Mastering verb + preposition combinations is essential for fluent English. Here are 50 common combinations every English as an Additional Language (EAL) learner should know.

Verb + Preposition Combinations Table

Verb	Preposition	Meaning	Example
Look	At	Direct your eyes	She looked at the painting.
Listen	To	Pay attention to sounds	He listens to music every night.
Depend	On	Rely on	The project depends on you.
Agree	With	Have the same opinion	I agree with your idea.
Apologize	For	Express regret	She apologized for the mistake.
Believe	In	Have confidence in	He believes in honesty.
Worry	About	Feel anxious	She worries about exams.
Succeed	In	Achieve	He succeeded in his goals.
Complain	About	Express dissatisfaction	They complained about the noise.
Participate	In	Take part	She participates in sports.
Wait	For	Stay until something happens	I’m waiting for the bus.
Apologize	To	Express regret to someone	He apologized to her.
Laugh	At	Find something funny	They laughed at the joke.
Dream	About	Imagine while sleeping	She dreamed about flying.
Pay	For	Give money for something	He paid for dinner.
Ask	For	Request	She asked for help.
Blame	For	Hold responsible	He blamed her for the error.
Care	About	Feel concern	She cares about her family.
Concentrate	On	Focus on	He concentrates on his work.
Congratulate	On	Praise for achievement	She congratulated him on his promotion.
Consist	Of	Be made of	The team consists of five members.
Deal	With	Handle	She deals with customer complaints.
Depend	Upon	Same as depend on	Success depends upon hard work.
Divide	Into	Separate into parts	The cake was divided into slices.
Escape	From	Get away from	They escaped from prison.
Excuse	For	Justify	She excused him for being late.
Forgive	For	Pardon	He forgave her for the mistake.
Hope	For	Desire	They hope for good weather.
Insist	On	Demand firmly	She insists on punctuality.
Introduce	To	Present someone	He introduced her to his friends.
Invite	To	Ask to join	She invited them to the party.
Look	For	Search	He’s looking for his keys.
Object	To	Disapprove	They object to the proposal.
Participate	In	Join	He participates in meetings.
Pay Attention	To	Focus	She pays attention to details.
Prepare	For	Get ready	They prepared for the exam.
Protect	From	Guard against	Sunscreen protects you from UV rays.
Provide	For	Supply needs	He provides for his family.
Recover	From	Get better	She recovered from the flu.
Refer	To	Mention	He referred to the manual.
Remind	Of	Make remember	She reminds me of my sister.
Rely	On	Depend	They rely on each other.
Respond	To	Answer	He responded to the email.
Suffer	From	Endure pain	He suffers from allergies.
Talk	About	Discuss	They talked about the movie.
Think	About	Consider	She’s thinking about the offer.
Vote	For	Choose	They voted for the candidate.
Wait	On	Serve	The waiter waited on the table.
Worry	Over	Be anxious	He worries over his grades.
Write	About	Describe	She writes about her travels.

Tips for Mastering Verb + Preposition Combinations

1. Practice Regularly

Use these combinations in daily conversations and writing.

2. Read and Listen

Engage with English media to see these combinations in context.

3. Make Flashcards

Create flashcards with the verb + preposition and review them frequently.

4. Use Online Resources

Utilize websites and apps offering exercises and quizzes on phrasal verbs.

5. Join Language Exchange Programs

Interact with proficient speakers and other learners for practical experience.

Conclusion

Understanding verb + preposition combinations is crucial for fluency in English. Regular practice and exposure will help you use these combinations naturally and effectively. Keep practicing, stay curious, and embrace mistakes as learning opportunities. Happy learning!