You will study the patterns that follow prepositions: be interested in, be good at, be bad at, be afraid of, be fond of and prefer A to B. Each of them takes a noun or the -ing form, and using the wrong form after them is the most common error in the topic.
You will also learn the language of wellbeing: what a balanced life contains, what to avoid, and how to give advice with should and shouldn't, and finally you will talk about the future with will and going to without making exaggerated claims.
Ön Bilgi
You need three things ready.
First, the rule that a preposition is followed by the -ing form. In be interested in history and be afraid of flying the word before the noun is a preposition, so the verb cannot stay in the base form.
Second, prefer and its two patterns. Prefer A to B compares two things, and the second preposition is to, not than. For actions, would rather A than B is used.
Third, should and shouldn't, which are followed by the base form of the verb. Since the lesson is about advice, this must be automatic.
Basit Örnek ve Günlük Yaşam
Read this short self-portrait and mark the patterns.
I am a quiet person, but I am not shy with my close friends. I am interested in history, and I am quite good at remembering dates. I am afraid of speaking in front of a large group, so I prefer working in small teams to giving presentations. My sister is the opposite: she is outgoing and she would rather talk to fifty people than sit alone in a room.
Five patterns appear: interested in, good at, afraid of, prefer A to B and would rather A than B. Each one is followed by a noun, an -ing form or a bare infinitive according to its own rule.
Now write five sentences about yourself using the same five patterns.
İleri Örnek
Compare a list of advice with a balanced text.
List: You should sleep. You should eat well. You should exercise. You shouldn't use your phone.
Balanced: Although everyone knows that sleep matters, many students stay awake until midnight because of screens. In my opinion, a short break every hour would be more effective than a long study session, and you shouldn't compare yourself constantly with other people. Small daily habits, not sudden changes, make the biggest difference.
The second text concedes a general truth (although), gives a reason, makes a recommendation and closes with a judgement. Exam tasks on wellbeing reward that balance; a list of orders reads as unfriendly and scores lower.
Adım Adım Çözülmüş Örnek
Follow these steps to give wellbeing advice correctly.
- Step 1 — State the problem without judging. Many students feel tired during the day.
- Step 2 — Give the cause with because. This is often because they look at screens late at night.
- Step 3 — Give advice with should and the base form. You should turn off your phone an hour before bed.
- Step 4 — Add a negative recommendation. You shouldn't drink coffee in the evening.
- Step 5 — Describe a preference with the right pattern. I prefer reading to watching films before sleep. Or: I would rather read than watch a screen.
- Step 6 — Finish with a realistic future sentence. If you keep this routine, you will feel more rested.
Karşılaştırma Tablosu
These patterns are the heart of the topic. Learn the third column.
| Pattern | Meaning | Form that follows |
|---|
| like / love / hate / enjoy | pleasure or dislike | -ing form or noun |
| be interested in | curious about | -ing form or noun |
| be good at / bad at | skill or lack of it | -ing form or noun |
| be afraid of | fear | -ing form or noun |
| be fond of | liking | -ing form or noun |
| prefer A to B | choosing one over another | noun / -ing on both sides |
| would rather A than B | choice between actions | base form on both sides |
| would like to | polite wish | base form |
Careful: prefer takes to, never than. Would rather is the pattern that takes than.
Kendini Dene
Answer in full sentences and then check the key.
- Complete: She is interested ____ history. (in / on / at)
- Which sentence is correct? (a) I prefer cycling than walking. (b) I prefer cycling to walking. (c) I prefer cycling on walking.
- Rewrite correctly: He is good in playing chess.
- Fill in: I would rather read ____ watch a screen before bed. (than / to / from)
- Rewrite the wish correctly: I would like joining the club.
- Write five sentences about your own wellbeing. Use should, shouldn't, one preposition pattern and one future sentence with will.
Answer key: 1) in — interested takes in. 2) (b) — prefer takes to. 3) He is good at playing chess. 4) than — would rather A than B. 5) I would like to join the club. 6) Any five correct sentences, e.g. I should go to bed before eleven. I shouldn't drink tea in the evening. I am interested in swimming, and I am good at it. You will feel better if you sleep eight hours. In my opinion, people will pay more attention to mental health in the future.