Guide to Adjectives Followed by Prepositions \u2013 TOEIC eg Preparation
Flow Exam team
In English, many adjectives require the use of specific prepositions to establish a logical relationship between the adjective and the complement that follows it in the sentence.
The most frequently encountered prepositions after an adjective are "of," "for," "with," "to," "about," "in" and "at". To master these combinations, the most effective strategy is to memorize the lists presented below.
Mastering these associations is absolutely essential for the TOEIC eg, as many questions focus on this grammatical point (particularly in the Reading section of the exam).
1. Grammatical Structure
There are 2 possible structures when a preposition follows an adjective:
- CASE 1 - Adjective + preposition + noun (or noun phrase)
- ".She is worried about her presentation." - Elle est inquiète à propos de sa présentation.
- CASE 2 - Adjective + preposition + verb: the verb then takes the gerund form (ending in -ing)
- ".He is keen on developing his skills." - Il est passionné par le développement de ses compétences.
2. Inventory of Adjectives + Prepositions (Must be memorized)
| Adjective + Preposition | Translation |
|---|---|
| accustomed to | habitué à |
| amazed at/by | stupéfait de / par |
| anxious about | inquiet au sujet de |
| ashamed of | avoir honte de |
| astonished at/by | stupéfié de/par |
| bored with | lassé de |
| concerned about/for | soucieux de/pour |
| delighted with | enchanté de |
| disappointed with/in | déçu par / déçu concernant |
| familiar with | connaître bien |
| fed up with | en avoir ras-le-bol de |
| grateful for | reconnaissant de |
| jealous of | envieux de |
| keen on | enthousiaste à l'idée de |
| nervous about | stressé concernant |
| patient with | faire preuve de patience envers |
| prepared for | prêt pour |
| puzzled by | déconcerté par |
| related to | relié à |
| relevant to | en rapport avec |
| satisfied with | content de |
| sick of | fatigué de |
| similar to | ressemblant à |
| surprised at/by | étonné de/par |
| typical of | caractéristique de |
| unhappy with | insatisfait de |
| upset about/by | bouleversé par/de |
| worried about | préoccupé par |
3. Adjectives Accepting Multiple Prepositions
Some adjectives can be constructed with different prepositions. The choice of preposition then depends on the complement that follows (person vs. thing) and the desired semantic nuance.
Here are the main adjectives with double or triple constructions:
3.1. Annoyed about / with
| Construction | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| annoyed about (something) | annoyed because of | I'm annoyed about the delay. |
| annoyed with (someone) | annoyed against | I'm annoyed with my partner for forgetting the documents. |
3.2. Responsible for / to
| Construction | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| responsible for (something) | in charge of | She's responsible for the marketing campaign. |
| responsible to (someone) | accountable to | She is responsible to the director for delivering results. |
3.3. Sorry for / about
| Construction | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| sorry for (-ing something) | sorry for having done | I'm sorry for interrupting the presentation. |
| sorry about (something) | sorry concerning | I'm sorry about the confusion yesterday. |
3.4. Thankful for / to
| Construction | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| thankful for (something) | reconnaissant de | I'm thankful for your support. |
| thankful to (someone) | reconnaissant envers | I'm thankful to the team for their dedication. |
3.5. Good/bad for / at / with
| Construction | Translation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| good/bad for (something) | beneficial/harmful for | This strategy is good for business. |
| good/bad at (something) | competent/incompetent in | I'm good at analyzing data. |
| good/bad with (someone) | comfortable/uncomfortable with | He's good with clients. |
Summary
These adjective + preposition combinations are heavily tested in the TOEIC eg. Even if memorizing these lists seems tedious, the investment is worthwhile: you will be able to easily gain points by mastering them perfectly.
We know that memorizing these structures can be a challenge, which is why we are currently developing interactive exercises to help you anchor this knowledge long-term. If you want to discover these tools, join the platform by clicking the button below!
Additionally, if you are looking for other resources of this type, consult these related guides:
- 🔗 How to choose between the gerund (verb ending in -ing) and the infinitive (lists to know) - TOEIC eg Preparation
- 🔗 Which preposition to choose after a verb in English (lists to know) - TOEIC eg Preparation
- 🔗 Which preposition to choose before or after a noun in English (lists to know) - TOEIC eg Preparation
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