🎭 What Are Adjective + Preposition Combinations?
Just like verbs, some adjectives are needy little buggers that can't stand alone. They need specific prepositions to complete their meaning. Say "I'm good" and people will think you're having an existential crisis. Say "I'm good AT something" and suddenly you make sense! These combinations are fixed - you can't just pick any preposition you fancy.
Common Adjective + Preposition Combinations
GOOD / BAD + AT
- I'm good at cooking (finally!)
- She's bad at remembering names
- He's good at making excuses
- We're bad at keeping secrets
INTERESTED + IN
- I'm interested in learning Spanish
- Are you interested in this job?
- She's not interested in football
- We're interested in buying a house
AFRAID / SCARED + OF
- I'm afraid of spiders (like a proper wimp)
- She's scared of flying
- Don't be afraid of making mistakes
- He's scared of commitment
PROUD + OF
- I'm proud of my children
- She's proud of her achievements
- We're proud of our team
- He should be proud of himself
FAMOUS + FOR
- London is famous for its red buses
- She's famous for being late
- This pub is famous for its fish and chips
- He's famous for his terrible jokes
RESPONSIBLE + FOR
- I'm responsible for this mess
- Who's responsible for the music?
- She's responsible for the accounts
- We're all responsible for our actions
DIFFERENT + FROM
- This is different from what I expected
- You're different from your brother
- Today feels different from yesterday
- This wine is different from the usual
SIMILAR + TO
- This is similar to my old job
- You're similar to your mother
- The weather is similar to yesterday
- This tastes similar to chicken
MARRIED + TO
- I'm married to a wonderful woman
- She's married to her work
- He's been married to her for 20 years
- Are you married to this idea?
FULL + OF
- The room is full of people
- This book is full of mistakes
- I'm full of energy today
- Life is full of surprises
TIRED + OF
- I'm tired of waiting
- She's tired of his excuses
- We're tired of this weather
- He's tired of being ignored
WORRIED + ABOUT
- I'm worried about the exam
- She's worried about her job
- Don't be worried about me
- We're worried about the future
😊 Emotions & Feelings
Happy Feelings
- Happy about/with: I'm happy about the news
- Pleased with: I'm pleased with the results
- Satisfied with: Are you satisfied with your meal?
- Excited about: I'm excited about the trip
Angry Feelings
- Angry with/at: I'm angry with you
- Annoyed with: She's annoyed with her boss
- Furious with: He's furious with the service
- Fed up with: I'm fed up with this nonsense
Worried Feelings
- Concerned about: I'm concerned about you
- Anxious about: She's anxious about the interview
- Nervous about: I'm nervous about speaking
- Stressed about: He's stressed about work
Surprised Feelings
- Surprised at/by: I'm surprised at your reaction
- Shocked by: We're shocked by the news
- Amazed by: I'm amazed by your talent
- Impressed by: She's impressed by your work
🧠 Test Your Adjective Skills!
1. I'm really good _____ playing the guitar.
2. She's very interested _____ learning French.
3. I'm afraid _____ flying in small planes.
4. This restaurant is famous _____ its excellent steaks.
5. Your new haircut is very different _____ your old one.
6. I'm really worried _____ my upcoming presentation.
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