preposition
1
BAD : The demonstration was attended by several hundreds of people.
GOOD : The demonstration was attended by several hundred people.
BAD : Over a thousand of people have died from the disease.
GOOD : Over a thousand people have died from the disease.
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Using numbers
Day, month, minute, mile, kilo etc are always SINGULAR when used (with a number) immediately before a noun: ‘a six-minute wait’, ‘a ten-second silence’, ‘a five-mile race’.
My travel agent had arranged a 6-day coach tour.
The company provides a three-month training course.
Compare: ‘We waited for thirty minutes: ‘We had a thirty-minute wait.’
When you say 100, 1000 etc , or write these numbers in words, use a hundred, a thousand (WITH a ):
The palace was build a thousand years ago.
Compare: ‘The palace was built 1000 years ago.’
For emphasis or to be exact, it is possible to use one instead of a :
I am one hundred percent against the idea.
After a/one/five/twelve etc , the words hundred, thousand, etc are always SINGULAR and are NOT followed by of :
Five hundred children are born in the city every day.
More than three thousand people were there.
Similarly, of is NOT used after 100, 250, 3000 etc:
If you kill 200 whales a year, they will soon disappear.
Hundreds (of), thousands (of) etc are used only when you give a general idea of how many or how much: ‘There were hundreds of stars in the sky.’ ‘They’ve spent thousands (of pounds) on improvements to the house.’
Use and between hundred and the next number. (In American English, and is often omitted, especially in formal styles.)
BrE The club has about a hundred and thirty members.
AmE The club has about a hundred (and) thirty members.
2
BAD : Arlon is one of the oldest towns of Belgium.
GOOD : Arlon is one of the oldest towns in Belgium.
BAD : We stayed in one of the most beautiful villages of Kent.
GOOD : We stayed in one of the most beautiful villages in Kent.
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To refer to the country/region/area etc where something is or takes place, use in (NOT of ): 'the longest river in Brazil', 'the second largest city in Spain', 'one of the most picturesque spots in the whole of Tuscany'
3
BAD : I arrived in London on 25th of November.
GOOD : I arrived in London on 25th November.
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You say 'the 25th of November' or 'November the 25th' but you write '25th November' or 'November 25th' (WITHOUT the or of ).
4
BAD : The old man didn't give me a minute of peace.
GOOD : The old man didn't give me a minute's peace.
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When you say how long something lasts, you usually use -'s/-s' (NOT of ): 'a week's holiday', 'three months' maternity leave'
Note however the pattern with of + v-ing : 'After two months of doing nothing, I decided it was time to get on with my life.'
5
BAD : The bicycle of Paul was too big for me.
GOOD : Paul's bicycle was too big for me.
BAD : This coat isn't mine. It's of a friend.
GOOD : This coat isn't mine. It's a friend's.
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To say that something belongs to or is connected with someone, use -'s/-s' (NOT of ). Compare: 'Pam's husband', 'Julia's house', 'her father's car', 'a beginners' course in French conversation'
6
BAD : He is a good friend of them.
GOOD : He is a good friend of theirs.
BAD : A friend of you phoned and wants you to call her.
GOOD : A friend of yours phoned and wants you to call her.
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When the meaning is possessive, use of + mine/yours/his/ hers/ours/theirs . Compare:
'That's a photograph of him.' (= showing him)
'That's a photograph of his.' (= belonging to or taken by him)
7
BAD : The scenery reminded her of a painting of Renoir.
GOOD : The scenery reminded her of a painting by Renoir.
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To introduce the person who wrote/painted/composed something, use by : 'I'm reading a novel by Thomas Hardy.'
Compare: 'a painting of Renoir' (= a picture that someone painted of Renoir) 'a painting by Renoir' (= a picture that Renoir painted)
8
See 297