Verbs + Prepositions
Master common verb and preposition combinations to sound more natural in English.
- check_circleI can use common verbs with their correct prepositions.
- check_circleI can avoid translating prepositions directly from Spanish.
Discover
Meet today's English in a real situation — no rules yet. Read it once and try to guess the pattern in the words in bold. Underlined words open a short definition.
Sam: Hey Maya! Are you going to the concert tonight? Maya: I’m not sure yet. It really depends on what time I finish work. Sam: Oh, I see. Well, let me know! By the way, I need to apologize for losing that book you lent me. I’ve looked everywhere! Maya: Don’t worry about it! Honestly, I can’t even remember if it belonged to me or my sister. Sam: I feel terrible. Let me pay for a new copy. I know you believe in taking good care of things. Maya: It’s really fine. Just forget about it. Are we still studying together this weekend? Sam: Yes! We need to focus on our math project. Maya: Perfect. See you then!
Learn
Now the rules behind what you just saw — explained simply, with examples. Underlined words open a short definition — hover on desktop, tap on a phone.
In English, many verbs are followed by a specific preposition. There isn’t always a logical rule, so you just have to learn them as pairs!
When a verb comes immediately after a preposition, it must be in the -ing form (gerund). For example: I apologize for being late.
Common Combinations
Let’s look at some of the most common verb + preposition combinations you need at the B1 level.
Depend on
We use depend on to say that something is influenced by something else, or to say we trust someone. depend
A: Are you going to the beach tomorrow? B: I don’t know, it depends on the weather.
Common Mistake: Direct translation from Spanish.
It depends of the weather.
It depends on the weather.
Belong to
We use belong to to talk about ownership. belong
That car belongs to my brother.
Apologize for
We use apologize for an action or a thing, and apologize to a person.
I want to apologize to you for my mistake.
Other Useful Verbs
- Believe in: To think that something exists or is true. (e.g., Do you believe in ghosts?)
- Pay for: To give money for something. (e.g., Let me pay for dinner.)
- Think about: To use your mind to consider something. (e.g., I’ll think about your offer.)
- depend on: (NOT depend of) Rely on something.
- belong to: Own something.
- apologize for / to: Apologize for an action, to a person.
- Preposition + -ing: If a verb follows a preposition, use the -ing form.
Practice
Try it yourself. You'll see right away whether you got it right, plus a short explanation of why.
Use It
Now make the language yours in a real task. Use the prompt below — the editor keeps a simple word count, and nothing is saved or graded.
Before you finish — be honest. Can you do these now?