prepositions used with the common noun "book"

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aniqashah

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hello everyone!

i wanted to know whats the correct preposition to be used with "book". as in, which of the following sentences are correct. why or why not.

1. I am reading a book by Charles Dickens. (why not "of charles dickens"?)
2. I am a reading a book on cooking.
3. I own a book of chemistry. (why not "on chemistry'?)

Can "about" be used as a preposition proceeding "book".


I would really appreciate a proper explanation, for I need to explain it to someone.

thanks!
 

5jj

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[STRIKE]h[/STRIKE]Hello everyone!

[STRIKE]i[/STRIKE] I wanted to know what's the correct preposition to be used with "book"., as in, which of the following sentences are correct? why or why not?

1. I am reading a book by Charles Dickens. (why not "of [STRIKE]c[/STRIKE]Charles [STRIKE]d[/STRIKE]Dickens"?)
2. I am a reading a book on cooking.
3. I own a book of chemistry. (why not "on chemistry'?)
1. The book was written by Dickens. 'A book of Charles Dickens' would belong to him.
2. Fine
3. It should be 'on'.
 

billmcd

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hello everyone!

i wanted to know whats the correct preposition to be used with "book". as in, which of the following sentences are correct. why or why not.

1. I am reading a book by Charles Dickens. (why not "of charles dickens"?)
2. I am a reading a book on cooking.
3. I own a book of chemistry. (why not "on chemistry'?)

Can "about" be used as a preposition proceeding "book".


I would really appreciate a proper explanation, for I need to explain it to someone.

thanks!

See fivejedjon's responses. Also, "about" could be used for 2. & 3. But if you used "about" in #1, it would describe the person/life of Charles Dickens, but not his works/novels.
 

Raymott

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hello everyone!

i wanted to know whats the correct preposition to be used with "book". as in, which of the following sentences are correct. why or why not.

1. I am reading a book by Charles Dickens. (why not "of charles dickens"?)
2. I am a reading a book on cooking.
3. I own a book of chemistry. (why not "on chemistry'?)

Can "about" be used as a preposition proceeding "book".
By proceeding, if you meaning following, then your question is wrong. There are no right prepositions following a word.

I would really appreciate a proper explanation, for I need to explain it to someone.

thanks!
I think you're confused. Prepositions come before the word or phrase. (Hence 'pre-position'). None of those are the right preposition for "book". They are the right preposition for "Charles Dickens", "cooking" and "chemistry" respectively.
Here are some prepositions with "book":
"I sat on a book; I read it in a book; I browsed through a book; I asked him about a book."
 

aniqashah

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thankyou all!

and yes i was mistaken in framing my question :)
 

5jj

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Hedwig

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Aniqashah, following is the way I explained it to myself when I was studying English at school. The reason we use by is that the book was written by Charles Dickens. Cf. an opera by Verdi, a picture by Monet, a pot by Bernard Leach. It's about pieces that were made, composed, painted, written by someone.
 

aniqashah

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