This paper is concerned with the methods of solution, in terms of strain functions and complex stress functions, for two dimensional problems of elasticity. The principal results are as follows : (1) The method of solution in terms of complex stress functions, which are related to Airy's stress functions, can be obtained as a special case from the methods of solution in terms of strain functions such as the so-called Galerkin type and Papkovich-Neuber type strain functions. (2) The relations between complex stress functions, Papkovich-Neuber type strain functions and Galerkin type strain functions are shown. (3) Any one of the three strain functions in Papkovich-Neuber strain functions may be dropped without loss of generality, under the conditions that the body forces are absent. (4) The so-called Papkovich-Neuber type strain functions for problems with body forces under plane stress conditions are shown.