The word "of" is a preposition that should not be overused. The overuse 'of' this word makes a person's writing sound passive. To make your writing straight-forward and right to the point, Grammar Girl suggests that you should drop the word 'of' to make your sentences simpler. You can sometimes, accidently, use the word 'of', but it is better to leave it out in order to be direct. 'Of' is used to indicate possesion. It is desirable to use this word when you have double- possessives, a trail of possessives, and in an idiom.
Here is an example that uses the word 'of' for double- possession: 1. Here is an example of my essay. -'Of' and 'my' indicate possession of an object.
Example that uses a trail of possessives: 2. The brother of my father's friend sent me some information regarding college.
Example that uses 'of' in an idiom: 3. A couple of my friends decided to go straight to the movies afterschool.
So, in the end, make sure that you use the word 'of' in the right way.
Actually writing with this word isn't so bad; it is grammatically correct, but it degrades your writing. It is among the bad habits young writers acquire that must be taken care of.
Just remember to try condensing and making your writing concise.
My examples:
"drugs take up all of one's being"
This is better written, "drugs dominate one's identity"
I notice that I write "all of" frequently in my writing to show entirety when I could just as easily write "entirely" or "entire."
"We meet Sugar in the beginning chapters of the book"
I could write: "We meet Sugar in the book's beginning chapters."
Again it is just a personal preference. Because I use "of" sparingly, it's use isn't going to end the world.
Rama.
SARAH-
While reading your response, which was very well written and to the point, I found some areas that I don't agree with.
Where you say "Grammar Girl suggests that you should drop the word 'of' to make your sentences simpler," I would disagree. I don't think that the revision is to make your writing SIMPLER but MORE CONCISE.
Other than that, everything was great.
NOTE TO EVERYONE ELSE: DON'T RESPOND TO SARAH'S RESPONSE BECAUSE I GOT TO IT FIRST. HAHA JK BUT NOT REALLY.
OF! Aaaaah! Too much of it can drive you crazy at times. This week on grammar girl, she talks about how the word "of" is overly used. It's okay to use the word in your sentences, but the way you use them matters. A good sentence where the word "of is used for example is, "Amos! Can you bring me a bowl of strawberries?"A bad use of the word is, "Mr. Alejandro is the teacher of Megan." This sounds like a bad sentence compared to, "Mr. Alejandro is Megan's teacher." It sounds much better because it goes straight to the point. Another bad use of the word "of" is, "My kitten jumped off of the table onto our couch." The word is not needed so therefore you would take it away.
My response is to Rama. Hey hun i love you and all, but your examples confused me a bit. I understood your explanations of it. Probably because you were using big words. We are basically teaching this to people that don't know a thing about it. Lay low on the big words next time is my advice. Much love
On this week's grammar girl the topic is about "Do you overuse “Of”?" Of is a preposition and its not an inherently word. You don’t really need the ”of” in the sentence. Sometimes if you take out the word of out the sentence it would sound much more straightforward without it. There is nothing really wrong with a sentence that uses the word of except that it leaves you wondering what is going on at this moment while you are reading. There are several good ways to use the word "of “in any type of sentence.
Ex. House M.D is one of my favorite television shows that I enjoy watching.
"Written better" House M.D is my favorite television that I enjoy watching.
Ex. While I was at work one of the customers asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy.
"Written better" While I was at work a customer asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy?
Ofs can be found in every piece if writing...like in my first sentnce for example. Wether we use it correctly or incorrectly; how frequently we use is up to the writer.Many writers say that using "of" shows more of a passive voice trait. "Of" is a preposition that indicates possession. the word "of" can be useful but it can also fuzz up your writing if used to often; not using an "of" wraps up your statement more efficiently. Even though it may cloud up your senteces, the word "of" isn't completely bad...it can help out in many other ways.
Ex. "The ball of the girl is rolling away." Instead, you could say, "The girl's ball is rolling away."
However, Grammar girl states that "of" is useful when dealing with double possessive, complex trail of possesion, and the phrase "a couple of".
Ex."Sandra is a friend of mine." (double possessive) both of and mine are possessive words.
Ex. "My mom's sister's friend won the lottery." can be rewritten as "The friend of my mom's sister won the lottery."(complex trail of possessive)
Ex. "My cousin bought a couple of apples for us to eat on our way home." (a couple of)
This week's comment goes to Alex. Your overview of the whole podcast is pretty good except for one of your examples. I think that you could have written the with better grammar, you forgot some puntuation marks. it should be: "While I was at work, a customer asked me, "What would be a good toy for a six year old boy?" other than that it was good......
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talks about the overuse of "of"; wow even I'm getting addicted "haha". So she says that of is a proposition and can make your writing look real ugly if used too much. Of can be used when indicating an object.
Examples 1. Please pass me the cup of water. Of is used correctly because it's indicating an object. 2.The cup of water of Jesse. The of is misused.
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talks about the overuse of "of"; wow even I'm getting addicted "haha". So she says that of is a proposition and can make your writing look real ugly if used too much. Of can be used when indicating an object.
Examples 1. Please pass me the cup of water. Of is used correctly because it's indicating an object. 2.The cup of water of Jesse. The of is misused.
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talks about the overuse of "of"; wow even I'm getting addicted "haha". So she says that of is a proposition and can make your writing look real ugly if used too much. Of can be used when indicating an object.
Examples 1. Please pass me the cup of water. Of is used correctly because it's indicating an object. 2.The cup of water of Jesse. The of is misused.
This week on grammar girl was about "Do you overuse “Of”?" Of can be find every where in your work. Grammar girl say that you should not use of it will have your sentences basic. Sentences with of do not tell you what is going on.
This grammar girl has to do wih the word "of". This word is not inccorect,but you should try not to use this word as much. You may need to use this word at times to show possession and possessive,. There are many times you use the word "of" to show this.
Ex: I decided to become a doctor because of my experience. (possession)
Ex : The doctors of that hospital could not attend me because they did not have the skills to do what need to be done. (Possessives)
I think that Sarahalg did a good job with this grammar girl, but i think that the last two examples are about the same and i did not completly understand.
I never really payed attention to the word "of" and going over my writing to check if I ever overused such words, until now. Overusing the word "of" is the topic Grammar Girl discusses this week. She says that the preposition "of" makes writing sound passive. She tells us that it's better to be straightforward. However, using the word "of" isn't a bad thing. You might need to use it constantly for clarification. You don't want to change the meaning of a sentence like the example by Grammar Girl. Those are instances where the word "of" can be used without becoming too indirect and lengthy.
Example 1: "Ishmael's life was full of death and destruction."
Rewritten:"Ishmael's life was plagued by death and destruction."
You could insert a different word and still retain the same meaning.
Example 2: "He joins gangs and witnesses a lot of bloodshed."
Rewritten: "He joins gangs and witnesses much bloodshed."
Francisco Balderas Period 2
My Response goes to Luis:
What's up Luis? I like your summary and examples but you should have used something from your own writing. Also, you misspelled some words like "wether" which should be "whether". In your first sentence, you accidentally swapped "of" for "if". Great job either way.
todays grammar girl involves the overuse of "of" obviously i am one of these culprits. Hey i cant complain though even grammar girl has these problems. She explains that overusing of can make your work sound fussy and passive. She also explains that there are two uses of the word "of" the good way and the bad way.
This time G.G. talked about the overuse of the word "of". She says that its alright to use the word but not to use it frequently in your sentences. She says that you should just get rid of the word "of" because it will make your sentences more simple.
Examples:
1. Today sucked because of the hot weather.
Today was not a good day due to the hot weather.
2. The music of my favorite band is very psychedelic.
My favorite band's music is very psychedelic.
Response: Jessie
your examples made sense to me but your summary is too short, could have been a bit longer and and a bit more detail.
This week, Grammar Girl's episode was on the overuse of the word "of." It's not a totally bad word to use in your writing, however using it too much can get annoying and bothersome. A writer's work is most effective when it's straight forward and to the point. Sometimes, placing an "of" somewhere in a sentence is just an accident that can't be helped. There are both good and bad ways to use the word "of."
