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Prepositions with nouns

Minister with of and by

Minister commonly appears in titles with of and in passive clauses with by.

Quick answer

Main uses

Use minister of in official titles such as Minister of Health. Use by a minister when a minister performs an action in a passive sentence.

She was appointed Minister of Education.
The ceremony was led by a minister from the local church.
He met the minister of finance.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
Minister of + department

Official government titles

Use of before the area of responsibility.

The Minister of Defence gave a speech.
2
by a minister

Naming the person performing an action

Use by in passive constructions.

The wedding was conducted by a minister.
3
minister to + people

Serving or caring for others

Minister can also be a verb followed by to.

The volunteers worked to minister to the injured.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
minister of
the Minister of Transport
official title
by minister
The proposal was approved by the minister.
by introduces the agent in a clause
of minister
the duties of a minister
of belongs to another noun phrase, not a fixed pattern
minister to
Nurses ministered to the patients.
verb meaning care for

Common mistakes

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

Using of minister as a title

Titles normally use minister of, not of minister.

✕ the of minister finance ✓ the Minister of Finance

Omitting the article with by minister

Use an article or specific name in most contexts.

✕ The event was led by minister. ✓ The event was led by a minister.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She became Minister ___ Culture.
2. The service was led ___ a minister.
3. They worked to minister ___ refugees.

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Frequently asked questions

Is Minister of correct?

Yes. It is the standard form for government titles.

When do we use by minister?

Usually in passive clauses, such as led by a minister.

Can minister be a verb?

Yes. Minister to means care for or serve people.

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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