Writing Book 4 · Lesson 39

Verbs and prepositions — meet the words

Some meanings live in a group of words, not in any one of them.

The words

depend on
need
result in
cause
consist of
be made of
differ from
not be like
belong to
be part of
apply to
be true for

Watch how it is built

1depend on means about the same as need.
Growth depends on light.
2result in means about the same as cause.
Heat results in melting.
3consist of means about the same as be made of.
Soil consists of sand and clay.

Two ways to say it

✗ Growth depends on light. — this is not wrong, but it is everyday talk.

✓ Growth depends on light. — this is how a writer says it.

Ask yourself: “Does the meaning survive if I change one word?”

Remember

Some verbs demand a particular preposition.

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