident
Recover from
soon.
If you’ll refer to your sheet, you’ll see what
Refer to
we’re discussing.
She relied on her sister to bring her water.
Rely on/upon
She relied upon her sister to bring her
water.
Rescue (something or They sent a helicopter to rescue him from
someone) from the river.
Respond to Are you doing to respond to her call?
Run for He said he’s going to run for president.
The flood resulted in extensive damage to
Result in
the area.
We fought to save the house from
Save (someone) from
demolition.
They’re going to search for their neighbor’s
Search for
dog.
Sell (something) to Is she going to sell it to you?
Send (something) to Just send it to her cousin instead.
We found out he was sentenced to life in
Sentence to
prison.
Smile at She always smiled at him.
Spend (something) on I like to spend time on my cooking hobby.
I like to stop and stare at the ocean waves
Stare at
every afternoon.
Stop (someone or
We couldn’t stop him from leaving.
something) from
Subscribe to Do you subscribe to the New York Times?
 Substitute for She sent her assistant to substitute for her.
Succeed in He will always succeed in business affairs.
Suffer from She suffers from a lack of good judgement.
We need to talk to him about his actions.
Talk with/to (someone)
about
We need to talk with him about his actions.
Remind me to thank Jenny for her beautiful
Thank (someone) for
flowers.
Think of something you need to do.
Think of/about
Think about something you need to do.
Vote for They asked us to vote for her father.
Wait for We’re not going to wait for him all night.
He needs to warn him about the computer
Warn (someone) about
virus.
Worry about I don’t worry about anything.

Common Mistakes with Dependent Prepositions

Incorrect Correct Example

She is accusing him of being lazy.
accuse in accuse of
What are you accusing me of?
arrive in The couple will arrive in five minutes.
arrive to
arrive at The couple will arrive at 7 p.m.
ask + something ask for I didn’t ask for anything too difficult.
belong + somebody belong to They don’t belong to that group.
She really depends on her sister.
depend of depend on
She really depends upon her sister.
I have divided my presentation into 3
parts.
divide on divide into
This cake can’t be divided into 12
parts.
I graduated from university not long
ago.
graduate + something /
graduate from
of something
It’s been quite a while since we
graduated from university.
laugh on laugh at Why do they always laugh at her?
listen + something or I like to listen to the radio when I’m
listen to
somebody working out.
 I am looking forward to hearing from
you.
look forward to
look forward for
+ Ving
She looked forward to her trip to Italy
but then it got cancelled.
Spend I like to spend time on my cooking
spend for
(something) on hobby.
Will you wait for me?
wait + something or
wait for
somebody
I am waiting for the test results.