What preposition should I use when using two verbs
We use the preposition 'to' with the verb add, and 'from' with the verb remove, example:
- You need to add a product to your shopping cart.
- You need to remove a product from your shopping cart.
Now if I combined add and remove, what preposition should I use for them, example:
- To add or remove a product to your shopping cart, hover the mouse over the product.
- Add/remove a product from your shopping cart before payment.
Update
There is a Persian saying that translate to :
The easiest way to solve a problem is to eliminate the definition of the problem.
I am not asking for a different way to phrase this sentence, what I am asking is if there is a rule to pick a proposition, something like:
- Use to, the preposition associated with the first verb
- User from, the preposition associated with the second verb
- User to and from
Solution 1:
This is an excellent question! Unfortunately the English language provides no good solution, as you can see from the other responses. And I would not be surprised if this was a problem in many other languages.
Personally I would go with your option 2: "To add or remove a product from your shopping cart". I wouldn't be happy about it, but options 1 and 3 are worse. More imperfect suggestions:
To add a product to your shopping cart, or remove an already chosen item,...
Hover the mouse over a product to add or remove it.
Solution 2:
The coordination of the verbs fails whatever preposition is used. Consider picking a different verb like move.
To move a product into or out of your shopping cart...
If you're sticking with add and remove, consider rephrasing:
To add a product to or remove one from...
Solution 3:
Now is the time to reimagine your noun shopping cart as a noun adjunct—functioning as an adjective to modify your noun product:
*To add or remove a shopping cart product . . . *
No prepositions necesssary.