Hi, welcome to this week’s episode of The Art of Business English. Today I will share with you a list of verbs followed by prepositions that English learners often get wrong.
Because prepositions are so challenging, mastering them can take a long time. So, I’m going to show you the typical mistake, and then teach you the correct form. This will help you to get moving in the right direction to speak English correctly and naturally.
So, let’s dive in!
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Abstain from
Common mistake:
Abstain to
Example:
“Did your doctor tell you to abstain from eating before your surgery?”
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Adapt to
Common mistake:
Adapt at
Example:
“It takes time to adapt to a new working environment.”
Addicted to
Common mistake:
Addicted at
Example:
“Sadly, a growing number of Americans are becoming addicted to heroin and other opioids.”
Apply to/for
Common mistake:
Apply at
Example:
“He has applied to several companies.”
“I'm still undecided about whether to apply for the job.”
Approve of
Common mistake:
Approve to
Example:
“I don’t think management is going to approve of your new haircut.”
Based on
Common mistake:
Confusing it with based in
Example:
“The movie is based on the true story of a London gangster.”
“The company is based in Toronto.”
Benefit from
Common mistake:
Benefit for
Example:
“Will the middle class really benefit from this new law?”
Complain about
Common mistake:
Complain for
Example:
“Annette complained about the weather.”
(Note: When talking about an illness, we use complain of. “She complained of a sore throat.”)
Concentrate on
Common mistake:
Concentrate in
Example:
“I can't concentrate on my work. It's too noisy here.”
Conform to
Common mistake:
Conform with
Example:
“We must conform to the rules.”
Consist of
Common mistake:
Consists in
Example:
“His new album consists of 15 brand new tracks.”
Depends on
Common mistake:
Depends of
Example:
“Your success in this class depends on how much you study.”
Deprive of
Common mistake:
Deprive from
Example:
“Nelson Mandela was deprived of his freedom.”
Divide into
Common mistake:
Divide in
Example:
“I have divided my presentation into 3 parts.”
Graduate from
Common mistake:
Graduate of/at
Example:
“Do most people find a job immediately after they graduate from college?”
Invest in
Common mistake:
Invest at
Example:
“I should have invested in Bitcoin when it was first introduced.”
Laugh at
Common mistake:
Laugh on
Example:
“Don’t laugh at me, it makes me feel stupid.”
Respond to
Common mistake:
Respond at
Example:
“All our staff are trained to respond to emergency situations.”
Smile at
Common mistake:
Smile to
Example:
“Store clerks in the United States often smile at customers.”
Think of/about
Common mistake:
Think in
Example:
“When I was a college student, I tried not to think about the debt I was incurring.”
“What did you think of the film?”
Final thoughts
I hope you have enjoyed this episode. I hope that you find it helpful to avoid using the incorrect preposition after a verb. As a tip, when you learn new verbs, pay attention if they need to be followed by a particular preposition. Sometimes the meanings of the verbs change according to the preposition you use
If you are looking to improve your general English, then why not sign up for one of my general English online courses. We cover this grammar topic and a whole lot more.
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As always, if you have further questions or if you would like some advice, please leave us a comment on the blog.
That is all from me today, see you all next week.
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Andrew Ambrosius