Volcano1985  +  857327 Tue, 11 Aug 09 05:05 PM You can not have robbed him of what he never had, nor of what he had any good reason to believe he ever would have. Could you please explain of what in this sentence? Volcano1985 Sentences

	Best answer by Mr Wordy  +  857386 Tue, 11 Aug 09 06:03 PM Volcano1985 “ I mean why "of + those things", why not only "those things" or only "which" ”     Sorry, I misunderstood.   You can't "rob someone something".   "It robbed him his childhood." -- Wrong "It robbed him of his childhood." -- OK Mr Wordy

	Mr Wordy  +  857331 Tue, 11 Aug 09 05:12 PM "of what" = "of those things" Mr Wordy Joined on Tue, May 27 2008 Senior Member 2,359 Native British English speaker

	Volcano1985  +  857364 Tue, 11 Aug 09 05:36 PM Why not You can not have robbed him those things he never had, nor those things he had any good reason to believe he ever would have then? Volcano1985

	Mr Wordy  +  857366 Tue, 11 Aug 09 05:44 PM You can not have robbed him of those things he never had, nor of those things he had any good reason to believe he ever would have.   Why not this? Well, you'd have to ask the author that. "what" is more concise, I guess.   Keep in mind that there are often different but equally acceptable ways of saying the same thing. Mr Wordy

	Volcano1985  +  857370 Tue, 11 Aug 09 05:47 PM I mean why "of + those things", why not only "those things" or only "which" Volcano1985