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Misused forms

Using the wrong preposition

Mistakes are often made by using the wrong preposition after certain words. The following list includes the words which most often give trouble:

1 Absorbed in, not at.

Don’t say: The man was absorbed at his work.

Say: The man was absorbed in his work.

2 Accuse of, not for.

Don’t say: She accused the man for stealing.

Say: She accused the man of stealing.

Note: Charge takes with

The man was charged with murder.

3 Accustomed to, not with.

Don’t say: I’m accustomed with hot weather.

Say: I’m accustomed to hot weather.

Note: Also used to: He is used to the heat.

4 Afraid of, not from.

Don’t say: Laura is afraid from the dog.

Say: Laura is afraid of the dog.

5 Aim at, not on or against.

Don’t say: She aimed on {or against) the target.

Say: She aimed at the target,

Note: Use the preposition at to denote direction, throw at, shout at, fire at, shoot at. Shoot means to kill He shot a bird (= he hit and killed it)

6 Angry with, not against.

Don’t say: The teacher was angry against him.

Say: The teacher was angry with him.

Note 1: We get angry with a person but at a thing He was angry at the weather (not with the weather )

Note 2: Also annoyed with, vexed with, indignant with a person, but at a thing.

7 Anxious about, not for.

Don’t say: They’re anxious for his health.

Say: They’re anxious about his health.

Note: Anxious meaning wishing very much takes for Parents are anxious for their children’s success.

8 Arrive at, not to.

Don’t say: We arrived to the village at night.

Say: We arrived at the village at night.

Note: Use arrive in with countries and large cities: Mr Smith has arrived in London (or New York. India, etc )

9 Ashamed of, not from.

Don’t say: He’s now ashamed from his conduct.

Say: He’s now ashamed of his conduct.

Note: it isn’t correct to use ashamed of meaning shy. Ashamed means feeling shame or guilt about something. Shy means feeling nervous with someone Instead of saying : I’m ashamed (or shamed) of my teacher, say I’m shy of my teacher

10 Believe in, not to.

Don’t say: We believe to God.

Say: We believe in God.

Note : To believe in means to have faith in. To believe (without the in) means to regard something as true: I believe everything he says.

11 Boast of or about, not for.

Don’t say: James boasted for his strength.

Say: James boasted of his strength or James boasted about his strength.

12 Careful of, with or about, not for.

Don’t say: Elke’s very careful for her health.

Say: Elke’s very careful of her healtha or bout her health.

Or: You should be more careful with your money.

Note: Take care of: He takes care of his money.

13 Travel by train, etc., not with the train, etc.

Don’t say: He travelled with the train yesterday.

Say: He travelled by train yesterday.

Note : We say: by train, by boat, by plane, by bike; also, by land, by sea, by air, by bus; in a bus or on a bus; by car or in a car, by taxi or in a taxi; on horse-back, on a donkey, on a bicycle; on foot.

14 Complain about, not for.

Don’t say: Annette complained for the weather.

Say: Annette complained about the weather.

Note: When talking about illness we use complain of. We say She complained of a sore throat.

15 Composed of, not from.

Don’t soy: Our class is composed from thirty students.

Say: Our class is composed of thirty students.

16 Confidence in, not to.

Don’t say: I have great confidence to you.

Say: I have great confidence in you.

Note: In confidence: Let me tell you something in confidence {means as a secret)

17 Conform to, not with.

Don’t say: We must conform with the rules.

Say: We must conform to the rules.

Note: comply lakes with. We’ll comply with your request.

18 Congratulate on, not for.

Don’t say: I congratulate you for your success.

Say: I congratulate you on your success.

19 Consist of, not from.

Don’t say: A year consists from twelve months.

Say: A year consists of twelve months.

Note: Take great care never to use consist in the passive iorm.

20 Covered with, not by.

Don’t say: The mountains are covered by snow.

Say: The mountains are covered with snow or in snow.

21 Cure of, not from.

Don’t say: The man was cured from his illness.

Say: The man was cured of his illness.

Note: The noun cure takes for : There is no cure for that disease.

22 Depend on or upon, not from.

Don’t say: It depends from her.

Say: It depends on her or upon her.

Note: Rely on or upon: I can’t rely on him or I can’t rely upon him.

23 Deprive of, not from.

Don’t say: Nelson Mandela was deprived from his freedom.

Soy: Nelson Mandela was deprived of his freedom.

24 Die of an illness, not from an illness.

Don’t say: Many people have died from malaria.

Say: Many people have died of malaria.

Note: People die of illness, of hunger , of thirst, of or from wounds ; from overwork ; by violence, By the sword, by pestilence; in battle; for their country, for a cause, through neglect; on the scaffold; at the stake.

25 Different from, not than.

Don’t say: My book is different than yours.

Say: My book is different from yours.

26 Disappointed by, about or at, not from.

(a) by/at/about:

Don’t say: Phillipa was disappointed from the low mark she got in the test.

Say: Phillipa was disappointed by or about or at the low mark she got in the test.

(b) with/in:

Don’t say: Jane was disappointed from her son.

Say: Jane was disappointed with her son or in her son.

Note : Before a person we use with or in, before a thing we use at, about or by and before a gerund we use at: Keith is very disappointed at not winning the prize. We use that (optional before a new clause): I was disappointed (that) I didn’t get an invitation.

27 Divide into parts, not in parts.

Don’t say: I divided the cake in four parts.

Say: I divided the cake into four parts.