Example 1: I put a bunch of David Bowie's music onto my iPod.
That example (and the following example as well) shows the possession way to use "of."
Example 2: Because of my rash decisions, I get to spend Christmas all by myself this year.
My reply goes to The Heart Stopper, or Joseph Compton for those who can't figure it out. I think your second example isn't a correct way to use "of" still. You say "That's a hat of mine" which isn't I guess wrong since it shows possession, but for that sentence I would just say "That hat is mine" because it shows the same kind of possession and it's direct. I don't mean to put you down or anything, I just want a good grade. Also remember to capitalize your I when talking about yourself.
12. This week, Grammar Girl talks about the preposition “of” and how people overuse the word in their writing. The word “of” can be used properly but it can also be misused. When it’s used improperly, it is usually in a sentence where it can be cut off to make that sentence sound properly without that extra junk. To see if your sentence uses “of” too many times, check whether your sentence can be made into a straightforward sentence. The word “of” is used properly when you indicate what you want, such as a cup of water or a plate of fruit. “Of” is also used correctly when you are using double possessives, a complex trail of possession, and it is also used in the idiom a couple of. We should always double check our work for these little mistakes. (: Example 1: “Their different style of writing created a new sensation …” I can rewrite this sentence as: Their different writing style created a new sensation … Example 2: “In the novel The Great Gatsby the narrator, Nick Carraway, tells us the story of Jay Gatsby …” My Correction: In the novel The Great Gatsby the narrator, Nick Carraway, tells us Jay Gatsby’s story …
Response to Daniel, I read your summary and examples and I thought you did well on it. So i really don't know what to correct, but I think you could have explained when the word "of" is overused. Good job though (:
Grammar Girl #153 explains the good and bad ways to use word "of". The bad ways for the usage of the word "of" is that it's sometimes not straight forward. The good ways to use the word "of" is when you are dealing with double possessives.
Examples: 1.Rigby is the dog of Josue.
This is not being straight forward. It should read: Rigby is Josue's dog.
2.Bring me the container of tacos.
This is an example of a good way to use the word "of".
Response to "Jesse:)" Your first example was correct but then your second example is completely wrong.
This week, Grammar Girl discusses the "of's" in a sentence. Many inexperienced writers incorrectly use of, sometimes overusing it, confusing readers.
"of" shows possession and double possession, just like "mine".
Example One: "In times OF childhood and adolescence, curiosity and innocence rule a child's mind"
Without "of", the sentence would look like this: "During childhood and adolescence, curiosity and innocence rule a child's mind"
Dearest dannyboy, your first example of the hot weather made perfect sense. There was no need to correct it. I lie,actually, the diction could have been better, but in terms of the usage of OF, the sentence was correct. :)
I enjoyed reading your summary of this week's Grammar Girl. You wwere direct and concise; however, I think that you should have added the proper names of the instances where you can use the word "of." For example, you can use this preposition when you are dealing with possessions, a trail of possessions, and with an idiom. This might not be very important, but I think that it gives readers an extra understanding and helps them know what to call these grammar rules.
This week grammar girl talks about overusing "of ". Using "of " is a bad habit but this doesn't mean that there are not correct ways of using it."Of " is a preposition and overusing it can make your writing sound passive. Eliminating the word "of " in bad sentences can make the sentence sound more straightforward. "Of " can be used correctly when indicating possession in sentences. It can also be used in a complex use of possessions and in idioms. Finally "of " can be useful but only when used correctly, it can also become a bad habit to overuse it so be careful when and how you use it.
Example of good Of 's
1)Manchild in the Promised Land, portrayed childhood as a time of violence, drugs, and chaos.
2)Sonny was tired of his family and the reform schools.
3)Sonny wanted a piece of the drug deals to make money.
In regards to justin your explanation on the overuse of "of " was very vague and you didn't have any examples to support what you said. Next time justin you should just have a better explanation on why overusing "of " is bad and show the correct ways to use it with examples.
This weeks grammar girl talks about the word "Of" being overused. Using it too much makes your writing sound very passive and not straight forward. "Of" is supposed to be used when dealing with the possession of something. If you can leave out the word "of" you should do so to get straight to the point. It makes the sentence sound better and easier to understand
Examples:
1.Bad-He is the brother of my mom.
2.Good-He is my mom's brother.
Response to "Sarahalg"
You did a good job in your examples. They show that you really understood this weeks grammar girl. Good job! :)
On another episode of Grammar Girl, she talks about the misuse of the word "Of". Some people in their sentences use it properly and some not so much. The word "of" is used properly when your sentence explains what your trying to say or want. When it's used improper, the sentence doesn't really explain your motive.
ex: "of's" 1. Of all the things I've read, by far this is the most interesting story that has mystery in it.
2. I would love to get seconds of macaroni and chesse
Roberto Cabezas per.2
Response to Jesse Machorro... Okay examples but you could of written a bit more about the aspect of the using the word "of"... :)
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talked about the over usage of the word "of" and how to rewrite sentences in case you have an unnecessary "of" in your sentences. The overuse of "of" can make your writing sound passive. You can use "of" to give an object possession to someone; but you can simply replace the word "of" and rewrite a maybe better sentence. "Of" may make your sentence awkward and if you were to rewrite the sentence without the of, it will sound much more straightforward. In some cases though, the word of is the your best choice within the context. Also if you take out a necessary "of" then you might change the meaning of your sentence. Also when you use couple... most of the time it is necessary to have "of", for example a couple of shirts, a couple of apples... and so on.
EXAMPLE #1: It is very difficult, politically, to be in favor of this social issue... -here you need "of" to show what you are in favor of...
EXAMPLE #2 By living in an environment where you are constantly being judged because of the people around you. -here the "of" is showing the who is judging who.
Joseph Compton your examples were very vague. i wish you had at least written the correct way to use "of" and as well as the wrong.
In episode 153, "Do You Overuse 'Of'?" Grammar Girl talks about the preposition "of". Although overusing isn't grammatically wrong, it can clutter up your writing and make it sound submissive. "Of" should just be used when you are dealing with double possessives, a trail of possession, or an idiom.
Ex.
Sugar is the friend of Claude's sister. -This is an example that uses the word "of" for double possession.
Getting back in good condition for soccer was a goal of mine. -This is an example that uses a trail of possessives.
Claude's decisions lead to a couple of bad situation. - This is an example that uses "of" in an idiom.
Anthony, I like your summary but I think you should make your examples a little more complex and give an example of all the ways to use "of".
In Grammar Girl #12 we look at the proper usage of "of". As us can see by my first sentence, there is already a problem. I frequently us "of" when it really should be only used sparingly. For the most part is a word you want to avoid because it makes your writing seem passive. There are some cases were using "of" would be better to show possession or just to make sense
Examples
Not a good use: "One of my favorite hobbies is to study music."
Corrected: "Studying music is a hobby I enjoy."
Good way to use "of": "Could you please heat me up a bowl of warm soup?"
Response to Alex Luviano I'm not sure you fully understood everything because in your example you used one that was a properly using "of" and then tried to correct it resulting in a sentence that didn't make since.
"Ex. House M.D is one of my favorite television shows that I enjoy watching.
"Written better" House M.D is my favorite television that I enjoy watching."
Your explanation also contained a few errors like: "Of" is a preposition and its not an inherent word."
Corrected it should be "Of" is a preposition and its not an inherent
These weeks grammar girl she talks about people over using the word "of".Using the word "of" is not bad an can be used as many times as one pleases but just as how there are rules everywhere and one must follow the rules for using "of" do imply.Simply using "of" for every sentence makes it seem longer and confusing rather then just getting straight to the point.
examples
I heel flipped off of the ledge. (correct form) I heel flipped off the ledge.
Fernando's way of seeing things is full of confusion therefore it is misunderstood.
