How would I word this?

[Sunkissed27f]

Emma quelled the urge to snap, don't touch out of habit.



A.
Emma quelled the urge to snap, ‘don’t touch’ out of habit.
B.

Emma quelled the urge to snap, don’t touch, out of habit.
C.
Your examples.



Thanks!!

[Ziljon]

Emma quelled the urge to snap, "Don’t touch!" out of habit.

[amber_grosjean]

Out of habbit, Emma quelled the urge to snap, "Don't touch!"

[Sunkissed27f]

Hmmm, thanks!

[gp101]

Out of habbit, Emma quelled the urge to snap, "Don't touch!"

That makes it sound like Emma's habit is to quell the urge.

[Scrawler]

I'd probably write it something like -
Emma quelled the habit to snap don't touch.

[Sunkissed27f]

I went with Ziljon on this one. It flowed better where I needed it.
Thanks every one!!

[preyer]

i think scrawler has it,

Emma quelled the habit to snap, "Don't touch!"

fewer words, to the point, no real loss from the original unless 'urge' simply *must* exist for some reason.

[PeeDee]

There's a statistically improbable number of "how would I phrase this" threads in the past few days.

[Shadow_Ferret]

There's a statistically improbable number of "how would I phrase this" threads in the past few days.

I noticed that too. Maybe we need a Phraseology forum.

[Sunkissed27f]

Blame it on the full moon!

[PeeDee]

There are many woman-things I blame on the full moon. This isn't one of 'em.

Or one of those?

Hm. How would I phrase that?

:D

[CheshireCat]

There's a statistically improbable number of "how would I phrase this" threads in the past few days.


It does seem odd.

[wayndom]

Out of habbit, Emma quelled the urge to snap, "Don't touch!"

You've reversed the meaning of the sentence. She quelled the urge to habitually snap, "Don't touch!"

[blacbird]

There's a statistically improbable number of "how would I phrase this" threads in the past few days.

And every one of them is an instant indication that whatever is intended needs to be rewritten. The first law of writing is: Make sense.

caw

[preyer]

damnit, i thought the first law was 'send your manuscript along with a hooker.' excuse me, i've some calls to make....

[Bufty]

Re the thread title - which is a question from the OP - How would I word this?

Answer - Exactly as you have done. :Shrug:


Emma quelled the urge to snap, don't touch out of habit.



A.
Emma quelled the urge to snap, ‘don’t touch’ out of habit.
B.

Emma quelled the urge to snap, don’t touch, out of habit.
C.
Your examples.



Thanks!!

[Arkie]

"out of habit" is an unnessary prepositional phrase, a redundancy of "urge."