Using the Wrong Preposition

Mistakes are often made by using the wrong preposition after certain words. The following list includes the words which most often give trouble :

Absorbed (=very much interest) in, not at.

Don’t say: The man was absorbed at his work.

Say: The man was absorbed in his work.


Accused of, not for.

Don’t say: She accused the man for stealing.

Say: she accused the man of stealing.

NOTE: Charge takes with: The man was charge with Murder.


Accustomed to, not with.

Don’t say: I’m accustomed with hot weather.

Say: I’m accustomed to hot weather.

NOTE: Also used to : He is used to the heat.


Afraid of, not from.

Don’t say: Laura is afraid from the dog.

Say: Laura is afraid of the dog.


Ashamed of, not from.

Don’t say: He is now ashamed from his conduct.

Say: He is now ashamed of his conduct.

NOTE: It isn’t correct to use ashamed of meaning shy. “Ashamed means feeling shame or guilt about something while shy means feeling nervous with someone. Instead of saying I’m ashamed (or shamed ) of my teacher, say: I’m shy of my teacher.


Arrived at, not to.

Don’t say: We arrived to the village at night.

Say: We arrived at the village at night.

NOTE: Use arrive in with countries and large cities: Mr Smith arrived in London (or New York, India, etc.)


Anxious (troubled) about, not for.

Don’t say: They are anxious for his health.

Say: They are anxious about his health.

NOTE: Anxious meaning wishing very much takes for: parents are anxious for their children’s success.


Angry with, not against.

Don’t Say: The teacher was angry against him.

Say: The teacher was angry with him.

NOTE1: We get angry with a person but at a thing: He was angry at weather (not with weather)

NOTE2: Also annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with a person, but at a thing.

Aim at, not on or against.

Don’t say: She aimed on (or against) the target.

Say: She aimed at the target.

NOTE: Use the preposition at to denote direction. throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at. Shoot (without the at) means to kill: He shot a bird (= He hit and killed it.)

Believe in, not to.

Don’t say: We believe to God.

Say: We believe in God.

NOTE: To believe in means to have faith in. To believe (without the in) means to regard something as true: I believe everything he says.

Boast of or about, not for.

Don’t say: James boasted for his strength.

Say: James boasted of (or about) his strength.


Careful of, with or about, not for.

Don’t say: Elke is very careful for his health.

Say: Elke is very careful of/about her health.

Or: You should be more careful with your money.

NOTE: Take care of: He takes care of his money.

Travel by train, etc. not with the train, etc.

Don’t say: He traveled with the train yesterday.
Say: He traveled by train yesterday.
NOTE: We say: by train, by boat, by plain, by bike; also, by land, by sea, by air, by bus; in a bus or on a bus; by car or in a car, by taxi or in a taxi; on horse-back, on a donkey, on a bicycle; on foot.


Complain about, not for.

Don’t say: Annette complained for the weather.
Say: Annette complained about the weather.
NOTE: When talking about illness we use Complain of. We say complained of a sore throat.

Composed of, not from.

Don’t say: Our class is composed from thirty students.

Say: Our class is composed of thirty students.


Congratulate on, not for.

Don’t say: I congratulate you for the New Year.
Say: I congratulate you on the New Year.

Covered with, not by.

Don’t say: The Mountains are covered by snow.
Say: The Mountains are covered with/in snow.

Cure of, not from.

Don’t say: The man was cured from his illness
Say: The man was cured of his illness.
NOTE: The noun “cure” takes for: There’s no cure for that disease.


Deprive of, not from:

Don’t say: Nelson Mandela was deprived from his freedom.

Say: Nelson Mandela was deprived of his freedom.

Die of an illness, not from an illness:

Don’t say: Many people have died from Malaria.

Say: Many people have died of Malaria.

