talented at + activity
Talking about skills and actions
At commonly introduces an activity or practical ability.
Maya is talented at public speaking.
talented at or talented in
Both talented at and talented in are used in English. At usually focuses on a skill or activity, while in often refers to a field or area.
Quick answer
Talented at vs. talented in
Use talented at for activities and practical skills, and talented in for fields, subjects, or areas of work. Both are standard depending on context.
She is talented at painting.
He is talented in mathematics.
They are talented at solving problems.
He is talented in mathematics.
They are talented at solving problems.
Choose the pattern by meaning
These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.
talented in + field
Talking about subjects or areas
In often refers to a discipline, subject, or professional field.
He is talented in graphic design.
talented at + verb-ing
Using a gerund after talented at
A verb in -ing form is natural after talented at.
She is talented at writing dialogue.
talented in + noun
Using a noun after talented in
In is followed by a noun naming an area of expertise.
The student is talented in chemistry.
See the difference in context
The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.
Construction
Example
Meaning
talented at
He is talented at chess.
Focuses on performance in an activity or skill.
talented in
She is talented in engineering.
Focuses on ability within a field or area.
talented with
She is talented with children.
With can describe skill in handling people or tools, but it is a different structure.
Common mistakes
Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.
Using in before a verb
Use at before a verb in -ing form.
✕ She is talented in drawing portraits. ✓ She is talented at drawing portraits.Using at with broad academic fields
In is often more natural with subjects or disciplines.
✕ He is talented at biology. ✓ He is talented in biology.Forgetting the preposition
Talented usually needs a preposition before the skill or field.
✕ She is talented music. ✓ She is talented in music.Quick practice
Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.
1. He is talented ___ coding.
2. She is talented ___ architecture.
3. They are talented ___ working with data.
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Frequently asked questions
Are talented at and talented in both correct?
Yes. The choice depends on whether you mean a skill or a field.
Can I use talented with?
Yes, especially for handling people, animals, or tools, as in talented with children.
Which is more natural with sports?
Talented at is usually preferred with sports and activities.
Related preposition guides
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