NOUNS + PREPOSITON

prepositio
nouns examples
n

18 is the age at which you are allowed

to vote.
age, attempt, point at
Fisk is making his third attempt at the
world record.

What’s the reason for your

unhappiness?
need, reason,
for
responsibility Nobody seems to have responsibility
for the budget.

Changes in society have meant that

changes, young people leave home earlier.
differences, in
There’s been a steady increase in the
increase
value of the euro.

The police inquiry into the theft

inquiry, continues.
investigation, into
She did some research into the causes
research
of back pain.

This is an example of international

collaboration.
cause, example, way of
We need to find another way of doing
things.

My reaction to it all was to try to

approach, reaction, to
forget it.
response
 prepositio
nouns examples
n

Her response to the criticism was very

strong.

Go to our website to get the address of your nearest

branch.
address
Not: … the address to your nearest branch.

I saw an advertisement for a teaching job in Malawi

which looked interesting.
advertisement
Not: … an advertisement of a teaching job …

There is a growing awareness of the impact of climate

change among the young.
awareness
Not: … a growing awareness about the impact of climate
change …

Changes in our diet have meant that more and more

people suffer heart disease. (changes that happen)
Not: Changes of our diet …
The director of studies must be informed of
change any changes to the timetable. (changes that people
purposely make)
Not: … of any changes in the timetable. (This means
changes that happen, not those that people purposely
make.)

Congratulations on your new job!

congratulation
s Not: Congratulations for your new job!

I’d like to do a course in computer programming if I

could find a good one.
course
Not: … a course of computer programming …

We went to see an exhibition of Viking jewellery.

exhibition
Not: … an exhibition about Viking jewellery.

Do you have any previous experience of working with

children?
(usually followed by the -ing form of a verb)
experience Not: … previous experience in working with children?
She has ten years’ experience in television and
radio. (usually followed by a noun)
Not: … ten years’ experience on television and radio.

There has been an increase of 200,000 in the city’s

population in the last ten years.
increase (Of is used before numbers and quantities
after increase/decrease/growth; in is used before the thing
decrease
affected by the change.)
growth
Not: … an increase of the city’s population …
(Compare change in, above.)

Can you give us some information on/about bus tours,

please?
information
Not: … some information of bus tours …?

He seems to have less interest in everything these days.

interest
 Not: … less interest to everything these days.

The invitation to the reception at the embassy arrived the

next day.
invitation
Not: The invitation of the reception …

For this job you need some knowledge of Portuguese.

Not: … some knowledge in Portuguese.
knowledge
He has an amazing knowledge of European history.
Not: … an amazing knowledge about European history.

I need some lessons in how to set up a website.

lesson
Not: I need some lessons of how to …

Can anyone become a member of your book club?

member
Not: … a member in your book club?

Questionnaires are not necessarily the best method

of collecting sociological data.
method
Not: … the best method to collect …

We understand the need for change but we should move

slowly.
Not: … the need of change …
need
(Of is used with need in the expression in need of:
The village is in need of a community centre where
people, especially young people, can go in the evenings.)

I was a newcomer to windsurfing so I was very nervous.

newcomer
Not: I was a newcomer of windsurfing …
 I’d love to show you some of the nice places in my
hometown.
place
Not: … the nice places of my hometown.

The possibility of making contact with other intelligent

beings in the universe is very small.
possibility
Not: The possibility to make contact …

The problem of finding a good babysitter is one that many

parents have faced.
problem
Not: The problem to find …

I’ve never understood the reason for all these different

forms we have to fill in.
reason
Not: … the reason of all …

We all know the risks of getting a virus if we don’t protect

our computer.
risk
Not: … the risks for getting a virus …

She did a translation into English of some ancient

Chinese poems.
translation
Not: … a translation in English …

The visit to the temple was the high point of the holiday.

visit
Not: The visit in the temple …

Below we will look at examples of the most common prepositions that pair
with nouns.

Noun + to
One of the most common prepositions used with nouns is to. The following
table contains examples of combinations you might see:

Noun + to Example Sentence

“I couldn’t enter the building without access to the door’s
access to password.”

addiction to “Alison has an addiction to football.”

answer to “Her answer to the teacher’s question was incorrect.”

“Professor Smith’s approach to the experiment was incredibly

approach to
innovative.”

damage to “The damage to the car is worse than I thought it’d be.”

dedication
“Ned has intense dedication to his schoolwork.”
to

devotion to “Everyone admired the doctor’s devotion to her patients.”

reaction to “The child had an adorable reaction to the kitten.”

response to “She gave no response to the question I’d asked her.”

solution to “No one could come up with a solution to the math problem.”

threat to “Climate change is a potential threat to certain species.”

Noun + for
Another common preposition used with nouns is for. Examples can be seen in
the table below:

Noun + for Example Sentence

admiration “Penny has so much admiration for her mother.”
for
“Health officials recently announced that a cure for the fatal
cure for
disease had been found.”
 “My desire for success is more important than my desire
desire for
for romance.”

hope for “Youths often have high hopes for humanity.”

need for “The need for social interaction is a basic human trait.”

