![]() However, if you examine how you use "to be" verbs–am, is, are, were, was, been–you may find even more that you can condense.Īs much as possible, replace the verb "to be" with a stronger verb. If you use precise language, you will probably find you are already using fewer words. Writing that is concise packs maximum meaning into the fewest possible words–think of how you would pack your suitcase for an extended tour of Europe. And a future supervisor will want to be able to comprehend your summary report rapidly and painlessly. Compare the following:Īfter college, when a job recruiter reads your resume, he or she may simply refuse to wade through excess verbiage. Strong verbs do more than almost anything else to improve prose. Perhaps even more than nouns and adjectives, vivid verbs awaken strong images in readers' minds. (Your adjectives, anyway, will have greater impact if they are not overused.) Compare the following generic nouns on the left with the more connotative suggestions on the right: The biota exhibited a one hundred percent mortality response.Ĭhoosing precise nouns makes it unnecessary to add layers of descriptive adjectives that lengthen sentences and comprehension time. ![]() The trick is to cut the verbiage without sacrificing meaning.įor example, contrast the two sentences below, the first written by a scientist using scientific jargon, the second revised into plain English: If technical words or expressions are unavoidable (and they sometimes are), define them the first time you use them and try sometimes to substitute a plainer word. Check your writing once expressly to locate jargon, and cut out as much as you can. Even if readers know the jargon, it is more difficult to read than plain English and slows down comprehension. That is, avoid jargon, or words and expressions known only to people with specialized knowledge or interests. Such an enlarged edifying trance would guest of empathy of latter-day universal public. In addition to examination of Western enlightenment, a pupil ought to remain to apply one's mind to Oriental, African, or choice cultures. This expanded cultural study would foster understanding of the modern global community. In addition to studying Western culture, students should be required to study Asian, African, or other cultures. Learn a word's meaning and usage before using it.įor example, the second sentence below is not identical in meaning with the first (or indeed even comprehensible!), although the word substitutions come from a standard thesaurus: Unfamiliar words may carry the wrong connotation or be simply unsuitable for your audience. Thesaurus words may be similar or related, yet not be identical or even equivalent in meaning. That is, never search for a synonym just to dress up an idea, and never use an unfamiliar word from the thesaurus to replace a perfectly good familiar word. We're going to make a country in which no one is left out. We are endeavoring to construct a more inclusive society. Roosevelt wrote the first sentence below FDR himself revised it: "Visage" replaces "face," "endeavors" replaces "tries," "cogitation" replaces "thought," "subsequent to" replaces "after." Or, as a result of late-night brainstorming (or having read too many bad financial aid packets, perhaps?), "at the present time" replaces "now," "in the event of" replaces "if," and "in the majority of instances" replaces "usually."įor example, a speech writer for President Franklin D. This sometimes occurs when student writers work with a thesaurus in one hand, choosing substitutes from a list of approximately similar, though unfamiliar, words. Especially avoid unnecessary use of the verb "to be" when it contributes to nominalizations and expletives. Concise language: Using the fewest possible words without sacrificing meaning makes your writing more understandable.Precise language: A vocabulary of precise nouns and vivid verbs helps you create strong mental pictures and avoid wordiness.It teaches you to streamline writing by using the following: This TIP sheet offers two ways to move beyond simple grammatical correctness. ![]() You must cut out wordiness and use precise language. ![]() Even in college, when an instructor asks you to write 2,000 words, he means 2,000 good words. In the business world that most students will enter, this reader-oriented, presentational writing will be in high demand. Expository writers in particular are responsible for clearly spelling out the relationships between ideas and for leading readers convincingly to a desired conclusion. HOW TO WRITE CLEARLY: USING PRECISE AND CONCISE LANGUAGEĪ writer's job is to create meaning for readers. ![]()
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