B1Prepositions

Verbs and Prepositions

What is it?

Many verbs need specific prepositions after them. These combinations are fixed and must be learned: LOOK AT (not look to*), LISTEN TO (not listen at*), WAIT FOR, DEPEND ON, THINK ABOUT, TALK ABOUT, BELIEVE IN, SUCCEED IN, AGREE WITH, APOLOGIZE FOR. The preposition doesn't change meaning independently; the verb + preposition is a unit. Common pattern: verb + preposition + object → "I'm looking at the picture" / "She's waiting for the bus". Learn them as fixed expressions.

How to form it

Subject	Positive	Negative	Question
look at	I look at the picture. / Look at this!	I don't look at TV.	What are you looking at?
listen to	I listen to music. / Listen to me!	I don't listen to him.	What are you listening to?
wait for	I'm waiting for the bus. / Wait for me!	Don't wait for them.	What are you waiting for?
think about	I'm thinking about you. / Think about it.	I don't think about it.	What are you thinking about?
depend on	It depends on the weather. / I depend on you.	It doesn't depend on me.	What does it depend on?
agree with	I agree with you. / She agrees with me.	I don't agree with him.	Do you agree with me?

• Verb + preposition = fixed combinations (must learn together)
• Common: look at, listen to, wait for, think about, talk about, laugh at
• Depend on, believe in, succeed in, fail at, arrive at/in
• Agree with (person), agree on (topic), agree to (proposal)
• Apologize for, thank someone for, blame someone for
• Care about, care for, worry about, dream about/of
• Object comes after preposition → look at IT, wait for HER
• Questions: preposition at end → What are you looking at?

When to use it

1
LOOK AT — direct vision toward
"Look at the board!" / "I'm looking at you." / "He looked at the picture." / "What are you looking at?"
2
LISTEN TO — pay attention with ears
"Listen to me!" / "I listen to music." / "She's listening to the radio." / "Listen to this song!"
3
WAIT FOR — stay until someone/something arrives
"Wait for me!" / "I'm waiting for the bus." / "She waited for an hour." / "What are you waiting for?"
4
THINK ABOUT — have thoughts regarding
"I'm thinking about you." / "Think about it!" / "What are you thinking about?" / "She thinks about work."
5
DEPEND ON — be determined by, rely on
"It depends on the weather." / "I depend on you." / "Success depends on hard work."
6
TALK/SPEAK ABOUT — discuss
"Let's talk about it." / "She spoke about her experience." / "What are you talking about?"

Common mistakes

Look the picture. (no preposition)

Look at the picture.

LOOK needs AT before the object.

Listen me. (no preposition)

Listen to me.

LISTEN needs TO before the object.

Wait me. (no preposition)

Wait for me.

WAIT needs FOR before the object.

It depends of the weather.

It depends on the weather.

DEPEND needs ON, not OF.

Quick reference

Verb + preposition = fixed combinations (learn together)
look at, listen to, wait for, think about, talk about
depend on, believe in, succeed in, agree with
apologize for, thank for, care about, worry about
Object after preposition → look at IT, wait for HER
Questions: preposition at end → What are you looking at?

Natural conversation example

At the bus stop

Tom

What are you looking at?

Lisa

I'm looking at the bus schedule. What are you waiting for?

Tom

I'm waiting for the number 5 bus.

Lisa

Me too! It depends on the traffic, I guess.

Tom

Yeah. What are you listening to?

Lisa

A podcast about travel. Want to listen to it with me?

Tom

Sure! I'd love to!

Practice Exercises

Complete with the correct preposition.

1.
Look the board!
2.
Listen me!
3.
I'm waiting the bus.
4.
It depends you.
5.
I agree you.
6.
She's thinking her family.

Prepositions of Time All Topics Adjectives and Prepositions

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