Prepositions of Source & Origin

In English grammar, prepositions of source and origin indicate where someone or something originates, or the source from which something is obtained, made, or derived.

Understanding these prepositions is key to describing origins (like nationality or hometowns), materials, and information sources.

The Primary Prepositions of Source & Origin

The main prepositions used to express source or origin are:

1. From

The most common preposition of source. It can show origin in multiple ways:

A. Geographical Origin (Hometown/Country):

  • She is from Italy.
  • This tea comes from China.

B. Source of Information or Materials:

  • I got this news from the internet.
  • We get milk from cows.

C. Starting Point of a Range:

  • Read the book from page 10.
  • The distance from here to the city center is 10 kilometers.

2. Out of

Used to show the source material or the origin of a state, particularly when something is created or extracted from something else.

  • The statue was carved out of marble.
  • The baby birds hatched out of their eggs.
  • He built a business out of nothing.

3. Of

Used in specific traditional expressions to show noble birth, family origin, or basic raw material composition (though from and made of are more common today).

A. Family Origin:

  • She is a woman of royal blood.
  • He is a man of great integrity.

B. Material Composition (expressing origin of structure):

  • The house was built of stone.
  • The ring is made of gold.

Key Difference: Made Of vs. Made From

When describing what something is made of, the choice of preposition changes the meaning:

  • Made of: Used when the raw material is still visible or unchanged:
    1. The table is made of wood.
    2. This ring is made of gold.
  • Made from: Used when the raw material has been transformed into something completely new:
    1. Paper is made from trees.
    2. Wine is made from grapes.
    3. Cheese is made from milk.
    4. Yogurt is made from milk.

Complete Sentence Examples

Here are more examples of prepositions of source and origin in action:

  1. He translated the document from French into English.
  2. The recipe is from my grandmother’s cookbook.
  3. This artifact is made out of pure gold.
  4. They are descendants of immigrants.
  5. We bought these fresh vegetables from the local farm.
  6. The sound came from the living room.
  7. He made a wallet out of old leather.
  8. She is a girl of noble character.

Next, we will explore Prepositional Phrases to learn how prepositions combine with other words to form descriptive phrases.