Note: A thing may be divided in half or in two Paul divided the apple in half or Paul divided the apple in two.

28 No doubt of or about, not for.

Don’t say: I’ve no doubt for his ability.

Say: I’ve no doubt of his ability or I’ve no doubt about his ability.

Note: Doubtful of: I am doubtful of his ability to pass.

29 Dressed in, not with.

Don’t say: The woman was dressed with black.

Say:The woman was dressed in black.

Note: The woman was in black is also correct.

30 Exception to, not of.

Don’t say: This is an exception of the rule.

Say: This is an exception to the rule.

Note: We say with the exception of: She liked all her subjects with the exception of physics.

31 Exchange for, not by.

Don’t say: He exchanged his collection of matchboxes by some foreign stamps.

Say: He exchanged his collection of matchboxes for some foreign stamps.

Note: In exchange for He gave them his old car in exchange for a new one.

32 Fail in, not from.

Don’t say: Steven failed from maths last year.

Say: Steven failed in maths last year.

33 Full of, not with or from.

Don’t say: The jar was full with (or from) oil.

Say: The jar was full of oil.

Note: Fill takes with: Jane filled the glass with water.

34 Get rid of, not from.

Don’t say: I’ll be glad to get rid from him.

Say: I’ll be glad to get rid of him.

35 Glad about, not from or with.

Don’t say: Francis was glad from (or with) receiving your letter.

Say: Francis was glad about receiving your letter.

36 Good at, not in.

Don’t say: My sister’s good in maths.

Say: My sister’s good at maths.

Note 1 : Bad at, clever at, quick at, slow at, and etc. However, weak in: He’s weak in grammar.

Note 2: He’s good in class means that his conduct is good.

37 Guard against, not from.

Don’t say: You must guard from bad habits.

Say; You must guard against bad habits.

38 Guilty of, not for.

Don’t say: He was found guilty for murder.

Say: He was found guilty of murder

39 Independent of, not from.

Don’t say: Clare’s independent from her parents.

Say: Clare’s independent of her parents.

Note: We say dependent on: A child is dependent on its parents.

40 Indifferent to, not for.

Don’t say: They’re indifferent for politics.

Say: They’re indifferent to politics.

41 Insist on, not to.

Don’t say: He always insisted to his opinion.

Say: He always insisted on his opinion.

Note: Persist take in: He persisted in his silly ideas

42 Interested in, not for.

Don’t say: She’s not interested for her work.

Say: She’s not interested in her work.

Note: Also take an interest in: She takes a great interest in music.

43 Jealous of, not from.

Don’t say: He’s very jealous from his brother.

Say: He’s very jealous of his brother.

44 Leave for a place, not to a place.

Don’t say: They’re leaving to England soon.

Say: They’re leaving for England soon.

45 Live on, not from.

Don’t say: He lives from his brother’s money.

Say: He lives on his brother’s money.

Note: Feed on: Some birds feed on insects.

46 Look at, not to.

Don’t say: Look to this beautiful picture.

Say: Look at this beautiful picture.

Note: Also gaze at, stare at, etc. look after (means take care of); look for (means try to find), look over (means examine); look into (means examine closely), look on or upon (means consider), look down on (means have a low opinion of), look up to means respect; look out for means expect, look forward to (means expect with pleasure), look to (means rely on).

47 Married to, not with.

Don’t say: Angela was married with a rich man.

Say: Angela was married to a rich man.

Note: Also engaged to: Sally was engaged to Peter for a year before they got married.

48 Opposite to, not from

Don’t say: Their house is opposite from ours.

Say: Their house is opposite to ours.

Note: Opposite ours is also correct.

49 Pass by a place, not from a place.

Don’t say: Will you pass from the post-office?

Say: Will you pass by the post-office?

Note: Also pass the post-office is correct.

50 Play for a team, not with a team.

Don’t say: He plays regularly with that team.

Say: He plays regularly for that team.

51 Pleased with, not from.

Don’t say: The teacher is pleased from me.

Say: The teacher is pleased with me.

Note: We say pleased at or pleased with if an abstract noun or a clause follows ; They were pleased at (or with) what he said; They were pleased at (or with) her results.

52 Popular with, not among.

Don’t say: John’s popular among his friends.

Say: John’s popular with his friends.

53 Prefer to, not from.

Don’t say: I prefer a blue pen from a red one.

Say: I prefer a blue pen to a red one.

Note Also preferable to: This car is preferable to my old one.

54 Preside at or over, not in.

Don’t say: Who presided in the last meeting?

Say: Who presided at the last meeting or Who presidedover the last meeting?

55 Proud of, not for.

Don’t say: He’s very proud for his promotion.

Say: He’s very proud of his promotion.

Note: We say take a pride in: A craftsman takes a pride in his work

56 Rejoice at or in, not for.

Don’t say: We rejoiced for her success.

Say: We rejoiced at her success or in We rejoiced her success.

57 Related to, not with.

Don’t say: Are you related with Simon in any way?

Say Are you related to Simon in any way?

Note: Also relation to: Is he any relation to you?

58 Repent of, not from.

Don’t say: He repented from his crime.

Say: He repented of his crime.

Note: Repentance takes for: He feels repentance for his sin.

59 Satisfied with, not from.

Don’t say: Are you satisfied from your marks?

Say: Are you satisfied with your marks?

Note: Also content with, delighted with, unhappy with, happy with, displeased with, dissatisfied with, disgusted with.

60 Similar to, not with.

Don’t say: Your house is similar with mine.

Say: Your house is similar to mine.