Shorten Long “of” Phrases
Lesson 15 of 20 Thesis Editing Tips
From the Examiner’s Desk
“I frequently examine theses in which years of excellent research are obscured by weak writing.”
Many writing guides focus on grammar.
This lesson focuses on readability.
Its purpose is to help readers understand your ideas more quickly and with less effort.
As a PhD examiner and thesis editor, I often improve a thesis by making surprisingly small changes.
One of the simplest is shortening long “of” phrases.
Grammarians call many of these prepositional phrases, but you do not need to remember the name.
The important point is that many long phrases can be rewritten using compound nouns.
This simple technique makes your writing shorter, clearer and more natural without changing the meaning.
If your thesis contains many phrases beginning with of, this lesson can immediately improve your writing.
What Are “of” Phrases?
An “of” phrase usually links two nouns together.
For example:
❌ source of water
This can often be rewritten as:
✅ water source
Both expressions mean exactly the same thing.
However, the second version is shorter and easier to read.
Editors describe the first version as a prepositional phrase and the second as a compound noun.
You do not need to memorise those terms.
Simply remember that shorter phrases are usually easier to read.
Why Shorter Phrases Improve Writing
Compound nouns combine two or more words into one clear idea.
They are widely used in scientific and academic writing because they communicate information efficiently.
Replacing long “of” phrases often makes sentences:
• Shorter.
• More direct.
• Easier to read.
• More professional.
Readers spend less time processing unnecessary words and more time understanding your ideas.
Common Examples
Instead of writing:
❌ source of water
write:
✅ water source
❌ cancer of the lung
✅ lung cancer
❌ distribution of resources
✅ resource distribution
❌ supply of nitrogen
✅ nitrogen supply
❌ kinetics of enzymes
✅ enzyme kinetics
❌ policy of the department
✅ department policy
❌ committee of ethics
✅ ethics committee
❌ programme for training
✅ training programme
❌ laboratory of research
✅ research laboratory
❌ management of data
✅ data management
These small changes make your writing smoother and easier to read.
Examples from Academic Writing
Example 1
❌ The source of water was analysed before treatment.
✅ The water source was analysed before treatment.
The revised sentence is shorter and more natural.
Example 2
❌ The distribution of resources influenced the outcome.
✅ Resource distribution influenced the outcome.
The compound noun communicates the same idea more efficiently.
Example 3
❌ The management of data required careful planning.
✅ Data management required careful planning.
The revised sentence flows much better.
Example 4
❌ The cancer of the lung was diagnosed early.
✅ Lung cancer was diagnosed early.
This is the form normally used in scientific writing.
When You Should Keep an “of” Phrase
Not every “of” phrase should be changed.
Sometimes the phrase is clearer in its original form.
For example:
✅ the quality of life
✅ the theory of evolution
✅ the University of Pretoria
The goal is not to eliminate every of.
The goal is to recognise when a shorter compound noun improves clarity.
💬 WhatsApp with Dr Anastasia Apostolides (reasonable hours)
Why Examiners Notice This
Examiners rarely notice a single “of” phrase.
However, repeated use of long “of” phrases makes writing feel heavy and repetitive.
Replacing them with compound nouns improves the flow of your writing and allows readers to understand your ideas more easily.
Practical Editing Strategies
When proofreading your thesis:
• Search for the word of.
• Ask yourself:
“Can these two nouns be combined into one shorter expression?”
If the answer is yes, your sentence will usually become clearer and more concise.
Remember:
Not every “of” phrase should be changed.
But many can be improved.
Quick Editing Checklist
Before submitting your thesis, ask yourself:
✓ Have I checked unnecessary “of” phrases?
✓ Can any long phrase become a shorter compound noun?
✓ Is the revised sentence shorter?
✓ Does it sound more natural?
✓ Have I improved clarity without changing the meaning?
Key Takeaway
Small changes often produce the greatest improvements.
Replacing long “of” phrases with compound nouns reduces word count, improves readability and gives your writing a more professional style.
You do not need to remember the grammatical terms.
Simply remember this editing technique:
When two nouns can be combined into one shorter expression, your writing will often become clearer and easier to read.
Need Professional Thesis Editing?
If you would like an experienced PhD examiner to review your thesis before submission, I’d be happy to help.
Whether you need a complete thesis edit, advice on improving clarity or feedback on a proposal, feel free to get in touch.
Dr Anastasia Apostolides
PhD Examiner • Thesis Editor • Proposal & Academic Consultant
Helping Master’s, MBA, DBA and PhD students write with clarity and confidence.
💬 WhatsApp with Dr Anastasia Apostolides (reasonable hours)
📧 Email: info@uedit.org
📍 uedit.org
Continue Learning
This article is part of the 20 Thesis Editing Tips series.
Continue to the next lesson or explore the complete collection of free thesis resources to strengthen every stage of your academic writing.