Prepositions with Nouns

There are lots of
different nouns that carry specific prepositions to consolidate their
meaning. These are called dependent prepositions. Again, there isn’t a
set rule that says a particular type of noun will take a dependent
preposition, although they normally follow the noun. Moreover, there are
many possible combinations. Essentially, it’s case of familiarizing
yourself with the different possibilities of nouns and dependent
prepositions. Examples:

• He displayed cruelty towards his dog.
• She had knowledge of physics.
• The trouble with Jack.
• 21 is the age at which you are allowed to drink.
• Bolt made another attempt at the world record.
• The police held an inquiry into the murder.

Prepositions with Verbs

Prepositional
verbs – the phrasal combinations of verbs and prepositions – are
important parts of speech. The prepositions again act as links between
the verb and noun or gerund, giving extra meaning to the sentence. The
prepositions most commonly used with verbs are: to, for, about, of, in, at and from.
These will always come after the verb in the sentence. However, it
should also be noted that the prepositional verbs can have slightly
different meaning compared to the original verb.

Verb + to:

• He admitted to the charge.
• I go to Vancouver on vacation twice a year.
• William can relate to the character in the play.

Verb + for:

• He must apologize for his actions.
• We searched for ages before we found the perfect apartment.
• I provide for my family by working two jobs.

Verb + with:

• I don’t agree with your claim.
• The lawyer said he will meet with your representatives.
• They began with a quick warm-up.

Verb + of:

• I dream of a better life.
• Have you heard of Shakespeare?
• The bread consists of dough, raisins and a little honey.

Verb + in:

• Does Rick believe in miracles?
• Fallon lives in New York.
• The bus accident resulted in my being late to work.

Verb + at

1. We arrived atour destination.
2. Ilene excels at 
3. Will the baby smile at her mother?

Verb + on:

• We should really concentrate on our studies now.
• Helen insisted on Brenda’s company.
• Morris experimented on some canvas.

Verb + from:

• Since turning 80, she suffers from lapses in concentration.
• Dad retired from the navy in the 1970s.
• Billy Bob, please refrain from doing that.

Prepositions with Adjectives

Prepositions
can form phrases with adjectives to give further context to the action,
emotion or thing the adjective is describing. Like verbs and nouns,
adjectives can be followed by: to, about, In, for, with, at and by.

• I am happily married to David.
• Ellie is crazy about this movie.
• Michelle is interested in politics.
• We are sorry for your loss.
• Jane will be delighted with her results.
• Is he still angry at the world?
• The entire room was astonished by the election results.

There
can sometimes be a pattern in deciding which prepositions go with
adjectives, for example, when adjectives have the same or very similar
meaning to each other, they might take the same preposition:

• Frightened of, afraid of, scared of, terrified of

Indeed, when adjectives have opposite meaning they might also take the same preposition:

• Good at, great at, superb at, wonderful at
• Bad at, terrible at, woeful at, inept at