“Simply having a passion for writing doesn’t necessarily mean

passion for
you will become a best-selling author.”

reason for “There is always a reason for change.”

respect for “Certain cultures promote respect for elders.”

room for “There’s room for one more person at this table.”

sympathy
“You should always have sympathy for strangers.”
for

talent for “Greg has a talent for stand-up comedy.”

Noun + of
The preposition of can be used with many nouns. Here are some common
combinations:

Noun + of Example Sentence

“Most people seem to underestimate the advantage
advantage of of majoring in philosophy.”

disadvantage “The disadvantage of becoming an entrepreneur is the

of amount of debt you can accumulate.”

fear of “My niece has a fear of the dark.”

habit of “I used to have a habit of biting my fingernails.”

intention of “Do you have any intention of going out today?”

knowledge of “Timothy’s knowledge of beekeeping is impressive.”

lack of “The police cannot arrest him due to a lack of evidence.”

memory of “I have no memory of my first year in school.”

“The process of elimination is a popular technique when

process of
taking multiple-choice tests.”

smell of “I love the smell of freshly baked cookies.”

sound of “Can you hear the sound of birds chirping?”

taste of “The taste of cooked octopus is an acquired one.”

Noun + in
Several nouns take the preposition in, examples of which can be seen in the
following table:

Noun + in Example Sentence

belief in “It is not uncommon to have a belief in a higher power.”

change in “Scientists detected little change in the atmosphere.”

decrease in “A decrease in taxes would dramatically affect the economy.”

“There appears to have been a delay in processing your

delay in
payment.”

experience
“She has little experience in backpacking.”
in

“I’m hoping for an increase in environmentally friendly

increase in
products.”

interest in “Even as a child, the girl had an interest in archaeology.”

pleasure in “He took pleasure in playing the piano.”

reduction in “Meredith was forced to take a reduction in her pay.”

rise in “After he won the jackpot, his hometown witnessed a sharp rise

 in sales of lottery tickets.”

Noun + on
The preposition on is less commonly paired with nouns, but there are
instances where it is used. Here are some examples of on being used with
nouns:

Noun + on Example Sentence

advice on “I read magazines for advice on relationships.”
attack on “Some view the new law as an attack on our rights.”

ban on “The early 20th century saw a short-lived ban on alcohol.”

emphasis “She is studying East Asian cultures with an emphasis

on on Japanese society.”

focus on “His focus on success has hindered his social life.”

“The report on fast food made people more aware of the

report on
number of calories they consume.”

Noun + at
The preposition at is only paired with a few nouns. For example:

 “Though new to skiing, he made an attempt at the highest slope.”

 “I have no chance at winning this game.”

Often, we use the preposition in conjunction with which, as in:

 “This is the age at which you are eligible for military service.”

 “There’s always a point at which trying to reason with him becomes
futile.”

Noun + from
From is only occasionally used with nouns. The preposition usually refers to
two things at opposition with each other, or specifies an origin or starting
point when used in conjunction with to:
  “The town sought protection from bandits.”
 “His transition from pauper to prince was something out of a fairy
tale.”

Noun + with
Generally, nouns combined with the preposition with point to relationships
and connections between two or more things. For example:

 “What’s the matter with you?”

 “I noticed a small problem with the story you submitted.”
 “Her close relationship with her sister is enviable.”
 “If you’re having trouble with the assignments, consult your teacher.”

Noun + about
When paired with a noun, about means concerning or in regards to. For
example:

 “His anxiety about public speaking is so bad that he sweats when he’s

onstage.”
 “Do you have any information about the changes in the schedule?”
 “She wants to hear the story about her favorite superhero again.”

Noun + between
A noun that takes the preposition between forms a comparison between two
things. Here are some common combinations:

 “For her thesis, Stacy submitted a comparison between classical music

and contemporary rock.”
 “The connection between good and evil is fascinating.”
 “Is there a difference between green onions and scallions?”

Nouns with multiple prepositions

Some nouns are capable of combining with more than one preposition. In
some of these cases, the meaning does not change no matter which
preposition is chosen:

 “My opinion of her is the same as yours.”

 “My opinion about her is the same as yours.”
  “Abby is an expert in changing tires.”
 “Abby is an expert at changing tires.”

 “I appreciate his newfound love for animals.”

 “I appreciate his newfound love of animals.”

In other cases, however, the meaning changes entirely when a different

preposition is substituted:

 “No one can deny the positive impact of France.” (France has a

positive influence.)
 “No one can deny the positive impact on France.” (Something
positively affects France.)

 “Her transition from vegetarian to vegan wasn’t difficult.” (She started

as a vegetarian and ended as a vegan.)
 “Her transition to vegetarian from vegan wasn’t difficult.” (She started
as a vegan and ended as a vegetarian.)