(correct form) Fernando's way of seeing things is depicted as confusion therefore it is misunderstood. Fernando Betancourt per.5
Of is a preposition and overusing it can make writing sound passive and picky. To make a sentence straight forward and pithy, it's best to drop the of. However, of can be used to indicate possession and in the idiom a couple of one needs the of.
Ex. The beautiful passage was spoken with the painful precision of a schoolgirl who has been taught to recite by some second-rate professor of elocution.
That sounds wordy. Let's eliminate of.
The beautiful passage with the painful precision was spoken by a schoolgirl who has been taught by some second-rate elocution professor.
That's better.
Ex. A couple of Basil's portraits were bought at a high price.
In this week's episode of Grammar Girl, she compares and contrasts the good and bad uses of the word "of". Overusing "of" can make your writing sound too passive. In dropping the word "of" your sentences will seem straight to the point or direct. Since "of" is used to indicate possession, she encourages everyone to use it when they have double possessives, a trail of possessives, and in some idioms. Using the word "of" can clutter up your writing but can be prevented from ruining it through proofreading.
I like how your summary was straight forward and pithy. On your second example: "Getting back in good condition for soccer was a goal of mine." I suggest you say: My goal for soccer is to get back in good condition. That way you don't need the of.
trail of possession EX. The cousin of Kysha's older friend told me about this program.
idiom EX. A couple of years ago we didn't like salad.
Response to Jesse: Hi,I don't know you but maybe you should have included a little more examples in your summary because I can't tell if you really understand when and where to use the word "of". You should look into double possessives and idioms so that your examples can show that you understand that "of" is not a word that you shouldn't use at all but be more careful with usage.
This week Grammar Girl talks about Overusing “of”. She talks about how she found that she has a bad habit of using “of” to many times. Starting off “of” is a preposition and overusing it can make your sentence sound passive and a little off. She’s just saying to be careful not to overuse it there’s other ways to write your sentence straightforward . You can use it when you have at least one idiom where you need “of” in phrases like “a couple of” etc.
Ex: Roscoe is the dog of my brother. instead you can say Ex: Roscoe's is my brothers dog.
Alejandra Naranjo Per.5 Response to the heart stopper I think in your examples you should show the correct and incorrect way to write your examples. I think it would give the readers a better understanding other than that good job.
Grammar Girl talked about how overusing the word "of" effects your writing. The overuse "of” makes a person's writing sound passive and unprofessional. Grammar Girl suggests that sometimes the word "of" isn't necessary and should be dropped to improve your writing style. It's very easy to determine when to drop the usage "of" from sentence. The final rule that allows you to use it in a sentence is that if the "of" is needed to determine possession.
Example:
1a.The dog of Jerry ran away. 1b. Jerry's dog ran away.
2a The girlfriend of James. 2b.James’ girlfriend
Response to Ferny:
Misspelled "with" in your entry. Other than that everything is fine.
In podcast 153, Grammar Girl explained the over use of "of". She explained that without the of, the sentence sounds more direct. Of can also be used for good. For example, you can use of when explaining possession.
Ex.. "It was my turn to throw my first throw of the prelims." This could have been turned into "..for the prelims".
Ex.."The marks of the two girls beating me, was within my capability." This statement is showing possession.
Grammar Girl discusses the good and bad uses for using the word "of" in a sentence. She explains that overusing the word "of" can become really annoying to some readers. There are ways to make a sentence more concise yet contain the same meaning by eliminating the word(s) "of" in the sentence; this shows a more straightforward sentence. However, in some cases, the word "of" is better used for sentences with double possession and the idiom or phrase, "a couple of."
Examples: (1) The complicated theme of the short story was gradually deduced after a long time. The sentence can be better written as: "The short story's complicated theme was gradually deduced after a long time."
(2) She could not dictate her essay well in front of the class because she was nervous. In this sentence, however, the word "of" is necessary because the possession does not work here.
Response to Jesse Machorro: The word "of" should have been explained as a preposition instead of a "proposition." Also, you should try to use better examples since "cup of water" was too similar to Grammar Girl's example of "bucket of water." Like the previous classmates' posts, your second example is incorrect because the sentence is actually incomplete. Instead, you could have written: The sentence, "the cup of water of Jesse was passed down," is overusing the word "of." It should be written as: "Jesse's cup of water was passed down."
Rama, You didn't really explain what Grammar Girl explained. You kind of gave a very vague description. For someone who didn't hear the podcast, they wouldn't completely know when and where it's okay to use the word "of". Good Job.
In toady's installment of Grammar Girl, the over usage of of was discussed. She basically talked about how the word of can really effect the flow of a paragraph. Of should be used to describe something that the person wants his of herself. I founded it quiet interesting because of all the time that word can be overused without being known.
ex1 Would you mind getting a gallon of milk? This sentence is good because the of describes the gallon of milk.
ex2 We could not attend tonight meeting because of the rain. This could be: We could not attend tonight meeting due to the rain.
Justin I feel that you do have a clear understanding of the lesson but i couldn't find your examples. Remember that the lesson basically thought us how to use the word of, but also how to omit it in some cases.
The word "of" is a preposition that shouldn't be use many times in your writing. "Of" is use to show possession and complex trail of possession.
Example 1: "Sunny is the daughter of the moody woman."
I don't need the "of" in this sentence.
"Sunny is the moody woman's daughter."
The sentence sounds more straightforward.
Example 2: "A couple of my friends decided to make a surprise party for me."
I need the "of" in this sentence.
Sandra Viramontes Period 5
How many times you used "of" in your summary and examples? I used "of" seven time. For this lesson it's okay to use "of" because it's about the word "of". :)
This week Grammar Girl was talking about the preposition "of" and how its overused. We all love to use most of the time, but we must make sure its used the correct way. for example, " John, can you bring me the box of Ritz crackers?" In this case it is used correctly because the word of is indicating an object. Another example," Sara is the mother of Nelly." This is used incorrectly because the preposition of isn't needed. You can just take it out.
Response: august burns red Hey you have really good examples, but i think the first example you have down is actually correct. because if you take the word "of" out it wouldn't make sense that much.
"He is the fiancee of Monica." Great sentence right? Wrong! This sentence is just horrible because the use of the word "of" is not necessary. You can instead write, "He is Monica's Wife." The wrod "of" is a preposition and one must be careful to not overuse it. I am not here to criticize the word "of" because like Grammar Girl said, there are good ways to use this word. The word "of" should be used when one wants to show possession, along with complex trail possession. The word "of" is also essential when using the phrase, "a couple of." The word of can be useful, but one must be careful and not abuse this beautiful word for it is the word of everyone, just kidding, but one really must not overuse the word "of."
Ex.1 This is an example of a bad sentence, "She was the assistant of David Souter."
The correctform of this sentence should be, "She was David Souter's assistant."
Ex.2 Here is another example of a bad sentence,"He went against the accusations of David Souter."
The correct form of this sentence should be, "He went against David Souter's accusations."
Response: My response goes to MrzTaken. Your summary overall was good, but I believe that what you said about this applies to some idioms is wrong because i think it said it only applies to one idiom, being "a couple of." Then again I can be wrong because there are probably other ones that she did not mention. Your example are good, but you should give the correct version after the incorrect one. That is pretty much it! Good Job!
This week grammer girl was about preposition.She explain how it shouldnt be overused.She said that with adding "of" to your sentences makes the simple and straight foward.
ex.The guitar of my friend's brother is very nice
Didnt really understand this lesson.A little confused
This weeks grammar girl is all about the word of. She calls it a preposition that is overused a lot, which is very true in my case. Grammar girl tells us that we should just get straight to the point in our sentence, so that we don't sound passive. But you dont have to just get rid of "of" forever, just use it sparingly.
EX.1 One of my guitars is a carvin, and the other is a kramer.
could be re-written as...
My guitars include a carvin and a kramer.
EX.2 One of the chords that are not often used in a major progression is the iii chord.
I'd change it to : One chord that is not used often is the iii chord; usually in a major progression.
