Sign In Get Started
Preposition after adjective

Descriptive of, in, rather, to or about?

Descriptive is most often followed by of. Other words in the query have different grammatical roles.

Quick answer

Using descriptive with prepositions

Use descriptive of to show what something describes or represents. About can appear after a noun phrase, but descriptive about is uncommon. Rather is not a preposition in this context.

descriptive of local culture
descriptive of his attitude
The book is descriptive of life at sea

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
descriptive of + subject

Showing what something describes

Use of to connect descriptive with the thing represented.

The painting is highly descriptive of rural life
2
descriptive writing about + topic

Talking about content

About usually belongs with writing or discussion, not directly with descriptive.

She produced descriptive writing about travel

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
descriptive of
The data is descriptive of current trends.
Standard adjective pattern.
descriptive in
The author is descriptive in her essays.
In introduces the area or style, not the object described.
descriptive rather
The report is descriptive rather than analytical.
Rather is part of rather than, not a preposition after descriptive.
descriptive to
The phrase is descriptive to readers.
Not a usual pattern with descriptive.
descriptive about
He gave a descriptive account about the city.
About belongs with account, not directly with descriptive.

Common mistakes

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

Using to after descriptive

Descriptive normally takes of, not to.

✕ descriptive to the problem ✓ descriptive of the problem

Treating rather as a preposition

Rather commonly appears in rather than comparisons.

✓ The article is descriptive rather than critical

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The chart is descriptive ___ market trends.
2. The writer is descriptive ___ her memoirs.
3. The essay is descriptive rather ___ analytical.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

What does descriptive of mean?

It means representing or characterising something.

Can I say descriptive about?

Usually no. About normally connects to a noun such as description or account.

Is descriptive to standard English?

Not as a common adjective pattern.

daily, for, daily, with, daily, in damaging to, for, of, in or as? damn about, near, for, to or as? "dangerous for" or "dangerous to"? "dark in", "dark for" or "dark of"? "daunting for" or "daunting to"? dead in, on, by, at or of? deadly to, in, for, of or with? "deaf to" or "deaf in"? dear to, in, for, of or as? deceased in, to, for, at or on? "decent in" or "decent for"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account