Many adjectives and verbs lock onto one fixed preposition, and at C1 the trap is that a near-synonym or a related sense pulls a different preposition. To be aware of something is to know it exists or notice it. Before a noun the preposition is of (never 'aware about'); before a clause there is no preposition at all, and this is the pattern academic writing uses most: aware that the risk was material, aware how the sample was drawn. To be responsible for something is to have the duty to do it, or the blame if it fails; use for for the task, but responsible to for the person or body you answer to. To depend on something is to need it in order to work or survive, or to rely on it — depend upon is a formal alternative but is far less common than on, even in academic writing, and the adjective is dependent on. Before a clause it takes whether or how: "It depends on whether the sample was randomized." The same trap runs through the rest of this set, so group them by the small word. Of goes with capable of doing something (the gerund follows, never an infinitive: "capable of managing", not "capable to manage"). On goes with focus on, which takes its target directly — you focus on a problem, not 'focus at' it. (You will also meet focus in on for narrowing attention to one detail; the fixed pair is still on.) About goes with concerned about when you mean worried; note that concerned with is a different sense altogether, meaning "dealing with" a subject. With goes with consistent with, meaning in agreement with — the results are consistent with the theory, never 'consistent to'. To covers three: contribute to (add to something larger), refer to (mention or cite), and entitled to (have a right to). Entitled is the one to watch, because to is followed by a noun in "entitled to compensation" but by a bare verb in "entitled to apply" — both are correct, so do not try to make one of them fit the other. From goes with result from, which reverses the direction its noun takes: delays result from a shortage, but they are the result of it.
Adjectives and verbs + preposition
aware of /əˈwɛr ʌv/ — The board was aware of the financial risk before approving the expansion.
responsible for /rɪˈspɑnsəbəl fɔr/ — The contractor is responsible for repairing any damage caused during installation.
depend on /dɪˈpɛnd ɑn/ — Several small charities still depend on volunteer translators to reach new communities.
capable of /ˈkeɪpəbəl ʌv/ — A shortlisted candidate must be capable of managing a budget unsupervised.
focus on /ˈfoʊkəs ɑn/ — This chapter will focus on the ethical objections rather than the technical ones.
concerned about /kənˈsɜrnd əˈbaʊt/ — Residents are concerned about the noise from the new depot.
consistent with /kənˈsɪstənt wɪð/ — The findings are consistent with the results of the earlier trial.
contribute to /kənˈtrɪbjut tu/ — Every department was asked to contribute to the revised proposal.
refer to /rɪˈfɜr tu/ — The guidelines refer to the 2019 standard throughout.
entitled to /ɪnˈtaɪtəld tu/ — Part-time staff are entitled to the same training as everyone else.
result from /rɪˈzʌlt frʌm/ — Most of the delays result from a shortage of qualified inspectors.
Not ""The lead engineer is responsible of the whole rollout." (responsible never takes of)" — say ""The lead engineer is responsible for the whole rollout."". The task takes for; only the person or authority you answer to takes to (responsible to the board). Of is first-language interference and is always wrong here.
Try it: Applicants must be fully ______ the safety requirements before the lab session begins. (responsible for / aware of / depend on) Answer: aware of — "Aware of" fits because applicants need knowledge of the requirements, and before a noun like this, aware takes of. "Responsible for" would mean they are accountable for creating the requirements, which is not the point, and "depend on" means to rely on something, which does not match simply knowing about a rule.
Nouns + preposition
Nouns carry fixed prepositions too, and the one you would guess from the meaning is often not the one English uses. Access to something is the right or ability to reach or use it — never access of. Watch the word class: that is the noun. As a verb, access takes its object bare, with no preposition at all ('students can access the database from home'). An effect on something is the change it produces in that thing; mind the pair, because the effect is on whatever is changed but of whatever causes it (the effect of the drug on patients). To apply for something is to formally request the thing you want — a grant, a job, a place — while you apply to the body you ask (apply to a university for a scholarship).
access to /ˈæksɛs tu/ — Rural clinics often lack access to specialist equipment.
effect on /ɪˈfɛkt ɑn/ — The report studied the timetable's effect on student concentration.
apply for /əˈplaɪ fɔr/ — Researchers can apply for the grant until the end of May.
Try it: Students need access ______ reliable data before writing the report. (to / of / for) Answer: to — The noun access takes to for the thing you can reach: access to reliable data. "Of" is the preposition the meaning tempts you toward, since the data is what the access is about, but this noun does not take it. "For" would suggest the data is the purpose rather than the thing reached.
Try it: The new levy's ______ small exporters proved hard to measure. (effect of / effect on / effect for) Answer: effect on — "Effect on" is right because the noun takes on for whatever is changed — here, the small exporters. "Effect of" names the cause rather than the target, so it would have to be followed by the levy itself. "Effect for" is the one that sounds plausible but is not the collocation: English fixes this noun to on. Remember the pair: the effect of a cause on a target.
Formal collocations for proposals and reports
Formal writing leans on a small set of fixed noun and phrase collocations, and each locks onto one preposition. Compliance with a rule is the act of obeying it — the noun takes with, never 'compliance to', and the matching verb is the same: comply with. In accordance with something means following it exactly as it requires; you already know it as one of the fixed formal phrases whose small words never change, and it earns its place here because a proposal usually states the standard it follows. On behalf of someone means acting or speaking as their representative — use it when you are not the person affected, and note it is of the person, not 'on behalf for'. In conjunction with something means together with it as part of one combined action, which is why proposals use it to pair two measures: a policy introduced in conjunction with new training.
compliance with /kəmˈplaɪəns wɪð/ — Full compliance with the reporting standard is a condition of the grant.
in accordance with /ɪn əˈkɔrdəns wɪð/ — The audit was carried out in accordance with international guidelines.
on behalf of /ɑn bɪˈhæf ʌv/ — On behalf of the department, I would like to propose a revised timetable.
in conjunction with /ɪn kənˈdʒʌŋkʃən wɪð/ — The new policy will be introduced in conjunction with a staff training program.
Try it: The director was abroad, so her deputy signed the agreement ______ the university. (on behalf of / in accordance with / in conjunction with) Answer: on behalf of — "On behalf of" is right because the deputy signs as the university's representative while the director is away. "In accordance with" would make the university a rule or standard being followed rather than the party being represented. "In conjunction with" means acting jointly at the same time, which the sentence rules out by telling you the director was abroad.