Advanced Level Preposition Quiz

"Ten years" is a duration — it requires "for," not "since." "Since" marks a specific point in time (since 2014, since Monday). "For the last ten years" is the correct expression — "for" + duration + "the last/past" is a standard construction. "Since the last ten years" combines a point-in-time preposition with a duration phrase — a logical and grammatical mismatch.

Correct sentence: "She has been living in this city for the last ten years." The since/for rule remains non-negotiable even in advanced-level sentences dressed in complex structure.

"Aimed at" is the fixed verb-preposition collocation when expressing purpose or target — "aimed at reducing," "aimed at improving," "aimed at achieving." The gerund after "at" is mandatory: aimed at + gerund. "Aimed to" is non-standard — "aim to" (without "aimed") works with infinitives: "they aim to reduce." "Aimed for" and "aimed towards" are used for directional targets but not for purpose clauses with gerunds.

Memory hook: aim at a target — when your purpose is a gerund action, "at" is always the preposition after "aimed."

"Acquitted of" is the fixed legal verb-preposition collocation — "acquitted of the charges," "acquitted of all wrongdoing." "Acquitted for" is non-standard in legal grammar. The legal preposition set to memorise: accused of, convicted of, acquitted of, suspected of, charged with, sentenced to. "Of" consistently follows verbs of legal judgment regarding guilt or innocence. "By the court" (option C) correctly uses the passive "by" construction. The sole error is "for" in option B, which must be "of."

"Particular about" is the fixed adjective-preposition collocation — "particular about punctuality," "particular about detail," "particular about quality." "Particular for," "particular in," and "particular with" are all non-standard in this context. "About" consistently follows adjectives expressing concern, care, or fastidiousness: particular about, careful about, worried about, excited about, enthusiastic about. Memory hook: when someone is selective or exacting about something, "about" is the natural preposition — it signals the specific area of concern.

"In favour of" is the fixed prepositional phrase — "in favour of the defendant," "in favour of the proposal." "In favour for" is always wrong — "of" is the only acceptable preposition after "favour" in this idiom. Prepositional phrases are fixed multi-word units — substituting one preposition for another destroys the phrase. Other fixed prepositional phrases tested at advanced level: in spite of, on behalf of, in lieu of, with regard to, in accordance with, in view of. These phrases must be memorised as complete units.

"In keeping with" is the fixed prepositional phrase meaning consistent or aligned with — "in keeping with the vision," "in keeping with tradition," "in keeping with regulations." "With" is the only correct completion of this phrase. Other "in + noun + with" fixed phrases: in line with, in accordance with, in compliance with, in touch with, in keeping with. These multi-word preposition phrases are tested at advanced level in sentence completion and error spotting — they must be memorised as indivisible units.

"Hinge on" is the fixed phrasal verb collocation meaning to depend entirely upon — "hinges on the willingness," "hinges on one key factor." "Upon" is also formally correct — "hinges upon" — and is accepted in very formal written English. In standard MCQ format, "on" is the primary answer. "Hinge at" and "hinge in" are both wrong. The verb "hinge" always takes "on/upon" — it is an absolute collocation with no alternative preposition. Advanced phrasal collocations like "hinge on," "border on," "verge on," and "impinge on" are tested in fill-in-the-blank and error spotting at SSC CGL Tier 2 level.

"Familiar with" is the fixed adjective-preposition collocation — "familiar with this area," "familiar with the process," "familiar with the rules." "Familiar to" means known to others — "her name is familiar to everyone" (others recognise it). "He is familiar with this area" = he knows this area well. "He is familiar to this area" is illogical — an area cannot recognise a person. The with/to distinction after "familiar" completely changes the meaning: with = the subject knows something; to = the subject is known by something. This semantic-preposition trap is a top-tier advanced question.

"Look into" means to investigate thoroughly — "looked into the matter," "looking into the complaint," "look into the allegations." "Look after" means to take care of. "Look at" means to examine or observe superficially. "Look for" means to search. Context — the inspector filing a detailed report — confirms investigation is the meaning → "look into." Phrasal verb selection based on contextual meaning is the highest-frequency advanced preposition question type. Building a complete phrasal verb list (look into/after/at/for/up/over/through) with meanings is essential.

"Arrive at" is the fixed verb-preposition collocation when the object is an abstract destination such as a decision, conclusion, or agreement — "arrived at a decision," "arrived at a conclusion," "arrived at an agreement." "Arrive to" is used for physical destinations in some dialects but is non-standard for abstract nouns. "Arrive on" and "arrive for" are both incorrect in this context.

Memory hook: just as you arrive at a physical place (arrive at the station), you arrive at an intellectual destination — "at" bridges both physical and abstract arrivals.

