inform of

USAGE SUMMARY

"inform of" is not correct or usable in written English.
If you are trying to convey the idea of giving or providing someone with information, you would simply use "inform". For example, "The teacher informed the students of their upcoming test."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

51 human-written examples

Test information can also be used to inform of and to monitor outcomes and, in some cases, to predict treatment outcomes [ 3].

BMC Health Services Research

Event production: Generating an event to transfer some information, e.g. to raise an alert, inform of some happening, or simply respond to a query.

Journal of Internet Services and Applications

It did not publicly inform of the outbreak, which was confirmed by a second test, until Friday.

The Guardian

And George W. Bush, whom Ms. Chavez had fatally failed to inform of the episode, let her sink.

The New York Times

"It's with tremendous sorrow that I inform of you of the murder of NYPD Sergeant Paul Tuozzolo," Mayor Bill de Blasio told reporters on Friday.

The Guardian

Then there's the anguish of her boyfriend (or husband — it's not clear), Jason (Hamish Linklater), whom she's about to inform of her affair with a suburban businessman.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

9 human-written examples

He was informed of his mistake.

The New York Times

(Haggis, when informed of this account, laughed).

The New Yorker

"Nobody was informed of this.

The New York Times

School officials were informed of the plot.

The New York Times - Sports

The coroner was informed of the death.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "inform" directly followed by the recipient of the information, then "of" followed by the subject, like this: Inform [recipient] of [subject].

Common error

The phrase "inform of" is redundant. Use the verb "inform" directly. For example, instead of "inform of the meeting", say "inform about the meeting" or simply "inform [person] of the meeting".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "inform of" functions as a verb phrase intended to convey the act of imparting knowledge or providing notification. However, according to Ludwig, this construction is grammatically incorrect. The correct usage is simply the verb "inform."

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "inform of" is generally considered grammatically incorrect in modern English. As Ludwig AI points out, it's more appropriate to use "inform" directly, followed by the object or the recipient of the information. While example sentences using "inform of" can be found, they're often considered non-standard or archaic. Therefore, it's best to opt for alternatives like "notify", "advise", or simply "tell" for clarity and correctness. The appropriate preposition to use with “inform” is most likely to be “about”. When you inform someone “of” something, you are indicating the object of their knowledge.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

notify

Direct synonym; focuses on the act of giving formal or official notice.

advise

Suggests offering guidance or recommendations along with the information.

tell

Simple and direct; suitable for informal contexts.

apprise

More formal; implies bringing someone up to date on a situation.

acquaint

Suggests familiarizing someone with new information.

update

Implies providing the latest information or developments.

enlighten

Suggests clarifying or revealing previously unknown information.

brief

Implies providing concise and essential information.

instruct

Focuses on conveying specific directions or knowledge.

announce

Implies making information publicly known.

FAQs

How should I correctly use the word "inform" in a sentence?

Use "inform" directly followed by the recipient and the information, such as "Please "inform me of" any changes" or "The company will "inform customers about" the new policy".

What's a more concise way to say "inform of"?

Simply use "inform". For example, instead of saying "I will "inform you of" the details", say "I will inform you".

Is there a difference between "inform of" and "notify of"?

While "notify of" is acceptable, "inform of" is not considered grammatically correct. It's better to use "notify" or "inform about".

What prepositions can I use with "inform"?

You can use "about", "that", or "of" after "inform", depending on the context. For example, "inform someone "about something"", "inform someone that something is happening", or "inform someone "of something"", if you are indicating the object of their knowledge.