They are like pieces of a puzzle in that they complement one another to form the whole
Does in that make my sentence formal? If so, how can I change it to be more neutral?
formality
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
add a comment |
Does in that make my sentence formal? If so, how can I change it to be more neutral?
formality
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
add a comment |
Does in that make my sentence formal? If so, how can I change it to be more neutral?
formality
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
Does in that make my sentence formal? If so, how can I change it to be more neutral?
formality
formality
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
edited 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-kar
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
asked 7 hours ago
Alex Kar-karAlex Kar-kar
92
92
add a comment |
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
I believe a re-arranged version is more neutral:
They complement one another to form the whole, like pieces of a puzzle.
(One could use '...like the pieces of a puzzle.' here; I see little difference between them.)
There's a great many valid ways this could be re-arranged, but I think this version is the least-belaboured.
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
add a comment |
You'd really need to specify your target audience if you want to fine-tune a sentence like that. There would be no problem with it in The Atlantic, say, or The Economist, but it might stand out in People as the phrase in that is not in the working vocabulary of a good percentage of native speakers.
If you wanted to get rid of it entirely and were willing to reorder your sentence
Like the pieces of a puzzle they complement one another.
But even the word complement would give some readers trouble.
If you want also to say "to form the whole" you're back to square one again, as the register of that phrase, with "the whole", is elevated above conversational— again for a large percentage of native speakers but by no means all.
P.S. If you find yourself explaining your metaphor, you're generally on thin ice.
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I believe a re-arranged version is more neutral:
They complement one another to form the whole, like pieces of a puzzle.
(One could use '...like the pieces of a puzzle.' here; I see little difference between them.)
There's a great many valid ways this could be re-arranged, but I think this version is the least-belaboured.
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I believe a re-arranged version is more neutral:
They complement one another to form the whole, like pieces of a puzzle.
(One could use '...like the pieces of a puzzle.' here; I see little difference between them.)
There's a great many valid ways this could be re-arranged, but I think this version is the least-belaboured.
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
add a comment |
I believe a re-arranged version is more neutral:
They complement one another to form the whole, like pieces of a puzzle.
(One could use '...like the pieces of a puzzle.' here; I see little difference between them.)
There's a great many valid ways this could be re-arranged, but I think this version is the least-belaboured.
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
I believe a re-arranged version is more neutral:
They complement one another to form the whole, like pieces of a puzzle.
(One could use '...like the pieces of a puzzle.' here; I see little difference between them.)
There's a great many valid ways this could be re-arranged, but I think this version is the least-belaboured.
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
answered 7 hours ago
RogerRoger
86829
86829
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
add a comment |
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
What is being emphasized, that "they" are like puzzle pieces, insignificant looking on their own, or that the picture they combine to create is like a puzzle, visible only by combining the pieces? That emphasis should determine the word order and the choice to use "pieces" (if the nature of the pieces is the focus) or "the pieces" (if the nature of the picture is the focus).
– remarkl
7 hours ago
add a comment |
You'd really need to specify your target audience if you want to fine-tune a sentence like that. There would be no problem with it in The Atlantic, say, or The Economist, but it might stand out in People as the phrase in that is not in the working vocabulary of a good percentage of native speakers.
If you wanted to get rid of it entirely and were willing to reorder your sentence
Like the pieces of a puzzle they complement one another.
But even the word complement would give some readers trouble.
If you want also to say "to form the whole" you're back to square one again, as the register of that phrase, with "the whole", is elevated above conversational— again for a large percentage of native speakers but by no means all.
P.S. If you find yourself explaining your metaphor, you're generally on thin ice.
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
add a comment |
You'd really need to specify your target audience if you want to fine-tune a sentence like that. There would be no problem with it in The Atlantic, say, or The Economist, but it might stand out in People as the phrase in that is not in the working vocabulary of a good percentage of native speakers.
If you wanted to get rid of it entirely and were willing to reorder your sentence
Like the pieces of a puzzle they complement one another.
But even the word complement would give some readers trouble.
If you want also to say "to form the whole" you're back to square one again, as the register of that phrase, with "the whole", is elevated above conversational— again for a large percentage of native speakers but by no means all.
P.S. If you find yourself explaining your metaphor, you're generally on thin ice.
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
add a comment |
You'd really need to specify your target audience if you want to fine-tune a sentence like that. There would be no problem with it in The Atlantic, say, or The Economist, but it might stand out in People as the phrase in that is not in the working vocabulary of a good percentage of native speakers.
If you wanted to get rid of it entirely and were willing to reorder your sentence
Like the pieces of a puzzle they complement one another.
But even the word complement would give some readers trouble.
If you want also to say "to form the whole" you're back to square one again, as the register of that phrase, with "the whole", is elevated above conversational— again for a large percentage of native speakers but by no means all.
P.S. If you find yourself explaining your metaphor, you're generally on thin ice.
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
You'd really need to specify your target audience if you want to fine-tune a sentence like that. There would be no problem with it in The Atlantic, say, or The Economist, but it might stand out in People as the phrase in that is not in the working vocabulary of a good percentage of native speakers.
If you wanted to get rid of it entirely and were willing to reorder your sentence
Like the pieces of a puzzle they complement one another.
But even the word complement would give some readers trouble.
If you want also to say "to form the whole" you're back to square one again, as the register of that phrase, with "the whole", is elevated above conversational— again for a large percentage of native speakers but by no means all.
P.S. If you find yourself explaining your metaphor, you're generally on thin ice.
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
edited 7 hours ago
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
answered 7 hours ago
TRomanoTRomano
16.9k21946
16.9k21946
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
add a comment |
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
I see. Is it necessary to use the definite article before pieces?
– Alex Kar-kar
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
"the pieces of a puzzle" would suggest all of them, whereas "pieces of a puzzle" could mean only some of them, and so, if by "form the whole" you mean "complete the whole" not merely "contribute to the whole", then you'd want to use the article.
– TRomano
7 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
In a way "in that" makes the sentence more accessible to less sophisticated readers. Where grammarians see a noun clause in a prolix prepositional phrase, the mind's ear hears two declarative sentences joined by an explicit clue to the relationship between them. What more could an audience not in a hurry ask?
– remarkl
6 hours ago
add a comment |
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