Vocabulary: Prepositions, Adverbs & Nouns

Section: Use of English | Syllabus: Cambridge Primary English as a Second Language (0057)

Prepositions After Adjectives, Before Nouns and to Show Manner

Some adjectives are always followed by the same dependent preposition — learn them as fixed pairs: interested in, afraid of, good at, proud of, keen on.
Prepositions also come before nouns to show time and place: at night, in the morning, on Monday, by bus.
Some prepositions show manner — how something is done: as and like. "She ran like the wind." "Act as a good leader would."

These words describe how or where an action happens

Worked Example: Choosing the Correct Preposition

Question: Complete the sentence with the correct prepositions: "She is very good ___ maths, but she is afraid ___ tests."

Step 1 — Identify the fixed pair for "good": "good at" (a skill). Step 2 — Identify the fixed pair for "afraid": "afraid of" (a fear). Answer

"She is very good at maths, but she is afraid of tests."

Adverbs of definite time name a specific time: yesterday, today, tomorrow, now, last week.
Adverbs of indefinite time do not name an exact time: soon, already, yet, still, recently, eventually.
To compare with adverbs:
- Short adverbs (one syllable): add -er / -est: fast → faster → fastest.
- Longer adverbs: use more / most: carefully → more carefully → most carefully.
- Irregular adverbs: well → better → best; badly → worse → worst.

Worked Example: Comparing with Adverbs

Question: Complete the sentence with the correct comparative adverb: "He runs fast, but his sister runs even ___."

Step 1 — Identify the adverb: "fast" — a short, one-syllable adverb. Step 2 — Form the comparative by adding "-er": "faster". Answer

"He runs fast, but his sister runs even faster."

A collective noun names a group of people or things as one unit: team, family, flock, class, crowd.
An abstract noun names an idea, feeling or quality you cannot touch: happiness, freedom, courage, honesty.
A compound noun combines two or more words into one new noun: toothbrush, football, sunflower (sometimes written as one word, two words, or hyphenated).

MistakeUsing the wrong dependent preposition after an adjective, e.g. "interested on maths."

FixLearn dependent prepositions as fixed pairs with the adjective: "interested in," "good at," "afraid of."

MistakeUsing "-er"/"-est" on a longer adverb, e.g. "carefuller" instead of "more carefully."

FixUse "more"/"most" for longer adverbs, and "-er"/"-est" only for short, one-syllable adverbs.

MistakeTreating a compound noun as two separate, unrelated words, e.g. writing "tooth brush" without realising it names one single item.

FixLearn common compound nouns as fixed combinations that name one single thing: toothbrush, football, sunflower.

Interactive revision notes, videos and practice questions load below.