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Worry-free Writing: How to use ‘ranging from …’ correctly

How to use 'ranging from' correctly. A blog post by Denise Cowle

When should I use ‘ranging from’ in a sentence?

This is an expression that we use when we’re listing items, to show that there is variety. But there’s often one tiny, vital word missing: to. Without that one word, you leave your reader hanging. Here’s how not to do it: 

 

We have products ranging from birthday cards, beautiful notebooks, handcrafted jewellery and quirky gifts.

or
 
We have prices to suit all budgets, ranging from £50.

How do I use ‘ranging from’ correctly?

Both these sentences leave out to. When you range from something, you must also say where that range goes to, like this:

We have products ranging from birthday cards and beautiful notebooks to handcrafted jewellery and quirky gifts.
and
We have prices to suit all budgets, ranging from £50 to £500.

Here’s a pro tip for using ‘ranging from’ 

Think of driving a Range Rover from your house to the beach (or somewhere you’d like to be!). Don’t start your reader on a journey and then forget to tell them where they’re going. Remember, for every from there should be a to!

Other posts in my Worry-free Writing series

How to use apostrophes
How to punctuate lists
How to use quote marks

Was this helpful? Let me know in the comments. And if you’ve any other suggestions for Worry-free Writing topics, let me know!

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