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Preposition after adjective

Unconscious of, in, for, on or by?

Unconscious of is the standard pattern when someone is unaware of something. Other prepositions may appear in different sentence structures but are not usual complements after unconscious.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows unconscious?

Use unconscious of to mean unaware. Phrases like unconscious in or unconscious by usually belong to a larger expression rather than directly following the adjective.

She was unconscious of the danger.
He seemed unconscious of the attention around him.
The patient was unconscious for several hours.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
unconscious of + noun

Being unaware of something

Use unconscious of to say that someone does not notice or realize something.

They were unconscious of the risks.
She remained unconscious of his presence.
2
unconscious for + period

Talking about duration

Use unconscious for with a length of time after losing consciousness.

He was unconscious for ten minutes.
The driver remained unconscious for several hours.
3
unconscious by + time

Describing a state before a deadline or moment

By can introduce a time expression, not a complement selected by unconscious.

She was unconscious by the time help arrived.
The patient had become unconscious by midnight.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
unconscious of
He was unconscious of the noise.
Standard pattern meaning unaware.
unconscious for
She was unconscious for two hours.
Describes duration after losing consciousness.
unconscious in
He was unconscious in the ambulance.
In shows location, not a complement of unconscious.
unconscious on
She was unconscious on arrival.
On introduces a separate time expression.
unconscious by
The victim was unconscious by dawn.
By introduces a time limit or point in time.

Common mistakes

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

Using in instead of of

Use unconscious of for awareness, not unconscious in.

✕ She was unconscious in the danger. ✓ She was unconscious of the danger.

Using on for awareness

On does not normally follow unconscious to mean unaware.

✕ He was unconscious on the problem. ✓ He was unconscious of the problem.

Confusing duration and awareness

For is used with time periods, not with things a person does not notice.

✕ She was unconscious for the noise. ✓ She was unconscious of the noise.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They were completely ___ the consequences.
2. The patient remained ___ several hours.
3. He was unconscious ___ the ambulance during the trip.

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Frequently asked questions

What does unconscious of mean?

It means unaware of something or not noticing it.

Can unconscious be followed by for?

Yes. Use unconscious for with a period of time, such as unconscious for an hour.

Is unconscious in correct?

It can be correct when in shows location, such as unconscious in hospital, but it is not the usual complement of the adjective.

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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