@ricardo fernandez: you could have made your first example even simpler by just saying :studying music is a hobby.
Grammar Girl #12 talks about how people tend to use "of" in the incorrect way. "of" is a preposition, over using it can make your writing sound passive and fussy. So I'm going to show you some bad the wrong and correct way to use it.
Ex: "The cake is the cake"of Jamie." (Bad sentences)
Ex: "The cake is Jamie's." (Good sentence)
Ex: "Luis is the son of Ms Brown." (Bad sentence)
Ex: Luis is Ms Brown's son. (Good sentence)
My comment goes to Joseph Compton per5
you said Ex. The bad way: the material is of marble. You dint give an example so here's one. "The material is marble." well good job.
In the episode 153 of grammar girl she spoke about using the word "of" to much. it is a preposition that shouldnt be use alot. if you want ur paper to look great leave out "of" and your paper would be more to the point. it is used when you have two possessives, a trail and an idiom.
ex. Here you have the copy of my homework.
ex. The daughter of my god parents took me shopping.
ex. A few of these acters dont know how to play this role.
i suggest that you seperate your examples and back them up with a few explanation so the reader to understand the usage of the word "of". but good job though. :)
This week of grammar girl talking about the word "of" and how it is a preposition that shouldn't be overused. This word over used makes a person's writing sound emotionless. Grammar girl suggested that writers should just drop "of" in sentences.
ex1 I couldn't go to the movies because of my parents. I could not go to the movies due to my parents not approving.
ex2 Who wants to buy me a box of skateboards? this is good because there is a direct object in the sentence.
@dominique Nice summary I feel like you could have went more in detail, because you are known for becoming philosophical when explaining information.
"Of" is a preposition and the overuse of it can make anyones writing sound passive and cluttered. In most sentences you don't need the word "of" so to fix it you merely have to remove this preposition so your sentence has more flow to it. However, when you're dealing with double possessives, complex trail of possessions, and when addressing several things, "of" is useful and needed.
Ex. People move out of Texas because of the lack of jobs, and move to places with bigger production because there's job availability. -The word "of" is needed because it indicates where people are moving from.
Ex. The elderly are moving out of the regions that provide jobs because moving to cheaper and warmer regions are appropriate places for retirees to live. - "Of" is needed in this sentence because it connects both ideas of why they're moving and to where, for what reasons.
Response to whisperinthewind0104 : In your example you had a slight mistake, you forgot “show” after television. Overall your examples are good but need commas and better wording. For example, “House M.D is my favorite television that I enjoy watching” can be rewritten as “I enjoy watching my favorite television show, House M.D” I hope I helped.
In this week’s grammar girl, it talked about the numerous of times we as writers use the word “of”. "Of" is a preposition that indicates possession. When using the word "of" it can benefit to our advantage, but it can also confuse the reader as to what you are writing, depending how you use it. Not using "of" wraps up your statement more efficiently and direct, although it may cloud up the meaning of your sentence. Examples: 1. After running on the field my cleats got full of mud. In this sentence you have to use the word “of” because if you were to omit the word you would change the meaning of the sentence. 2. Evan is a good friend of mine." This sentence contains a double possessive because both “of” and “mine” are possessive words. Response: Rama, the summary of this grammar girl wasn’t very clear to me in in projecting the tips that were given,. But other than that your examples were good and getting the main thing across.
I'm am guilty. I am "of" offender. In my writting I often overuse the preposition "of" but this week on Gramar Girl my case was trailled and can safely agree that it is best to avoid the overusage of this word in order to avoid a passive voice or just to simplify.
Example: • Harlem is an example of a setting taking over as a symbol. Revised: Harlem is a setting taking over a symbol. • I was scared of failure. Revised: I feared failure.
Your response was helpful and easy to understand. Next time I suggest that you actually type out you're or your out rather than "ur" just to formalize things. But overall good job!
i lose track of these grammer girls when i dont have second period on tuesdays! errr.
OF
A prepostion, "of" can make a sentence sound passive. Though it is not bad to use, "of" can be deleted from a sentence in order for the sentence to be more direct.
EX:"Christian artists portrayed him in the form of a manchild."
"Christian artists portrayed him in the manchild form."
A good way to use of is when one must describe possession
Ex: "As the title suggests, "Manchild in the promise land" fights along the borders of childhood..."
Childhood possesses the borders at which the book is taking place.
A double possesive pairs "of" with mine, yours, ours, theirs to further explain the subjects possession. ___________________________________
Dora,
not using "of" does create a more direct sentence, but does not cloud it up. You are contradicting yourself.
Diana one cannont just delete of from a sentence and let it be. You have to rearrange the subject and the possession in order to create a more direct sentence.
This episode of Grammar Girl talks about using the word "of." Using "of" too much or unnecessarily can make your sentences sound different. I, myself do this a lot but I actually do it on purpose because I like to sound different.For instance, when the special day of everyone's life comes up I usually say:
Ex: Happy annual day of birth.
Now "happy birthday" is way more direct but where's the fun in that? More recently, my Thanksgiving text to all my friends read:
Ex: Happy day of the turkey.
Again "Thanksgiving" can clear a lot of things up and save some words but I like to be different. Now, unless you want to be like me try to use that word "of" sparingly, only when it is of the utmost benefit. Those times are when you need to specify an item such as "bowl of cereal" rather than "cereal bowl." Another good time to use it is when dealing with a chain of possessions. Instead of saying: "My friend's sister's daughter's cousin twice removed . . .," you can say: "The cousin twice removed of the daughter of my friend's sister." (Its still complicated but its a little better.)
@ Dora:
Your first sentence sounds really awkward. "Of" is a prepositional word and to my knowledge adjectives are never followed by a preposition. "Numerous" is an adjective, not a noun so it doesn't fit. I think you might have meant to put "number of times" or "many number of times" to emphasize the we do it a lot. Nothing personal, just pointing that out.
Happy day of the girl of grammar. See you all next week.
My name is Deonte Lang of period 2 and I approve this message.
It's very easy to overuse "of". I use it in my essays all the time and I don't really notice. It's something I'm used to. This week grammar girl explained how overusing "of" could make your writing passive and look cluttered. But it doesn't mean that you should never use "of". Of is a preposition word so if you need it then definitely use it.
Example:
Today is the day of the big exam. - In this sentence of is used wrong. To make the sentence more direct I would instead write, "Today is the big exam."
Another example is: "I know that you are capable of passing." Without the of the sentence would be rocky. The of keeps it in place.
----------------------------
Michelle V :
Your examples clearly showed that you understood the concept but your paragraph wasn't that helpful as how to use the word "of".
This week on grammar girl the word "of" is being mistreated ... it says that using the word 'of' is not to proffesional like ??? because it makes the writer sound to passive . grammar girl indicates that you should drop the word 'of' to make it simpler for the reader or less difficukt to understand..
EXAMPLE: 1.at work one of the customers asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy
2.While I was at work a customer asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy?
60 comments:
The word "of" is a preposition that should not be overused. The overuse 'of' this word makes a person's writing sound passive. To make your writing straight-forward and right to the point, Grammar Girl suggests that you should drop the word 'of' to make your sentences simpler. You can sometimes, accidently, use the word 'of', but it is better to leave it out in order to be direct.
'Of' is used to indicate possesion. It is desirable to use this word when you have double- possessives, a trail of possessives, and in an idiom.
Here is an example that uses the word 'of' for double- possession:
1. Here is an example of my essay.
-'Of' and 'my' indicate possession of an object.
Example that uses a trail of possessives:
2. The brother of my father's friend sent me some information regarding college.
Example that uses 'of' in an idiom:
3. A couple of my friends decided to go straight to the movies afterschool.
So, in the end, make sure that you use the word 'of' in the right way.
Of, of, of, of, of, of. . . of, of, of.
There I got the 'of's out of my system.
Actually writing with this word isn't so bad; it is grammatically correct, but it degrades your writing. It is among the bad habits young writers acquire that must be taken care of.
Just remember to try condensing and making your writing concise.
