Sign In Get Started
Prepositions with nouns

“Of surgery” or “after surgery”

“After surgery” is a common time expression. “Of surgery” usually follows another noun, such as “risk of surgery” or “cost of surgery”.

Quick answer

Which phrase is correct?

Use “after surgery” to talk about time following a medical operation. “Of surgery” is normally part of a larger noun phrase and does not usually stand alone.

She felt tired after surgery.
The recovery time of surgery depends on the procedure.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
after surgery

Talking about the period following an operation

Use this phrase to describe recovery, symptoms, or events following surgery.

He returned to work two weeks after surgery.
Pain is common after surgery.
2
noun + of surgery

Describing an aspect or result of surgery

Use “of surgery” after another noun such as effect, cost, or outcome.

The benefits of surgery were explained clearly.
We discussed the risks of surgery.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
after surgery
She needed help after surgery.
time following an operation
of surgery
The cost of surgery was high.
describes something connected to surgery
surgery for
He had surgery for a knee injury.
states the medical reason
surgery on
The surgeon performed surgery on her shoulder.
states the body part or patient

Common mistakes

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

Using “of surgery” alone as a time expression

“Of surgery” does not mean “following surgery”.

✕ She felt weak of surgery. ✓ She felt weak after surgery.

Missing the main noun before “of surgery”

The phrase usually needs another noun.

✕ We talked about of surgery. ✓ We talked about the risks of surgery.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. He experienced some swelling ___ surgery.
2. The benefits ___ surgery were explained.
3. She had surgery ___ her ankle.

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

Can I say “after the surgery”?

Yes. “After surgery” and “after the surgery” are both correct, depending on whether you mean surgery in general or a specific operation.

Is “of surgery” incorrect?

No. It is correct when linked to another noun, such as “effects of surgery” or “history of surgery”.

What preposition is common with “surgery”?

Common combinations include “after surgery”, “surgery for” a condition, and “surgery on” a body part.

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