Adjective + preposition 1 | Unit 130 | PrepMyEnglish

Unit 130 · Grammar Lesson

Unité 130 · Leçon de Grammaire

Adjective + preposition 1
nice of you · kind to me · sorry about/for · angry with/about · surprised at/by Adjectif + préposition 1
nice of you · kind to me · sorry about/for · angry with/about · surprised at/by

Learn the prepositions that follow adjectives: nice of you, kind to me, pleased with, sorry about/for, angry with/about, surprised at/by, fed up with, tired of.

Apprenez les prépositions qui suivent les adjectifs : nice of you, kind to me, pleased with, sorry about/for, angry with/about, surprised at/by, fed up with, tired of.

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

Many English adjectives are followed by a fixed preposition. The challenge is that similar adjectives can take different prepositions. This unit covers: nice of you vs nice to me, feelings with about/with, emotions with at/by, and the contrast between sorry about and sorry for.

Beaucoup d’adjectifs anglais sont suivis d’une préposition fixe. La difficulté est que des adjectifs similaires peuvent prendre des prépositions différentes. Cette unité couvre : nice of you vs nice to me, les sentiments avec about/with, les émotions avec at/by, et le contraste entre sorry about et sorry for.

nice OF you (to do something) — kind TO somebody

adj + OF somebody (judging an action)

adj + OF somebody (juger une action)

It was nice of you to help.

It was kind of him to wait.

That was generous of her.

It was stupid of me to forget.

How polite of them!

adj + TO somebody (behaviour toward people)

adj + TO somebody (comportement envers)

They were very nice to me.

Why so rude to her?

She was always kind to us.

He was unfriendly to Lucy.

Don’t be cruel to animals.

Thank you. It was very nice of you to help me. (OF = judging the action)
They have always been very nice to me. (TO = how they treat me; NOT ‘nice with me’) Thank you. It was very nice of you to help me. (OF = on juge l’action)
They have always been very nice to me. (TO = comment ils me traitent ; PAS ‘nice with me’)

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OF vs TO: Nice OF you = commenting on what someone did. Nice TO someone = describing how they treat people. Never say ✗ nice with me. OF vs TO : Nice OF you = commenter ce que quelqu’un a fait. Nice TO someone = décrire comment ils traitent les gens. Ne dites jamais ✗ nice with me.

pleased/happy WITH · angry/nervous/excited ABOUT · angry WITH somebody

Adjective(s)	Prep	Used with
Adjectif(s)	Prép	Utilisé avec
pleased / satisfied / happy / delighted / disappointed	WITH	something you get or experiencequelque chose que vous obtenez ou vivez
angry / annoyed / furious / upset / nervous / excited / worried / happy	ABOUT	a situation / somethingune situation / quelque chose
angry / annoyed / furious	WITH sb FOR doing	the person responsiblela personne responsable

They were delighted with the present I gave them.
There is no point getting angry about things that don’t matter.
Are you annoyed with me for being late?
Lisa is upset about not being invited. Are you nervous about the exam? They were delighted with the present I gave them.
There is no point getting angry about things that don’t matter.
Are you annoyed with me for being late?
Lisa is upset about not being invited. Are you nervous about the exam?

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angry ABOUT vs angry WITH: Angry about something (a situation) but angry with somebody for doing (the person). Example: I’m angry about the delay. I’m angry with Tom for being late. angry ABOUT vs angry WITH : Angry about something (une situation) mais angry with somebody for doing (la personne). Exemple : I’m angry about the delay. I’m angry with Tom for being late.

surprised AT/BY · impressed WITH/BY · fed up WITH · tired OF · feel sorry FOR

AT or BY (both correct)

AT ou BY (les deux corrects)

surprised at/by the news

shocked at/by sth

amazed at/by her skill

astonished at/by sth

impressed with/by sth

WITH

fed up with it

bored with routine

impressed with/by sth

OF / FOR

tired of waiting

feel sorry for sb

(NOT: sorry about sb)

