friends of hers

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'friends of hers' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to refer to someone's friends that are not your own. For example: "My mother admires the hard work of her friends; she always tells me stories about their successes."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Several friends of hers from that period of her life said that Ms. Wall Spitzer was hurt and embarrassed by the episode.

The New York Times

She thinks of her legs as "best friends," of hers and of each other.

The New Yorker

She becomes frightened and she calls some friends of hers who don't believe her.

The New Yorker

The third time she was at the races with friends of hers and the husband persuaded her to bet.

The New Yorker

He goes out for an evening with her and two young men friends of hers.

The New Yorker

If you cannot do any of the above, invite her and a few other friends of hers and yourself to a small party or to hang out.

WikiHow

Friends of hers said they were spending less time with her because she was "dating a Tory".

Vice

She saw friends of hers trying to escape and they were brutally slaughtered in front of her as a deterrent to everyone else.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

3 human-written examples

Then a friend of hers took her own life.

The Guardian

A friend of hers sent her the article a few months later.

Huffington Post

In fact, according to a friend of hers, Britney Spears credits her father for saving her life.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "friends of hers" when you want to clearly indicate that the friends belong to a specific female individual and are not necessarily known to the speaker or writer.

Common error

Ensure clarity when using possessive pronouns. Avoid sentences where it's unclear whose friends are being referred to. If there's a chance of confusion, rephrase to be more specific: instead of "She met with friends of hers", consider "She met with some of her friends from college".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "friends of hers" functions as a possessive phrase, specifying that the friends being referred to belong to a particular female individual. This possessive construction is commonly used to denote a relationship or association, as supported by the examples Ludwig provides.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Wiki

25%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "friends of hers" is a grammatically correct and widely used phrase to indicate the friends belonging to a specific female individual. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is suitable for general use, particularly in news, media, and informal contexts. While "her friends" is a more direct alternative, "friends of hers" adds emphasis and clarity in certain situations. Remember to use this phrase to avoid ambiguity and to clearly specify the relationship when referring to someone's social circle. The provided examples showcase its consistent use across various authoritative sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

her circle of friends

Focuses on the group of friends as a whole, implying a social environment.

those who are her friends

A more formal way of stating the relationship.

people she's friends with

Describes the relationship in terms of mutual friendship.

the friends that she has

Highlights the possession of friends.

her acquaintances who are friends

Specifies that among her acquaintances, there are those who are friends.

friends belonging to her

Emphasizes ownership of the friends, though it sounds less natural.

her mates

An informal term for friends, more common in British English.

her close companions

Emphasizes a stronger bond than just 'friends'.

her associates she considers friends

Suggests a level of professional or social association.

people in her social network who are friends

Focuses on a broader social connection.

FAQs

How do I use "friends of hers" in a sentence?

You can use "friends of hers" to indicate that the friends belong to a specific woman. For example, "She introduced me to some "friends of hers" from college".

What's a more formal alternative to "friends of hers"?

A more formal alternative could be "her acquaintances who are friends", though it's more verbose. The phrase "friends of hers" is generally acceptable in most contexts.

Is it correct to say "friends of she" instead of "friends of hers"?

No, "friends of she" is grammatically incorrect. The correct possessive pronoun to use is ""friends of hers"".

How does "friends of hers" compare to "her friends"?

"Her friends" is a more common and direct way to say it. "Friends of hers" can be used for emphasis or when the friends are not already known to the speaker.