You probably learned in school that prepositions precede nouns or pronouns to create phrases that clarify the nature of something.
- Condition: He left without saying anything.
- Direction: Johnny jumped into the pool.
- Duration: They waited for an hour.
- Location: The money was hidden under the mattress.
- Reason: Bill was recognized for his generosity.
- Relationship: Janet can’t eat candy with
- Time: On Sunday, they attended church.
Did you know that whenever we can, we want to sell a prepositional phrase and buy a single word to use instead? Readers love when we make that deal, because they get the meaning in fewer words.
- The man with the white hair is only twenty-four.
- The white-haired man is only twenty-four.
- Saving makes the vacation of your dreams possible.
- Saving makes your dream vacation possible.
- We should go without any further delay.
- We should go immediately.
- The effect of the drug is life-threatening.
- The drug’s effect is life-threatening.
Sometimes, we want to throw away a prepositional phrase because it’s not worth enough to sell.
- The governor of the state of Texas is Greg Abbott.
- The governor of Texas is Greg Abbott.
- Texas’ governor is Greg Abbott.
- His pencil was on the floor under his desk.
- His pencil was under his desk.
- He worked hard in order to impress his boss.
- He worked hard to impress his boss.
Whenever more than one prepositional phrase modifies the same thing, it’s definitely time to sell.
- Denise was offended by the graphic scenes in the movie.
- The movie’s graphic scenes offended Denise.
- No one could correctly guess at the number of gumballs in the jar on the table in the corner next to the door.
- On the corner table by the door, the jar held a gumball count that nobody could guess correctly.
