Intermediate verb-preposition collocations. 45 questions on result/cause verbs (result in, lead to, stem from), interaction verbs (apply for, respond to, complain about), and confusable preposition pairs.
What this test covers
- Cause and Result Verbs: result in, lead to, stem from, contribute to
- Interaction and Process Verbs: apply for, respond to, deal with, rely on
- Confusable Preposition Pairs with Common Verbs
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All 45 questions with answers
Pick an answer for each question to see if you are right, with the explanation. Submit when you are done; you can submit before answering them all.
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Q1The heavy rainfall in the region will inevitably ___ widespread flooding.
Answer: B. result in
We use 'result in' to describe an effect or consequence. The rainfall is the cause, and the flooding is the result. Choice 'result from' would mean the rainfall was caused by the flooding, which is logically backwards. 'Contribute' would require the preposition 'to,' not 'on.'
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Q2She is married ___ a prominent surgeon who works at the city hospital.
Answer: A. to
In English, the adjective 'married' is followed by the preposition 'to,' not 'with.' This is a common mistake for learners because many other languages use 'with.' We say 'X is married to Y.' Note that 'by' is only used for the person performing the ceremony (e.g., 'They were married by a priest').
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Q3He succeeded ___ finishing the marathon despite his injury.
Answer: C. in
The verb 'succeed' is followed by 'in' + a gerund (-ing form) or a noun. 'Succeeded in finishing' is the standard collocation. We do not use 'to,' 'on,' or 'at' after 'succeed' to describe achieving a goal.
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Q4The employees complained ___ the lack of ventilation in the main office.
Answer: C. about
We use 'complain about' when mentioning the subject of our dissatisfaction (the lack of ventilation). 'Complain with' is incorrect, and 'complain for' is not used in this context. While you can complain 'to' a person (the listener), 'about' is required for the topic of the complaint.
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Q5When you examine the two reports, you can compare the data ___ each other to see the differences.
Answer: C. with
'Compare with' is used when looking at two or more things side-by-side to notice similarities and differences. While 'compare to' is often used for metaphorical similarities (e.g., 'Life is compared to a journey'), 'compare with' is the more precise choice for a technical or factual analysis of data.
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Q6Poor sleep habits often lead ___ health problems over time.
Answer: C. to
The verb 'lead' is followed by 'to' to show a result or a path to a consequence. It functions similarly to 'result in.' The other prepositions like 'on,' 'with,' or 'for' do not create a logical connection between a cause (sleep habits) and an effect (health problems).
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Q7She applied ___ the job yesterday after seeing the advertisement.
Answer: D. for
When you are making a formal request for a position, a permit, or a loan, the correct collocation is 'apply for.' You apply 'to' a company or person (the recipient), but you apply 'for' the object you want to obtain (the job).
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Q8Her professional confidence stems ___ years of rigorous training and experience.
Answer: B. from
The phrasal verb 'stem from' is used to describe the origin or source of something. It means 'to be caused by' or 'to come from.' Prepositions like 'in,' 'to,' or 'with' do not form a meaningful collocation with 'stem' in this context.
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Q9The team was interested ___ the new proposal during the meeting.
Answer: C. in
The adjective 'interested' is almost always followed by the preposition 'in.' This is a fixed collocation used to show someone's curiosity or involvement. 'Interested with' or 'interested by' are common errors; 'by' is typically reserved for the passive voice with 'interested' as a past participle, but 'in' is the standard for general interest.
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Q10His opinion differs ___ mine regarding the project timeline.
Answer: B. from
The verb 'differ' is used with the preposition 'from' to show a contrast or distinction between two things. While some regions use 'differ with' (meaning to disagree), 'differ from' is the most widely accepted preposition for highlighting a difference in quality or opinion.
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Q11How do you account ___ the missing funds found in the audit?
Answer: A. for
The phrasal verb 'account for' means to explain the reason for something or to give a report on how money or time was spent. It is a very common expression in business and legal contexts. 'Account with' or 'account to' do not carry this meaning of providing an explanation.
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Q12Regular exercise can contribute ___ improved mental health and well-being.
Answer: D. to
The verb 'contribute' requires the preposition 'to' when indicating that something is a factor in bringing about a result. 'Contribute for' or 'contribute on' are incorrect. Note that 'to' here is a preposition, so if a verb follows it, it must be in the gerund form (e.g., 'contribute to improving').
