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Prepositions with nouns

By profession vs. of profession

By profession is the normal expression for someone's job or career. Of profession usually belongs to a larger noun phrase.

Quick answer

Which expression should you use?

Use by profession to state a person's occupation. Of profession is uncommon alone but appears in phrases such as code of professional conduct, not usually with profession itself.

She is a lawyer by profession.
He is an engineer by profession but also writes novels.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
by profession

Stating someone's occupation

A common fixed phrase in formal and neutral English.

My uncle is a doctor by profession.
2
profession of + noun

Naming a field or career

Use profession of before a job name in formal contexts.

She entered the profession of teaching early.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
by profession
He is an architect by profession.
states a person's career
of profession
The ethics of the profession are important.
usually part of a larger phrase, not a fixed expression
profession of
The profession of law is highly regulated.
names a profession or field

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using of profession to state a job

English uses by profession for this meaning.

✕ She is a nurse of profession. ✓ She is a nurse by profession.

Confusing profession and professional

Profession is a noun; professional is often an adjective.

✓ a professional musician

Missing the article before a profession

Use a or an with singular job titles.

✓ an engineer by profession

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He is a teacher ___ profession.
2. The profession ___ medicine requires long training.
3. Which form is standard for someone's job?

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Frequently asked questions

Is by profession formal?

It is neutral and common in both spoken and written English.

Can I say of profession?

Not usually to describe a person's job directly.

What is a similar expression?

You can also say by trade in some contexts.

"behind bar" or "of bar"? "beyond description" or "of description"? by, accident, of, accident "by boat" or "of boat"? "by chance" or "of chance"? "by default", "in default" or "of default"? "by extension", "of extension" or "for extension"? "by lot" or "with lot"? by, of, for, in or agreed-upon definition? by, of, in, into or to category? by, of, in, via or on telephone? by, of, on, for or in bus?

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