For example, replace “I think the most important part of your day is having a good breakfast,” with “A nutritious breakfast is an important part of a healthy diet. ”
Slang words and colloquialisms are casual expressions shared by a region or social group, like “photobomb,” “kick the bucket,” or “Bob’s your uncle. ” Instead of, “He kicked the bucket in a doozy of a wreck,” write, “He was killed in a serious car accident. " Clichés are overused expressions that have become meaningless or boring, such as “only time will tell” or “cream of the crop. ” Alternatives for these phrases could be “remains to be seen” and “the best. " Examples of contractions include “don’t,” “wouldn’t,” hasn’t,” and “it’s. ” Instead of using them, spell out the words in full.
Additionally, avoid casual estimates, such as “a couple of studies,” “a lot of time,” or “a bunch of research. ” Instead, use specific numbers, such as “The team spent 17 days collecting samples. ”
For instance, “An expert witness debunked the defense’s argument” is stronger than “The witness made an extremely convincing testimony that made the defendant look absolutely guilty. ” Replace “to be” verbs like is”, “am”, “are”, “were”, “was”, and “will be”, with stronger verbs. For example, instead of saying, “The defense’s argument was wrong because it was based on speculation” say, “The argument failed because it relied on speculative evidence. "
Compare the examples, “I think the nations’ economic relationship prevented war,” and “The nations’ economic relationship prevented war. ” The second example is objective and sounds authoritative. You might feel the urge to soften a claim by using a personal pronoun, especially if you’re unsure about it. Do your research![7] X Expert Source Tristen BonacciLicensed English Teacher Expert Interview. 21 December 2021. The more you know about your subject matter, the easier it’ll be to make strong, well-supported claims. Even if the other side presents a strong argument, keep an authoritative tone throughout. While you should acknowledge the other side, avoid using personal pronouns, as this could weaken your stance.
Consider the sentence, “I strongly disagree with the defense’s attempt to blame the accident on a vehicle defect. ” Stronger phrasing could be, “According to expert testimony from the manufacturer, the defense’s claims regarding a vehicle defect had no basis in reality. ”
For the example, “I will argue that market volatility led to the industry’s collapse,” just cut “I will argue that. ” Tweak the phrasing for the sentence, “I will examine letters and journal entries to show how Charles Baudelaire’s life in Paris influenced his views of modernity. ” You could start the sentence with “Examining letters and journal entries will show,” and leave out “I will. ”
In passive voice, an action was done by someone or something: “This was done by them. " Because of this construction, passive voice tends to be wordy. Active voice is crisper and emphasizes the doer: “They did this. " Keep in mind that you should write in the active voice whenever possible. Write “Charles Baudelaire described modernity” instead of “Modernity was described by Charles Baudelaire. [11] X Research source
Instead of “The painting overwhelms you with texture and color,” write “The painting overwhelms viewers with texture and color. ” You can also just replace generalizations with tighter wording. Replace “You can see that the claim is false,” with “The claim is false,” or reword it as “The evidence disproves the claim. ” Include formal generalizations in moderation. Using “one can see” or “one would think” too often will make your writing feel awkward.
For example, “The efficiency audit determined that streamlining the application process will generate interest,” refers to a reliable source and states a fact. “The application process is terrible and confusing,” expresses an opinion. If you’re trying to make an emotional appeal to your audience, it is acceptable to use more emotional language, although you should still avoid using the first person.
For example, “That guy was a real hater, so his boss gave him the third-degree,” features slang. “The manager reprimanded the cashier for insubordinate behavior,” is more specific and objective.
Examples of common expressions include “easier said than done,” “sooner or later,” “at the end of the day”, and “reached a happy medium. ” Alternatives for these expressions could be “more difficult in practice,” “inevitable,” “ultimately”, and “compromised. ”
Additionally, ensure your sentences are always complete and unabbreviated. For example, “The performer gave an excellent performance. Not a dry eye in the theater,” is grammatically incorrect and inappropriate for academic writing. [17] X Research source For resume writing, terse, incomplete sentences are actually preferred. Instead of “I reduced purchasing costs by 10%,” write, “Reduced purchasing costs by 10%. ”
