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Prepositions after adjectives

Clueless about or clueless as?

Clueless is normally followed by about when referring to a topic. Clueless as is not a standard combination.

Quick answer

Use clueless about

Use clueless about to say someone knows nothing about a subject. You may also see clueless as to, where as belongs to the phrase as to.

I'm clueless about coding.
They were clueless about the rules.
She was clueless as to why he left.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
clueless about + topic

Talking about lack of knowledge

This is the most common pattern.

He is clueless about finance.
2
clueless as to + clause

Expressing uncertainty about something

As to introduces an indirect question.

We were clueless as to what happened.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
clueless about
She is clueless about politics.
standard pattern for lack of knowledge
clueless as
They are clueless as managers.
not a standard adjective-preposition pattern
clueless as to
I was clueless as to where to start.
fixed expression meaning uncertain about
clueless on
He is clueless on the topic.
informal alternative in some varieties

Common mistakes

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

Using clueless as before a topic

Use about for subjects or areas of knowledge.

✕ She is clueless as marketing. ✓ She is clueless about marketing.

Omitting to after as

The expression is as to, not just as.

✕ We were clueless as what to do. ✓ We were clueless as to what to do.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. I'm completely ___ tax law.
2. They were clueless ___ why the system failed.
3. Which phrase is nonstandard for a topic?

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say clueless on?

Some speakers use clueless on informally, but clueless about is more standard.

What does clueless as to mean?

It means uncertain about or not knowing.

Is clueless formal?

It is mainly informal and conversational.

calm, in, calm, for, calm, about "candid about" or "candid in"? capable of or in? careful about, with, of, in or on? careless about, with, in, of or on? caribbean in, for, with, to or on? "catastrophic for" or "catastrophic to"? "cautious about" or "cautious in"? celtic in, for, on, at or to? central to, in, for, at or of? "certain of" or "certain about"? "challenging for" or "challenging of"?

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