1. What are “words with prepositions”?
Prepositions are little words like at, in, on, for, to, about. They usually come before a noun or pronoun and show time, place, direction or reason.
Some adjectives and verbs in English almost always use the same preposition. It is better to learn them as a chunk: not only interested, but interested in; not only wait, but wait for.
2. Adjectives + prepositions
Some prepositions are natural partners for certain adjectives.
- good / bad at — Tom is good at football.
- surprised at — I was surprised at the result.
- interested in — Alice is interested in art.
- excited / happy about — We’re excited about our holiday.
- disappointed with — He was disappointed with the meal.
- afraid / tired of — Mary is afraid of snakes.
- responsible for — She is responsible for the team.
- similar to — These bags are similar to mine.
When you learn a new adjective, check which preposition comes after it and save the whole phrase in your vocabulary.
3. Verbs + prepositions
Verbs also prefer specific prepositions. Using the wrong one often sounds strange.
- arrive in + city / country — We arrived in Rome yesterday.
- arrive at + building / place — I arrived at the station at noon.
- look at — Why are you looking at me?
- ask for — I asked the man for directions.
- wait for — I’m waiting for Tom.
- invite to — They didn’t invite us to the party.
- speak / talk to — I’m speaking to my boss.
- listen to — I love listening to music.
- spend on (money/time) — We spent a lot of money on a trip.
- think about — I’m thinking about the exam.
4. Adjective + preposition chart
| Adjective | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| good / bad | at | He’s good at drawing. |
| surprised | at | We were surprised at the news. |
| interested | in | They’re interested in languages. |
| worried | about | She’s worried about the test. |
| afraid | of | He’s afraid of dogs. |
Try to say the full chunks aloud: afraid of spiders, good at English, interested in music.
5. Verb + preposition chart
| Verb | Preposition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| arrive | in / at | We arrived in London at 10 a.m. |
| wait | for | I’m waiting for my friend. |
| listen | to | Do you listen to podcasts? |
| spend | on | Don’t spend all your money on games. |
| think | about | I often think about my future. |
Learn the verb and preposition together: wait for the bus, listen to music, think about it.
6. How to remember these combinations
At A2 level you don’t need to know every rule, but you should notice which preposition comes after a word and learn the pattern.
- Check the dictionary example and highlight the preposition.
- Save chunks in your notebook: good at maths, interested in films.
- Make your own sentences using the same pattern.
The more you repeat these small combinations, the more natural your English will sound.