Everybody was surprised at the news. or surprised by the news.
I’m very impressed with her English. or impressed by her English.
I’m fed up with it. I’m bored with it. I’m tired of waiting.
I feel sorry for Mark. He’s had bad luck. (NOT: feel sorry about Mark) Everybody was surprised at the news. ou surprised by the news.
I’m very impressed with her English. ou impressed by her English.
I’m fed up with it. I’m bored with it. I’m tired of waiting.
I feel sorry for Mark. He’s had bad luck. (PAS : feel sorry about Mark)

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tired OF vs tired FROM: Tired of waiting = fed up, no longer willing. Tired from working = physically exhausted. Two different meanings! tired OF vs tired FROM : Tired of waiting = en avoir assez. Tired from working = physiquement épuisé. Deux sens différents !

sorry ABOUT (a situation) vs sorry FOR (your action / a person)

sorry ABOUT (une situation) vs sorry FOR (votre action / une personne)

sorry ABOUT — a situation

sorry ABOUT — une situation

I’m sorry about the mess.

Sorry about last night.

Sorry about the noise.

sorry FOR — action you caused / empathy

sorry FOR — action causée / empathie

I’m sorry for shouting.

I feel sorry for him.

Sorry for the delay. (also: about)

sorry about a situation: I’m sorry about the mess. I’ll clear it up.
sorry for/about sth you did: I’m sorry for shouting at you. (or: sorry about shouting)
feel sorry for sb in difficulty: I feel sorry for Mark. (NOT: feel sorry about Mark) sorry about une situation : I’m sorry about the mess. I’ll clear it up.
sorry for/about ce que vous avez fait : I’m sorry for shouting at you. (ou : sorry about shouting)
feel sorry for quelqu’un : I feel sorry for Mark. (PAS : feel sorry about Mark)

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Key rule: Feel sorry is ALWAYS followed by for a person: ✓ I feel sorry for him. ✗ I feel sorry about him. Règle clé : Feel sorry est TOUJOURS suivi de for + personne : ✓ I feel sorry for him. ✗ I feel sorry about him.

EX 1

Complete using nice of … / kind of … etc.

Complétez avec nice of / kind of etc.

Tom offered to drive me to the airport. → That was .

I needed money and Lisa gave me some. → That was .

They didn’t invite us to their party. → That wasn’t .

Kevin never says thank you. → That isn’t .

Can I help you with your luggage? → That’s .

Answers:Réponses : 1. nice of him · 2. generous of her · 3. very nice of them · 4. very polite of him · 5. very kind of you

EX 2

Complete using an adjective + preposition. (amazed · angry · bored · excited · impressed · kind · nervous · careless)

Complétez avec un adjectif + préposition. (amazed · angry · bored · excited · impressed · kind · nervous · careless)

Are you the exam?

Thank you for everything. You’ve been very me.

What have I done wrong? Why are you me?

You must be very your trip next week.

I wasn’t the service. We had to wait ages.

Ben says he’s the course he’s doing.

I’d never seen so many people. I was the crowds.

Answers:Réponses : 1. nervous about · 2. kind to · 3. angry with · 4. excited about · 5. impressed with/by · 6. bored with · 7. amazed at/by

EX 3

Put in the correct preposition.

Mettez la bonne préposition.

They were delighted the present I gave them.

It was nice you to visit me when I was ill.

Why are you always so rude people?

We always have the same food every day. I’m fed up it.

We had a good holiday, but we were disappointed the hotel.

I was surprised the way he behaved.

Tanya doesn’t look well. I’m worried her.

There’s no point in feeling sorry yourself.

I’m tired doing the same thing every day.

10.

Vicky is annoyed me because I didn’t agree with her.

Answers:Réponses : 1. with · 2. of · 3. to · 4. with · 5. with · 6. at/by · 7. about · 8. for · 9. of · 10. with

EX 4

Choose the correct preposition.

Choisissez la bonne préposition.

I’m sorry the smell in this room. I’ve just painted it.

Jack is sorry what he did. He won’t do it again.

I was shocked what I saw.

The hotel was very expensive. I was amazed the price.

