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Prepositions after adjectives

Lucky for, lucky with, or lucky in?

Lucky commonly takes different prepositions depending on whether you mean benefit, success with something, or success in an activity.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct with lucky?

Use lucky for when something is beneficial or fortunate for someone. Use lucky with for success handling things or people. Use lucky in for success in an activity or area of life.

You are lucky for having supportive colleagues.
She is lucky with plants.
He was lucky in business.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
lucky for + person/situation

Showing that something benefits someone

Lucky for introduces the person who benefits from a fortunate situation.

Lucky for us, the train was delayed.
It was lucky for the children that it stopped raining.
2
lucky with + thing/person

Being successful in dealing with something

Lucky with is used for skill or good fortune involving objects, games, or people.

She is lucky with money.
He has always been lucky with cards.
3
lucky in + activity/area

Having success in a field or part of life

Lucky in refers to success in relationships, work, sport, and similar areas.

They were lucky in love.
I have been lucky in my career.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
lucky for
Lucky for me, the shop was still open.
A fortunate situation benefiting someone.
lucky with
She is lucky with animals.
Good results when dealing with something or someone.
lucky in
He has been lucky in business.
Success in a specific area or activity.

Common mistakes

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

Using lucky for instead of lucky in

Use lucky in for areas of life or activities.

✕ She is lucky for business. ✓ She is lucky in business.

Using lucky with for general benefit

Lucky with usually refers to handling things or people.

✕ Lucky with us, the meeting was cancelled. ✓ Lucky for us, the meeting was cancelled.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He has always been lucky ___ investments.
2. We were lucky ___ the weather during the trip.
3. She has been lucky ___ love.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say lucky at something?

No. English normally uses lucky with or lucky in depending on the meaning.

Is lucky for always followed by a person?

Usually, yes. It often introduces the person or group benefiting from the situation.

Can lucky with describe relationships?

Sometimes, but lucky in relationships is more common when talking about life success.

labour-in-for-with-on, to "large in" or "large of"? "late in" or "late for"? lawful for, to, in, unto or under? "lax in", "lax on" or "lax about"? lazy in, about, with, to or for? "leading to" or "leading of"? leery of, about or over? left in, for, over, with or to? leftover from, of, for, in or after? "legal in" or "legal for"? "legitimate for" or "legitimate in"?

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