Who cares? Well, we do.
As you know, prepositions are little words like in, to, for, of, on, at, over, above. Etcetera.
All you need to know about “care” is that the meaning changes if you choose another preposition to go with it.
1 Care for
“Care for” means looking after someone, making sure they get food and drink, comb their hair, wear clean clothes, etc.
Examples:
My daughter cares for her dog very well.
His elderly father is cared for in the nursing home.
Jaume Escofet
2 Take care of
It means the same as 1. But please notice that you don’t use the preposition “for,” but “of.”
Examples:
My daughter takes good care of her dog.
The nursing home takes excellent care of his elderly father.
Stay Well At Home Service, Evesham, Britain
Maisie Palmer was referred to the Stay Well At Home Service by a Health Visitor when she broke her coccyx in a fall.
3 Care about or care for
“Care about” or “care for” means to like someone or have feelings for them.
Examples:
Wolf cares about Jenna so much he hardly leaves her side.
If you cared for your sister you wouldn’t always shout at her.
4 Care about
You can also use “care about” when something is important to someone.
Examples:
She cares about her new phone so much she forgets to listen to you.
I told him his hair is too long, but he doesn’t care about it.
5 Care without preposition
Care doesn’t need a preposition when it’s followed by how, if, what, when, etc.
Examples:
I don’t care if it’s noisy outside. I’m not sleepy anyhow.
She doesn’t care how much the shoes cost. She must have them, now!
Valeria P
Exercise
Fill in the correct preposition. If you don’t need a preposition, write – (use a hyphen).
(Yeah, this is confusing.)
Click here to do this quiz online and check your answers.
1 I don’t care ________ if you’re in a meeting. Call me now!
2 Phoebe doesn’t care __________ losing her savings. She needs the money to pay for the trip.
3 She cared deeply ____________ her parents, but they preferred her older brother.
4 While we were on holiday, our neighbours cared _________ our plants and pets.
5 He’s still wearing that funny hat. He doesn’t care ___________ when people laugh at him.
6 They care ___________ three little children. It’s hard work.
7 Andrey cared a lot _____________ Vanessa, but she didn’t love him back.
8 I don’t care _____________ the cost of the room. We have to have a place to sleep.
9 Although I do care ____________ what people think of me, I will still be me!
Want to practise more with prepositions? Have a look here:
In/On/Under (Easy) (Exclusive Quiz)
At/In/On Place
At/In/On Time
English with a Smile 
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