"Absorbed in" is the correct adjective-preposition collocation — "absorbed in his work," "absorbed in thought," "absorbed in reading." "Absorbed into" implies physical incorporation into something — "the moisture was absorbed into the soil." The metaphorical sense of being mentally engrossed always takes "in," not "into." This in/into distinction based on physical vs. metaphorical meaning is a precise advanced collocation test.

Memory hook: mental absorption → absorbed in; physical absorption → absorbed into. Context determines the preposition.

"Come into effect" is the fixed idiomatic prepositional phrase meaning to become operative or enforceable — "came into effect," "brought into effect," "put into effect." "Come to effect" and "come in effect" are both non-standard. "Into" signals the transition from a state of not being in effect to being in effect — movement into a new state.

Similarly: come into force, come into power, come into being, come into existence — all use "into" to signal a transition into a new state. These "come into + noun" idioms are regularly tested in advanced error spotting.

"In a position to" is the fixed idiomatic phrase — "in a position to make commitments," "in a position to help," "in a position to decide." "In a position of" means holding a role or status — "in a position of authority," "in a position of power." Using "of" instead of "to" before a gerund/infinitive completely changes the meaning and makes the sentence ungrammatical in this context.

Correct sentence: "She is not in a position to make any commitments at this stage." The to/of distinction in this phrase is a reliable advanced sentence improvement question.

"In accordance with" is the fixed prepositional phrase — never "in accordance to." "With" is the only correct completion: "in accordance with the guidelines," "in accordance with the law," "in accordance with the policy." "To" cannot replace "with" in this fixed phrase. Similarly fixed phrases that always use "with": in keeping with, in line with, in compliance with, in touch with.

Memory hook: "accordance" aligns things together — "with" expresses that togetherness. "To" implies direction, not alignment, and does not fit this idiom.

Both "oblivious of" and "oblivious to" are accepted collocations in standard English. "Oblivious of" is the traditional formal usage — "oblivious of the danger," "oblivious of the consequences." "Oblivious to" is increasingly common in modern formal writing — "oblivious to the threat." Both are accepted in Indian competitive exam grammar. "Lurking around him" is an idiomatically correct participial phrase. No error — this question specifically tests whether advanced students know that "oblivious of" is legitimate and do not mistakenly flag it as wrong by applying only the modern "oblivious to" form.

"Strict about" is the fixed adjective-preposition collocation when expressing exactingness regarding rules, standards, or behaviour — "strict about discipline," "strict about punctuality," "strict about attendance." "Strict with" is used when the strictness is directed at a person — "strict with students," "strict with employees." "Strict in" is used in formal contexts referring to strict adherence within a domain: "strict in one's observance." In this sentence, the object is a concept (discipline/punctuality) — "strict about" is the standard collocation. The about/with distinction after "strict" tests both preposition accuracy and semantic precision.

"Sensitive to" is the standard adjective-preposition collocation when expressing emotional or physical responsiveness — "sensitive to criticism," "sensitive to noise," "sensitive to light." "Sensitive about" means concerned or touchy about a specific topic — "sensitive about her appearance," "sensitive about her past." The sentence means she responds emotionally to criticism (reactive) — "sensitive to criticism" is the correct collocation. "Sensitive about criticism" implies she is touchy about the topic of criticism itself — a subtly different meaning. This to/about distinction based on meaning is a signature advanced preposition question.

"In line with" is the fixed prepositional phrase — "in line with the agenda," "in line with the policy," "in line with expectations." "In line to" is non-standard in this context — "to" cannot replace "with" in this idiom. "In line to" means next in succession — "in line to the throne," "in line to be promoted" — a completely different meaning. Using "to" instead of "with" in the "consistent with" sense of "in line" is therefore both a preposition error and a meaning error. Always use "in line with" for expressions of consistency or alignment.

"Concern for" is the correct noun-preposition collocation when expressing care or regard for someone's wellbeing — "concern for the welfare," "concern for others," "concern for the environment." "Welfare of underprivileged children" correctly uses "of" for possession/association. The full phrase "concern for the welfare of" is a correctly layered prepositional structure — "for" links concern to welfare, and "of" links welfare to children. No error. This sentence tests whether advanced students can correctly analyse a multi-preposition structure without manufacturing an error in a correctly formed sentence.

"Consistent with" is the fixed adjective-preposition collocation — "consistent with earlier research," "consistent with the facts," "consistent with expectations." "Consistent to," "consistent for," and "consistent about" are all non-standard. "With" follows "consistent" because it expresses alignment or agreement between two things — "with" is the preposition of togetherness and correspondence. Academic and formal sentences frequently use "consistent with," "in line with," "in accordance with," and "commensurate with" — all requiring "with" — making this a high-frequency advanced collocation group.

