Comments on: Five Words You Can Cut

By: Karin Ponce

Karin Ponce — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 14:51:42 +0000

I’ve caught myself crossing those very words out of my writings – writings done in my own natural voice – every single time I take the time and effort to edit my own work with a careful eye. The difficult thing is breaking the habit of my speech and thought process! I will carry with me, and place in front of my computer, this list of words I overuse in speech and in writing. I mean it!

On the author’s question of ‘quite,’ I, US born and raised, perceive it as meaning ‘thoroughly’ in your application.

This article and its subsequent conversation is the most enjoyable reading I’ve had in weeks! Thank you for that.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 16:03:45 +0000

I know this reply is quite late, but perhaps I really just wanted to share that I use these words all the time (even when I am not trying to!). I think if I went through my writing more carefully, I would be able to eliminate many more words than I already do. I still have a long way to go to reduce my wordiness.

Incidentally, you should write a piece on the use of “whether” versus “if.” You may be surprised at how many times people (including yourself–sorry!) use whether in the wrong place.

By: Allwynn

Allwynn — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 08:14:17 +0000

I discovered this website from Twitter — and can’t tell you how much I have learned in the past few days!

Thank you for talking about something as basic as this. I need reminders!

By: aperjerr

aperjerr — Sat, 16 May 2009 09:11:07 +0000

Hi all.

I really loves this blog as it helps me alot in my workbook assignment and still having problem of keep using the word ‘thus’, ‘hence’ and ‘therefore’ in my report. Now I try to use ‘as such’. Could anyone enlighten me on how cut down this words to make my report sounds professional?

Tks.

By: Trevor

Trevor — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 02:38:04 +0000

When the words are being used in dialogue, you need to go with the voice of your character rather than what is technically correct.

You need to be consistent but, as the writer says, overuse of words is a product of speech patterns. The main thing to guard against if you have a personal tendency to use those words, is to ensure the speech patterns aren’t shared by a narrator and an unrelated character unless there is a good reason for it.