My examples:
"drugs take up all of one's being"
This is better written,
"drugs dominate one's identity"
I notice that I write "all of" frequently in my writing to show entirety when I could just as easily write "entirely" or "entire."
"We meet Sugar in the beginning chapters of the book"
I could write:
"We meet Sugar in the book's beginning chapters."
Again it is just a personal preference. Because I use "of" sparingly, it's use isn't going to end the world.
Rama.
SARAH-
While reading your response, which was very well written and to the point, I found some areas that I don't agree with.
Where you say "Grammar Girl suggests that you should drop the word 'of' to make your sentences simpler," I would disagree.
I don't think that the revision is to make your writing SIMPLER but MORE CONCISE.
Other than that, everything was great.
NOTE TO EVERYONE ELSE: DON'T RESPOND TO SARAH'S RESPONSE BECAUSE I GOT TO IT FIRST. HAHA JK BUT NOT REALLY.
OF! Aaaaah! Too much of it can drive you crazy at times. This week on grammar girl, she talks about how the word "of" is overly used. It's okay to use the word in your sentences, but the way you use them matters. A good sentence where the word "of is used for example is, "Amos! Can you bring me a bowl of strawberries?"A bad use of the word is, "Mr. Alejandro is the teacher of Megan." This sounds like a bad sentence compared to, "Mr. Alejandro is Megan's teacher." It sounds much better because it goes straight to the point. Another bad use of the word "of" is, "My kitten jumped off of the table onto our couch." The word is not needed so therefore you would take it away.
Hope my examples helped (;
I'm Outskiez!
-Sandra Fernandez aka Spicy Sandra:]
My response is to Rama. Hey hun i love you and all, but your examples confused me a bit. I understood your explanations of it. Probably because you were using big words. We are basically teaching this to people that don't know a thing about it. Lay low on the big words next time is my advice. Much love
-Sandra Fernandez<3
On this week's grammar girl the topic is about "Do you overuse “Of”?" Of is a preposition and its not an inherently word. You don’t really need the ”of” in the sentence. Sometimes if you take out the word of out the sentence it would sound much more straightforward without it. There is nothing really wrong with a sentence that uses the word of except that it leaves you wondering what is going on at this moment while you are reading. There are several good ways to use the word "of “in any type of sentence.
Ex. House M.D is one of my favorite television shows that I enjoy watching.
"Written better" House M.D is my favorite television that I enjoy watching.
Ex. While I was at work one of the customers asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy.
"Written better" While I was at work a customer asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy?
-Alex Luviano
Ofs can be found in every piece if writing...like in my first sentnce for example. Wether we use it correctly or incorrectly; how frequently we use is up to the writer.Many writers say that using "of" shows more of a passive voice trait. "Of" is a preposition that indicates possession. the word "of" can be useful but it can also fuzz up your writing if used to often; not using an "of" wraps up your statement more efficiently. Even though it may cloud up your senteces, the word "of" isn't completely bad...it can help out in many other ways.
Ex. "The ball of the girl is rolling away."
Instead, you could say, "The girl's ball is rolling away."
However, Grammar girl states that "of" is useful when dealing with double possessive, complex trail of possesion, and the phrase "a couple of".
Ex."Sandra is a friend of mine."
(double possessive) both of and mine are possessive words.
Ex. "My mom's sister's friend won the lottery." can be rewritten as "The friend of my mom's sister won the lottery."(complex trail of possessive)
Ex. "My cousin bought a couple of apples for us to eat on our way home." (a couple of)
This week's comment goes to Alex.
Your overview of the whole podcast is pretty good except for one of your examples. I think that you could have written the with better grammar, you forgot some puntuation marks.
it should be: "While I was at work, a customer asked me, "What would be a good toy for a six year old boy?"
other than that it was good......
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talks about the overuse of "of"; wow even I'm getting addicted "haha". So she says that of is a proposition and can make your writing look real ugly if used too much. Of can be used when indicating an object.
Examples
1. Please pass me the cup of water.
Of is used correctly because it's indicating an object.
2.The cup of water of Jesse.
The of is misused.
Jesse Machorro.
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talks about the overuse of "of"; wow even I'm getting addicted "haha". So she says that of is a proposition and can make your writing look real ugly if used too much. Of can be used when indicating an object.
Examples
1. Please pass me the cup of water.
Of is used correctly because it's indicating an object.
2.The cup of water of Jesse.
The of is misused.
Jesse Machorro.
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talks about the overuse of "of"; wow even I'm getting addicted "haha". So she says that of is a proposition and can make your writing look real ugly if used too much. Of can be used when indicating an object.
Examples
1. Please pass me the cup of water.
Of is used correctly because it's indicating an object.
2.The cup of water of Jesse.
The of is misused.
Jesse Machorro.
This week on grammar girl was about "Do you overuse “Of”?" Of can be find every where in your work. Grammar girl say that you should not use of it will have your sentences basic. Sentences with of do not tell you what is going on.
This grammar girl has to do wih the word "of". This word is not inccorect,but you should try not to use this word as much. You may need to use this word at times to show possession and possessive,. There are many times you use the word "of" to show this.
Ex: I decided to become a doctor because of my experience. (possession)
Ex : The doctors of that hospital could not attend me because they did not have the skills to do what need to be done. (Possessives)
I think that Sarahalg did a good job with this grammar girl, but i think that the last two examples are about the same and i did not completly understand.
Fernando Cazares Period 2
I never really payed attention to the word "of" and going over my writing to check if I ever overused such words, until now. Overusing the word "of" is the topic Grammar Girl discusses this week. She says that the preposition "of" makes writing sound passive. She tells us that it's better to be straightforward. However, using the word "of" isn't a bad thing. You might need to use it constantly for clarification. You don't want to change the meaning of a sentence like the example by Grammar Girl. Those are instances where the word "of" can be used without becoming too indirect and lengthy.
Example 1: "Ishmael's life was full of death and destruction."
Rewritten:"Ishmael's life was plagued by death and destruction."
You could insert a different word and still retain the same meaning.
Example 2: "He joins gangs and witnesses a lot of bloodshed."
Rewritten: "He joins gangs and witnesses much bloodshed."
Francisco Balderas Period 2
My Response goes to Luis:
What's up Luis? I like your summary and examples but you should have used something from your own writing. Also, you misspelled some words like "wether" which should be "whether". In your first sentence, you accidentally swapped "of" for "if". Great job either way.
todays grammar girl involves the overuse of "of" obviously i am one of these culprits. Hey i cant complain though even grammar girl has these problems. She explains that overusing of can make your work sound fussy and passive. She also explains that there are two uses of the word "of" the good way and the bad way.
Ex. The bad way: the material is of marble.
Ex. The good way: That's a hat of mine.
Joseph Compton
per5
Daniel Nadales
This time G.G. talked about the overuse of the word "of". She says that its alright to use the word but not to use it frequently in your sentences. She says that you should just get rid of the word "of" because it will make your sentences more simple.
Examples:
1. Today sucked because of the hot weather.
Today was not a good day due to the hot weather.
2. The music of my favorite band is very psychedelic.
My favorite band's music is very psychedelic.
Response: Jessie
your examples made sense to me but your summary is too short, could have been a bit longer and and a bit more detail.
This week, Grammar Girl's episode was on the overuse of the word "of." It's not a totally bad word to use in your writing, however using it too much can get annoying and bothersome. A writer's work is most effective when it's straight forward and to the point. Sometimes, placing an "of" somewhere in a sentence is just an accident that can't be helped. There are both good and bad ways to use the word "of."
Example 1: I put a bunch of David Bowie's music onto my iPod.
That example (and the following example as well) shows the possession way to use "of."
Example 2: Because of my rash decisions, I get to spend Christmas all by myself this year.
My reply goes to The Heart Stopper, or Joseph Compton for those who can't figure it out. I think your second example isn't a correct way to use "of" still. You say "That's a hat of mine" which isn't I guess wrong since it shows possession, but for that sentence I would just say "That hat is mine" because it shows the same kind of possession and it's direct. I don't mean to put you down or anything, I just want a good grade. Also remember to capitalize your I when talking about yourself.
