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Prepositions after adjectives

Frank about or frank with?

Frank about refers to the topic being discussed honestly. Frank with refers to the person receiving the honest communication.

Quick answer

How do you use frank with prepositions?

Use frank about before a subject or issue. Use frank with before a person or group. Both are standard and often appear together in the same sentence.

She was frank about her mistakes.
He has always been frank with his colleagues.
The doctor was frank with us about the risks.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
frank about + topic

Honest discussion of a subject

Use frank about to describe openness concerning a topic, feeling, or situation.

They were frank about the budget problems.
She remained frank about her concerns.
2
frank with + person

Honest communication with someone

Use frank with to identify the person receiving direct or honest communication.

Please be frank with me.
The manager was frank with the staff.
3
frank with + person about + topic

Combining listener and subject

You can use both patterns together to mention the listener and the topic.

He was frank with investors about the risks.
She stayed frank with her parents about her plans.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
frank about
She was frank about her financial situation.
Open and honest concerning a topic.
frank with
He was frank with the committee.
Open and honest toward a person or group.
frank with someone about something
The coach was frank with the players about their performance.
Mentions both the audience and the subject of the discussion.

Common mistakes

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

Using frank about before a person

Use frank with before the listener or audience.

✕ She was frank about her manager. ✓ She was frank with her manager.

Using frank with before a topic

Use frank about before the subject being discussed.

✕ He was frank with the delays. ✓ He was frank about the delays.

Omitting about in topic expressions

Frank normally takes about before a subject or issue.

✕ They were frank the risks. ✓ They were frank about the risks.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She was frank ___ her concerns.
2. Please be frank ___ me.
3. The director was frank with investors ___ the risks.

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Frequently asked questions

Can frank about and frank with appear together?

Yes. For example: She was frank with us about the problem.

Is frank to someone correct?

Frank to is uncommon in modern English. Frank with is the usual pattern.

Does frank always mean rude?

No. It usually means direct and honest, although the tone can sometimes sound blunt.

face-to-face-with-in-at-for, to "fair to" or "fair in"? faithful to, in, of, with or for? falling of, in, out, into or off? "false in" or "false to"? famed for, as, in or throughout? familiar with, to, from or in? famous for, in, of, by or as? fanatical about, in, as, for or of? "fantastic for" or "fantastic in"? far from, in, to, for or with? fascinating to, about, in, for or as?

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