Verb + preposition 2: about/for/of/after | Unit 133 | PrepMyEnglish
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Unit 133 · Grammar Lesson
Unité 133 · Leçon de Grammaire

Verb + preposition 2: about / for / of / after
talk about · ask for · wait for · care about/for · look for · look after Verbe + préposition 2 : about / for / of / after
talk about · ask for · wait for · care about/for · look for · look after

Learn which verbs take about or for, the three uses of care, and the crucial contrast between look for (search) and look after (take care of).

Apprenez quels verbes prennent about ou for, les trois emplois de care, et le contraste crucial entre look for (chercher) et look after (s’occuper de).

B1 – B2 4 Rules · 4 Exercises · 200-Q Quiz · PDF 4 Règles · 4 Exercices · Quiz 200 Q · PDF 🇬🇧 EN / 🇫🇷 FR

This unit covers verbs followed by about (talk about, worry about) and for (wait for, search for). It also unpacks three related expressions: take care OF, care FOR and care ABOUT — each with a different meaning. Finally, the critical pair look for (= try to find) vs look after (= take care of) is explained and practised.

Ce chapitre couvre les verbes suivis de about (talk about, worry about) et de for (wait for, search for). Il explique aussi trois expressions liées : take care OF, care FOR et care ABOUT. Enfin, la paire cruciale look for (= chercher) vs look after (= s’occuper de) est expliquée et pratiquée.

A

Verb + ABOUT — talk, read, know, worry, complain…

Verbe + ABOUT — talk, read, know, worry, complain…

talk / read / know / hear ABOUT …
We talked about a lot of things. · Did you hear about the fire?

 We talked about a lot of things. · Did you hear about the fire?

 worry / complain / do something ABOUT …
Don’t worry about me. · They complained about the food.
If you’re worried, you should do something about it. Don’t worry about me. · They complained about the food.
If you’re worried, you should do something about it.
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discuss ≠ discuss about: The verb discuss takes a direct object — no preposition! ✓ We discussed the problem. ✗ We discussed about the problem. But the noun uses about: ✓ We had a discussion about the problem. discuss ≠ discuss about : Le verbe discuss a un complément direct — sans préposition ! ✓ We discussed the problem. ✗ We discussed about the problem. Mais le nom utilise about : ✓ We had a discussion about the problem.
B

Verb + FOR — ask, apply, wait, search, leave…

Verbe + FOR — ask, apply, wait, search, leave…

ask (somebody) FOR … = request something= demander quelque chose
I asked them for more information. But: ask somebody the way / the time (no preposition).

 I asked them for more information. Mais : ask somebody the way / the time (sans préposition).

 apply FOR a job · wait FOR somebody/something · search FOR …
Why don’t you apply for it? · Don’t wait for me. · I’ve searched the house for my keys.

 Why don’t you apply for it? · Don’t wait for me. · I’ve searched the house for my keys.

 leave (a place) FOR another place (NOT leave to)(PAS leave to)
She left home for work. (NOT left to work) She left home for work. (PAS left to work)
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ask FOR vs ask (no prep): ask for = request a thing (ask for help, ask for a receipt). ask someone = question a person (ask me, ask the teacher). Fixed: ask somebody the way — no prep. ask FOR vs ask (sans prép) : ask for = demander une chose (ask for help). ask someone = interroger quelqu’un. Fixe : ask somebody the way — sans préposition.
C

take care OF · care FOR · care ABOUT — three meanings!

take care OF · care FOR · care ABOUT — trois sens !

take care OF

= be responsible for= être responsable de
I can take care of myself.
I’ll take care of the arrangements.

care FOR

(1) = look after physically(1) = s’occuper physiquement
He needs someone to care for him.
(2) I don’t care for = I don’t like(2) I don’t care for = je n’aime pas
I don’t care for hot weather.