Daniel Rodriguez p.2
12. This week, Grammar Girl talks about the preposition “of” and how people overuse the word in their writing. The word “of” can be used properly but it can also be misused. When it’s used improperly, it is usually in a sentence where it can be cut off to make that sentence sound properly without that extra junk. To see if your sentence uses “of” too many times, check whether your sentence can be made into a straightforward sentence. The word “of” is used properly when you indicate what you want, such as a cup of water or a plate of fruit. “Of” is also used correctly when you are using double possessives, a complex trail of possession, and it is also used in the idiom a couple of. We should always double check our work for these little mistakes. (:
Example 1: “Their different style of writing created a new sensation …” I can rewrite this sentence as: Their different writing style created a new sensation …
Example 2: “In the novel The Great Gatsby the narrator, Nick Carraway, tells us the story of Jay Gatsby …” My Correction: In the novel The Great Gatsby the narrator, Nick Carraway, tells us Jay Gatsby’s story …
Response to Daniel,
I read your summary and examples and I thought you did well on it. So i really don't know what to correct, but I think you could have explained when the word "of" is overused. Good job though (:
- Mary Garcia.
Grammar Girl #153 explains the good and bad ways to use word "of".
The bad ways for the usage of the word "of" is that it's sometimes not straight forward. The good ways to use the word "of" is when you are dealing with double possessives.
Examples:
1.Rigby is the dog of Josue.
This is not being straight forward.
It should read: Rigby is Josue's dog.
2.Bring me the container of tacos.
This is an example of a good way to use the word "of".
Response to "Jesse:)"
Your first example was correct but then your second example is completely wrong.
This week, Grammar Girl discusses the "of's" in a sentence. Many inexperienced writers incorrectly use of, sometimes overusing it, confusing readers.
"of" shows possession and double possession, just like "mine".
Example One: "In times OF childhood and adolescence, curiosity and innocence rule a child's mind"
Without "of", the sentence would look like this:
"During childhood and adolescence, curiosity and innocence rule a child's mind"
Dearest dannyboy,
your first example of the hot weather made perfect sense. There was no need to correct it. I lie,actually, the diction could have been better, but in terms of the usage of OF, the sentence was correct. :)
-Vianney Bernabe p.2
Comment to August burns red,
I enjoyed reading your summary of this week's Grammar Girl. You wwere direct and concise; however, I think that you should have added the proper names of the instances where you can use the word "of." For example, you can use this preposition when you are dealing with possessions, a trail of possessions, and with an idiom. This might not be very important, but I think that it gives readers an extra understanding and helps them know what to call these grammar rules.
SARAHALG:]
This week grammar girl talks about overusing "of ". Using "of " is a bad habit but this doesn't mean that there are not correct ways of using it."Of " is a preposition and overusing it can make your writing sound passive. Eliminating the word "of " in bad sentences can make the sentence sound more straightforward. "Of " can be used correctly when indicating possession in sentences. It can also be used in a complex use of possessions and in idioms. Finally "of " can be useful but only when used correctly, it can also become a bad habit to overuse it so be careful when and how you use it.
Example of good Of 's
1)Manchild in the Promised Land, portrayed childhood as a time of violence, drugs, and chaos.
2)Sonny was tired of his family and the reform schools.
3)Sonny wanted a piece of the drug deals to make money.
In regards to justin your explanation on the overuse of "of " was very vague and you didn't have any examples to support what you said. Next time justin you should just have a better explanation on why overusing "of " is bad and show the correct ways to use it with examples.
ex. Of all the story and poem I read over the break the best of them to me have to me the "Raven".
EX. She wanted a little of the pie that the other girl had bring.
Daniel I like how you example your work. You can tell that you use your own work and fix it so that you get in now.
This weeks grammar girl talks about the word "Of" being overused. Using it too much makes your writing sound very passive and not straight forward. "Of" is supposed to be used when dealing with the possession of something. If you can leave out the word "of" you should do so to get straight to the point. It makes the sentence sound better and easier to understand
Examples:
1.Bad-He is the brother of my mom.
2.Good-He is my mom's brother.
Response to "Sarahalg"
You did a good job in your examples. They show that you really understood this weeks grammar girl. Good job! :)
Anthony Williams
Period 5,Ms. Allen
On another episode of Grammar Girl, she talks about the misuse of the word "Of". Some people in their sentences use it properly and some not so much. The word "of" is used properly when your sentence explains what your trying to say or want. When it's used improper, the sentence doesn't really explain your motive.
ex: "of's"
1. Of all the things I've read, by far this is the most interesting story that has mystery in it.
2. I would love to get seconds of macaroni and chesse
Roberto Cabezas
per.2
Response to Jesse Machorro...
Okay examples but you could of written a bit more about the aspect of the using the word "of"... :)
In this weeks Grammar Girl she talked about the over usage of the word "of" and how to rewrite sentences in case you have an unnecessary "of" in your sentences. The overuse of "of" can make your writing sound passive. You can use "of" to give an object possession to someone; but you can simply replace the word "of" and rewrite a maybe better sentence. "Of" may make your sentence awkward and if you were to rewrite the sentence without the of, it will sound much more straightforward.
In some cases though, the word of is the your best choice within the context. Also if you take out a necessary "of" then you might change the meaning of your sentence. Also when you use couple... most of the time it is necessary to have "of", for example a couple of shirts, a couple of apples... and so on.
EXAMPLE #1:
It is very difficult, politically, to be in favor of this social issue...
-here you need "of" to show what you are in favor of...
EXAMPLE #2
By living in an environment where you are constantly being judged because of the people around you.
-here the "of" is showing the who is judging who.
Joseph Compton
your examples were very vague. i wish you had at least written the correct way to use "of" and as well as the wrong.
In episode 153, "Do You Overuse 'Of'?" Grammar Girl talks about the preposition "of". Although overusing isn't grammatically wrong, it can clutter up your writing and make it sound submissive. "Of" should just be used when you are dealing with double possessives, a trail of possession, or an idiom.
Ex.
Sugar is the friend of Claude's sister.
-This is an example that uses the word "of" for double possession.
Getting back in good condition for soccer was a goal of mine.
-This is an example that uses a trail of possessives.
Claude's decisions lead to a couple of bad situation.
- This is an example that uses "of" in an idiom.
Anthony, I like your summary but I think you should make your examples a little more complex and give an example of all the ways to use "of".
-Lucy Salguero
In Grammar Girl #12 we look at the proper usage of "of". As us can see by my first sentence, there is already a problem. I frequently us "of" when it really should be only used sparingly. For the most part is a word you want to avoid because it makes your writing seem passive. There are some cases were using "of" would be better to show possession or just to make sense
Examples
Not a good use:
"One of my favorite hobbies is to study music."
Corrected:
"Studying music is a hobby I enjoy."
Good way to use "of":
"Could you please heat me up a bowl of warm soup?"
Response to Alex Luviano
I'm not sure you fully understood everything because in your example you used one that was a properly using "of" and then tried to correct it resulting in a sentence that didn't make since.
"Ex. House M.D is one of my favorite television shows that I enjoy watching.
"Written better" House M.D is my favorite television that I enjoy watching."
Your explanation also contained a few errors like:
"Of" is a preposition and its not an inherent word."
Corrected it should be "Of" is a preposition and its not an inherent
-Ricardo Fernandez
Period 2
These weeks grammar girl she talks about people over using the word "of".Using the word "of" is not bad an can be used as many times as one pleases but just as how there are rules everywhere and one must follow the rules for using "of" do imply.Simply using "of" for every sentence makes it seem longer and confusing rather then just getting straight to the point.
examples
I heel flipped off of the ledge.
(correct form)
I heel flipped off the ledge.
Fernando's way of seeing things is full of confusion therefore it is misunderstood.
