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Prepositions after adjectives

Incorrect: which preposition follows it?

Incorrect is most often followed by about when referring to a fact or opinion, and in when referring to details inside something such as an answer, report, or statement.

Quick answer

Common uses of incorrect

Use incorrect about for a mistaken belief or statement about a topic. Use incorrect in for errors inside a piece of work or information. Incorrect with is sometimes used for behaviour toward people. Incorrect for and incorrect on are uncommon after this adjective.

You were incorrect about the deadline.
There are several facts incorrect in the article.
His language was incorrect with customers.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
incorrect about + topic

Being mistaken about something

Use incorrect about when someone has the wrong idea about a subject or fact.

The report was incorrect about the cause of the outage.
She was incorrect about the meeting time.
2
incorrect in + document/detail

Errors inside something

Use incorrect in to describe mistakes within a text, answer, calculation, or statement.

Several names were incorrect in the database.
The figures are incorrect in this section.
3
incorrect with + person/group

Improper behaviour toward someone

Incorrect with can describe behaviour or language that is socially inappropriate toward people.

His tone was incorrect with junior staff.
That joke is incorrect with clients.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
incorrect about
She was incorrect about the address.
mistaken regarding a topic or fact
incorrect in
There is incorrect information in the brochure.
errors exist inside something
incorrect with
His behaviour was incorrect with guests.
socially improper toward people
incorrect for
Incorrect for is not a standard pattern after incorrect.
usually replaced by wrong for or inappropriate for
incorrect on
Incorrect on is uncommon as a direct complement after incorrect.
on may appear separately as a topic adjunct, as in incorrect on this point

Common mistakes

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

Using incorrect for as the main pattern

English normally uses wrong for or inappropriate for instead.

✕ This tool is incorrect for children. ✓ This tool is inappropriate for children.

Confusing incorrect about and incorrect in

About refers to a topic; in refers to errors inside something.

✕ She was incorrect in the date. ✓ She was incorrect about the date.

Using incorrect on without a clear topic meaning

On can work as a topic adjunct, but it is less common than about.

✕ He was incorrect on the policy details. ✓ He was incorrect about the policy details.

Using incorrect with objects

Incorrect with usually refers to behaviour toward people.

✕ The data is incorrect with the report. ✓ The data is incorrect in the report.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She was ___ the train schedule.
2. Several totals were ___ the spreadsheet.
3. His comments were ___ customers.

Check your sentence in context

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Frequently asked questions

Is incorrect about more common than incorrect on?

Yes. Incorrect about is the standard way to say someone is mistaken regarding a topic.

Can I say incorrect in an answer?

Yes. Incorrect in is natural when referring to mistakes inside an answer, report, or text.

Is incorrect for grammatical?

It is not a usual pattern after incorrect. English more often uses wrong for or inappropriate for.

ideal-for-in-as-at, from "identical to" or "identical with"? identifiable by, as, with, in or to? "idle for" or "idle in"? ignorant of, about, to, in or on? "illegal in" or "illegal for"? illustrative of, in, rather or for? ill with, in, for, at or of? "immune to" or "immune from"? "impatient with" or "impatient for"? "imperative for" or "imperative to"? impervious to, from or in?

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