介词的功能是在两个词语之间挂钩搭桥。尽管介词各有自己的词义,但极其模糊,可变性很强,往往受搭配词语之间的关系所制约。介词of的搭配能力特别强,它可以连系动词与名词,形容词与名词,名词与名词等。现分类举例如下:

　　一、VP+of+NP(verb governing "of")

　　①I was taken aback when I heard of it. 我听到此事颇为惊诧。

　　②There is no such person that I know of. 这里没有我认识的人。

　　③I must remind you of your promise. 我须提醒你曾做过的允诺。

　　④He demanded a dollar of me. 他向我要一美元。

　　二、Adj.+of+NP(adjective governing "of")

　　①I am fond of music. 我爱音乐。

　　②The boy, aware of his mistake, ran away. 那男孩,自知有错,跑掉了。

　　③That is what I was afraid of. 我所怕的就在于此。

　　④I am hopeful of attaining my object. 我希望达到目标。

　　三、NP+of+NP由于of左右的NP(包括代词)的含义关系多样,因而决定了of的多种语义功能及语法意义。

　　①逆序主谓关系:the will of the people人民的意愿(the people will....), the requirements of the times时势的需要(the times require....)

　　②顺序动宾关系:the creation of the world世界的创造,(创造世界to create the world), the lose of energy精力的消耗(消耗精力to lose energy)

　　③施受关系:the God of peace和平之神(God causes peace), the book of Hugo雨果的书(Hugo wrote the book)

　　④主属关系:the children of the family那家的孩子(The family has the children.), the topic of conversation话题(the conversation's topic)

　　⑤同格关系:the city of Rome罗马城(Rome is the city)

　　⑥偏正关系:

　　左偏右正:a ton of coal一吨煤,a cup of tea一杯茶,ten years of age十岁

　　右偏左正:a box of wood木头箱子,a house of stone石头房屋,a girl of ten十岁的女孩,a matter of importance重要事件(an important matter),a man of ability有能力的人(an able man).

　　(文/贾德林　英语辅导报大学教师版04~05学年第16期;版权归英语辅导报社所有，独家网络合作伙伴新浪教育，未经许可，不得以任何形式进行转载。)