Cool MateOf course vs You know her of course
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Of course
Top 1,000 (very common)
You know her of course
Top 5,000 (fairly common)
Most common: Of course
| Of course | You know her of course | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //əv kɔːs//🇺🇸 //əv kɔrs// | 🇬🇧 //juː nəʊ hɜːr əv kɔːs//🇺🇸 //juː noʊ hɜr əv kɔrs// |
| Meaning | Definitely, it's obvious. | You are familiar with her, obviously. |
| Example | Are you joining us for dinner tonight? Of course! | You know her, of course, she’s your sister! |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| Collocations | of course not, of course yes, of course you can, of course it is | know her well, know him, of course, you know them too |
| Common mistakes | Using it in formal writing where a different expression is needed., Confusing it with other affirmations like 'certainly' or 'definitely'. | Forgetting to use 'of course' for emphasis., Using 'you know her' without 'of course' can sound less confident., Confusing with similar phrases like 'you've met her'. |
| Usage notes | Used in informal and formal situations to affirm something obvious. Avoid in highly formal writing. | Used when confirming someone's familiarity with a person. Can be friendly or casual; avoid in formal writing. |
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Frequently asked questions: Of course vs You know her of course
What's the difference between Of course and You know her of course?
Of course: Definitely, it's obvious. You know her of course: You are familiar with her, obviously.
Which is more common: Of course and You know her of course?
Of course is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Of course: Are you joining us for dinner tonight? Of course! You know her of course: You know her, of course, she’s your sister!
Can I use Of course and You know her of course interchangeably?
Not always. Of course and You know her of course are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.