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What is “Afraid of”? A detailed introduction to “Afraid of”

When expressing the sensation of fear, you might think of the word "Afraid." It's often used with the preposition "of." What is “Afraid of”? In this article, PREP will explain how we use "Afraid of" and introduce other prepositions that go with "Afraid".

I. What is “Afraid of”?

What is “Afraid of”? According to the Cambridge Dictionary, "Afraid" means "feeling worried about a possible bad outcome". When combined with the preposition "of", "Afraid of" is understood as being worried or fearful of doing something or something happening. For example:

I am afraid of staying at home alone.
My sister is afraid of spiders.

II. The usage of “Afraid of”

What is the usage of the “Afraid of”? Below PREP has gathered some common usages of “Afraid of”. Please take a look at the table below!

Structure	Usage	Example
Be afraid of + V-ing	Fear or hesitation when doing something	She’s afraid of flying in airplanes.
Be afraid of + Noun	Fear or hesitation of something	Alex is afraid of snakes.

III. What prepositions does “Afraid” go with? Other structures of “Afraid”?

PREP has thoroughly explained the meaning of "Afraid of." However, the word "Afraid" can also pair with different prepositions, altering its meaning. Let's explore with PREP the various prepositions that can accompany "Afraid" for different contexts and meanings!

Structure	Usage	Example
Be afraid for sbd/sth	Worried, scared for someone/something.	I am afraid for my friend who is going through a difficult time.
Be afraid to V	Scared and not daring to do anything	Anna was afraid to ask for help.
Be afraid + (that) + Clause	Scared and concerned about something happening.	She’s afraid that she won’t pass the exam.

IV. A comparison of Afraid, Scared, Frightened

While "Afraid," "Scared," and "Frightened" share the same meaning of feeling fear about doing something, each word fits different contexts. Let's delve into this further with PREP using the table below!

Comparison		Afraid	Scared	Frightened
Similarities		“afraid,” “scared” and “frightened” are related to the feeling of fear, or worry about someone, something, or doing something. All these 3 words can go with “of + V-ing / N” and “to V”.
Differences	Position	“Afraid” is not followed by “by + N”. “Afraid” does not come before a noun.	“Scared” can come before a noun.	“Frightened” cannot be paired with of + pronoun ( him/her/it/me/you/us/them). “Frightened” can come before a noun.
Differences	Examples	She is afraid. Wrong sentence: She is an afraid woman.	He is a scared boy. He is scared. ➡ 2 expressions have the same meaning.	She is a frightened woman. She is frightened. ➡ 2 expressions have the same meaning.

V. English words/phrases/idioms containing Afraid

Besides being paired with prepositions, “afraid” in phrases/idioms is commonly employed in English. Let's explore these with PREP below!

(I’m) afraid not.
(I’m) afraid so.
Be afraid of your own shadow (idiom).
Be afraid to say boo (idiom).

VI. Exercises on What is “Afraid of” with detailed answers

To deeply understand “Afraid of”, please complete the practice exercises below!

Exercise 1: Fill in the blanks with the appropriate words: Afraid, Scared, Frightened

She was _________ of speaking in public because of her fear of making mistakes.
He’s _______ to tell her what really happened.
He was _______ by the sudden appearance of the ghost in the haunted house.
The horror movie was so intense that it left everyone in the theater _____.
She felt _______ to confront her boss about the issue, fearing it might lead to trouble.

Answers:

afraid/scared/frightened
scared
frightened/scared
frightened
afraid/frightened/scared

Exercise 2: Choose the correct preposition to complete each sentence: of, for, to, or that.

She's always been __________ spiders.
I'm __________ my friend who is traveling alone.
Are you __________ tell the truth?
He's __________ the dark.
She's __________ the possibility of failing the exam.

Answer Key:

She's always been afraid of spiders.
I'm afraid for my friend who is traveling alone.
Are you afraid to tell the truth?
He's afraid of the dark.
She's afraid of the possibility of failing the exam.

These additional exercises provide further practice in using "afraid" with different prepositions and understanding the nuances between "afraid," "scared," and "frightened." Keep practicing to enhance your proficiency in using these expressions effectively in English.

Hopefully, the knowledge that PREP shared above has helped you answer the questions: What is “Afraid of”? Which prepositions go with “Afraid”? And how to distinguish between Afraid, Scared, and Frightened. Follow PREP regularly to accumulate more quality English knowledge! Good luck on your journey!

Master Tu Pham

Founder/CEO at Prep

Founder of Prep Smart Test Preparation Platform. With over 10 years of experience in teaching and test preparation, Mr. Tú has helped thousands of students achieve high scores in the IELTS exam. In addition, Mr. Tú Phạm is also a consulting expert in British Council programs and a speaker at many leading educational events, programs, and conferences.