Choose the correct option to fill in the blank.
Nikita was annoyed ___ her friends on account of their rude behaviour.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → with
Fixed preposition with "annoyed":
- Annoyed with a person: angry with someone.
- Annoyed at / about a thing or a situation: annoyed at the delay, annoyed about the noise.
- This sentence: Nikita is angry with people (her friends), and the reason follows in "on account of their rude behaviour", so "annoyed with her friends" is correct.
- Complete sentence: Nikita was annoyed with her friends on account of their rude behaviour.
Example: The teacher was annoyed with the students for coming late.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 1: at — Incorrect. "Annoyed at" is normally used with a thing or a situation; with a person, the standard preposition is "with".
Example: She was annoyed at the long wait.
Option 3: against — Incorrect. Against shows opposition; "annoyed against" is not used in English.
Example: The farmers protested against the new law.
Option 4: to — Incorrect. To shows direction or the receiver of something; "annoyed to her friends" is not English.
Example: He sent a letter to his uncle.