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Preposition after adjective

Common in or common for?

Common in usually refers to something typical within a place, group, or situation. Common for is used before a person or thing affected by a typical action or behaviour.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with common?

Use common in for something typical within a place, field, or group: common in cities. Use common for before a person or thing connected to a usual action: common for children to ask questions.

This allergy is common in young children.
It is common for beginners to make mistakes.
Remote work is now common in the tech industry.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
common in + place/group

Typical within a place or community

Use common in to describe something frequently found within a location, society, field, or group.

common in urban areas
This practice is common in Japan
2
common for + person + to-infinitive

Typical behaviour or action

Use common for before a person or group followed by an action.

It is common for teenagers to stay up late
It is common for plants to wilt in heat
3
common among + group

Shared by many people in a group

Among is often more natural than in when talking about people in a group.

Stress is common among medical students
The belief is common among older voters

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
common in
Electric scooters are common in large cities.
Typical or widespread within a place or group.
common for
It is common for new employees to need training.
Typical for someone or something to do something.
common among
This view is common among teachers.
Shared by many members of a group.

Common mistakes

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

Using common for before a place

Use in with places and fields.

✕ This bird is common for Europe. ✓ This bird is common in Europe.

Forgetting the infinitive after common for

Common for is usually followed by a person or thing and a to-infinitive clause.

✕ It is common for children questions. ✓ It is common for children to ask questions.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This disease is very ___ tropical regions.
2. It is ___ applicants to submit references.
3. That opinion is ___ younger voters.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say common for a place?

Usually no. Use common in with places: common in schools, common in Europe.

Is common among the same as common in?

They are similar, but among is more natural for groups of people.

Can common for describe behaviour?

Yes. It often introduces a typical action: common for drivers to slow down in rain.

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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