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The Paramedic Method
Step 1 -- Circle the prepositions

By: Holly McReavy

What are prepositions and what do they do? Prepositions form a relationship between a noun or pronoun and another word and usually give information about time, place or direction.

Mrs. Moore, my third-grade teacher, taught me to identify prepositions by asking "Can a cat do it to a box?" For example, a cat can go over, under, around, in, past, on, within and through a box.

If you still need some guidance on prepositions, please see the prepositions list and the preposition visual representation pages.

Are you asking why prepositions aren't conducive to concise writing? The answer is simple; they often drain the action out of a sentence. Noting prepositions and prepositional phrases in your writing enables you to locate the passive voice and replace it with the active voice.

Example:

Original -- The truth of it all is that computers are simply amplifiers of the capabilities of workers and exist only as they are able to do the bidding of workers competently.

Step 1 -- The truth of it all is that computers are simply amplifiers of the abilities of workers and exist only as they are able to do the bidding of workers competently.