What are Dependent Prepositions?
In English, many adjectives, nouns, and verbs must be followed by a specific preposition to make sense. This is called a dependent preposition. There are no easy rules for this, so you need to learn them as fixed expressions.
She is good at playing the piano.
I'm interested in history.
He is afraid of spiders.
1. Adjective + Preposition
Many adjectives that describe feelings or opinions are followed by a specific preposition.
| Adjective | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Good / Bad | at | He's really good at English. |
| Interested | in | Are you interested in art? |
| Afraid / Scared | of | My sister is afraid of heights. |
| Proud | of | I'm so proud of you for passing your exam. |
| Famous | for | This city is famous for its beautiful architecture. |
| Different | from / to | My opinion is different from yours. |
| Similar | to | Your house is similar to mine. |
2. Verb + Preposition
Some verbs need a preposition before the object.
| Verb | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Listen | to | I like to listen to music in the evening. |
| Wait | for | Please wait for me. I'll be ready in five minutes. |
| Belong | to | Does this book belong to you? |
| Depend | on | Our picnic depends on the weather. |
| Agree | with | I don't agree with your decision. |
| Apologize | for | He apologized for being late. |
3. Noun + Preposition
Some nouns are also commonly followed by a specific preposition.
| Noun | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Reason | for | What was the reason for the delay? |
| Interest | in | She has a keen interest in photography. |
| Difference | between | What's the difference between a laptop and a tablet? |
| Solution | to | There is no easy solution to this problem. |
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
| ✗ Incorrect | ✓ Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| It depends of the situation. | It depends on the situation. | The verb depend always uses the preposition on. |
| She is married with a lawyer. | She is married to a lawyer. | We use married to someone. |
| I'm listening music. | I'm listening to music. | The verb listen needs the preposition to before the object. |
| He is good in sports. | He is good at sports. | We use good at to talk about skills and abilities. |
Summary
| Category | Example Pairs |
|---|---|
| Feelings | happy about, sad about, worried about |
| Skills | good at, bad at, terrible at |
| Connections | similar to, different from, related to |
💡 The key takeaway: When you learn a new verb, adjective, or noun, check if it has a dependent preposition and learn them together as a chunk. For example, instead of learning "interested", learn "interested in".