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Prepositions after adjectives

Brief for or brief of?

Brief does not usually take of as a fixed complement. Different prepositions are used depending on the meaning.

Quick answer

Brief of is generally not standard

Use brief on for a topic, brief in for style or wording, and brief with when giving limited information. Brief of is rare and usually nonstandard in modern English.

She gave us a brief on the project.
The message was brief in tone and detail.
He was brief with reporters.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
brief on + topic

Giving a short explanation

Use brief on when introducing information about a subject.

The manager gave a brief on safety procedures.
2
brief in + noun

Describing limited detail

Use brief in before areas such as detail or length.

Her comments were brief in detail.
3
brief with + person

Speaking in a short way

Use brief with when someone communicates quickly or curtly.

The director was brief with the press.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
brief for
This summary is too brief for the report.
For introduces the purpose or suitability, not a fixed adjective pattern.
brief of
The phrase brief of details sounds unnatural.
Brief of is generally not idiomatic in current English.
brief on
We received a brief on the merger.
A common pattern meaning a short explanation about something.
brief in
The article is brief in scope.
Describes an area where something lacks length or detail.

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using brief of for missing detail

English normally uses brief on or brief in instead.

✕ The article is brief of facts. ✓ The article is brief in facts.

Confusing brief as adjective and noun

A brief can be a noun meaning instructions or a summary.

✕ She brief on the case. ✓ She gave a brief on the case.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We received a brief ___ the new policy.
2. The report was brief ___ detail.
3. The spokesperson was brief ___ journalists.

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Frequently asked questions

Is brief of ever correct?

It is rare and usually sounds unnatural in modern English.

What is the difference between brief on and brief in?

Brief on introduces a topic, while brief in describes limited detail or scope.

Can brief be a noun?

Yes. A brief can mean a short document, summary, or set of instructions.

bad, for, bad, of baffling to, for, in, as or of? bankrupt in, by, for, as or with? "barefoot in" or "barefoot on"? "bare of", "bare with" or "bare in"? "basic of" or "basic to"? beautiful in, with, on, for or to? beholden to, for or on? "beloved by", "beloved to" or "beloved of"? "bemused by" or "bemused at"? "beneficial to" or "beneficial for"? bereft of, at, by, in or without?

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