-1

I'd like to know which of the following is correct, and if all are, what the difference is.

John is two weeks out of / from / away from / off the surgery.

I'd appreciate your help.

Improve this question

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
3

out of

This use sounds ok, but means that it has been two weeks since the surgery ended. However "the" would have to be deleted for it to sound more natural. A more common way this is said is "John has been out of surgery for two weeks"

from

This makes sense and would mean that after two more weeks, John will have the surgery

away from

See "from"

off

This doesn't really make sense. When I hear "John is two weeks off ... ", my mind wants to fill it in with a vice like smoking, alcohol, drugs or with medication.

Being "two weeks off cigarettes" means this person made a concision or forced effort to quit their habit of smoking cigarettes.

Improve this answer
3
  • 1
    I love that we essentially gave the same exact response.
    – tssmith2425
    Jun 14, 2019 at 8:52
  • Can "the operation" be used of "surgery"?
    – Apollyon
    Jun 14, 2019 at 10:39
  • I think you mean “instead of surgery,” and yes it can. :)
    – tssmith2425
    Jun 14, 2019 at 12:53
2

The correct answer is John is two weeks out of surgery. You can also simply say John had the surgery two weeks ago.

  • Two weeks away from surgery implies that he will have surgery in two weeks’ time.

  • Two weeks from/off surgery don’t work, either. To say someone is two weeks off something generally means that for two weeks, they have not been indulging in that thing:

I’m two weeks off dairy/video games/red meat/etc. Something along these lines. Note though that this phrasing isn’t terribly common.

Improve this answer

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .