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Prepositions after adjectives

Peculiar to, in, about, at, or for?

Peculiar is most commonly followed by to when something is distinctive or specific to someone or something. Other prepositions usually belong to a separate phrase rather than directly following peculiar.

Quick answer

Which preposition is correct after peculiar?

Peculiar to is the standard combination for something characteristic, specific, or unique to a person, place, or thing. Peculiar about can appear when about introduces the topic of a comment, but it is not a fixed adjective pattern. Peculiar in, peculiar at, and peculiar for are uncommon or nonstandard as direct combinations.

This accent is peculiar to the region.
There is something peculiar about his explanation.
That habit is peculiar to her family.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
peculiar to + person/place/thing

Showing something distinctive or unique

Use peculiar to for characteristics that belong especially to someone or something.

The tradition is peculiar to the island.
These symptoms are peculiar to the disease.
2
peculiar about + topic

Commenting on something strange

About introduces the topic that seems strange. The adjective itself is not selecting about as a fixed partner.

There is something peculiar about this email.
What is so peculiar about that painting?
3
peculiar in + area

Describing strangeness within a context

In can introduce a separate context or area, but it is not a standard fixed combination after peculiar.

The design looks peculiar in low light.
His voice sounded peculiar in the recording.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
peculiar to
The custom is peculiar to that community.
specific or unique to something
peculiar about
There is something peculiar about her story.
strange concerning a topic
peculiar in
The machine behaves peculiar in cold weather.
nonstandard as a direct adjective pattern; in usually introduces context
peculiar at
He is peculiar at meetings.
not idiomatic for standard English
peculiar for
The town is peculiar for its architecture.
rare and old-fashioned; unusual in modern English

Common mistakes

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

Using peculiar at for ability or behaviour

Peculiar does not normally combine with at.

✕ She is peculiar at maths. ✓ She is good at maths.

Using peculiar for in modern everyday English

For after peculiar sounds dated in most contexts.

✕ The village is peculiar for its food. ✓ The village is known for its food.

Forgetting to after peculiar

To is the standard preposition for unique characteristics.

✕ This feature is peculiar the software. ✓ This feature is peculiar to the software.

Using peculiar as an adverb

Use peculiarly for adverbial meaning.

✕ He spoke peculiar. ✓ He spoke peculiarly.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. This flower is ___ this region.
2. There is something peculiar ___ his tone.
3. Which phrase is nonstandard in modern English?

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Frequently asked questions

Is peculiar to formal English?

It is common in both formal and neutral English when describing distinctive features.

Can I say peculiar about?

Yes, but about usually introduces the topic being discussed rather than forming a fixed adjective pattern.

Is peculiar for correct?

It exists in older or literary English, but it is uncommon in current standard usage.

packed-with-to-in-on, into "paid for" or "paid up"? painful for, to, in, at or of? "palatable to" or "palatable for"? "pale in" or "pale of"? "pandemic of" or "pandemic in"? "paramount to" or "paramount in"? paranoid about, of, in, with or over? partial to, of, in, towards or for? participating in, of, on, at or for? "particular about" or "particular to"? part-time at, in, for, as or with?

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