Our neighbours were very angry the noise we made.

Our neighbours were furious us for making so much noise.

She’s always been very nice me.

I’m not very satisfied my progress.

Answers:Réponses : 1. about · 2. for/about · 3. at/by · 4. at/by · 5. about · 6. with · 7. to · 8. with

Frequently Asked Questions — Adjective + preposition 1

Questions fréquentes — Adjectif + préposition 1

What is the difference between “nice of you” and “nice to you”? Quelle est la différence entre “nice of you” et “nice to you” ?

Nice of you comments on a specific action: It was nice of you to help. Nice to you describes how someone treats you: She was always nice to me. Never say ✗ nice with me.

Nice of you commente une action précise. Nice to you décrit comment quelqu’un vous traite. Ne dites jamais ✗ nice with me.

Should I say “angry about” or “angry with”? Faut-il dire “angry about” ou “angry with” ?

Angry about something = the situation. Angry with somebody for doing = the person. Examples: I’m angry about the decision. I’m angry with him for that decision.

Angry about something = la situation. Angry with somebody = la personne. Exemples : I’m angry about the decision. I’m angry with him.

Is “surprised at” or “surprised by” correct? “Surprised at” ou “surprised by” ?

Both are correct and interchangeable. The same applies to shocked, amazed, astonished, upset.

Les deux sont corrects. Il en va de même pour shocked, amazed, astonished, upset.

What is the difference between “sorry about” and “sorry for”? Quelle est la différence entre “sorry about” et “sorry for” ?

Sorry about = a situation. Sorry for (or about) = an action you caused. Key rule: feel sorry for a person — NEVER feel sorry about a person.

Sorry about = une situation. Sorry for (ou about) = une action que vous avez causée. Règle clé : feel sorry for une personne — JAMAIS feel sorry about une personne.

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Unit 130 Quiz

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Adjective + preposition 1nice of you · kind to me · sorry about/for · angry with/about · surprised at/by Adjectif + préposition 1nice of you · kind to me · sorry about/for · angry with/about · surprised at/by

nice OF you (to do something) — kind TO somebody

nice OF you (to do something) — kind TO somebody

adj + OF somebody (judging an action)

adj + OF somebody (juger une action)

adj + TO somebody (behaviour toward people)

adj + TO somebody (comportement envers)

pleased/happy WITH · angry/nervous/excited ABOUT · angry WITH somebody

pleased/happy WITH · angry/nervous/excited ABOUT · angry WITH somebody

surprised AT/BY · impressed WITH/BY · fed up WITH · tired OF · feel sorry FOR

surprised AT/BY · impressed WITH/BY · fed up WITH · tired OF · feel sorry FOR

AT or BY (both correct)

AT ou BY (les deux corrects)

WITH

OF / FOR

sorry ABOUT (a situation) vs sorry FOR (your action / a person)

sorry ABOUT (une situation) vs sorry FOR (votre action / une personne)

sorry ABOUT — a situation

sorry ABOUT — une situation

sorry FOR — action you caused / empathy

sorry FOR — action causée / empathie

Adjective + preposition 1 — Exercises with AnswersAdjectif + préposition 1 — Exercices avec Corrigé

Complete using nice of … / kind of … etc.

Complétez avec nice of / kind of etc.

Complete using an adjective + preposition. (amazed · angry · bored · excited · impressed · kind · nervous · careless)

Complétez avec un adjectif + préposition. (amazed · angry · bored · excited · impressed · kind · nervous · careless)

Put in the correct preposition.

Mettez la bonne préposition.

Choose the correct preposition.

Choisissez la bonne préposition.

Frequently Asked Questions — Adjective + preposition 1

Questions fréquentes — Adjectif + préposition 1

Adjective + preposition 1 — Quiz

Adjectif + préposition 1 — Quiz

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Unit 130 Quiz

Quiz Unité 130

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Adjective + preposition 1
nice of you · kind to me · sorry about/for · angry with/about · surprised at/by Adjectif + préposition 1
nice of you · kind to me · sorry about/for · angry with/about · surprised at/by