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Prepositions with nouns

Of cream or with cream?

With cream describes food or drink that includes cream. Of cream usually appears after another noun, such as a bowl of cream.

Quick answer

Which phrase should you use?

Use with cream when cream is an added ingredient or accompaniment. Of cream is not usually attached directly to cream; it normally follows another noun such as cup, layer, or carton.

I would like coffee with cream please.
She served strawberries with cream for dessert.
He bought a carton of cream at the shop.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
with cream

Food or drink that includes cream

Use with cream when cream is added to something.

Do you want your tea with cream?
They ate peaches with cream after dinner.
2
of cream

Quantity or container expressions

Of cream commonly follows a quantity, container, or descriptive noun.

She poured a little of cream into the soup.
We bought a litre of cream for baking.
3
cream in + food

Cream as an ingredient

Use in when cream is part of a mixture or recipe.

There is fresh cream in the sauce.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
with cream
He ordered coffee with cream.
cream is added to the drink or food
of cream
They used a cup of cream.
cream follows a quantity or container noun
cream in
There is cream in the soup.
cream is an ingredient inside something
cream on
She spread cream on the cake.
cream is placed on a surface

Common mistakes

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

Using of cream without a preceding noun

Of cream usually needs a quantity or container noun before it.

✕ I want coffee of cream. ✓ I want coffee with cream.

Confusing with cream and of cream

With cream adds cream to a dish or drink. Of cream measures or identifies the cream itself.

✓ They bought a bottle of cream.

Using with cream for quantities

Use of cream after measurement words.

✕ Add a cup with cream. ✓ Add a cup of cream.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She prefers tea ___ in the morning.
2. We need a bowl ___ for the recipe.
3. There is fresh ___ the pasta sauce.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say coffee of cream?

No. The natural phrase is coffee with cream.

Why is of cream correct in a cup of cream?

Of links the quantity or container noun to the substance being measured.

Is with cream only for drinks?

No. It is also used for desserts and other foods, such as strawberries with cream.

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"?

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