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Anonymous Posted 18 years ago
Grammar
"off" usage again
In a heavy fog off Long Island on May 16, Rodgers perceived the silhouette of another ship close alongside.
Please clarify whether "of" can be used here
Please clarify whether "of" can be used here
Top answer
Hi Anon No, only off works here. The sense is "off the coast of Long Island". The word off basically refers to an unspecified (but probably small) distance away from the coast of Long Island.
- Hi Anon No, only off works here.
- The sense is "off the coast of Long Island".
- The word off basically refers to an unspecified (but probably small) distance away from the coast of Long Island.
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2 Answers
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Hi Anon
No, only off works here. The sense is "off the coast of Long Island". The word off basically refers to an unspecified (but probably small) distance away from the coast of Long Island.
No, only off works here. The sense is "off the coast of Long Island". The word off basically refers to an unspecified (but probably small) distance away from the coast of Long Island.
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While of and off are both prepositions, of tends to show possession. What we have here is location - not on the island but off the island. If we wanted to claim the fog belonged to Long Island, we'd say, "In the heavy fog of Long Island . . ." - like, "In the heavy snows of Alaska . . ." This is just one particular fog.
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