Word Choice

1. Word Choice Writing Well

2. Wordiness • Using more words than necessary • Often a sign of laziness • Readers resent the extra energy needed to read your writing

3. Examples of Wordiness In this paper, I am planning to describe the hobby that I enjoy of collecting old comic books. I enjoy collecting old comic books.

4. In Ben’s opinion, he thinks that cable television will change and alter our lives in the future. Ben thinks that cable television will change our lives.

6. Correct these sentences • In general, I am the sort of person who tends to be shy, especially in large crowds or with strangers I don’t know well. 2. In today’s uncertain economic climate, it is clear that people, namely, average middle-class working people, have great difficulty saving much money or putting anything aside for emergencies.

7. My greatest mistake that I made last week was to hurt my brother’s feelings and then not to have the nerve to apologize and say how sorry I was. • It seems obvious to me, and it should be to everyone else too, that people can be harmed as much by emotional abuse as by physical abuse, even if you don’t lay a hand on them.

8. More Phrases to Avoid

9. Effective Word Choice In formal (academic) writing you should avoid: • Slang • Clichés • Pretentious words

10. Slang • Goes out of date • Becomes tiresome • Does not communicate clearly

11. Examples of Slang • Someone ripped off Ken’s new Adidas running shoes from his locker. • After the game, we stuffed our faces at the diner. • I finally told my parents to get off my case. • The movies really grossed me out.

12. Clichés • Worn out from constant use • Makes your writing seem tired and stale • Prevents you from giving specific details that is vital to good writing

13. Common Clichés

14. Pretentious Words • Fancy, elevated words • Sounds artificial and stilted • Obscures the meaning

15. Examples of Pretentious Words • It was a splendid opportunity to get some slumber. It was a good chance to get some sleep. 2. We relished the delicious repast. We enjoyed the delicious meal.

16. 3. The officer apprehended the intoxicated operator of the vehicle. The officer arrested the drunken driver. 4. This establishment sells women’s apparel and children’s garments. This store sells women’s and children’s clothes.

18. YOUR favorite words are NOT MY favorite words! • The society • Harmonious • Fresh feeling • Colorful life • Warm feeling • Happy life Use a thesaurus to find other words to more specifically describe what you want to say. BE SPECIFIC!

19. Old saying • As the old saying goes… • Just as the old Chinese saying goes… • An old proverb says… • As everyone has heard… • Avoid these as much as possible. In the West, we prefer ORIGINAL IDEAS and thoughts to OLD SAYINGS, especially in written academic essays.

20. Other Common Errors • Do not start a sentence with: • And • But • So

21. Suggest • I suggest her that she work hard to pass her English test.

22. Suggest • I suggest her that she work hard to pass her English test. • I recommended to her that she work hard to pass her English test. • I advised her to work hard to pass her English test. • I suggest she work hard to pass her English test. • I suggested to her that she work hard to pass her English test.

23. Had better • You had better… • You had better learn English well. • You had better eat at home and not eat out. • You had better pay attention to your studies. • Talking to the reader – a big no no! • Sounds threatening and mean! • Instead, try……?

24. Besides Only use the transition “besides” when you are adding more facts or info to a previously stated point. Don’t use “besides” when you are about to state a new idea.

25. Let’s go to the store. I need to buy milk. Besides, we have an hour free before we have to leave, so it is better to get this task done now. • Let’s go to the store. I need to buy milk. Also, let’s stop by the dry cleaners and pick up my suit. • Don’t use besides in the second example.

26. Let/Make • Use let for something one allows another to do • Use make for something one forces another to do • I let him give me $5 • I made him give me $5 • He let me borrow $5 • He made me borrow $5

27. Basic Rules • Do not alliterate. • Aunt Allie’s alligator ate my apple. • Do not end sentences with prepositions. • Where are you going to? • Avoid clichés. • I’m tired as a dog. • Do not use ampersands or abbreviations. • Chana & Josh both work at SZU. • Parenthetical remarks are unnecessary. • The weather (cold and rainy) is a nice change from the hot summer.

28. Avoid contractions. • I don’t like pizza. • Avoid redundancy. • Don’t be redundant; don’t needlessly use any more words than are actually necessary; it’s always very highly superfluous. • Be specific. • Learning English is more or less important. • Exaggeration is worse than understatement. • After I learned English, all the problems in my life went away.

29. Eliminate one word sentences. • Terrific. • Avoid the passive voice. • My paper was lost. • Stay away from rhetorical questions? • To travel to other countries and experience other cultures would be great, wouldn’t it?