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English grammar

CEFR A2-B1

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Test yourself (23 questions)

Dependent prepositions in English: good at, listen to, depend on

By Michael McGettrickUpdated 12 October 2026

A dependent preposition is the preposition that goes with a word: good at, afraid of, listen to, depend on. No rule tells you which one, so learn the word and its preposition together, as one unit.

the preposition the word takesWhat do the colours mean?
WordTakesExample
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

Quick check

Now use it: three quick questions on the chart above. The full practice is further down.

Spot the mistake

0/3

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Adjective + preposition

These come after be: I am good at..., She is afraid of...

AdjectiveExample
Ana .
.
.
.
.
.
Tom.
.

Good at is for a skill or a subject. Good with is for people and things you handle:

  • . (a subject)
  • . (he handles them well)

Angry with is the usual British form. American English often says angry at: . Both are right.

Verb + preposition

These verbs need their preposition before an object.

VerbExample
.
.
.
.
.
.
?
.

With no object, the preposition goes: Listen!, Wait here., It depends.

Arrive at or arrive in?

Arrive has two prepositions, and neither of them is to.

UseForExample
, .
, Paris.
( preposition) .

After the preposition: -ing

the prepositionthe -ing endingWhat do the colours mean?

A verb after a preposition takes the -ing form.

After at, the verb takes -ing
  • . (not good at cook)
  • . (not interested in learn)
  • . (not for help)

The gerund and infinitive page has the rest of this rule.

Dependent preposition or phrasal verb?

The two look alike, but they work differently.

TypeExampleMeaning
+ preposition .:
phrasal verb . verb:

In listen to, the to only links the verb to its object. In look after, the two words make a new meaning. More on these on the phrasal verbs page.

Why they do not translate

Your own language has its own dependent prepositions, and they often do not match the English ones. So do not ask "what is the translation?" Ask "which preposition does English use here?", and learn good at, listen to and depend on as words, not as puzzles.

Common mistakes

WrongRightWhy
It depends of you.It depends on you. .
arrive to workarrive at work .
good in footballgood at football : .
I listen music.I listen to music. + .
good at cookgood at cooking-ing .

What to do next

  1. Write three true sentences: I am good at..., I am afraid of..., I am interested in...
  2. Learn new words with their preposition: not afraid, but afraid of.
  3. Back to the main prepositions page, or do the drills below.

Practise: test yourself

Sort into groups

0/8

Which preposition goes after each word?

Tap a word, then the group it belongs in.

Spot the mistake

0/5

Each sentence has one mistake. Tap it.

Complete the story

0/4

Choose the word that fits each gap.

Tom's evening

Tom is good football, and he is interested music too. Every evening he listens the radio. Tonight he is waiting a call from Ana.

Gap 1 of 4

Matching

0/6

Match each word to the words that follow it.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a dependent preposition?
It is the preposition that goes with a word. Good takes at (good at maths), afraid takes of (afraid of dogs), listen takes to (listen to music). The word depends on it, so the pair is learnt as one unit.
Is it good at or good in?
Good at: she is good at maths, he is good at football. For a skill or a subject, use at. Good with is for people and things you handle: good with children, good with money.
Do I say arrive at or arrive in?
Arrive at a place or a point: arrive at the station, arrive at work. Arrive in a town or a country: arrive in Paris. Arrive home has no preposition. Arrive to is wrong.
Why does a verb after a preposition take -ing?
A preposition is followed by a noun, and the -ing form is the noun form of a verb. So: interested in learning, good at cooking, afraid of flying. Never good at cook.
What is the difference between a dependent preposition and a phrasal verb?
In listen to music, to only links the verb to its object; listen keeps its meaning. In look after a child, look after is a new verb with a new meaning (take care of). That makes it a phrasal verb.