Don't Use These Words

Welcome to the Grammar Minute, where we’re saving the English language sixty seconds at a time! I’m Lauren Smyth, back with another writing tip of the week. There are some words that you almost never need to use, no matter what you’re writing. This includes words that are boring, overly complicated, or poorly defined. There’s a long list of words that could fall into these categories, but a few that come to mind include “very,” “actually,” “good,” “bad,” “biweekly”—and if that sounds suspiciously specific, check out the episode I did on that miserable word—“literally,” “unique,” and “phenomenon.” If you feel like you must use one of these words, first consider whether there is a stronger word you could use. Replacing “good” with almost any other adjective, for example, is almost guaranteed to make your writing immediately more interesting. Second, consider whether your reader is likely to need a dictionary to understand what you’re saying. There’s a fine line between “interesting” and “overly complicated.” The best writers walk this line like pros. That’s your Grammar Minute! Visit thegrammarminute.com for more tips and tricks.