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
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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