🤝 What Are Verb + Preposition Combinations?
Some verbs are like needy partners - they can't function alone and always need a specific preposition to complete their meaning. Get the wrong preposition and you'll sound like a right plonker! These combinations are fixed, so you can't just swap prepositions willy-nilly.
Common Verb + Preposition Combinations
LOOK + Prepositions
- Look at - I'm looking at you, you muppet!
- Look for - I'm looking for my keys (again)
- Look after - Can you look after my cat?
- Look forward to - I'm looking forward to the weekend
- Look up - Look up the word in the dictionary
THINK + Prepositions
- Think about - I'm thinking about dinner
- Think of - What do you think of this idea?
- Think over - Let me think it over
- Think through - Think through the problem
DEPEND + ON
- It depends on the weather
- You can depend on me
- Success depends on hard work
- We depend on public transport
LISTEN + TO
- Listen to me, you numpty!
- I love listening to music
- Listen to your mother
- Are you listening to what I'm saying?
WAIT + FOR
- I'm waiting for the bus
- Wait for me!
- We're waiting for the results
- Don't wait for permission
WORRY + ABOUT
- Don't worry about it
- I worry about my children
- Stop worrying about money
- She worries about everything
BELONG + TO
- This book belongs to me
- I belong to a football club
- Where do these keys belong to?
- We all belong to the same family
APOLOGISE + FOR
- I apologise for being late
- He apologised for his behaviour
- Sorry, I must apologise for the mess
- She never apologises for anything
DREAM + ABOUT/OF
- I dreamed about you last night
- She dreams of becoming famous
- Stop dreaming about the past
- I dream of a better world
SUCCEED + IN
- She succeeded in passing the exam
- We succeeded in our mission
- He succeeded in making me angry
- Did you succeed in finding it?
COMPLAIN + ABOUT
- Stop complaining about the weather
- She complained about the service
- I'm going to complain about this
- He's always complaining about something
CONCENTRATE + ON
- Concentrate on your work!
- I can't concentrate on anything
- Let's concentrate on the problem
- She's concentrating on her studies
🚫 Common Bloody Mistakes
❌ I'm looking my keys
✅ I'm looking FOR my keys
❌ Listen me!
✅ Listen TO me!
❌ I'm waiting you
✅ I'm waiting FOR you
❌ It depends from you
✅ It depends ON you
❌ I apologise about being late
✅ I apologise FOR being late
❌ This belongs for me
✅ This belongs TO me
🧠 Test Your Preposition Skills!
1. I'm looking _____ my glasses. Have you seen them?
2. Please listen _____ what I'm saying!
3. The success of the project depends _____ everyone's cooperation.
4. I must apologise _____ my terrible behaviour last night.
5. This wallet belongs _____ my brother.
6. She succeeded _____ convincing her parents.
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