Adjectives and Prepositions

nice / kind / good / stupid / silly / intelligent / clever / sensible / (im)polite / rude / unre
asonable OF someone (to do something)

Thank you it was very nice / kind of you to help me. It's stupid of her to go out without a coat.

nice / kind / good / (im)polite / rude / (un)pleasant / (un)friendly / cruel TO someone

She has always been very nice / kind to me. Why are you so rude / unfriendly to Ann?

angry / furious ABOUT something / WITH someone / FOR something

Why are you so angry about it? They were furious with me for not inviting them to my party.

pleased / disappointed / satisfied WITH something

I was pleased with the present you gave me. Were you disappointed with your examination
results?

bored / fed up WITH something

You get bored / fed up with doing the same thing every day.

surprised / shocked / amazed / astonished AT / BY something

Everyone was surprised by /at the news.

excited / worried / upset ABOUT something

Are you excited about going on holiday next week?

afraid / scared / frightened / terrified OF someone / something

Are you afraid of dogs?

proud / ashamed OF someone / something

I'm not ashamed of what I did.

good / bad / excellent / brilliant / hopeless AT (doing) something

I'm not very good at repairing things.

married TO someone (Linda is married to an American.)

sorry ABOUT something (I'm sorry about the noise last night.)

sorry FOR doing something (I'm sorry for shouting at you yesterday.)
be / feel sorry FOR someone (I feel sorry for George.)

famous FOR something (Florence is famous for its art treasures.)

responsible FOR something (Who was responsible for this noise last night?)

interested IN something (Are you interested in art?)

fond OF something / someone (Mary is fond of animals.)

full OF something (The letter was full of mistakes.)

short OF something (I'm a bit short of money.)

keen ON something (We stayed at home because Mary wasn't very keen on going out in the
rain.)

similar TO something (Your writing is similar to mine.)

crowded WITH (people,...) (The city was crowded with tourists.)

Remember that a preposition is followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form).

With at

We use at with adjectives like good/bad/amazing/brilliant/terrible, etc. to talk about

skills and abilities.

He's really good at English.

She's amazing at the piano.
With about

We often use about with adjectives of feelings

like angry/excited/happy/nervous/sad/stressed/worried, etc. to explain what is causing
that feeling.

I'm angry about the decision.

He's nervous about the presentation.
She's excited about the new job.
They were worried about the exam.

With of However, sometimes we use of with feelings.

She was afraid of telling her mum.
I'm frightened of having an accident.
He's scared of flying.
You should be proud of your progress.
With to

We can use to to show the connection between people or things.

He's married to the director.

I'm addicted to my phone.
I'm allergic to nuts.
It's similar to the old one.

We can also use to to talk about someone's behaviour towards someone else.

They were really friendly to me.

Was he nice to you?

Here are some other useful adjectives with prepositions.

With for
Exercise is good for you.
Stress is bad for you.
The town is famous for its cheese.
I'm responsible for the financial side of the business.

With in
She's interested in the project.
They want someone who's experienced in design.
I didn't want to get involved in the argument.

Fill in the correct prepositions.

1. I'm angry him for telling lies about me.

2. Are you afraid him?

3. Rome is famous its historical monuments.

4. He is married his sister.

5. It's very nice you to lend me your car.

6. Why are you always so rude your parents?

7. It wasn't very polite him to leave without saying thank you.

8. I can't understand people who are cruel animals.

9. I have to stop to talk to you. I'm a bit short time.

10. Are you interested football?

11. Your shoes are similar mine but they are not exactly the same.

12. We've got enough to eat. The fridge is full food.

13. It would be clever her to study more for the next test.

14. He said he was sorry the situation but there was nothing he could do.

15. He is good playing chess.

Fill in the correct prepositions.

1. She is very terrified spiders.

2. We enjoyed our holidays, but we were disappointed our hotel.

3. I was surprised the way he behaved.

4. He is very fond animals.

5. She doesn't often go out in the night because she's afraid the dark.

6. I learn Spanish but I'm not very satisfied my progress.

7. I’ve never seen so many people before. I'm astonished the crowds.

8. She is nice, but I don't want to get married her.

9. I don't feel sorry her because her problems are her own fault.

10. He is responsible what appears in his newspaper.

11. He wasn't very keen going to the cinema.

12. She is brilliant repairing things.

13. They are interested sports.

14. I felt sorry the children because it rained every day.

15. He said it had been very kind her to help his mother.