"In a position to" is the fixed idiomatic phrase — "in a position to make commitments," "in a position to help," "in a position to decide." "In a position of" means holding a role or status — "in a position of authority," "in a position of power." Using "of" instead of "to" before a gerund/infinitive completely changes the meaning and makes the sentence ungrammatical in this context.

Correct sentence: "She is not in a position to make any commitments at this stage." The to/of distinction in this phrase is a reliable advanced sentence improvement question.

"Committed to" is the fixed adjective-preposition collocation — "committed to providing," "committed to excellence," "committed to the cause." Crucially, when "committed to" is followed by a verb, the gerund form is required: "committed to providing" (not "committed to provide"). "Committed for," "committed about," and "committed towards" are all non-standard.

Memory hook: commitment goes to something — "to" carries the dedication forward toward its object. The committed to + gerund structure is tested both as a preposition question and as a gerund/infinitive question simultaneously at advanced level.

"Charged with" is the fixed legal verb-preposition collocation — "charged with fraud," "charged with murder," "charged with contempt." "Charged of" and "charged for" are both non-standard in legal English.

The complete legal preposition set: charged with, convicted of, acquitted of, accused of, sentenced to, guilty of, innocent of. "With" after "charged" specifically indicates the offence being levelled — it carries the charge forward to its content. This charged with / accused of distinction (two different prepositions for two related legal acts) is tested directly in advanced error spotting.

Both "divided on" and "divided over" are accepted collocations expressing disagreement or differing opinions — "divided on the issue," "divided over the proposal." Both prepositions are standard in formal English and are accepted in Indian competitive exam grammar. "Divided about" is less standard — slightly informal. "Divided on" tends to appear in more formal written English; "divided over" in journalistic and spoken formal English. When both are equally correct and appear

Every element of this sentence is grammatically and idiomatically correct. "Succeeded in" is the correct verb-preposition collocation — "succeeded in her goal," "succeeded in achieving." "By dint of" is a fixed formal prepositional phrase meaning by means of or through the force of — "by dint of hard work," "by dint of persistence." "Sheer hard work and determination" is idiomatic and natural. No preposition error exists. This deliberate No Error question at advanced level tests whether top-performing students recognise a sophisticated but fully correct formal sentence — and have the confidence not to flag it.

Two collocations must both be correct simultaneously. "Good at" is the fixed collocation for skill/ability — "good at her subject." "Proficient at" is the fixed collocation for competence in a skill — "proficient at communicating." Both require "at." Option A uses "good in" — wrong preposition. Option B uses "proficient in" — non-standard; "proficient in" is used for languages ("proficient in French") but "proficient at" is standard for activities and skills. Option D uses "for" after both — always wrong. Only option C satisfies both collocation requirements simultaneously — the hallmark of a top-tier advanced question.

"Responsible for" is the fixed adjective-preposition collocation — "responsible for the irregularities," "responsible for the outcome." "Of," "about," and "with" after "responsible" are all non-standard. "For" consistently follows adjectives of accountability and causation: responsible for, answerable for, accountable for, liable for, famous for, known for.

Memory hook: responsibility always points forward to the thing you are responsible for — "for" carries that forward reference naturally. This is one of the highest-frequency adjective-preposition pairs in SSC and IBPS error spotting.

"Flair for" is the fixed noun-preposition collocation — "a flair for writing," "a flair for languages," "a flair for design." "Flair of" is non-standard — "of" does not follow "flair" in standard English.

Compare with the similar collocation: "talent for," "passion for," "gift for," "aptitude for" — all these natural-ability nouns take "for."

Memory hook: flair, talent, passion, gift, and aptitude all point toward the activity they enable — "for" carries that forward directional meaning better than "of."

"Pride in" is the fixed noun-preposition collocation — "takes pride in," "pride in one's work," "pride in her achievements." "Pride for," "pride about," and "pride of" are all non-standard in this verbal expression. Note: "pride of" appears in a different construction — "the pride of the nation" — where "of" shows possession or association, not a verbal collocation. The verb phrase "take pride in" is fixed and indivisible.

Memory hook: pride is something you hold inside yourself — "in" captures that internal quality of pride that is directed toward something.

"Deprived of" is the fixed verb-preposition collocation — "deprived of his rights," "deprived of food," "deprived of sleep." "Deprived from" is always wrong — "from" never follows "deprived." "Of" consistently follows verbs that indicate removal, loss, or denial: deprived of, robbed of, stripped of, relieved of, rid of.

Memory hook: deprivation takes something away from you — "of" marks what was taken. "By the authorities" (option C) correctly uses the passive "by" construction. The sole error is "from" in option B.