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Context: Derek is standing on the top of a scaffold when a man starts shooting at him. Derek doesn't get hit.

  1. Derek throws himself down on the scaffold as the man keeps shooting.

  2. Derek throws himself flat on the scaffold as the man keeps shooting.

  3. Derek throws himself down flat on the scaffold as the man keeps shooting.

  4. Derek drops down on the scaffold as the man keeps shooting.

  5. Derek drops flat on the scaffold as the man keeps shooting.

  6. Derek drops down flat on the scaffold as the man keeps shooting.

Could you please tell me if any of my suggestions are natural in the context?

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5
  • 2
    They all could work. "Throws himself" sounds a little more panicked than "drops".
    – Jack O'Flaherty
    Commented Aug 16, 2020 at 2:24
  • Could I just write 'throws himself down" and omit "on the scaffold" or could it sound like he threw himself down from the scaffold?
    – user118626
    Commented Aug 16, 2020 at 20:05
  • 1
    It could sound like that, since a scaffold is usually elevated.
    – Jack O'Flaherty
    Commented Aug 16, 2020 at 20:28
  • To me #4 sounds most natural, but I would suggest “onto” instead of “on”.
    – bertday
    Commented Mar 30, 2021 at 4:50
  • And "down" doesn't imply flat - it could mean he crouches or gets on hands and knees.
    – Stuart F
    Commented Sep 11 at 12:13

1 Answer 1

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For me "throws something down" against "drops something" conveys a more (physically) active involvement than just the passive action of gravity.

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