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Prepositions with injury

Of injury or to injury?

Injury commonly combines with to when naming what is harmed. Of injury appears in certain noun patterns such as risk of injury.

Quick answer

How injury works with of and to

Use injury to when referring to the person, body part, or object affected. Use of injury in longer noun phrases such as risk of injury or evidence of injury.

The crash caused serious injury to his shoulder.
Workers face a high risk of injury on the site.
Doctors found no signs of injury.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
injury to + person or thing

Naming what is harmed

Use to to show the affected body part, person, animal, or object.

The fall led to injury to her knee.
The storm caused injury to several horses.
2
risk of injury

Talking about danger or possibility

Use of after nouns such as risk, chance, or fear.

Athletes train carefully to reduce the risk of injury.
The equipment increases the chance of injury.
3
signs of injury

Describing evidence or condition

Use of after nouns that describe evidence, appearance, or degree.

The patient showed no signs of injury.
Police documented clear evidence of injury.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
injury to
The explosion caused injury to two workers.
Standard pattern for the affected person or thing.
of injury
There is a risk of injury in this sport.
Standard after nouns such as risk, fear, evidence, or signs.
injury of
the injury of the player
Possible in formal legal style, but less natural than the player's injury or injury to the player in everyday English.
to injury
damage to property and injury to staff
Standard in coordinated legal or formal expressions.

Common mistakes

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

Using of instead of to for the affected body part

Use injury to when naming what was harmed.

✕ injury of the arm ✓ injury to the arm

Leaving out of after risk

Risk is followed by of before a noun.

✕ risk injury ✓ risk of injury

Using to after signs

Signs normally takes of before injury.

✕ signs to injury ✓ signs of injury

Using injury to after evidence

Evidence is followed by of before injury.

✕ evidence to injury ✓ evidence of injury

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The accident caused injury ___ three passengers.
2. Helmets reduce the risk ___ injury.
3. Doctors found no signs ___ injury.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I say injury of the leg?

In everyday English, injury to the leg is more natural.

Why do we say risk of injury?

The noun risk is commonly followed by of plus a noun.

Is injury to always physical?

No. It can also refer to harm to reputation, rights, or property in formal contexts.

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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