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Grammarwannabe Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

use of "of"

why is it that we use "of" in the sentence "tell me if I can be of any assistance..."
  

Top answer

"be of assistance" is a set phrase. "be of help" is another similar one. The exact reason for "of" is not very obvious.

— GPY

  • "be of assistance" is a set phrase.
  • "be of help" is another similar one.
  • The exact reason for "of" is not very obvious.
  • I would just treat it as an idiomatic expression.
  • g.
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3 Answers
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"be of assistance" is a set phrase. "be of help" is another similar one. The exact reason for "of" is not very obvious. I would just treat it as an idiomatic expression.

There are also various other idiomatic "be of + noun" expressions, e.g. "be of interest" and "be of importance".
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Grammarwannabe Why is it that we use "of" in the sentence "Tell me if I can be of any assistance."
See

CJ
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