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Prepositions after adjectives

Unaware of vs unaware about

Unaware normally takes of. Unaware about is usually nonstandard when directly followed by the topic.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows unaware?

Use unaware of before the thing a person does not know. About may appear elsewhere in the sentence, but unaware about is generally not idiomatic in standard English.

I was unaware of the policy change.
They seemed unaware of the risks.
She is unaware of what happened yesterday.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
unaware of + noun

Talking about missing knowledge

Use unaware of before a thing, fact, event, or situation that someone does not know about.

He was unaware of the deadline.
We remained unaware of the problem for weeks.
2
unaware of + clause

Referring to facts or actions

Use unaware of before a clause beginning with what, that, or how.

She was unaware of how serious the issue was.
They were unaware of what the message meant.
3
about + topic

Using about separately in the sentence

About can introduce a topic in another part of the sentence, but it is not the normal complement after unaware.

He was unaware of the discussion about funding.
They stayed unaware of rumours about the company.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
unaware of
She was unaware of the new rules.
standard pattern meaning not knowing something
unaware about
They were unaware about the delay.
generally nonstandard in current English
aware of
Are you aware of the changes?
standard opposite pattern
about + noun
We talked about the issue.
about is natural with many verbs and nouns, but not usually after unaware

Common mistakes

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

Using unaware about as the main pattern

Standard English uses unaware of.

✕ I was unaware about the meeting. ✓ I was unaware of the meeting.

Omitting the preposition

Unaware normally needs of before the object.

✕ She was unaware the email had arrived. ✓ She was unaware of the email that had arrived.

Confusing about as a separate modifier

About may belong to another noun in the sentence.

✓ He was unaware of reports about the accident.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. We were unaware ___ the schedule change.
2. She remained unaware ___ how much work was left.
3. Which sentence is standard English?

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Frequently asked questions

Is unaware about ever acceptable?

Some speakers use it informally, but unaware of is the standard and recommended form.

Can I say unaware that?

Yes. Unaware that is also common, especially before a full clause.

What is the opposite of unaware of?

The usual opposite is aware of.

ubiquitous in, on, across, throughout or for? "ugly in", "ugly for" or "ugly of"? ultimate in, of, for, on or as? "unacceptable to", "unacceptable in" or "unacceptable for"? unaccounted for unaccustomed to or in? unacquainted with unaffected by, in, for or with? "unaffordable for" or "unaffordable to"? unanimous in, on, about, regarding or for? "unattractive to" or "unattractive for"? "unavailable for" or "unavailable to"?

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