Adjective + Preposition 1

Why This Matters

In English, certain adjectives always go with specific prepositions. You cannot guess which preposition to use. You just have to learn the combinations. Getting these wrong is one of the most common mistakes in business emails and meetings.

Nice of You vs. Nice to Me

When you judge someone’s behaviour, use adjective + of + person.

• It was very kind of Sarah to show the new intern around the office.
• It was generous of the company to cover all travel expenses.
• It was careless of him to send that email to the wrong client.

This pattern works with: nice, kind, good, generous, polite, honest, stupid, silly, careless.

When you describe how someone treats another person, use adjective + to + person.

• Our manager has always been very friendly to everyone on the team.
• Why were you so rude to the receptionist?
• He was incredibly kind to me during my first week.

Pattern	Meaning	Example
adjective + of + person	judging their action	It was nice of you to help.
adjective + to + person	how they treat someone	She’s always nice to me.

Angry / Annoyed / Upset about Something, with Someone

When the cause of the feeling is a situation or thing, use about.

• The team was upset about the schedule change.
• There’s no point getting angry about things you can’t control.
• She’s excited about the new project launch.
• Are you nervous about your performance review?

When the cause is a person, use with (often followed by for doing something).

• The client is annoyed with us for missing the deadline.
• Are you angry with me for not replying sooner?

Pleased / Disappointed with Something

When you talk about something you received or experienced, use with.

• They were delighted with the quarterly results.
• Were you satisfied with the training session?
• I’m a bit disappointed with the new software update.

Surprised / Impressed at or by

Some adjectives accept two prepositions with no change in meaning.

Adjective	Prepositions	Example
surprised	at / by	Everyone was surprised at the announcement.
shocked	at / by	I was shocked by the cost of the repairs.
amazed	at / by	We were amazed at how fast the team delivered.
impressed	with / by	The director was impressed with your proposal.

Fed Up / Bored with and Tired of

• I’m fed up with these constant system outages.
• She’s bored with doing the same task every day.
• I’m tired of waiting for approval. Let’s escalate it.

Sorry about vs. Sorry for

Both work when you apologize for something you did.

• I’m sorry about the confusion in yesterday’s report. (situation)
• I’m sorry for sending you the wrong file. (your action)
• Sorry about the delay. or Sorry for the delay. (both fine)

Use sorry for + person when you feel sympathy.

• I feel sorry for Jake. He’s been working overtime for three weeks straight. (not sorry about Jake)

Quick Self-Check