Sign In Get Started
Prepositions with nouns

Of type or to type?

Both expressions can appear in English, but they are used in different grammatical structures.

Quick answer

How are these expressions used?

Of type commonly appears in technical or descriptive phrases such as a vehicle of this type. To type usually follows verbs or adjectives, as in difficult to type or learn to type.

We need more devices of this type.
The form is easy to type on a phone.
She learned to type at school.

Choose the pattern by meaning

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

1
of this type

Describing a category

Use of type after another noun to identify a category or class.

Problems of this type are common in winter.
2
type of + noun

Naming a category

Use type of before a noun to classify something.

What type of music do you enjoy?
3
to type

Typing as an action

Use to type as the infinitive form of the verb type.

It took me years to learn to type quickly.
4
easy to type

Adjective plus infinitive

Use to type after adjectives describing difficulty or convenience.

Her password is easy to type.

See the difference in context

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

Construction
Example
Meaning
of type
Equipment of this type is expensive.
describing a category or class
to type
He learned to type in college.
infinitive verb meaning use a keyboard
type of
What type of car do you drive?
common structure for classification
by type
The files are arranged by type.
grouped according to category

Common mistakes

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

Confusing noun and verb uses

Type can be a noun or a verb, so the preposition changes with the structure.

✕ I learned of type fast. ✓ I learned to type fast.

Using of type without context

Of type usually needs another noun before it.

✕ This machine is of type. ✓ This machine is of this type.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. She learned ___ type when she was young.
2. Machines ___ this type require special care.
3. What type ___ phone do you use?

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

Is of type common in everyday English?

It appears more often in formal or technical descriptions than in casual conversation.

Why does to type use to?

Here type is a verb, and to forms the infinitive.

Can type be both a noun and a verb?

Yes. Type as a noun means category, while type as a verb means write using a keyboard.

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