Prepositions are parts of the English language that introduce prepositional phrases. In almost every English sentence, you can notice at least one proposition. Prepositions are used to indicate the relationship between two things. Of and For are two of the most commonly used and misused prepositions in the English language. In this article, we are going to look at the difference between Of and For.
Of – Meaning and Usage
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Derived or made from
“She lived in a hut made of Wattle and daub.”
“She was wearing her dress of lace and pearl.”
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Resulting from or caused by
“Her mother died of a heart attack at the age of 40.”
“He acted out of respect for his teacher.”
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Indicating position
“The top of her head reached his shoulders.”
“The little girl believed that fairies lived at the bottom of their garden.”
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Belonging to
“He loved to read sonnets of Shakespeare.”
“Workers of his factory began to strike.”
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Expressing amount, number, or a particular unit
“I met a group of friends.”
“She bought two kilos of rice.”
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With reference to/relating to
“Of her background, they know very little.”
“One of the advantages of Facebook the ability to find long lost friends.”
She lived in a hut made of Wattle and daub.
For –meaning and usage
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Because of
“Sri Lanka is famous for its sandy beaches.”
“She’s best remembered for her dramas.”
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Intention of
“He got the prize for the best runner.”
“There is a phone call for you.”
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With the aim, or for the purpose of
|”Mr. Collins invited us for dinner.”
“This polish is not for use on uneven surfaces.”
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Time/Distance
“They had walked for miles and miles before the police found them.”
“I waited 2 hours for him.”
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Occasions
“I gave him a bicycle for his birthday.”
“I’ve booked a table at the restaurant for seven o‘clock.”
- For as a Conjunction (because)
“She remained silent for she knew that they would blame her.”
Srilanka is known for its sandy beaches.
Difference between Of and For
Of: a preposition of distance, origin, direction and cause
For: a preposition of time, distance and purpose
Of: not used as a conjunction
For: used as a conjunction
