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It is sometimes difficult to remember which preposition comes after each adjective. The only way to remember is through practice; the more we practice the easier it becomes for us to use them later on. We feel more confident we are choosing the right preposition because it “feels” right.

Correct usage of English grammar mainly involves lots of study and practice. For this reason, English schools or language institutes are constantly developing grammar booklets for practice as well as online exercises. Business travelers need a continuous practice and their needs become more demanding as they advance in their English studies and gain more and more self-confidence with the language. Every area of the language should be learned through repetition in diferent contexts. Through dynamic activities, students will feel motivated.   Fluency and automatic responses start to come naturally.

One of the things ESL students need to study and practice are adjectives and prepositions as well as other combinations with prepositions.  ESL programs include many practice exercises and practice tests so students will feel more confident when it comes to using the adjectives correctly.

Below you’ll see adjectives and the prepositions that follow them, as well as some examples used in business English:

-    Familiar with: I’m sure they must be familiar with our products as they’re used all over the world.
-    Eligible for: If you pay within seven days you will be eligible for a discount.
-    Available for: I will be available for an interview at any time.
-    Envious of: The other salespeople were all envious of her success and so they were pleased when she left.
-    Contrary to: Contrary to expectations, our sales figures went down last month.
-    Popular with: Our new range of toys has proved very popular with children who have watched the television program.
-    Consistent with: Any decision made must be consistent with the company’s overall marketing strategy.
-    Responsible for: The maintenance engineer is responsible for checking every machine at least once a week.
-    Aware of: I’m not aware of any regulations that should prevent us from exporting to those countries.
-    Capable of: We need somebody who is capable of understanding German.
-    Relevant to: That’s an interesting point but it isn’t really relevant to our discussion.
-    Accustomed to: It took me some time to become accustomed to using the new system.
-    Acceptable to: They will only sign if the terms are fully acceptable to them.
-    Dependant on: It’s risky to be dependant on only one supplier.
-    Proud of: He was so proud of his firm’s achievements that he talked about them to everyone he met.
-    Well known for: This company is well known for the high quality of its products.

Bear in mind that there are no easy to follow rules regarding which preposition goes with which adjective. Extended practice will make you more confident as to which to use. ESL programs usually provide the right resources and guide you in your practice.

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