is of/are of

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Conservation is of the utmost importance.
vs.
Conservation is the utmost importance.

If you are of 18, you can enter the club.
vs.
If you are 18, you can enter the club.

Do we really need the word ‘of’?
Does it make any significant difference without it?

Confused.
Thanks.

2

These are correct:

Conservation is of the utmost importance.
If you are 18, you can enter the club.

Your others are not.

3

Thanks.

4

hi,

So, do you mean such formation of sentences require a noun phrase?
To correct the second sentence, would it be OK if I rephrase it this way, “if you are of age 18,…”?
I hope I make sense. Thanks.

5

You are probably right about a noun phrase, but ‘you are of age 18’ is not used in English.