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Prepositions after verbs

Convict of, by, in, for or on?

Convict is normally followed by of to name the crime. Other prepositions may appear in separate legal expressions but are not the standard pattern after convict.

Quick answer

Which preposition follows convict?

Use convict of to state the crime: convicted of fraud. Expressions with by, in, for, or on usually belong to other parts of the sentence, not directly to the verb convict.

She was convicted of tax evasion.
The man was convicted of robbery last year.
The case was decided by a jury, and he was convicted of assault.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
convict of + crime

Naming the offence

Use of after convict to state the crime or wrongdoing.

He was convicted of fraud.
They were convicted of arson.
2
convict someone on + evidence

Giving the basis for a conviction

On can introduce the evidence or grounds supporting the conviction.

She was convicted on circumstantial evidence.
The suspect was convicted on the testimony of two witnesses.
3
convict someone in + court or case

Referring to the legal setting

In may describe the court, trial, or case where the conviction happened.

He was convicted in federal court.
Several people were convicted in the same case.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
convict of
The accountant was convicted of embezzlement.
standard pattern for naming the crime
convict by
The defendant was convicted by a jury.
by refers to the agent making the decision, not a fixed verb pattern
convict in
She was convicted in a military court.
in refers to the legal setting
convict for
He was punished for theft after being convicted of it.
for is not the usual preposition directly after convict to name the crime
convict on
The suspect was convicted on strong evidence.
on introduces the basis or evidence for the conviction

Common mistakes

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

Using for instead of of

Use of, not for, to name the crime after convict.

✕ She was convicted for bribery. ✓ She was convicted of bribery.

Confusing the agent with the crime

By can introduce who made the decision, not the offence.

✕ He was convicted by fraud. ✓ He was convicted of fraud.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The executive was convicted ___ insider trading.
2. The defendant was convicted ___ a jury.
3. She was convicted ___ federal court.

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Frequently asked questions

Is convict for correct?

Standard English uses convict of when naming a crime.

Can I say convicted on evidence?

Yes. On can introduce the evidence or grounds for the conviction.

What does convicted by a jury mean?

By identifies the person or group that made the legal decision.

calculate, by, calculate, in, calculate, from "call for" or "call on"? "campaign for" or "campaign against"? cancel by, due, at, in or for? capitulate to, in, like, by or after? captivate by, for, with, from or in? "capture by" or "capture in"? "care about" or "care for"? carry with, by, in, to or into? carve into, out, in, on or with? cast in, into, for, by or on? "catch in", "catch by" or "catch on"?

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