had no knowledge of

USAGE SUMMARY

"had no knowledge of" is correct and usable in written English.
For example: "The professor had no knowledge of the recent developments in technology."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I had no knowledge of the country.

The New Yorker

I had no knowledge of them.

The New York Times

Mr. Paterson said he had no knowledge of a meeting.

The New York Times

Barnes said he had no knowledge of Capt.

The Washington Post

The authorities had no knowledge of Amer's journey.

The Guardian

Growing up, I had no knowledge of prejudice.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

They said they had no knowledge of the hacking.

The Guardian

She said she had no knowledge of the tax problems.

The Washington Post

The couple had no knowledge of the outside world.

The New York Times

He said he had "no knowledge" of abuse there.

The New York Times

I had no knowledge of where it came from.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "had no knowledge of" when you want to state a lack of awareness or information in a clear and direct manner. It is suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

Common error

Avoid substituting other prepositions for "of" after "knowledge". Saying "had no knowledge about" or "had no knowledge on" is grammatically incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "had no knowledge of" functions as a verbal phrase indicating a lack of awareness or information regarding a specific subject. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically correct and widely usable. Examples show its usage in diverse contexts like news reports and academic discussions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Academia

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "had no knowledge of" is a grammatically sound and very common phrase used to express a lack of awareness or information. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's appropriate for various contexts, from formal news reports to everyday conversations. While versatile, it's important to use the correct preposition ("of") and consider less formal alternatives like ""had no idea about"" depending on the situation. Top sources using this phrase include The New York Times, The Guardian and The Washington Post.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

was unaware of

Replaces "had no knowledge of" with a simpler verb construction.

knew nothing about

A straightforward and direct way to express a complete lack of knowledge.

was not informed about

Highlights the lack of being told or notified.

had no information about

Focuses on the absence of specific information.

possessed no knowledge of

Uses a more formal verb ("possessed") to convey the lack of knowledge.

was ignorant of

Implies a lack of information or awareness, potentially carrying a slightly more negative connotation.

was in the dark about

An idiomatic expression for being uninformed.

had no idea about

A more informal way of expressing a lack of knowledge.

was oblivious to

Suggests a lack of awareness even when information may have been available.

had no acquaintance with

Implies a lack of familiarity or experience with something.

FAQs

What's a more formal way to say "had no knowledge of"?

A more formal alternative is "possessed no knowledge of". It uses a more elevated vocabulary while maintaining the same meaning.

Is it correct to say "had no knowledge about" instead of "had no knowledge of"?

No, the correct preposition to use with "knowledge" in this context is "of". "Had no knowledge about" is considered grammatically incorrect.

What can I say instead of "had no knowledge of" to sound less formal?

For a less formal tone, you can use phrases like "had no idea about" or "knew nothing about".

How does "was unaware of" compare to "had no knowledge of"?

Both phrases express a lack of awareness, but "had no knowledge of" focuses specifically on a lack of information, while "was unaware of" can also imply a lack of perception or attention.