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Prepositions with nouns

On, of, to, for or without trial?

Trial combines with different prepositions in legal and general contexts. Some combinations are fixed expressions.

Quick answer

Which preposition is used with trial?

Use on trial for someone being judged in court, trial for for the crime or purpose, and without trial when no legal process happens. Of trial appears in phrases such as the outcome of the trial. To trial is uncommon as a direct combination with the noun trial.

The suspect is on trial for fraud.
She was arrested for trial in another country.
They were held without trial for months.
The outcome of the trial surprised everyone.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
on trial

Facing a legal case

Use on trial when someone is being judged in court.

The company is on trial for environmental damage.
He spent two weeks on trial in Paris.
2
trial for + crime

Reason for the legal case

Use trial for to name the offence or purpose.

The politician faced a trial for corruption.
She is awaiting trial for theft.
3
without trial

No legal hearing

Use without trial when no court process takes place.

The prisoners were detained without trial.
The law allows people to be held without trial in emergencies.
4
outcome of the trial

Result or feature of a trial

Use of the trial in descriptive noun phrases.

The outcome of the trial was announced yesterday.
Public reaction to the end of the trial was mixed.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
on trial
The actor is on trial for tax fraud.
currently facing judgment in court
trial for
They prepared for a trial for murder.
a legal case concerning a crime
without trial
People were imprisoned without trial.
without a court hearing
of the trial
The length of the trial caused delays.
describing an aspect or result of the trial
to trial
The case went to trial last year.
part of the expression go to trial

Common mistakes

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

Using on trial for the crime

Use trial for to name the offence.

✕ He faced on trial murder. ✓ He faced trial for murder.

Using to trial as a general noun pattern

To trial is mainly used in the expression go to trial.

✕ She prepared to trial. ✓ She prepared for trial.

Confusing for trial and on trial

For trial often means for the purpose of a legal hearing, while on trial means already being judged.

✕ The defendant is for trial now. ✓ The defendant is on trial now.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The executive is currently ___ trial.
2. They were arrested ___ trial in another state.
3. The prisoners were held ___ trial.

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Frequently asked questions

What does on trial mean?

It means someone is being judged in a legal court case.

Is trial for followed by a crime?

Yes. It commonly introduces the offence, such as trial for fraud.

Can I use to with trial?

Usually only in expressions such as go to trial, where to belongs to the verb phrase rather than the noun alone.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

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