Dependent prepositions: aware of, reason for
Accused of, prevented from, an increase in, a lack of, keen on, result in or result from: prepositions after B2 words.
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Many verbs, adjectives and nouns are followed by a fixed preposition: aware of, a reason for, insist on. At B1 you learned the common ones. At B2 the words are more formal, some take a person and a preposition, and some change their meaning with a different preposition. As before, a verb after any of these prepositions takes -ing.
Verb + someone + preposition
Several verbs take a person (or a thing) first and then a preposition with its own object.
Verb + object + preposition | Example |
|---|---|
accuse someone of | They accused him of lying. |
blame someone for | Don't blame me for the delay. |
congratulate someone on | We congratulated her on her new job. |
prevent / stop someone from | The rain prevented us from playing. |
protect someone from | Sunscreen protects your skin from the sun. |
provide someone with | The hotel provided us with towels. |
remind someone of | You remind me of my sister. |
- Incorrect: He was accused for stealing the money.
- Correct: He was accused of stealing the money.Accuse someone of + -ing.
- Incorrect: The noise prevented me to sleep.
- Correct: The noise prevented me from sleeping.Prevent someone from + -ing, not to + verb.
Blame has a second pattern with a different order: Don't blame the delay on me.
More verbs + preposition
Preposition | Verbs |
|---|---|
on | insist on, rely on, comment on, focus on |
of | approve of, consist of, dream of |
in | succeed in, specialise in, invest in, result in |
to | object to, react to, refer to, admit to |
from | result from, benefit from, suffer from |
for | apply for, account for, apologise for |
with | cope with, deal with, interfere with |
- She insisted on paying for everyone.
- I don't approve of the way he talks to his staff.
- Many people object to working at weekends.
(To here is a preposition, so the verb takes -ing.)
Adjective + preposition
Preposition | Adjectives |
|---|---|
of | aware, capable, typical, short, fond, ashamed |
on | keen, dependent, based |
for | responsible, suitable, famous, eligible |
with | familiar, satisfied, popular, impressed, wrong |
to | similar, opposed, sensitive, accustomed, used |
in | interested, involved, experienced |
at | good, brilliant, hopeless |
- Are you aware of the risks?
- She's very keen on tennis.
- Who is responsible for this mess?
- Incorrect: This film isn't suitable to children.
- Correct: This film isn't suitable for children.
- Incorrect: He isn't capable to make a decision.
- Correct: He isn't capable of making a decision.Capable of + -ing.
Noun + preposition
Preposition | Nouns |
|---|---|
in | increase, rise, fall, drop, change, interest, belief |
of | lack, cause, example, advantage, knowledge |
for | reason, demand, need, cure, responsibility |
on | effect, influence, impact, ban, tax |
to | solution, answer, access, damage, attitude, alternative |
with | problem, contact, relationship |
between | difference, connection |
- There has been a sharp increase in prices.
- She got the job despite her lack of experience.
- Is there a cure for this disease?
- Social media has a big influence on young people.
- Incorrect: She has a lack in experience.
- Correct: She has a lack of experience.Lack of, but the verb lack takes no preposition: she lacks experience.
Increase in + what changes; increase of + the amount: an increase in prices, an increase of 10%. Fall, rise and drop work the same way.
One word, two prepositions
Some words take a different preposition for a different meaning, or for a different way of building the sentence.
Word | One preposition | Another preposition |
|---|---|---|
result | result in: cause | result from: be caused by |
agree | agree with a person or an opinion | agree on a plan, agree to a request |
familiar | a person is familiar with a thing | a thing is familiar to a person |
responsible | responsible for a task | responsible to a person (your boss) |
care | care about: think it important | care for: look after |
- The storm resulted in a power cut.
(The storm caused it.)
- The power cut resulted from the storm.
(The storm was the cause.)
- We finally agreed on a date for the wedding.