FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Learn frequent verb-preposition combinations as fixed patterns because the choice is often not predictable from meaning alone.
Overview
Learn frequent verb-preposition combinations as fixed patterns because the choice is often not predictable from meaning alone.
Form and rules
Common combinations include depend on, listen to, wait for, belong to and apologize for.
A following object can be a noun, pronoun or -ing form: apologize for being late.
The preposition may remain at the end of a question: Who are you waiting for?
Do not add an extra preposition to verbs that do not need one: discuss the problem, not discuss about the problem.
Record and review verb + preposition as one vocabulary item.
A closer look
Do not add an extra preposition to verbs that do not need one: discuss the problem, not discuss about the problem.
Record and review verb + preposition as one vocabulary item.
Examples
It depends on the weather.
I'm waiting for a reply.
Who does this bag belong to?
She apologized for being late.
We discussed the problem yesterday.
Common mistakes
The fixed combination is depend on.
The fixed combination is wait for.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.