A dependent preposition is a preposition that regularly follows a particular adjective or verb, forming a fixed combination, such as interested in, good at, depend on, afraid of, and responsible for. The preposition "belongs" to the adjective or verb rather than being chosen freely based on meaning, so each combination usually has to be learned individually.
- I'm interested in learning more about astronomy.
- She's very good at solving puzzles quickly.
- The trip depends on the weather forecast.
- Many children are afraid of the dark.
- The manager is responsible for the whole team's performance.
- He apologised for arriving late.
- They succeeded in finishing the project on time.
- I'm looking forward to the concert next week.
Dependent Prepositions After Adjectives
Many common adjectives are followed by one fixed preposition, and the wrong preposition after the right adjective can sound clearly foreign, even if the sentence is otherwise correct.
- interested in: She's interested in history.
- good/bad at: He's bad at remembering names.
- afraid/scared of: I'm afraid of spiders.
- proud of: They're proud of their achievements.
- responsible for: Who is responsible for this mistake?
- similar to: This model is similar to the older one.
Dependent Prepositions After Verbs
Verbs also combine with fixed prepositions, and these combinations are closely related to (but distinct from) verb complementation patterns more generally, since here the choice concerns which preposition, not which verb form, follows.
- depend on: It depends on how much time we have.
- believe in: I believe in second chances.
- apologise for: He apologised for the delay.
- succeed in: She succeeded in passing the exam.
- insist on: They insisted on paying the bill.
- consist of: The committee consists of five members.
Summary Table
| Word | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| interested | in | interested in music |
| good / bad | at | good at chess |
| depend | on | depend on luck |
| afraid | of | afraid of heights |
| responsible | for | responsible for the budget |
| similar | to | similar to mine |
Tip: Learn dependent prepositions as whole chunks, not as separate words, e.g. "good at" not "good" + "at" chosen separately — this is exactly the same strategy used for collocations in general.
Common Mistakes
-
Using "on" instead of "in" after "interested":
Incorrect: I'm interested on classical music.
Correct: I'm interested in classical music. -
Using "in" instead of "at" after "good":
Incorrect: She's good in playing the piano.
Correct: She's good at playing the piano. -
Using "from" instead of "on" after "depend":
Incorrect: It depends from the situation.
Correct: It depends on the situation.
Practice Exercises
Grammar Quiz
Test your understanding with targeted questions.
Complete the Sentence
Fill in the gaps to practise the structure.
True or False
Decide whether each example sentence is correct.
Flash Cards
Drill the key rules and example sentences.
Matching Pairs
Match examples to the correct rule or category.
Unjumble
Reorder scrambled words into a correct sentence.
Practise Dependent Prepositions
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is a dependent preposition?
A dependent preposition is the specific preposition that regularly follows a particular adjective or verb as a fixed combination, such as "interested in" or "depend on," rather than being chosen freely.
Why is "interested in" correct but "interested on" wrong?
Because "interested" is fixed with the preposition "in" as a set combination in English; there is no general logical reason, it is simply the accepted usage, so "interested on" sounds clearly non-native.
Is there a rule for predicting which preposition follows a word?
Not a reliable one. While a few patterns exist (e.g. many words expressing origin or cause use "of"), most dependent prepositions must be memorised individually as fixed pairs, similarly to vocabulary collocations.
Do dependent prepositions occur after both adjectives and verbs?
Yes. Adjectives like "good at," "afraid of," and "proud of" take fixed prepositions, and so do verbs like "depend on," "believe in," and "consist of."
What preposition follows "good" and "bad"?
Both take "at," as in "She's good at maths" and "He's bad at directions."
What preposition follows "responsible"?
"Responsible" takes "for," as in "Who is responsible for this decision?"
Can the same word take different prepositions with different meanings?
Yes, a small number of words change meaning with the preposition, for example "agree with someone" (share an opinion) versus "agree to a plan" (accept a proposal), so it's worth checking meaning as well as form.
How is a dependent preposition different from a phrasal verb preposition?
A dependent preposition follows an adjective or a base verb with its normal meaning intact ("depend on"), while a phrasal verb combines a verb with a particle to create a new, often idiomatic meaning ("look up" meaning "search for information"), which is a different structure.
What is the best way to learn dependent prepositions?
Learn each adjective or verb together with its preposition as a single chunk (e.g. "good at," not "good" and "at" separately), and review them in example sentences rather than as isolated word lists.
What is a common mistake learners make with dependent prepositions?
A very common mistake is transferring a preposition pattern from the learner's first language, producing errors like "depends of" or "good in" instead of the correct "depends on" and "good at."