在「all of the/these/those/所有格 + 名詞」的句型中,all 是不定代名詞 (indefinite pronoun),如 All of these students live in Taipei. (這些學生全都住在台北);All of his money is spent on food. (他的錢全都花在食物上)。由於 of 可以省略,上述句型就變成「all the/these/those/所有格 + 名詞」,此時 all 變成 (前置) 限定詞 (determiner or pre-determiner),如 All these students live in Taipei.;All his money is spent on food.。雖然 all 後面有沒有 of 都可以,文法都沒有錯,但許多人認為 all of … 的寫法不夠簡潔,因為 of 一點作用都沒有,是不折不扣的贅字。所以,
- All my students are female.
All of my students are female. (我的學生全都是女生) (欠佳) - of 是贅字。 - I want to hear all the details.
I want to hear all of the details. (我想要聽所有的細節) (欠佳) - of 是贅字。
然而,如果將「all of the/these/those/所有格 + 名詞」中的「the/these/those/所有格 + 名詞」換成人稱代名詞的受格 (us, you, them, it),那麼 of 不能省略,否則就犯了大錯。例如:
- All of us must attend the meeting. (我們全都要參加這項會議)
- All of you need to buy me a coffee. (你們全都要請我喝杯咖啡)
- All of them can speak Japanese. (他們全都會講日語)
- He’d like all of us to get there. (他希望我們全都去那裡)
- I’ve invited all of them to my birthday party. (我已邀請他們全都來參加我的生日派對)
不過,若「all of + 人稱代名詞」當主詞用,那麼它可改寫為不用 of 的「人稱代名詞主格 + all」;若「all of + 人稱代名詞」當受詞用,那麼它可改寫為不用 of 的「人稱代名詞受格 + all」。茲將上面 5 句改寫如下,上下對應句之間的意思完全一樣且都是標準英語:
- We all must attend the meeting.
- You all need to buy me a coffee.
- They all can speak Japanese.
- He’d like us all to get there.
- I’ve invited them all to my birthday party.