Phrasal verb
hear of sb/sth
Definition
phrasal verb. to know that someone or something exists because you have been told about them or read about them.
phrasal verb. to be aware of the existence of a person or thing through external information rather than direct experience.
Examples
“I have never heard of that brand before.”
“Have you heard of the new restaurant that opened downtown last week?”
“While many scholars have heard of his early research, few are familiar with the controversial theories he published late in his career.”
Examples
simple
“I have never heard of that brand before.”
contextual
“Have you heard of the new restaurant that opened downtown last week?”
complex
“While many scholars have heard of his early research, few are familiar with the controversial theories he published late in his career.”
Usage
usually used in the negative or in questions to discuss familiarity.
Teaching tip
contrast with 'hear about' (which implies learning specific details or news) versus 'hear of' (which implies simple awareness of existence).
Pitfall
I never heard from that writer.
I never heard of that writer.
'hear from' means to receive a message from someone, while 'hear of' means to know they exist.
Phrasal verb
Particles
of
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
hear + of + object