Have you ever said “I am good in math” and wondered if it sounds natural? Or maybe you wrote “She is married with a doctor” and something felt off — but you weren’t sure why?
That’s the tricky thing about preposition collocations. It’s not always about grammar rules. Sometimes it’s just about which preposition naturally goes with which word. And honestly? Even advanced English learners get these wrong all the time.
The good news is — once you see the pattern, it clicks. And it sticks.
In this quiz, we’ve put together 10 carefully picked questions on preposition collocations — words like afraid of, responsible for, married to, excited about and more. These are the kinds of phrases that come up every day in conversations, emails, and writing.
Take the quiz and find out:
- Which ones you already know 💪
- Which ones you’ve been saying wrong without realizing 😅
- And which patterns you’ll never forget after today ✅
Each question comes with a clear explanation and a helpful tip so you walk away with real understanding — not just a score.
So, are you ready to test yourself? Scroll down and let’s see how you do!
📚Complete Study Guide
Afraid OF Something
Always use 'of' after 'afraid' when talking about fears or things that cause fear. 'Afraid' is never followed by 'from', 'with', or 'at'.
Formula: afraid + OF + noun/gerund
✓ She is afraid of heights
✓ He is afraid of the dark
✓ Are you afraid of flying?
✗ She is afraid from heights (incorrect)
Think of OF as pointing directly at the source of fear — you are afraid OF the thing that scares you. Simple and fixed!
Good AT a Skill
Use 'at' after 'good' when describing a skill or ability. Use 'good for' when talking about benefit or purpose — these are two very different meanings.
Formula: good + AT + skill/activity | good + FOR + benefit/purpose
✓ He is good at solving problems
✓ She is good at mathematics
✓ Exercise is good for your health
✗ He is good in solving problems (incorrect)
Think of AT as hitting a target — you aim AT a skill to master it. Good AT = ability, Good FOR = benefit.
Interested IN a Topic
'Interested' is always followed by 'in' when expressing curiosity or enthusiasm about a subject, activity, or idea. Never use 'on', 'at', or 'for' with interested.
Formula: interested + IN + noun/gerund
✓ They are interested in learning French
✓ She is interested in art and design
✓ Are you interested in joining the club?
✗ They are interested on learning French (incorrect)
Think of IN as being inside a topic — when you are interested, you want to go deeper IN to it. Interested IN is always the right choice.
Responsible FOR a Task
Use 'for' after 'responsible' when talking about duties, obligations, or things someone is in charge of. 'Responsible of' is a very common mistake — avoid it.
Formula: responsible + FOR + noun/gerund
✓ She is responsible for the project
✓ He is responsible for managing the team
✓ Who is responsible for this decision?
✗ She is responsible of the project (incorrect)
FOR shows ownership of a duty — you are responsible FOR what belongs to you to handle. Think of it as your job to care FOR something.
Married TO Someone
Always use 'to' after 'married' when referring to a spouse or partner. 'Married with' is one of the most common preposition mistakes made by English learners worldwide.
Formula: married + TO + person
✓ He is married to a teacher
✓ They have been married to each other for 10 years
✓ She got married to her college friend
✗ He is married with a teacher (incorrect)
'Married with' sounds natural because we say 'together with' — but married is different. You are always married TO a person, never WITH them.
Proud OF an Achievement
'Proud' is always followed by 'of' when expressing pride in a person, thing, or achievement. It is a fixed collocation and does not change.
Formula: proud + OF + noun/pronoun
✓ I am proud of my achievements
✓ She is proud of her children
✓ We are all proud of what you have done
✗ I am proud for my achievements (incorrect)
OF shows belonging — you feel proud OF something that is connected to you or someone you care about. Pride always belongs OF something.
Familiar WITH a Subject
Use 'with' after 'familiar' when saying someone has knowledge or experience of something. 'Familiar to' has a different meaning — it means something seems known or recognizable to someone.
Pattern: familiar + WITH + subject (you know it) | familiar + TO + person (it seems known to them)
✓ She is familiar with this topic
✓ Are you familiar with this software?
✓ That name sounds familiar to me
✗ She is familiar for this topic (incorrect)
Familiar WITH = you have knowledge of it. Familiar TO = it seems recognizable to someone. When in doubt about knowledge or skill, always choose WITH.
Fond OF Something
'Fond' is always followed by 'of' when expressing a liking or affection for a person, thing, or activity. It is a fixed collocation with no exceptions.
Formula: fond + OF + noun/gerund
✓ He is fond of playing chess
✓ She is very fond of animals
✓ They are fond of travelling together
✗ He is fond with playing chess (incorrect)
Fond OF is similar to 'a fan of' — both use OF. If you like or enjoy something warmly, you are fond OF it. Always OF, no exceptions.
Excited ABOUT an Event
Use 'about' after 'excited' when expressing enthusiasm or anticipation for an upcoming event, plan, or idea. 'Excited for' is sometimes used informally but 'excited about' is the standard and widely accepted form.
Formula: excited + ABOUT + noun/gerund
✓ They are excited about the trip
✓ She is excited about starting her new job
✓ I am so excited about the concert!
✗ They are excited for the trip (informal, avoid in writing)
ABOUT gives you a sense of talking around a topic with enthusiasm — you buzz ABOUT something exciting. Excited ABOUT keeps you on the safe, standard side.
Capable OF Doing Something
'Capable' is always followed by 'of' when describing someone's ability or potential to do something. Never use 'to', 'for', or 'with' after capable.
Formula: capable + OF + noun/gerund
✓ She is capable of handling pressure
✓ He is capable of leading the entire team
✓ This machine is capable of processing 1000 units per hour
✗ She is capable to handle pressure (incorrect)
Many learners write 'capable to do' because 'able to do' is correct — but capable works differently. Remember: able TO, but capable OF. They are not interchangeable!
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⚡ Continue Learning
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