Verb + preposition 1 - to and at

Many English verbs require a specific preposition after them. This lesson focuses on verbs that are followed by to and verbs that are followed by at. Choosing the correct preposition is essential because it changes the verb's meaning and makes your sentences sound natural.

• Some verbs of communication, movement toward, or possession commonly take to (e.g., reply to, talk to, belong to).
• Some verbs that describe direction, gaze, or target commonly take at (e.g., look at, laugh at, aim at).
• Learn collocations (verb + preposition) rather than guessing from literal translation.

The single most useful strategy is to learn which preposition pairs with each verb (collocations). There are tendencies, but many verbs must be learned case by case.

• Communication and possession verbs → often + to (reply to, talk to, belong to).
• Direction, gaze, target verbs → often + at (look at, laugh at, aim at).
• When uncertain, check a dictionary or a reliable corpus for the verb's collocations.

Memorize examples and practice them in context.

Learners often make predictable errors when combining verbs and prepositions. Be aware of these universal mistakes:

• Using the wrong preposition (e.g., 'reply at' instead of 'reply to').
• Omitting the preposition entirely (e.g., 'refer the report' instead of 'refer to the report').
• Confusing 'to' as an infinitive marker with 'to' as a preposition (different functions).
• Applying a literal translation from your native language instead of learning the collocation.

When in doubt, check a reliable dictionary or example sentences.