NOTE: People die of illness, of hunger, of thirst, of or from wounds; from overwork, by violence, by the sword, by pestilence, in battle, for their country, for a cause, through neglect, on the scaffold, at the stake

Different from, not than:

Don’t say: My book is really different than yours.

Say: My book is really different from yours.

Disappointed by, about or at, not from:

A- by/at/ about:

Don’t say: Phillipa was disappointed from the low mark she got in test.

Say: Phillipa was disappointed by/about/at the low marks she got in the test.

B- with/ in:

Don’t say: Jane was disappointed from her son.

Say: Jane was disappointed with/in her son.

NOTE: Before a person we use with or in, before a thing we use at, about or by and before a gerund we use at: Keith is very disappointed at not winning the prize.

Divide into parts, not in parts:

Don’t say: I divided the cake in four parts.

Say: I divided the cake into four parts.

NOTE: A thing can be divided in half or in two: Paul divided the apple in half (or in two).

No doubt (n) of or about, not for:

Don’t say: I’ve no doubt for his ability.

Say: I’ve no doubt of/about his ability.

NOTE: Doubtful of: I’m doubtful of his ability to pass.

Dressed in, not with:

Don’t say: The woman was dressed with black.

Say: The woman was dressed with black.

NOTE: The woman was in black is also right.

Exception to, not of:

Don’t say: This is an exception of rules.

Say: this is an exception to rules.

NOTE: We say with the exception of: She like all her subjects with the exception of physics.

Exchange for, not by:

Don’t say: He exchanged his collection of match boxes by some foreign stamps.

Say: He exchanges his collection of matchboxes for some foreign stamps.

NOTE: In exchange for: He gave them his old car in exchange for a new one.

Fail in, not from:

Don’t say: he failed from maths last year.

Say: He failed in maths last year.

Full of, not with or from:

Don’t say: The jar was full with/from oil.

Say: The jar was full of oil.

NOTE: Fill takes with: jane filled the glass with water.


Get rid of, not from.

Don’t say: I’ll be glad to get rid from him.
Say: I’ll be glad to get rid of him.

Glad about, not from or with.

Don’t say: I was glad from (or with) receiving your letter.
Say: I was glad about receiving your letter.


Good at, not in.

Don’t say: My sister is good in maths.
Say: My sister is good at maths.

NOTE1: Bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at, etc. However, weak in: He is weak in grammar.
NOTE2: He is good in class means that his conduct is good.
Guard against, not from.

Don’t say: You must guard from bad habits.
Say: you must guard against bad habits.

Guilty of, not for.

Don’t say: He was found guilty for murder.
Say: He was found guilty of murder.

Independent of, not from.

Don’t say: Clare’s independent from her parents.
Say: Clare’s independent of her parents.

NOTE: We say dependent on: A child is dependent on its parents.
Indifferent to, not for.

Don’t say: They are indifferent for politics.
Say: They are indifferent to politics.

Insist on, not to.

Don’t say: He always insisted to his opinion.
Say: He always insisted on his opinion.

NOTE: Persist takes in: He persisted in his silly ideas.
Interested in, not for.

Don’t say: She is not interested for her work.
Say: She is not interested in her work.

NOTE: Also take an interest in: She takes a great interest in music.
Jealous of, not from.

Don’t say: He is very jealous from his brother.
Say: He is very jealous of his brother.

Leave for a place, not to a place.

Don’t say: They are leaving to England soon.
Say: They are leaving for England soon.

Live on, not from.

Don’t say: He lives from his brother’s money.
Say: He lives on his brother’s money.

NOTE: Feed on: Some birds feed on insects.
Look at, not to.

Don’t say: Look to his beautiful picture.
Say: Look at his beautiful picture.

NOTE: Also gaze at, stare at, etc. But: look after (= take care of), look for (=try to find), look over (=examine), look into (=examine closely), look on or upon (=consider), look down on (=have a low opinion of), look up to (=respect), look out for (=expect), look forward to (= expect with pleasure),
Look to (= rely on).