Target Noun + Preposition Combinations

Noun + at

1. Chance at – an opportunity to achieve something

   • He finally got a chance at a promotion.

   • This is my only chance at winning the prize.

2. Attempt at – an effort to do something

   • Her first attempt at painting was surprisingly good.

   • The company’s attempt at creating a new product failed.

3. Success at – achievement in something

   • He had great success at convincing investors.

   • Her success at languages is impressive.

4. Failure at – lack of success in something

   • His failure at public speaking discouraged him.

   • The project was a failure at every stage.

5. Surprise at – reaction of astonishment

   • I couldn’t hide my surprise at the news.

   • Her surprise at the exam result was obvious.

6. Anger at – strong feeling of displeasure

   • His anger at being ignored grew.

   • She expressed anger at the unfair rules.

7. Laugh at – reaction of amusement or mockery

   • We had a big laugh at his joke.

   • The kids had a laugh at the clown’s tricks.

8. Shot at – informal: chance/opportunity

   • He has a real shot at winning the championship.

   • This is your shot at proving yourself.

9. Look at – an examination or view

   • Let’s take a closer look at the data.

   • I had a good look at the new building.

10. Guess at – attempt to estimate

• My guess at the answer was wrong.

• It’s only a guess at the time of arrival.

Noun + for

11. Reason for – cause or explanation

• What’s the reason for the delay?

• There’s no reason for anger here.

12. Request for – asking formally

• They made a request for more information.

• The teacher denied his request for extra time.

13. Demand for – need or desire

• There’s a high demand for smart technology.

• The demand for housing is rising.

14. Need for – necessity

• There’s a strong need for good leadership.

• She felt the need for a break.

15. Search for – attempt to find

• The search for survivors continued all night.

• His search for happiness never ended.

16. Responsibility for – duty or obligation

• Parents have responsibility for their children.

• Who has responsibility for this project?

17. Respect for – admiration

• She has great respect for her teacher.

• They showed little respect for the rules.

18. Preference for – liking something more

• I have a preference for tea over coffee.

• His preference for quiet places is clear.

19. Cure for – solution to a disease/problem

• Scientists are looking for a cure for cancer.

• There’s no cure for his laziness.

20. Apology for – expression of regret

• She made an apology for her mistake.

• His apology for being late was accepted.

Noun + in

21. Interest in – curiosity or concern

• He has no interest in politics.

• Her interest in art grew over time.

22. Increase in – growth

• There’s been an increase in prices recently.

• We noticed an increase in visitors this year.

23. Decrease in – reduction

• There’s a decrease in demand for CDs.

• A decrease in rainfall worries farmers.

24. Rise in – upward movement

• The rise in temperatures is alarming.

• She was surprised by the rise in her salary.

25. Fall in – decline

• The fall in profits was unexpected.

• We saw a fall in interest rates.

26. Difficulty in – struggle with something

• She had difficulty in answering the question.

• There’s difficulty in learning this language.

27. Delay in – lateness

• The delay in delivery caused problems.

• There’s a delay in payment processing.

28. Improvement in – progress

• There’s been a huge improvement in her writing.

• The doctor saw an improvement in his health.

29. Belief in – confidence in something

• His belief in honesty is strong.

• They have no belief in the system.

30. Involvement in – participation

• His involvement in community work is admirable.

• The police confirmed her involvement in the case.