(correct form)
Fernando's way of seeing things is depicted as confusion therefore it is misunderstood.
Fernando Betancourt
per.5
Of is a preposition and overusing it can make writing sound passive and picky. To make a sentence straight forward and pithy, it's best to drop the of. However, of can be used to indicate possession and in the idiom a couple of one needs the of.
Ex. The beautiful passage was spoken with the painful precision of a schoolgirl who has been taught to recite by some second-rate professor of elocution.
That sounds wordy. Let's eliminate of.
The beautiful passage with the painful precision was spoken by a schoolgirl who has been taught by some second-rate elocution professor.
That's better.
Ex. A couple of Basil's portraits were bought at a high price.
Here of is used because of the idiom a couple of.
-Sara L. per.2
In this week's episode of Grammar Girl, she compares and contrasts the good and bad uses of the word "of". Overusing "of" can make your writing sound too passive. In dropping the word "of" your sentences will seem straight to the point or direct. Since "of" is used to indicate possession, she encourages everyone to use it when they have double possessives, a trail of possessives, and in some idioms. Using the word "of" can clutter up your writing but can be prevented from ruining it through proofreading.
Lucy -
I like how your summary was straight forward and pithy. On your second example: "Getting back in good condition for soccer was a goal of mine." I suggest you say: My goal for soccer is to get back in good condition. That way you don't need the of.
-Sara L. per.2
hello robertelchongo,
I like your summary and first example. I didn't understand your second example.
"I would love to get seconds of macaroni and chesse."
What are you talking about?
Here is an example to fix your sentence:
"I would love to get a second plate of macaroni and cheese."
Good job!
Sandra Viramontes
double possessive
EX. This is an antique of mine.
trail of possession
EX. The cousin of Kysha's older friend told me about this program.
idiom
EX. A couple of years ago we didn't like salad.
Response to Jesse:
Hi,I don't know you but maybe you should have included a little more examples in your summary because I can't tell if you really understand when and where to use the word "of". You should look into double possessives and idioms so that your examples can show that you understand that "of" is not a word that you shouldn't use at all but be more careful with usage.
aw man why do I keep forgetting to put my name? haha
Giovanna Murray
Per. 2
This week Grammar Girl talks about Overusing “of”. She talks about how she found that she has a bad habit of using “of” to many times. Starting off “of” is a preposition and overusing it can make your sentence sound passive and a little off. She’s just saying to be careful not to overuse it there’s other ways to write your sentence straightforward . You can use it when you have at least one idiom where you need
“of” in phrases like “a couple of” etc.
Ex: Roscoe is the dog of my brother.
instead you can say
Ex: Roscoe's is my brothers dog.
Alejandra Naranjo
Per.5
Response to the heart stopper I think in your examples you should show the correct and incorrect way to write your examples. I think it would give the readers a better understanding other than that good job.
Grammar Girl talked about how overusing the word "of" effects your writing. The overuse "of” makes a person's writing sound passive and unprofessional. Grammar Girl suggests that sometimes the word "of" isn't necessary and should be dropped to improve your writing style. It's very easy to determine when to drop the usage "of" from sentence. The final rule that allows you to use it in a sentence is that if the "of" is needed to determine possession.
Example:
1a.The dog of Jerry ran away.
1b. Jerry's dog ran away.
2a The girlfriend of James.
2b.James’ girlfriend
Response to Ferny:
Misspelled "with" in your entry. Other than that everything is fine.
In podcast 153, Grammar Girl explained the over use of "of". She explained that without the of, the sentence sounds more direct. Of can also be used for good. For example, you can use of when explaining possession.
Ex.. "It was my turn to throw my first throw of the prelims." This could have been turned into "..for the prelims".
Ex.."The marks of the two girls beating me, was within my capability." This statement is showing possession.
Grammar Girl discusses the good and bad uses for using the word "of" in a sentence. She explains that overusing the word "of" can become really annoying to some readers. There are ways to make a sentence more concise yet contain the same meaning by eliminating the word(s) "of" in the sentence; this shows a more straightforward sentence. However, in some cases, the word "of" is better used for sentences with double possession and the idiom or phrase, "a couple of."
Examples:
(1) The complicated theme of the short story was gradually deduced after a long time.
The sentence can be better written as: "The short story's complicated theme was gradually deduced after a long time."
(2) She could not dictate her essay well in front of the class because she was nervous.
In this sentence, however, the word "of" is necessary because the possession does not work here.
Response to Jesse Machorro:
The word "of" should have been explained as a preposition instead of a "proposition." Also, you should try to use better examples since "cup of water" was too similar to Grammar Girl's example of "bucket of water." Like the previous classmates' posts, your second example is incorrect because the sentence is actually incomplete. Instead, you could have written:
The sentence, "the cup of water of Jesse was passed down," is overusing the word "of." It should be written as: "Jesse's cup of water was passed down."
Rama,
You didn't really explain what Grammar Girl explained. You kind of gave a very vague description. For someone who didn't hear the podcast, they wouldn't completely know when and where it's okay to use the word "of". Good Job.
Sandra,
I love your responses. :-)
In toady's installment of Grammar Girl, the over usage of of was discussed. She basically talked about how the word of can really effect the flow of a paragraph. Of should be used to describe something that the person wants his of herself. I founded it quiet interesting because of all the time that word can be overused without being known.
ex1
Would you mind getting a gallon of milk?
This sentence is good because the of describes the gallon of milk.
ex2
We could not attend tonight meeting because of the rain.
This could be: We could not attend tonight meeting due to the rain.
Justin
I feel that you do have a clear understanding of the lesson but i couldn't find your examples. Remember that the lesson basically thought us how to use the word of, but also how to omit it in some cases.
-Dominique Thomas
per.2
The word "of" is a preposition that shouldn't be use many times in your writing. "Of" is use to show possession and complex trail of possession.
Example 1:
"Sunny is the daughter of the moody woman."
I don't need the "of" in this sentence.
"Sunny is the moody woman's daughter."
The sentence sounds more straightforward.
Example 2:
"A couple of my friends decided to make a surprise party for me."
I need the "of" in this sentence.
Sandra Viramontes
Period 5
How many times you used "of" in your summary and examples?
I used "of" seven time.
For this lesson it's okay to use "of" because it's about the word "of". :)
This week Grammar Girl was talking about the preposition "of" and how its overused. We all love to use most of the time, but we must make sure its used the correct way. for example, " John, can you bring me the box of Ritz crackers?" In this case it is used correctly because the word of is indicating an object. Another example," Sara is the mother of Nelly." This is used incorrectly because the preposition of isn't needed. You can just take it out.
Response: august burns red
Hey you have really good examples, but i think the first example you have down is actually correct. because if you take the word "of" out it wouldn't make sense that much.
Nelly
Melamed
Per. 5
"He is the fiancee of Monica." Great sentence right? Wrong! This sentence is just horrible because the use of the word "of" is not necessary. You can instead write, "He is Monica's Wife." The wrod "of" is a preposition and one must be careful to not overuse it. I am not here to criticize the word "of" because like Grammar Girl said, there are good ways to use this word. The word "of" should be used when one wants to show possession, along with complex trail possession. The word "of" is also essential when using the phrase, "a couple of." The word of can be useful, but one must be careful and not abuse this beautiful word for it is the word of everyone, just kidding, but one really must not overuse the word "of."
Ex.1 This is an example of a bad sentence, "She was the assistant of David Souter."
The correctform of this sentence should be, "She was David Souter's assistant."
Ex.2 Here is another example of a bad sentence,"He went against the accusations of David Souter."
The correct form of this sentence should be, "He went against David Souter's accusations."
Response: My response goes to MrzTaken. Your summary overall was good, but I believe that what you said about this applies to some idioms is wrong because i think it said it only applies to one idiom, being "a couple of." Then again I can be wrong because there are probably other ones that she did not mention. Your example are good, but you should give the correct version after the incorrect one. That is pretty much it! Good Job!
