ill with + illness
Health conditions
The standard pattern for diseases and symptoms.
Several students were ill with food poisoning.
ill: common preposition patterns
Ill with is used for diseases and symptoms. Ill of appears in expressions about speaking badly of someone. Other combinations usually have different grammatical roles.
Quick answer
Main patterns
Use ill with for medical conditions: ill with flu. Use ill of in the expression speak ill of someone. Ill at can describe skill, not health. Ill in and ill for are uncommon as direct complements.
She is ill with pneumonia.
Do not speak ill of your colleagues.
He is ill at managing time.
Do not speak ill of your colleagues.
He is ill at managing time.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
ill of + person
Speaking badly about someone
Used mainly after speak or think.
She never speaks ill of her family.
ill at + activity
Lacking skill
This meaning is separate from health.
I'm ill at remembering names.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
ill with
He is ill with malaria.
Has a disease or medical condition.
ill of
They spoke ill of the manager.
Expressed criticism about someone.
ill at
She is ill at maths.
Old-fashioned or formal way to mean unskilled.
ill for
Ill for the job is uncommon.
Usually replaced by unsuitable for or too ill for.
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using ill of for sickness
Use with for illnesses.
✕ ill of flu ✓ ill with fluConfusing health and criticism meanings
Ill of is mainly used with verbs like speak.
✓ speak ill of someoneUsing ill in as a complement
In usually introduces a place or situation, not the complement of ill.
✓ ill with anxietyQuick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. She was ill ___ a severe infection.
2. They spoke ill ___ their neighbours.
3. He is ill ___ public speaking.
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Frequently asked questions
Can ill mean unskilled?
Yes. Ill at something means not good at it, though it sounds formal or old-fashioned.
Is ill with more British than sick with?
Yes. Ill is especially common in British English.
Can I say ill from flu?
Yes, but from explains the cause. The standard complement after ill is with.
Related preposition guides
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