You are welcome to answer questions posted in the Ask a Teacher forum as long as your suggestions, help, and advice reflect a good understanding of the English language. If you are not a teacher, you will need to state that clearly at the top of your post. Please note, all posts are moderated by our in-house language experts, so make sure your suggestions, help, and advice house the kind of information an international language teacher would offer. If not, and your posts do not contribute to the topic in a positive way, they will be subject to deletion.
Hi, can you give me a way to explain the difference between from and of? In Dutch, both are translated by "van". I know the difference, but how to expalin it. I had a letter from one of my "students" telling me she was "back of holiday" I see of as belonging to, and from as in leaving from, but is there a better expalnation please?
It's hard to get to a single idea, but I would suggest that 'from' has a connection with movemnt, as seen in 'made of' (no substantial physical change) and 'made from' (changes into something esle). Holiday requires movement, so we use 'from'. If we say 'at the back of' we mean behind (location- it's at the back of the shop) and not moving. Does this help at all?
It's hard to get to a single idea, but I would suggest that 'from' has a connection with movemnt, as seen in 'made of' (no substantial physical change) and 'made from' (changes into something esle). Holiday requires movement, so we use 'from'. If we say 'at the back of' we mean behind (location- it's at the back of the shop) and not moving. Does this help at all?
From or of 
Linear Mode