Fernando S. Per.2
This week grammer girl was about preposition.She explain how it shouldnt be overused.She said that with adding "of" to your sentences makes the simple and straight foward.
ex.The guitar of my friend's brother is very nice
Didnt really understand this lesson.A little confused
This weeks grammar girl is all about the word of. She calls it a preposition that is overused a lot, which is very true in my case. Grammar girl tells us that we should just get straight to the point in our sentence, so that we don't sound passive. But you dont have to just get rid of "of" forever, just use it sparingly.
EX.1
One of my guitars is a carvin, and the other is a kramer.
could be re-written as...
My guitars include a carvin and a kramer.
EX.2
One of the chords that are not often used in a major progression is the iii chord.
I'd change it to : One chord that is not used often is the iii chord; usually in a major progression.
@ricardo fernandez:
you could have made your first example even simpler by just saying :studying music is a hobby.
Cris Garcia
p.2
Grammar Girl #12 talks about how people tend to use "of" in the incorrect way. "of" is a preposition, over using it can make your writing sound passive and fussy. So I'm going to show you some bad the wrong and correct way to use it.
Ex: "The cake is the cake"of Jamie."
(Bad sentences)
Ex: "The cake is Jamie's."
(Good sentence)
Ex: "Luis is the son of Ms Brown."
(Bad sentence)
Ex: Luis is Ms Brown's son.
(Good sentence)
My comment goes to Joseph Compton
per5
you said Ex. The bad way: the material is of marble.
You dint give an example so here's one.
"The material is marble."
well good job.
In the episode 153 of grammar girl she spoke about using the word "of" to much. it is a preposition that shouldnt be use alot. if you want ur paper to look great leave out "of" and your paper would be more to the point. it is used when you have two possessives, a trail and an idiom.
ex. Here you have the copy of my homework.
ex. The daughter of my god parents took me shopping.
ex. A few of these acters dont know how to play this role.
spicy sandra-
i suggest that you seperate your examples and back them up with a few explanation so the reader to understand the usage of the word "of". but good job though. :)
This week of grammar girl talking about the word "of" and how it is a preposition that shouldn't be overused. This word over used makes a person's writing sound emotionless. Grammar girl suggested that writers should just drop "of" in sentences.
ex1
I couldn't go to the movies because of my parents.
I could not go to the movies due to my parents not approving.
ex2
Who wants to buy me a box of skateboards?
this is good because there is a direct object in the sentence.
@dominique
Nice summary I feel like you could have went more in detail, because you are known for becoming philosophical when explaining information.
Sarahalg, your example number three doesn't even have the word of.
Jesse Machorro.
"Of" is a preposition and the overuse of it can make anyones writing sound passive and cluttered. In most sentences you don't need the word "of" so to fix it you merely have to remove this preposition so your sentence has more flow to it. However, when you're dealing with double possessives, complex trail of possessions, and when addressing several things, "of" is useful and needed.
Ex. People move out of Texas because of the lack of jobs, and move to places with bigger production because there's job availability.
-The word "of" is needed because it indicates where people are moving from.
Ex. The elderly are moving out of the regions that provide jobs because moving to cheaper and warmer regions are appropriate places for retirees to live.
- "Of" is needed in this sentence because it connects both ideas of why they're moving and to where, for what reasons.
Response to whisperinthewind0104 : In your example you had a slight mistake, you forgot “show” after television. Overall your examples are good but need commas and better wording. For example, “House M.D is my favorite television that I enjoy watching” can be rewritten as “I enjoy watching my favorite television show, House M.D” I hope I helped.
Diana P2
In this week’s grammar girl, it talked about the numerous of times we as writers use the word “of”. "Of" is a preposition that indicates possession. When using the word "of" it can benefit to our advantage, but it can also confuse the reader as to what you are writing, depending how you use it. Not using "of" wraps up your statement more efficiently and direct, although it may cloud up the meaning of your sentence.
Examples:
1. After running on the field my cleats got full of mud.
In this sentence you have to use the word “of” because if you were to omit the word you would change the meaning of the sentence.
2. Evan is a good friend of mine."
This sentence contains a double possessive because both “of” and “mine” are possessive words.
Response:
Rama, the summary of this grammar girl wasn’t very clear to me in in projecting the tips that were given,. But other than that your examples were good and getting the main thing across.
Vanessa Garcia
Period 2
I'm am guilty. I am "of" offender. In my writting I often overuse the preposition "of" but this week on Gramar Girl my case was trailled and can safely agree that it is best to avoid the overusage of this word in order to avoid a passive voice or just to simplify.
Example:
• Harlem is an example of a setting taking over as a symbol.
Revised: Harlem is a setting taking over a symbol.
• I was scared of failure.
Revised: I feared failure.
Diego,
Your response was helpful and easy to understand. Next time I suggest that you actually type out you're or your out rather than "ur" just to formalize things. But overall good job!
Michelle V.
Period: 2
i lose track of these grammer girls when i dont have second period on tuesdays! errr.
OF
A prepostion, "of" can make a sentence sound passive. Though it is not bad to use, "of" can be deleted from a sentence in order for the sentence to be more direct.
EX:"Christian artists portrayed him in the form of a manchild."
"Christian artists portrayed him in the manchild form."
A good way to use of is when one must describe possession
Ex: "As the title suggests, "Manchild in the promise land" fights along the borders of childhood..."
Childhood possesses the borders at which the book is taking place.
A double possesive pairs "of" with mine, yours, ours, theirs to further explain the subjects possession.
___________________________________
Dora,
not using "of" does create a more direct sentence, but does not cloud it up. You are contradicting yourself.
Diana
one cannont just delete of from a sentence and let it be. You have to rearrange the subject and the possession in order to create a more direct sentence.
This episode of Grammar Girl talks about using the word "of." Using "of" too much or unnecessarily can make your sentences sound different. I, myself do this a lot but I actually do it on purpose because I like to sound different.For instance, when the special day of everyone's life comes up I usually say:
Ex: Happy annual day of birth.
Now "happy birthday" is way more direct but where's the fun in that? More recently, my Thanksgiving text to all my friends read:
Ex: Happy day of the turkey.
Again "Thanksgiving" can clear a lot of things up and save some words but I like to be different. Now, unless you want to be like me try to use that word "of" sparingly, only when it is of the utmost benefit. Those times are when you need to specify an item such as "bowl of cereal" rather than "cereal bowl." Another good time to use it is when dealing with a chain of possessions. Instead of saying: "My friend's sister's daughter's cousin twice removed . . .," you can say: "The cousin twice removed of the daughter of my friend's sister." (Its still complicated but its a little better.)
@ Dora:
Your first sentence sounds really awkward. "Of" is a prepositional word and to my knowledge adjectives are never followed by a preposition. "Numerous" is an adjective, not a noun so it doesn't fit. I think you might have meant to put "number of times" or "many number of times" to emphasize the we do it a lot. Nothing personal, just pointing that out.
Happy day of the girl of grammar. See you all next week.
My name is Deonte Lang of period 2 and I approve this message.
It's very easy to overuse "of". I use it in my essays all the time and I don't really notice. It's something I'm used to. This week grammar girl explained how overusing "of" could make your writing passive and look cluttered. But it doesn't mean that you should never use "of". Of is a preposition word so if you need it then definitely use it.
Example:
Today is the day of the big exam.
- In this sentence of is used wrong. To make the sentence more direct I would instead write, "Today is the big exam."
Another example is:
"I know that you are capable of passing."
Without the of the sentence would be rocky. The of keeps it in place.
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Michelle V :
Your examples clearly showed that you understood the concept but your paragraph wasn't that helpful as how to use the word "of".
-Rocio
Graded.
This week on grammar girl the word "of" is being mistreated ...
it says that using the word 'of' is not to proffesional like ???
because it makes the writer sound to passive .
grammar girl indicates that you should drop the word 'of' to make it simpler for the reader or less difficukt to understand..
EXAMPLE:
1.at work one of the customers asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy
2.While I was at work a customer asked me what would be a good toy for a six year old boy?
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