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Andrei Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Of

The new constitution, approved by the EU last month, faces a plebiscite in 10 countries, including the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Spain.

More than 33% of those questioned said they had yet to make up their minds on whether they supported the constitution, with hesitation particularly high in the 10 countries where a vote will be held.

Parliaments in Lithuania and Hungary have already ratified the constitution, but a single "No" vote could stop the treaty in its tracks.

A European Commission spokesman said the more people knew of the constitution, the more they were likely to approve of it.

The treaty is an attempt to streamline EU decision-making, replacing vetoes with majority voting in many areas though not in foreign affairs, defence, social security, taxation and culture.





Please look at the pneultimate sentence of the above. You will read the preposition 'of' twice in the sentence. Are they really necessary?

I would simply say many people know the constitiution or many people know about the constitiution. Would you write 'know of the constitution'?

Furthermore, it would be correct to say they were more likely to approve it. Why is it necessary to say approve of it?
  

Top answer

yes. know of sb/sth phrasal means "to have heard of someone or something and be able to give a small amount of information about them" exmp: Do you know of a good doctor? approve is used with "of"

  • yes.
  • know of sb/sth phrasal means "to have heard of someone or something and be able to give a small amount of information about them" exmp: Do you know of a good doctor?
  • approve is used with "of"
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4 Answers
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yes. know of sb/sth phrasal means "to have heard of someone or something and be able to give a small amount of information about them"

exmp: Do you know of a good doctor?

approve is used with "of"
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Do you know about a good doctor?

The above is correct.

Do you know about racing cars?

Not -> Do you know of racing cars?


Do you know about AIDS? This is correct.

Do you know of AIDS? This sound a bit awkward to my ears.
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A European Commission spokesman said the more people knew of the constitution, the more they were likely to approve of it. >>> means (approximately) >>>

A European Commission spokesman said that as people became familiar with more and more of the details of the constitution, it would become more and more likely that they would find it satisfactory.
A European Com
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CslifJim

Your paraphrasing is excellent. I have no more questions to answer on this. You shrwedly removed the 'of' words.

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