Expression: to be out of something

[zong_liyan]

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #48 "Common Prepositions", question 6

My car will not start because it is ......... gas.

(a) full of
(b) out with
(c) out of
(d) with no

English Grammar Tests, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #48 "Common Prepositions", answer 6

My car will not start because it is out of gas.

Correct answer: (c) out of
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Why "out of" not "with no"?

zong liyan

[Yankee]

Hi

Saying 'out of' is commonly used when you have used up all of something (i.e. there isn't any left).

Out of is typically used with the verb be or run:
- My car is out of gas.
- I ran out of gas.

If you wanted to use the word 'no', you could use the verb have and possibly say:
My car will not start because it has no gas.

But it would be more typical to use the negative form of have + any:
My car will not start because it doesn't have any gas.

Saying '... it is with no gas' is not idiomatic.
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Amy
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ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English