Sign In Get Started
Prepositions with nouns

Using prepositions with author

Different prepositions with author express different meanings. By author is common for authorship, while other combinations depend on context.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with author?

The most common pattern is author of for describing what someone wrote. By the author appears when identifying authorship. About the author introduces information concerning the writer. To author is usually verbal rather than nominal.

She is the author of the report.
The novel was written by the author of several thrillers.
There is a short note about the author at the end.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
author of + work

Naming what someone wrote

Use author of before a book, article, report, or similar work.

He is the author of three textbooks.
2
by + author

Showing authorship

Use by before the writer's name or description.

The essay was written by a famous author.
3
about the author

Giving information concerning the writer

This phrase often appears in book descriptions and websites.

Read more about the author online.
4
author with + quality

Describing an author's characteristic

With introduces a feature or possession connected to the author.

She is an author with a unique style.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
author of
She is the author of the study.
Standard for naming a work created by someone.
by author
A biography by the author will be published soon.
Standard for indicating authorship.
to author
To author a report means to write it.
Here author is a verb, not a noun phrase with a preposition.
about author
The website includes facts about the author.
Used for information concerning the writer.
author with
He is an author with extensive experience.
Describes a characteristic or possession.

Common mistakes

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

Using to author as a noun phrase

To author is usually the infinitive form of the verb author.

✕ She spoke to author of the book. ✓ She spoke to the author of the book.

Missing of after author

Author usually takes of before the title of a work.

✕ He is the author the article. ✓ He is the author of the article.

Confusing by and of

Author of names the creator; by introduces the creator after the work.

✓ The article by Maria Lopez won an award.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She is the author ___ a popular science book.
2. The poem was written ___ a young author.
3. The site includes information ___ the author.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Which preposition usually follows author?

Author is most commonly followed by of when naming a work.

Is to author correct?

Yes, but usually as a verb meaning to write or create a document.

Can I say author with experience?

Yes. With can describe a quality or possession connected to the author.

of, about, against, to or for racism? of, about, for, in or on friendship? of, about, for, on or to thing? of, about, for, to or with sex? of, about, on, to or for moon? "of access" or "with access"? "of accommodation" or "for accommodation"? "of accuracy" or "for accuracy"? "of action" or "in action"? "of actor", "with actor" or "by actor"? "of address" or "to address"? "of administration" or "in administration"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account