20 phrases you can replace with one word

Circumlocution is so prevalent in today’s corporate writing that we may not even notice it. In case you’re unfamiliar, circumlocution is the use of many words when one will do. For example, writing “at this point in time” when “now” will work. As PR Daily publisher Mark Ragan often points out at his seminars, readers have “an incredibly shrinking attention span.” As writers and editors, we need to communicate as clearly and concisely as possible. One way we can do this—avoid circumlocution. Here are some examples: Instead of Try            ...

What those performance review phrases re...

We are all familiar with corporate jargon, acronyms, and legalese and how use of these elements can obscure the true meaning of a message. But rarely is language more purposefully obtuse than in an annual performance review. We’ve all been on the receiving end of a performance review in which we’re not quite sure what’s being said. What follows is a sampling of phrases from performance reviews—along with their possible translations. All phrases were taken from the book “2600 Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews” by Paul Falcone. Note the word...

Embiggen your vocabulary: 10 coinages fr...

I spend most of my workday correcting other people’s writing. It can be tiresome, so sometimes it’s fun to take a break and play with words. This week, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite terms coined from “The Simpsons.” You won’t find them in the dictionary, but try slipping them into conversation and see what happens. (Special thanks to the Simpsons Wiki for the definitions and examples.) Embiggen and cromulent (two great words, one episode) • Embiggen means to make something better. • Cromulent means valid or acceptable. These two words were used in...

How not to write a sentence

When is a sentence not a sentence? When it’s a fragment (such as this one), a comma splice, or a run-on sentence. This is basic stuff that we all learned in elementary school, but it’s often helpful to revisit the basics. A sentence is a sequence of words that expresses a complete thought. It is an independent clause that contains a subject and a verb. (Note: The subject can be implied, as in an imperative: Stop! The implied subject in this case is you.) Correct: I woke this morning to the sound of light sabers clashing in the living room. We get into trouble when we...

Want to write better? Rate yourself on t...

I’m so jazzed. My son is finally old enough that they’re starting to focus on the mechanics of writing in school. He brought home a worksheet on commas the other day, and I was euphoric. They’re teaching them to use the serial comma! (I know, I know. I’m going on about the serial comma again. Roll your eyes accordingly.) Though my son may not share my enthusiasm for writing, the curriculum his school is using is full of great writing advice. The following is from a checklist called “Traits of Good Writing” in which the kids are asked to rate their writing...