care ABOUT

= think something is important= trouver important
He doesn’t care about others.
She cares about the environment.
📌
care what/where/how… (WITHOUT about): I don’t care what you do. | Note also: care FOR sb = look after them physically vs care ABOUT sb = they matter emotionally. care what/where/how… (SANS about) : I don’t care what you do. | Notez : care FOR = s’en occuper concrètement vs care ABOUT = tenir à eux émotionnellement.
D

look FOR (search) vs look AFTER (take care of)

look FOR (chercher) vs look AFTER (s’occuper de)

look FOR = try to find

look FOR = chercher

I’ve lost my keys. Help me look for them.
Kate is looking for a new job.
We had to look for somewhere to park.

look AFTER = take care of

look AFTER = s’occuper de

Alan needs somebody to look after him.
Please look after this book — it’s valuable.
Who looked after you when you were ill?
⚠️
Critical contrast: ✗ Alan needs someone to look for him (= someone needs to find him!) → ✓ Alan needs someone to look after him (= take care of him). Wrong preposition = completely different meaning! Contraste essentiel : ✗ Alan needs someone to look for him (= quelqu’un doit le retrouver !) → ✓ Alan needs someone to look after him (= s’occuper de lui). La mauvaise préposition change tout !

about / for / of / after — Exercises

about / for / of / after — Exercices

Check your answers instantly

Vérifiez vos réponses instantanément

EX 1

Which is right? Type a or b.

Quelle est la bonne réponse ? Tapez a ou b.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Answers: 1.a · 2.a · 3.b · 4.a · 5.b · 6.b · 7.a · 8.a
EX 2

Put in the correct preposition. Write — if none needed.

Mettez la bonne préposition. Écrivez — si aucune n’est nécessaire.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Answers: 1.for · 2.for · 3.for · 4.about · 5.— · 6.about · 7.for · 8.about
EX 3

Put in the correct preposition after care (about / for / of). Write — if none needed.

Mettez la bonne préposition après care (about / for / of). Écrivez — si aucune n’est nécessaire.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Answers: 1.about · 2.of · 3.about/— · 4.for · 5.of · 6.for · 7.about
EX 4

Complete using look for or look after (correct form).

Complétez avec look for ou look after (bonne forme).

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Answers: 1.looked for · 2.looking for · 3.looked after · 4.look for · 5.looks after · 6.looking for

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions Fréquentes

‘Discuss’ already contains the meaning of ‘about’ — it takes a direct object: ✓ We discussed the problem. ✗ We discussed about the problem. The noun form ‘discussion’ does use about: ✓ We had a discussion about the problem.

Le verbe ‘discuss’ contient déjà le sens de ‘à propos de’. Il prend un complément direct sans préposition : ✓ We discussed the problem. ✗ We discussed about the problem. Le nom ‘discussion’ utilise bien about : ✓ We had a discussion about the problem.

‘Look for’ = search for / try to find: I’m looking for my glasses. ‘Look after’ = take care of / keep safe: Can you look after the cat while I’m away? These are completely different meanings and the preposition is everything!

‘Look for’ = chercher / essayer de trouver. ‘Look after’ = s’occuper de / prendre soin de. Ce sont des sens complètement différents et la préposition est essentielle !

‘Care about’ = emotionally important: She cares about her students. ‘Care for’ (1) = look after physically: She cares for elderly patients. ‘I don’t care for’ (2) = I don’t like (mild): I don’t care for jazz. ‘Take care of’ = be responsible for: I’ll take care of the tickets.

‘Care about’ = important émotionnellement. ‘Care for’ (1) = s’occuper physiquement de. ‘I don’t care for’ (2) = je n’aime pas (légère aversion). ‘Take care of’ = être responsable de / s’occuper de.

‘Ask for’ = request a thing: ask for help, ask for a receipt. ‘Ask someone’ (no prep) = question a person: ask me, ask the teacher. Special case: ‘ask somebody the way/the time’ — no preposition even though a thing is mentioned, because these are fixed expressions.

‘Ask for’ = demander une chose : ask for help, ask for a receipt. ‘Ask someone’ (sans prép) = interroger quelqu’un. Cas spécial : ‘ask somebody the way/the time’ — sans préposition car ce sont des expressions fixes.

🎯 Unit 133 · MCQ QuizUnité 133 · Quiz QCM

about / for / of / after — Quiz

about / for / of / after — Quiz

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about / for / of / after Quiz

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