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Q13He dealt ___ the issue calmly and professionally.
Answer: A. with
The phrasal verb 'deal with' means to take action to solve a problem or to handle a situation. It is a fixed combination. 'Dealt to,' 'dealt at,' or 'dealt for' are not used to mean 'managed' or 'addressed.'
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Q14Please respond ___ the invitation by the end of the week.
Answer: C. to
The verb 'respond' is followed by the preposition 'to' when referring to the thing you are answering (a letter, an invitation, or a person). This is similar to 'reply to.' Options like 'with' or 'for' do not correctly link the verb to the object of the response.
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Q15Many legal complications arise ___ poorly written contracts.
Answer: B. from
'Arise from' is a formal collocation meaning 'to result from' or 'to be caused by.' It identifies the source of the complications. The other prepositions ('to', 'with', 'for') do not express this relationship of cause and effect.
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Q16He failed ___ his attempt to reach the summit due to bad weather.
Answer: B. in
While we often use 'fail' followed by an infinitive (e.g., 'He failed to reach'), when 'fail' is followed by a noun like 'attempt' or 'effort,' we use the preposition 'in.' This specifies the area or activity where the failure occurred.
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Q17This policy applies ___ all staff members regardless of their department.
Answer: B. to
The verb 'apply' uses the preposition 'to' to indicate who or what is affected by a rule, law, or statement. This is different from 'apply for,' which is used when requesting something like a job.
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Q18She complained ___ the supervisor about the noisy equipment in the lab.
Answer: D. to
We use 'complain to' for the person who receives the complaint (the supervisor) and 'complain about' for the subject of the complaint (the equipment). The context clue 'the supervisor' indicates a recipient, making 'to' the correct choice.
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Q19How did the investors react ___ the news of the merger?
Answer: C. to
The verb 'react' is followed by the preposition 'to.' This describes the response triggered by a specific stimulus or event (the news). 'React with' is sometimes used for an emotion (e.g., 'react with anger'), but 'to' is the standard for the cause of the reaction.
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Q20The confusion resulted ___ a misunderstanding of the instructions.
Answer: C. from
In this sentence, the 'misunderstanding' is the cause, and the 'confusion' is the effect. We use 'result from' to point back to the cause. If the sentence were reversed ('The misunderstanding resulted ___ confusion'), we would use 'result in' to point toward the effect.
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Q21The committee is looking for someone who can object ___ the proposed changes.
Answer: C. to
The verb 'object' is a 'to-verb' collocation, meaning it must be followed by the preposition 'to' to indicate the thing you disagree with. It is often followed by a noun or a gerund (e.g., 'object to moving').
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Q22The team decided they could not rely ___ the existing data.
Answer: C. on
'Rely on' (or 'rely upon') is a fixed phrasal verb meaning to depend on something or trust it to be accurate. Prepositions like 'in,' 'for,' or 'to' are not used with 'rely' in this context.
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Q23Our firm specializes ___ international trade law and corporate mergers.
Answer: A. in
The verb 'specialize' is always followed by 'in' when naming a specific field of study, business, or expertise. 'Specialize on' or 'specialize to' are incorrect.
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Q24He apologized ___ his colleague for the delay in the report.
Answer: A. to
The structure for this verb is 'apologize TO someone FOR something.' Since the phrase follows with 'his colleague' (a person), the correct preposition is 'to.' 'Apologize for' is used for the mistake itself.
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Q25The poet compared life ___ a journey in his latest collection.
Answer: A. to
We use 'compare to' when we want to show that one thing is like another, especially in a creative or metaphorical way (likening life to a journey). 'Compare with' is more common for examining specific differences between two similar things.
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Q26I was bored ___ the lecture because the speaker was monotonous.
Answer: D. with
The adjective 'bored' is followed by the preposition 'with' to describe the source of the boredom. 'Bored from' is not a standard collocation in English. 'Bored to' and 'bored in' are also incorrect in this context.
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Q27The manager insisted ___ a full report before making any decisions.
Answer: C. on
The verb 'insist' is followed by the preposition 'on' (or 'upon') when you are demanding something firmly. Note that 'insist on' is typically followed by a noun or a gerund (e.g., 'insisted on having').
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Q28Do you believe ___ the existence of life on other planets?
