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Prepositions after adjectives

Conscious of or conscious about?

Conscious is most commonly followed by of. Conscious about is also used in some contexts, especially for personal feelings or appearance.

Quick answer

Which prepositions follow conscious?

Conscious of is the standard and most widely used pattern for awareness. Conscious about can describe concern or sensitivity, especially about appearance or behaviour. Conscious in, conscious at, and conscious for are not standard complements after conscious.

She was conscious of the danger.
He is very conscious about his accent.
We became conscious of the noise outside.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
conscious of + fact/problem

Expressing awareness

Use conscious of for awareness of something.

I am conscious of the risks.
They were conscious of the time limit.
2
conscious about + appearance/behaviour

Expressing sensitivity or concern

Conscious about is used for personal concern, often about appearance or social behaviour.

She feels conscious about her height.
Teenagers can be conscious about their image.
3
conscious of + surroundings

Noticing what is around you

Use conscious of for physical or mental awareness.

He remained conscious of every movement in the room.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
conscious of
She is conscious of her responsibilities.
aware of something
conscious about
He is conscious about his pronunciation.
worried or sensitive about something personal
conscious in
She is careful in meetings.
in is not normally the complement of conscious
conscious at
He was awake at midnight.
at does not normally follow conscious as its complement
conscious for
They care for the environment.
for is not normally used directly after conscious

Common mistakes

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

Using in after conscious

Use of for awareness.

✕ She is conscious in the problem. ✓ She is conscious of the problem.

Using at after conscious

At is not a standard complement after conscious.

✕ He became conscious at the danger. ✓ He became conscious of the danger.

Confusing awareness and sensitivity

Use conscious about mainly for personal insecurity or concern.

✕ We are conscious about the legal risks. ✓ We are conscious of the legal risks.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The manager was conscious ___ the financial risks.
2. She is self-conscious ___ her weight.
3. The hikers were conscious ___ the changing weather.

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Frequently asked questions

Is conscious about correct?

Yes. It is common for personal sensitivity or concern, especially about appearance or behaviour.

Which is more common: conscious of or conscious about?

Conscious of is much broader and more widely used.

Can I say conscious for?

No. For is not normally used directly after conscious.

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