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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Both legs or both of legs?

A soldier lost both of legs.

A soldier lost both legs.

A soldier lost both of his legs.

A soldier lost both his legs.

When do I use "of"?
  

Top answer

Hi Anon Of your four sentences, the only one that isn't used is the first one: A soldier lost both of legs. I would say that "both his legs" sounds a bit more emphatic. Here are some similar examples using the word "houses": - both of the houses on the street (There are only two houses on that particular street) - both of the white houses on the street (There are only two white houses on the street) - both of them (both of the two things that have already been previously mentioned) - both houses (both of the two previously mentioned houses) - both white houses (both of the two previously mentioned white houses) - both of houses (incorrect -- you cannot use this to refer to two houses)

— Yankee

  • Hi Anon Of your four sentences, the only one that isn't used is the first one: A soldier lost both of legs.
  • I would say that "both his legs" sounds a bit more emphatic.
  • Here are some similar examples using the word "houses": - both of the houses on the street (There are only two houses on that particular street) - both of the white houses on the street (There are only two white houses on the street) - both of them (both of the two things that have already been previously mentioned) - both houses (both of the two previously mentioned houses) - both white houses (both of the two previously mentioned white houses) - both of houses (incorrect -- you cannot use this to refer to two houses)
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2 Answers
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Hi Anon

Of your four sentences, the only one that isn't used is the first one: A soldier lost both of legs.

I would say that "both his legs" sounds a bit more emphatic.

Here are some similar examples using the word "houses":

- both of the houses on the street (There are only two houses on that particular street)
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As usual, I can't argue with what Yankee has offered here.

However, I would just like to add that I prefer not to use 'of' with 'all', 'both', and the like. 'Of' to me indicates something like the French partitive, and I use it only when not all the items are included.
I prefer "all the houses on the street are brick", reserving 'of' to 'Most of the houses on the str
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