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Do you say certificate about or certificate of?

"Additional certificate about grading system."

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    Could you explain in more detail what do you want your sentence to mean? I don't understand the meaning of "certificate about/of grading system". What or who is being certified?
    – CowperKettle
    Jan 17, 2015 at 8:50
  • This certificate explains the difference between 20 pt scale(0-20) and 4pt scale(0-4).
    – Khashayar
    Jan 17, 2015 at 9:03
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    Irrespecitve of what that certificate is, good question! +1
    – Maulik V
    Jan 17, 2015 at 9:08

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Good question!

I won't get into the nuance of what that certificate is all about. I'd address the question in the title -do you say certificate 'about' or 'of'.

Though both convey the same meaning, in my opinion, in most of the cases, when you say 'certificate about...' it takes a phrase. I mean to say that there could be some explanation of what that certificate is all about, and not just one word.

For instance a doctor's certificate about the applicant's fitness for the job

On the other hand, 'certificate of' is short and terse. It directly says what is that certificate with no explanation.

Say - a certificate of registration/membership/excellence/participation...and so on

But I repeat, both conveys the same meaning and there's no strict rule about what I said. It's just my minute observation.

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