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Prepositions after adjectives

Dirty with, dirty on, or dirty in?

Dirty with is the standard pattern for the substance causing dirt. Dirty on and dirty in usually add location details rather than completing the adjective itself.

Quick answer

Which preposition goes with dirty?

Use dirty with to name what makes something dirty: dirty with mud, dirty with grease. Dirty on usually refers to a body part or surface area, and dirty in often refers to a place or situation.

The children came home dirty with mud.
His hands were dirty with paint.
She was dirty on her knees after gardening.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
dirty with + substance

Naming what caused the dirt

Use dirty with when the following noun is the substance covering something.

The floor was dirty with sand.
His shirt was dirty with oil.
2
dirty on + body part or area

Showing where something is dirty

Use on to identify the location of the dirt, not the substance.

The dog was dirty on its paws.
The child came back dirty on his face.
3
dirty in + place or context

Describing the environment or situation

Use in for the place or activity connected to the dirtiness.

The workers got dirty in the fields all day.
You can easily become dirty in that workshop.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
dirty with
The table was dirty with dust.
Standard pattern for the substance causing the dirt.
dirty on
She was dirty on her sleeves.
On introduces the area where the dirt appears.
dirty in
They got dirty in the garden.
In introduces the place or situation.
dirty from
His shoes were dirty from the hike.
From emphasises the source or cause of the dirt.

Common mistakes

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

Using on for the substance

Use with, not on, for the material causing the dirt.

✕ The towel was dirty on paint. ✓ The towel was dirty with paint.

Confusing location with cause

In usually introduces a place, not the substance itself.

✕ Her jacket was dirty in mud. ✓ Her jacket was dirty with mud.

Leaving out the body-part detail after on

Dirty on normally needs a location.

✕ The child was dirty on. ✓ The child was dirty on his hands.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The carpet was dirty ___ sand after the beach trip.
2. After football, he was dirty ___ his knees.
3. The mechanics often get dirty ___ the garage.

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Frequently asked questions

Is dirty with the most common pattern?

Yes. Dirty with is the standard way to name the substance causing the dirt.

Can I say dirty on?

Yes, when you mean a specific area or body part, such as dirty on his hands.

What does dirty in mean?

Dirty in usually refers to a place or situation, such as getting dirty in the garden.

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"?

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