Writing Techniques Readability Why is "of the" in the phrase "some of the" unnecessary?

Why is "of the" in the phrase "some of the" unnecessary?

Why is "of the" in the phrase "some of the" unnecessary?

While you can say "some of the" before a noun, this phrasing is informal and can sound clunky. Instead, you can just say "some."

Example

  • Correct: She likes some of the new Taylor Swift songs.
  • Correct and better: She likes some new Taylor Swift songs.

Example

  • Correct: Nick does some of the household chores.
  • Correct and better: Nick does some household chores.

    Because you don't need to use of the to be grammatically correct, we recommend removing it from your writing. In writing, every word counts. Even adding a couple extra words like of the can bog down your writing and make it clunky.

That's because "of" and "the" are both glue words—words that are not essential to understanding the meaning of the sentence. Removing or replacing glue words often makes your writing more clear and more effective. In this example, removing these two glue words tightens your writing.