Adjective and Preposition Combinations

In English, some adjectives naturally go with specific prepositions. For example, we say “interested in,” not “interested on.” These word pairs are called adjective + preposition combinations, and they’re very common in everyday English. Learning them helps you sound more natural and fluent when speaking or writing.

What Are Adjective + Preposition Combinations?

An adjective + preposition combination connects a feeling, opinion, or description (the adjective) with the object of that feeling or opinion (introduced by a preposition).

Structure:
👉 Adjective + Preposition + Object

Examples:

• She is good at dancing.

• They are afraid of spiders.

• He’s interested in science.

Each adjective often goes with a specific preposition — and changing it can make the sentence sound wrong or confusing.

Common Adjective and Preposition Combinations 

Adjectives + Prepositions OF

• Accused of
• Ashamed of
• Aware of
• Afraid of
• Capable of
• Careful of
• Envious of
• Fond of
• Full of
• Guilty of
• Hopeful of
• Innocent of
• Incapable of
• Jealous of
• Nervous of
• Proud of
• Scared of
• Sick of
• Silly of
• Sure of
• Suspicious of
• Terrified of
• Typical of
• Unaware of

Adjectives + Prepositions AT

• Annoyed at
• Amazed at
• Angry at
• Astonished at
• Awful at
• Bad at
• Brillant at
• Clever at
• Delighted at
• Disappointed at
• Excellent at
• Excited at
• Good at
• Hopeless at
• Lucky at
• Skillful at
• Slow at
• Surprised at
• Terrible at

Adjectives + Prepositions FROM

• Absent from
• Derived from
• Different from
• Free from
• Made from
• Safe from

Adjectives + Prepositions BY

• Amazed by
• Astonished by
• Delighted by
• Disturbed by
• Excited by
• Fascinated by
• Impressed by
• Inspired by
• Puzzled by
• Shocked by
• Surprised by

Adjectives + Prepositions IN

• Comfortable in
• Connected in
• Disappointed in
• Excellent in
• Experienced in
• Interest in
• Impolite in
• Polite in
• Present in
• Skilled in
• Slow in
• Successful in
• Talented in

Tips for ESL Learners

1. Memorize them as chunks
   Don’t study the adjective and preposition separately — learn them together (e.g., interested in, afraid of).

2. Notice patterns in reading and listening
   Pay attention when native speakers use these combinations in conversations, shows, or books.

3. Create personal examples
   Write your own sentences:

   • I’m excited about my birthday.

   • He’s worried about his exams.

4. Practice with quizzes
   Use fill-in-the-blank exercises or matching games to test yourself regularly.