Adjective + preposition
Definition
Many adjectives are conventionally followed by a particular preposition before a noun, pronoun or -ing clause. The preposition is part of the expression: interested in, proud of, good at and responsible for.
Examples
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She is interested in photography.
Interested is followed by in.
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They are proud of their work.
Proud is followed by of.
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I'm good at solving puzzles.
Good is followed by at, and the following verb takes the -ing form.
Afraid of vs. afraid to
I'm afraid of flying.
This describes a general fear of the activity.
I'm afraid to fly in this weather.
This describes unwillingness to perform a particular action.
The structure after an adjective can change the meaning. Afraid of + -ing names the feared activity; afraid to + verb focuses on doing it.
A verb after the preposition takes -ing
When an adjective is followed by a preposition and then a verb, the verb normally appears in the -ing form because it follows the preposition.
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Rina is interested in learning Korean.
Learning follows the preposition in.
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Omar is responsible for checking the figures.
Checking follows the preposition for.
Common mistakes
She is interested on art.
She is interested in art.
The standard combination is interested in.
He is good in cooking.
He is good at cooking.
Use good at for ability, followed by a noun or an -ing form.
Quick check
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence uses the correct adjective–preposition combination?
The established combination is proud of.Which sentence is correct?
Use good at followed by an -ing form.Which sentence describes responsibility for an activity?
The pattern is responsible for + -ing.Nice work — you've completed the quick check.
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