Answer: C. in
To 'believe in' something means to be sure that it exists or that it is true/valuable. Simply saying 'believe [something]' usually means you think a specific statement is not a lie. Since the sentence mentions 'the existence,' 'in' is the required collocation.
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Q29This antique vase belongs ___ the museum's private collection.
Answer: A. to
The verb 'belong' is followed by 'to' when indicating ownership or being a part of a group/collection. 'Belong in' is used for the correct place for something, but 'to' is required for possession or membership.
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Q30The committee consists ___ five members from different departments.
Answer: D. of
'Consist of' is a fixed collocation used to list the parts or members that make up a whole. It is very common in formal descriptions. 'Consist in' is a much rarer phrase used to define the essence of something.
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Q31We are waiting ___ the bus to arrive at the station.
Answer: B. for
In English, you 'wait for' someone or something. This is a basic but essential collocation. Using 'wait to' is only correct if followed by a verb (e.g., 'wait to see'), but here the object is a noun ('the bus').
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Q32I enjoy listening ___ classical music while I work.
Answer: A. to
The verb 'listen' must be followed by 'to' before an object. This is a common mistake for learners who might omit the preposition because their native language uses a direct object. You hear music, but you listen 'to' music.
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Q33My parents do not approve ___ my decision to travel abroad.
Answer: B. of
The verb 'approve' takes the preposition 'of' when it means to have a positive opinion of something or to give moral support. Without 'of,' 'approve' usually means to formally sign or authorize a document.
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Q34Please focus ___ the main objective of the presentation.
Answer: B. on
'Focus on' is a standard phrasal verb meaning to concentrate your attention or effort on one particular thing. 'Focus with' or 'focus in' are not used in this context.
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Q35She decided to participate ___ the charity event next weekend.
Answer: B. in
To 'participate in' something means to take part or be involved in an activity. This is a formal alternative to 'take part in.' It always requires the preposition 'in' when followed by the activity.
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Q36The company will provide all employees ___ the necessary equipment.
Answer: D. with
The common structure is 'provide someone WITH something.' If the order were reversed, we would say 'provide something FOR/TO someone.' Since 'employees' (the people) comes first, 'with' is the correct choice to introduce the equipment.
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Q37The police are searching ___ clues at the crime scene.
Answer: B. for
We use 'search for' when we are looking for something that is missing or lost. 'Search [a place]' means to examine the location (e.g., 'search the room'), but 'search for [an object]' focuses on what you hope to find.
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Q38We want to congratulate you ___ your recent promotion.
Answer: D. on
The standard English collocation is to 'congratulate [someone] on [something].' While 'for' is often used in casual speech by non-native speakers, 'on' is the grammatically correct preposition for achievements and successes.
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Q39He was blamed ___ the accident because he was speeding.
Answer: B. for
We 'blame someone FOR something' (a mistake or accident). In this passive sentence ('He was blamed...'), the preposition 'for' remains to link the person to the cause of the trouble.
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Q40We must protect the environment ___ further pollution.
Answer: A. from
The verb 'protect' is used with 'from' (or sometimes 'against') to indicate the danger or harm being avoided. 'Protect to' or 'protect with' would not make sense in this context.
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Q41Many people suffer ___ allergies during the spring season.
Answer: B. from
'Suffer from' is the fixed collocation used when talking about having an illness, a disease, or a chronic physical condition like allergies.
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Q42This song reminds me ___ my childhood in the countryside.
Answer: D. of
We use 'remind of' when something causes us to remember a person, place, or past experience. 'Remind about' is usually used for a task or a future appointment (e.g., 'remind me about the meeting').
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Q43The suspect was accused ___ stealing the valuable painting.
Answer: A. of
The legal and general collocation is 'accuse someone OF something.' This is a fixed pattern. You cannot 'accuse to' or 'accuse with' someone for a crime or wrongdoing.
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Q44Success often depends ___ hard work and dedication.
Answer: D. on
'Depend on' (or 'depend upon') is a very common phrasal verb meaning that one thing is determined by another. It is a fixed collocation; 'depend to' or 'depend in' are incorrect.
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Q45I agree ___ your assessment of the current market situation.
Answer: A. with
We use 'agree with' for people, opinions, and ideas. If you are agreeing to a plan or a contract (giving consent), you use 'agree to.' Since 'assessment' is an opinion or analysis, 'with' is the correct choice.
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