by R. S. Karunaratne

Use of the preposition 'of'

There are many grammar patterns involved in the use of 'of'. The preposition of is used to specify the amount or number of things referred to.

Some of the animals are quadrupeds.

A lot of onions were rotting in the stores.

Can you drink six glasses of water?

Most of your problems are imaginary.

One of the three men is rich.

'Of' can be used to say what something is made of.

This table is made of teak wood.

The necklace was made of gold.

He was made of sterner stuff!

We use 'of' to talk about a special feature.

Have you seen the size of his head?

He has got the brain of a genius.

'Of' is used to say who something belongs to or who it is connected with.

Members of Parliament are our representatives.

The queen of England visited Sri Lanka in the 1950s.

Obama is the President of the United States.

Some employees of the company are on strike.

I don't like the colour of his hair!

He bought a copy of 'The Complete works of Shakespeare.'

'Of' is used to show how much something contains.

She bought a bag of mangoes.

He asked me to bring a bottle of water.

This is an interesting book of short stories.

'Of' shows the position of something.

Shyama was in the front of the queue.

There is a tear on the side of your dress.

'Of' is used to refer to particular days of the week.

He was born on the tenth of April.

I have to renew my season ticket on the first of every month.

'Of' is used to connect particular adjectives.

She is frightened of snakes.

I am sick of travelling!

'Of' is used after an adjective when judging someone's behaviour.

It is unkind of you to scold him.

'Of' gives the meaning of 'about' or 'relating to'.

One of the advantages of reading is that you can spend your time profitably.

We know very little of Shakespeare's childhood.

Many nouns are followed by 'of'.

I never knew that he was that sort of a man.

What type of a vehicle are you looking for?

We cannot finish the building due to lack of money.

There is a severe shortage of skilled workmen.

What is the advantage of having a mobile phone?

There is a jak tree in front of my house.

We climbed the top of the mountain.

A lot of people listened to the speaker.

A bag of sugar fell off a lorry.

We are coming to the end of the story.

Some nouns are followed by 'of' + 'ing' form.

There should be a way of doing this sum.

He has no chance of winning.

I have no idea of contesting the general elections.

Do you have any intention of going abroad?

They have no hope of winning the lottery.

Some adjectives are commonly followed by 'of'.

She is very fond of reading detective novels.

He is proud of his ancestry.

I am sick of listening to him.

Are you sure of success?

We are aware of what is happening.

The accused was found guilty of theft.

Here is a list of films in which the connecting word is of.

Lord of the Rings

Planet of the Apes

Night of the Living Dead

Lawrence of Arabia

The importance of being Earnest

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

New words and phrases

New words and phrases are coming into the language enriching its quality. So, do not be satisfied with what you already know.

Keep on adding to your vocabulary new words and phrases. Here's help for you to be familiar with some of the latest additions to English.

1. Carbon emissions are carbon dioxide coming out of planes, cars, lorries, buses and even factories. Carbon emissions are harmful to your health and the environment.

2. Food miles refer to the distance between the place where food is grown or made and the place where it is consumed.

3. Biofuel is a fuel that is made from living things or their waste. A biofuelled vehicle uses biofuel.

4. Biomass refers to dead plant and animal material suitable for using as fuel.

5. Energy - efficient is an adjective meaning using as little electricity, gas, etc. as possible. Eg. CFL bulbs are energy - efficient.

6. Grey water is water once used for a particular purpose. It can be used again, for example, in toilets.

7. Hybrid is a vehicle, usually a car, that uses both petrol and another type of energy such as electricity.

8. Renewables refer to types of energy that can be replaced easily. Eg. wind power.

Await more such new words and phrases in the coming weeks.