Questions about the preposition "of"

Question

Good eveningCould anyone please give me an answer for my question about the use of the preposition "of" in the following sentence?"He's just become an Australian citizen after thirty-five years OF living there."Couldn't I build that same sentence without the use of that preposition? (... after thirty-five years living there.)If no, why? What does that preposition indicate in that sentence?I thank in advance for any help I can get.

Maple · Accepted Answer

Anonymous
Couldn't I build that same sentence without the use of that preposition? (... after thirty-five years living there.)

Yes, it sounds smooth.

living there is a verbal phrase (present participle phrase)

AnonymousWhat does that preposition indicate in that sentence?

of in "thirty-five years of living there" means "Characterized by". ???

I'm not sure

Clive · Answer

Hi,

Could anyone please give me an answer for my question about the use of the preposition "of" in the following sentence?

"He's just become an Australian citizen after thirty-five years OF living there."

What does that preposition indicate in that sentence?

A of B can express a lot of different relationships between A and B, eg origin, cause, identity, belonging, possession, separation, quality, condition. A good dictionary should list these for you, with brief examples.

The phrase thirty-five years of living there describes the quality or characteristics of these years. It's the same as saying, for example, two years of happiness, five years of work.

Couldn't I build that same sentence without the use of that preposition? (... after thirty-five years living there.) You could say that, although I'd write it as thirty-five years' living there, again to reflect the relationship between the two parts. You could also say after living there for thirty-five years.

Best wishes, Clive

Questions about the preposition "of"

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