Question 1

Why is it "married to" and not "married with"?

Accepted Answer

In English, "married" always takes "to" when describing the person you are married to: "She is married to a doctor." This is because "to" connects two people in a relationship. "Engaged to," "related to," and "close to" also use "to" to link two people. "Married with" does not describe the spouse — it could only describe what accompanies the marriage: "married with children" (a phrase meaning married and having children). Many learners say "married with" because their first language uses the equivalent of "with" for this meaning, but in English this is incorrect. In Cambridge examinations, "married to" is the only accepted form for describing a spouse.

Question 2

What is the difference between "fond of" and "keen on"?

Accepted Answer

Both describe positive feelings, but they use different prepositions and have slightly different meanings. "Fond of" means you like something or someone warmly, often with a sense of affection developed over time: "I'm fond of my old school." It takes the preposition "of." "Keen on" means enthusiastic or eager about something, often suggesting active interest: "She's keen on photography." It takes the preposition "on." Both are commonly tested at B1-B2 level. The key difference is emotional tone: "fond of" suggests warmth and nostalgia, while "keen on" suggests energy and enthusiasm. Neither should be confused with "interested in," which is more neutral in feeling.

Question 3

What mistakes do intermediate learners make most often with adjective prepositions?

Accepted Answer

At B1-B2 level, the most frequent mistakes involve swapping similar prepositions. Learners say "responsible of" instead of "responsible for," "married with" instead of "married to," and "jealous from" instead of "jealous of." These errors come from first-language interference, where the equivalent adjective takes a different preposition. Another common mistake is using "about" too broadly — learners say "satisfied about" instead of "satisfied with" and "suitable about" instead of "suitable for." The best way to avoid these errors is to learn each adjective together with its preposition as a single phrase and test yourself by writing sentences from memory rather than just reading lists.

Adjective + Preposition Mixed Practice (Intermediate)

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