2.50 USAGE NOTE

There are a few adjectives which are followed by the preposition 'to' when they are used predicatively.

• I was allergic to the serum they used.
• He was impervious to fact or logic.

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively and are followed by 'to':

• accustomed, adjacent, allergic, attributable, attuned, averse, close, conducive, devoted, impervious, injurious, integral, prone, proportional, proportionate, reconciled, related, resigned, resistant, similar, subject, subservient, susceptible, unaccustomed

2.51

There are a few adjectives which are followed by the preposition 'of' when they are used predicatively.

• He was aware of the danger that faced him.
• They seemed capable of winning their first game of the season.
• He was devoid of any talent whatsoever.
• His mind seemed to have become incapable of any thought.

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively and are followed by 'of':

• aware, bereft, capable, characteristic, desirous, devoid, fond, full, heedless, illustrative, incapable, indicative, mindful, reminiscent, representative

2.52

There are a few adjectives which are followed by the preposition 'with' when they are used predicatively.

• His surprise became tinged with just the smallest suspicion of disbelief.
• The plastic has to be compatible with the body tissues that make contact with it.
• This way of life is fraught with danger.

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively and are followed by 'with':

• compatible, consonant, conversant, filled, fraught, riddled, tinged

2.53

Some adjectives are followed by other prepositions when they are used predicatively.

• These ideas are rooted in self-deception.
• Didn't you say the raid was contingent on the weather?
• Darwin concluded that people were descended from apes.

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively and are followed by the preposition indicated:

• contingent on, descended from, inherent in, lacking in, rooted in, steeped in, swathed in, unhampered by

In some cases, there is a choice between two prepositions.

• Many of their courses are connected with industry.
• Such names were arbitrarily given and were not connected to any particular event.

Here is a list of adjectives which are usually or always used predicatively and which can be followed by the prepositions indicated:

• answerable for, answerable to, burdened by, burdened with, connected to, connected with, dependent on, dependent upon, immune from, immune to, inclined to, inclined towards, incumbent on, incumbent upon, insensible of, insensible to, intent on, intent upon, parallel to, parallel with, reliant on, reliant upon, stricken by, stricken with

2.54

'Different' is most commonly followed by 'from'. It is also sometimes followed by 'to' or 'than', but some people think this is incorrect.

• Students today are different from the students ten years ago.