Five Weak Words that Make Your Writing Less Effective

Bonus: For more tips on becoming a stronger writer delivered directly to your inbox for free, click here. I can’t stand frail, weak writing. And neither can you. You know when you’ve read content that compels you to do something that matters and when something bores you to tears. And you need to be able to identify those words that weaken your writing so that you can stamp them out of your vocabulary. Words are the lifeblood of your writing. Words matter. Untrained writers can be careless with their words. “Stuff” Stuff is a lazy word. Instead, use a more descriptive noun. “Things” Things is another lazy word. Things is nondescript and can often be replaced with much better nouns, such as “reasons” or “elements” or “issues” and so on… “Got” Got is a terrible verb. Instead of saying “I got up”, say “I woke up.” Instead of saying, “I got a baseball”, say, “I have a baseball” or “I found a baseball.” Not only is got a lazy word; it is also vague. “Was/Is/Are/Am” “Went” Went is like are.

Comma Sutra: position yourself for better syntax: Comma Sutra's Top Ten Grammar and Spelling Errors of 2012 As an editor and copywriter, it is an important part of my job to realize that sometimes, just sometimes, it is appropriate to write in colloquialisms. What I mean by this is that sometimes it is a good idea to write in a way that is familiar to people, and that appears conversational. I'm certain that you've come across colloquialisms in both nonfiction and fiction you've read recently. One example that comes to mind immediately for me is Chelsea Handler's book, Are You There, Vodka? So believe it or not, even as someone who loves grammar, I am willing to admit there are times when it is totally appropriate to write in colloquialisms. (1) There, Their and They'reThere can be used as a pronoun, or to describe a place. (2) DefinitelyThe word definitely is very commonly misspelled definately. (3) Peak, Peek, PiquePeak means the highest point. (4) It's and ItsIt's is always a contraction for it is. (5) Lose and Loose (7) Who's and WhoseWho's is a conjunction that means who is.

Synonyms for words commonly used in student's writing Amazing- incredible, unbelievable, improbable, fabulous, wonderful, fantastic, astonishing, astounding, extraordinary Anger- enrage, infuriate, arouse, nettle, exasperate, inflame, madden Angry- mad, furious, enraged, excited, wrathful, indignant, exasperated, aroused, inflamed Answer- reply, respond, retort, acknowledge Ask- question, inquire of, seek information from, put a question to, demand, request, expect, inquire, query, interrogate, examine, quiz Awful- dreadful, terrible, abominable, bad, poor, unpleasant Beautiful - pretty, lovely, handsome, attractive, gorgeous, dazzling, splendid, magnificent, comely, fair, ravishing, graceful, elegant, fine, exquisite, aesthetic, pleasing, shapely, delicate, stunning, glorious, heavenly, resplendent, radiant, glowing, blooming, sparkling Begin - start, open, launch, initiate, commence, inaugurate, originate Brave - courageous, fearless, dauntless, intrepid, plucky, daring, heroic, valorous, audacious, bold, gallant, valiant, doughty, mettlesome

Rejected for publication: What now? : eloquentscience.com You are here: Home / Blog / Rejected for publication: What now? So, your manuscript was rejected? Before you start firebombing the editor’s place of work and writing screeds on your blog, consider the following. Put yourself in the reviewer’s shoes. It may be hard to do so, but it is often the best way to understand what the reviewer is trying to communicate. View the reviewer as a representative member of your community. How do you tell if the reviewer is biased? (Image from pirateplush.com)

100 Exquisite Adjectives By Mark Nichol Adjectives — descriptive words that modify nouns — often come under fire for their cluttering quality, but often it’s quality, not quantity, that is the issue. Plenty of tired adjectives are available to spoil a good sentence, but when you find just the right word for the job, enrichment ensues. Subscribe to Receive our Articles and Exercises via Email You will improve your English in only 5 minutes per day, guaranteed! 21 Responses to “100 Exquisite Adjectives” Rebecca Fantastic list! PhDs - What to Do When You Advance To Candidacy Congratulations!! Your qualifying exams are successfully behind you (I always had faith in you), and for the first time you can focus exclusively on what you want to do for your dissertation. No pressure yet. Learning About the Job Search Process It's time to start educating yourself about the job acquisition process. The Academic Job Search - Social Sciences & Humanities The Academic Job Search - Sciences & Engineering Nailing the Job Talk or Erudition Ain't Enough Each is always offered in the fall, and usually in the spring semester as well. Other useful information is also contained in eGrad (a monthly electronic newsletter) and The Graduate (a semi-annual newsletter) produced by the Graduate Division's publications unit. Practicing the Art of the Job Talk Once you get an on-campus interview, your formal presentation or job talk will be one of the most important factors that decides whether or not you get the offer. Start now. Making Professional Contacts Avoiding Social Isolation

Free eBooks at Planet eBook - Classic Novels and Literature UNC Writing Center A List of Books | 623 of the Best Books ever Written UW-Madison Writing Center Writer's Handbook: index skip navigation The Writer's Handbook Index Home » Writer's Handbook UW-Madison Writer's Handbook Introduction In this section, you will find many instructional materials we've developed for our Writing Center teaching. However, there are limitations to these materials. Finally, handouts can give only a fraction of the customized guidance that an individual conference with a Writing Center instructor can provide. Contact Us