WORDS AND PHRASES TO AVOID
Some words are inherently ambiguous. Others are simply meaningless. Others are cliché or overused
expressions that are out of place in a scholarly essay. It is best to always avoid words and phrases that
promote imprecision.
Avoid using:
“Very,” “really,” “completely,” etc. Superlatives added to adjectives are generally not needed.
“Interesting.” We all know that saying “that’s interesting” can mean so many different things that it
can actually mean nothing.
“This,” “that” and “it” can be ambiguity traps. It’s best to not use them. For example: “That is why
he never told even his closest friends about it.” What is “that?” Furthermore, what is “it?”
“Like,” as in “the character was so like suffocated by his mother’s dreams for him.” Watch out for
speech dysfluencies in writing. You are writing, not speaking.
“Talks about” as in “This passage talks about.” Passages do not talk. Instead say, the author writes,
shows, reveals, etc.
“Wonderful,” “skillfully,” “fantastic,” when meant to compliment the writer. Do not “suck up” to the
writer. This gains you no points. Praising the prose is not analyzing the prose.