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C1 ADVANCED · VOCABULARY · PART 1

Words + prepositions

Advanced words with fixed prepositions, like prone to, wary of and refrain from.

Finn the puffin with glasses and a book, your vocabulary teacher
Finn says

At C1, the words with fixed prepositions become more formal: we say someone is prone to injury, wary of strangers, or that noise is not conducive to study. As at B2, the preposition after the gap is your best clue – often only one of the four options can be followed by it.

Adjectives + prepositions

to
prone to · susceptible to · conducive to · oblivious to · tantamount to
Some people are more prone to stress than others.
of
wary of · devoid of · indicative of · mindful of
Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true.
on
reliant on · intent on · contingent on
The deal is contingent on funding.
with
fraught with · synonymous with · preoccupied with
The journey was fraught with danger.

Verbs + prepositions

from
refrain from · abstain from · deter from · stem from
Please refrain from using your phone.
to
attribute to · object to · resort to · adhere to
He attributed his success to hard work.
with
contend with · dispense with · comply with
Nurses have to contend with long hours.
on / for
capitalise on · embark on · account for · cater for
The hotel caters for families.

Nouns + prepositions

into
an insight into · an inquiry into
The book gives an insight into village life.
to
a threat to · an obstacle to · resistance to
Cost is the main obstacle to progress.
for
a knack for · a craving for · a flair for
She has a flair for languages.

How it comes up in Part 1

In Part 1 you choose the word (A, B, C or D) that best fits each gap. The four options often have similar meanings, so knowing which words go together is what gets you the mark.

Older buildings are particularly vulnerable to earthquake damage.
A vulnerable B weak C feeble D fragile

Vulnerable to means easily harmed by.

Visitors are asked to refrain from taking photographs.
A refrain B avoid C prevent D stop

Refrain from + -ing. "Avoid" takes -ing directly, without "from".

The scientist attributed the discovery to luck.
A attributed B owed C credited D blamed

Attribute something to something. "Credit" would need "with" in this structure.

Common mistakes

  • ✗ He is prone for injuries.✓ He is prone to injuries.Prone to.
  • ✗ She refrained to comment.✓ She refrained from commenting.Refrain from + -ing.
  • ✗ This gives an insight in their culture.✓ This gives an insight into their culture.An insight into.
  • ✗ We had to cope against many problems.✓ We had to contend with / cope with many problems.Cope with and contend with both take 'with'.
Finn the puffin, smiling kindly
Finn's exam tip

Make a list of the words you meet in articles together with their preposition – never learn 'prone' without 'to'. In the exam, cover the options, look at the preposition after the gap, and predict which kind of word fits.

Quick check

Choose the word that best fits each gap.

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