Verb + preposition 3 - about and of

Some verbs in English must be followed by a specific preposition. This lesson focuses on verbs that take 'about' and verbs that take 'of'. These small words change the verb's meaning and are essential in professional communication.

• Use 'about' when the verb refers to a topic, subject, or consideration (e.g., think about, complain about).
• Use 'of' after verbs that indicate possession, composition, relationship, or after certain adjectives (e.g., consist of, be aware of, approve of).
• Some verbs change meaning depending on whether you use 'about' or 'of' (e.g., think about = consider vs think of = recall or imagine).

Decide based on meaning and fixed collocations:

• 'about' = topic, subject, consideration (think about, talk about, complain about).
• 'of' = composition, possession, relationship, or used after certain adjectives and verbs (consist of, be aware of, approve of).
• When in doubt, check a collocation list or a dictionary entry for the verb.

Remember: some verbs change meaning with a different preposition (think about vs think of).

Watch out for these universal errors learners make with verb + preposition combinations:

• Choosing the wrong preposition (e.g., 'complain of' instead of 'complain about' — note: 'complain of' can be used for symptoms, so meaning changes).
• Omitting the required preposition entirely (e.g., 'We need talk the issue' instead of 'We need to talk about the issue').
• Using a literal translation from your native language that produces an incorrect preposition in English.
• Confusing verbs that look similar but need different prepositions (e.g., 'think about' vs 'think of').

Always check collocations for business-critical communication.