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Prepositions after verbs

Ache for, from, with, by, or following?

Ache for is common for emotional longing. Ache from is used for physical causes. Other combinations are limited or nonstandard.

Quick answer

Which preposition is used with ache?

Use ache for to express strong desire or longing. Use ache from to describe the cause of physical pain. Ache with and ache by are uncommon as direct complements. Following may introduce a separate time phrase, not a fixed pattern.

She ached for home
My legs ached from running
He ached for peace after the conflict

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
ache for + person or thing

Expressing emotional longing

Use for when you deeply want or miss someone or something.

They ached for freedom
2
ache from + cause

Giving the physical cause of pain

From explains what caused the pain.

Her shoulders ached from carrying boxes
3
ache with + pain or emotion

Describing a state or condition

With can describe the condition accompanying the ache, not the direct complement.

His voice ached with sadness
4
ache following + event

Referring to time after an event

Following introduces a time relationship rather than a fixed verb-preposition pattern.

Many patients ached following surgery

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
ache for something
She ached for her family.
Strong emotional desire or longing.
ache from something
My back aches from sitting too long.
Physical cause of pain.
ache with something
His heart ached with grief.
Describes an accompanying emotion or condition.
ache by something
Her muscles ached by evening.
By usually introduces time here, not a complement after ache.
ache following something
His knee ached following the match.
Following introduces time after an event.

Common mistakes

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

Using for for physical causes

Use from for the physical source of pain.

✕ My arms ache for lifting weights. ✓ My arms ache from lifting weights.

Using a noun directly after ache

Ache usually needs a preposition before the cause or object.

✕ She ached her lost home. ✓ She ached for her lost home.

Confusing emotional and physical meanings

For usually expresses desire, while from explains a physical cause.

✕ He ached for running all day. ✓ He ached from running all day.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. After months abroad, she ached ___ home.
2. My feet ache ___ standing all day.
3. His voice ached ___ grief.

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Frequently asked questions

What does ache for mean?

It means to strongly want or miss someone or something.

Can I say ache from exercise?

Yes. Ache from is common for physical causes of pain.

Is ache by correct?

Not usually as a direct complement. By is more often used for time expressions such as by evening.

abandon, by, abandon, in "abduct by", "abduct in" or "abduct from"? abide by, in, with, to or on? "abolish in" or "abolish by"? "abound in" or "abound with"? "absorb by", "absorb into" or "absorb in"? "accelerate by", "accelerate to" or "accelerate in"? accentuate by, with, in or under? accept by, in, as, for or into? "accommodate in", "accommodate for" or "accommodate to"? "accomplish by" or "accomplish in"? "accord to" or "accord with"?

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