![]() My editor pointed out that “one” was a word she’d noticed a lot in the manuscript. ![]() I love your daily writing hints but it just shows that even the experts get it wrong! What would you call the error above? Dangling modifier? Here are ten ways to produce more vivid, direct, concise prose by reorganizing sentences and replacing wordy phrases with fewer words. Here are ten ways to produce more vivid, direct, concise prose by replacing wordy phrases with fewer words, and reorganizing sentences. Might I suggest you amend your opening sentence? Two suggestions: “Here are ten ways to produce more vivid, direct, concise prose by replacing wordy phrases with fewer words and reorganizing sentences.” 100 Mostly Small But Expressive Interjectionsġ4 Responses to “10 Techniques for More Precise Writing”.Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Business Writing category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below: Replace phrases that signal a transition with simple conjunctions, verbs, or other linking words.īefore: Due to the fact that the project is behind schedule, today’s meeting has been postponed.Īfter: Because the project is behind schedule, today’s meeting has been postponed. Replace “(noun1) of the (noun2)” phrasing with “(noun2)’s (noun1)” phrasing.īefore: “The decision of the committee is final.”Īfter: “The committee’s decision is final.” 10. ![]() Avoid Expletivesĭon’t start sentences with “There is,” “There are,” or “It is.”īefore: “There are many factors in the product’s failure.”Īfter: “Many factors contributed to the product’s failure.” 9. Replace Complex Words with Simple OnesĬhoose simpler synonyms for multisyllabic words.īefore: “The department will disseminate the forms soon.”Īfter: “The department will pass out the forms soon.” 8. Identify the verb buried in a verb phrase and omit the rest of the phrase.īefore: “The results are suggestive of the fact that tampering has occurred.”Īfter: “The results suggest that tampering has occurred.” 7. When a sentence includes a noun ending in -tion, change the noun to a verb to simplify the sentence.īefore: “They will collaborate in the creation of new guidelines.”Īfter: “They will collaborate to create new guidelines.” 6. Reorganize sentences to eliminate series of nouns used as adjectives.īefore: “The lack of a secure transfer may hamper computer security incident response efforts.”Īfter: “The lack of a secure transfer may hamper responses to computer-security incidents.” 5. Replace explanatory phrases with a single word that encapsulates that explanation.īefore: “The crops also needed to be marketable so that families would be able to sell any yields that exceeded what they personally required.”Īfter: “The crops also needed to be marketable so that families would be able to sell any surplus.” 4. Phrases formed around general nouns such as aspect, degree, and situation clutter sentences.īefore: “She is an expert in the area of international relations.”Īfter: “She is an expert in international relations.” 3. When a sentence includes be or any other copulative verb, such as is or are, recast the sentence to omit the verb.īefore: “The meeting was seen by us as a ploy to delay the project.”Īfter: “We saw the meeting as a ploy to delay the project.” 2. It is not advisable to employ these strategies indiscriminately, but prose will usually be improved by following the recommendations below. Here are ten ways to produce more vivid, direct, concise prose by replacing wordy phrases with fewer words and reorganizing sentences. 10 Techniques for More Precise Writing By Mark Nichol
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