Adjectives With Prepositions: Good At, Afraid Of, Interested In

Many English adjectives are followed by one specific preposition, and the pairing has to be learned rather than worked out. You are good at something, afraid of something, interested in something. Swap the prepositions and each one breaks.

This is one of the most common sources of error for learners and one of the least rule-governed areas of the language. The adjective can be perfect and the sentence still wrong.

The common pairings

When the preposition changes the meaning

Some adjectives take more than one, and the choice carries information.

• Sorry for someone is pity. Sorry about something is regret or apology.
• Angry with a person, angry about a situation. Angry at works for both and sounds more American.
• Good at chess is skill. Good for you is benefit. Good to me is kindness.
• Disappointed in someone judges their character. Disappointed with something judges a result.

Different from, than, or to?

This one is argued about more than it deserves. Different from is standard everywhere and always safe. Different to is normal British usage. Different than is normal American usage and is particularly useful before a clause – the result was different than we expected is tidier than forcing from into it.

Use from if you want a choice nobody will object to.

What follows the preposition

A preposition takes a noun or a gerund, never a plain infinitive. This is the second half of the same problem.

• Correct: interested in learning – not interested in to learn
• Correct: good at explaining – not good at explain
• Correct: tired of waiting – not tired of wait

Some adjectives take an infinitive directly instead, with no preposition at all – easy to use, ready to start, likely to fail, willing to help. Those simply belong to a different pattern, and the two cannot be mixed.

For how these phrases sit inside a sentence, see adjective phrases.

Practice

Choose the preposition. Answers below.

1. She is very good ___ explaining difficult ideas.
2. He was disappointed ___ the final score.
3. They are not familiar ___ the new system.
4. I am grateful ___ your help.
5. The copy is different ___ the original.

Answers

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