Prepositions – ‘Be of the Size of’ or ‘Be the Size of’?
grammar
Tell me please which of the following sentences is correct.
"The planet is of the size of the earth."
"The planet is the size of the earth."
Best Answer
Both are grammatucal. But the use of the first preposition of is old-fashioned in modern English. So the second sentence as follows is far more common and idiomatic:
The planet is the size of (the same size as) the earth.
The first sentence is incorrect (it doesn't have a verb), while either of the others could be depending on what you want to say.
Will you be in Taipei this week?
This sentence is the more neutral, only asking if they will be in Taipei at some point during the week, either for a long period of time or a short one. This will work for just about any situation.
Will you stay in Taipei this week?
The verb "stay" in this sentence implies being in Taipei for a longer time, the entire week. You can switch out the phrase "this week" for another specific time such as "tomorrow" or "Tuesday" to ask about those time frames instead. This is the more specific question, if you're wondering about long term plans.
In this sentence, "having" is a gerund (a gerund can take the place of a noun) and so "my having" is correct.
Here is another example:
The Special Verbs That Are Also Nouns - Gerunds in English
"I never believe nor disbelieve. If you will excuse my speaking
frankly, I mean to observe you closely, and to decide for myself."
(Wilkie Collins, Percy and the Prophet, 1877)
Best Answer
Both are grammatucal. But the use of the first preposition of is old-fashioned in modern English. So the second sentence as follows is far more common and idiomatic:
The planet is the size of (the same size as) the earth.