Prepositions - Of
1. Of indicates belonging or connection.
a. Of identifies a thing as a connection or part of another thing.
the pages of the book
the leaves of the tree
b. Of identifies people, animals, or plants as part of a larger group.
Pattern: noun + of + this/that + noun
the women of that family
the people of that religion
Nouns commonly used after of:
city, club, company, country, culture, descent, faith, family, gender, genus, group, ilk, organization, race, religion, society, species
c. Of identifies ideas or works with their author, artist, or composer.
Pattern: noun + of + noun the works of Shakespeare
the methods of the teacher
Nouns often used before of:
essays, ideas, method, music, novels, opinion, paintings, plays, poems, poetry, songs, work, writing
d. Of identifies an individual or special member of a group or institution.
Pattern: noun + of + noun
the president of the class
the coordinators of the program
Nouns commonly used before of:
captain, citizen, coordinator, dictator, head, hero, heroine, leader, loser, manager, mayor, member, president, secretary, servant, star, student, teacher, treasurer, villain, winner
e. Of identifies a person’s occupation or area of specialization.
Pattern: noun + of + noun
a professor of mathematics
students of cardiology
practitioner of medicine
f. Of indicates a connection with a place.
Pattern: noun + of + noun
a native of Alaska
the birds and animals of Australia
Nouns often used before of:
animal, bird, citizen, graduate, inhabitant, native, people, resident
g. Of indicates a connection with a period of time.
the music of the eighties
the dances of her youth the fourth of July
a. Of identifies a thing as a connection or part of another thing.
the pages of the book
the leaves of the tree
b. Of identifies people, animals, or plants as part of a larger group.
Pattern: noun + of + this/that + noun
the women of that family
the people of that religion
Nouns commonly used after of:
city, club, company, country, culture, descent, faith, family, gender, genus, group, ilk, organization, race, religion, society, species
c. Of identifies ideas or works with their author, artist, or composer.
Pattern: noun + of + noun the works of Shakespeare
the methods of the teacher
Nouns often used before of:
essays, ideas, method, music, novels, opinion, paintings, plays, poems, poetry, songs, work, writing
d. Of identifies an individual or special member of a group or institution.
Pattern: noun + of + noun
the president of the class
the coordinators of the program
Nouns commonly used before of:
captain, citizen, coordinator, dictator, head, hero, heroine, leader, loser, manager, mayor, member, president, secretary, servant, star, student, teacher, treasurer, villain, winner
e. Of identifies a person’s occupation or area of specialization.
Pattern: noun + of + noun
a professor of mathematics
students of cardiology
practitioner of medicine
f. Of indicates a connection with a place.
Pattern: noun + of + noun
a native of Alaska
the birds and animals of Australia
Nouns often used before of:
animal, bird, citizen, graduate, inhabitant, native, people, resident
g. Of indicates a connection with a period of time.
the music of the eighties
the dances of her youth the fourth of July
