Verb + Preposition 1 (to and at)
Learn which verbs take 'to' and which take 'at', and common mistakes to avoid with verbs like explain, listen, look, and throw
Verbs Followed by “to”
Some verbs need to before the person or thing that comes next. Dropping to is a common mistake, especially when translating from other languages.
| Verb | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| talk / speak | talk/speak to somebody | I need to talk to the project manager before the meeting. |
| listen | listen to something | During the commute, she listens to business podcasts. |
| apologise | apologise to somebody (for …) | The supplier apologised to us for the late delivery. |
| explain | explain something to somebody | Could you explain this clause to me? |
| describe | describe something to somebody | He described to the team what he had seen at the client’s office. |
With explain and describe, the word order matters. You cannot put the person right after the verb.
- Can you explain this process to me? (not
explain me this process) - Let me describe to you what happened at the meeting. (not
describe you what happened)
Verbs Without “to” (Don’t Add It!)
Several common verbs connect directly to the person or object with no preposition at all. Adding to is wrong here.
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| phone / call / email / text | I called the head office to confirm the order. (not |
| answer | You still haven’t answered my question. (not |
| ask | If you’re confused, just ask your manager. (not |
| thank | She thanked everyone for their hard work. (not |
There are two exceptions to watch for:
- We say write (a letter) to somebody (not
write somebody). - We say reply to an email / a message (not
reply an email).
Verbs Followed by “at”
Use at after verbs related to looking, laughing, and aiming.
| Verb | Example |
|---|---|
| look / stare / glance at | She glanced at her phone during the break. |
| have a look / take a look at | Can you take a look at this draft before I send it? |
| laugh at | Nobody laughed at the joke in his presentation. |
| aim / point (something) at | He pointed at the chart and explained the trend. |
| shoot / fire (a gun) at | The hunter was shooting at birds, but he missed every one. |
“at” or “to”? It Depends on What You Mean
A few verbs can take either at or to, but the meaning changes.
shout
shout at somebody = you are angry or aggressive The customer got frustrated and started shouting at the helpdesk agent.
shout to somebody = you want them to hear you He shouted to his colleague across the warehouse to hold the door.
throw
throw something at somebody = you want to hit them Someone threw a shoe at the speaker on stage.
throw something to somebody = you want them to catch it She threw the office keys to me from the second floor.
The difference is simple: at carries a sense of aggression or direction, while to carries a sense of giving or communicating.
Quick Self-Check
I sent the report, but the client never _____ my email.
Select your answer:
Could you explain _____ how the new system works?
Select your answer:
The manager was so angry that she started shouting _____ the intern.
Select your answer:
We need to _____ the airline and cancel the booking.
Select your answer:
She thanked her colleagues _____ all their support during the project.
Select your answer: