Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on your writing and on you. Whether you are writing a cover letter for a job, a business proposal, or an application essay for graduate school, using words poorly can result in negative feedback. One could find entire books regarding word choices for writers; this article will touch on some fundamental, but important ways to choose the correct word for your situation.
Our starting point will be the use of "There are" or "There is" to begin sentences. Consider this; the word "there" indicates "not here" (in other words, some other place). Now look at the sentence below and think about what the meaning is and what might be intended.
There are four dogs playing with a ball.
If the writer meant that four dogs are over there and they are playing with a ball, then this would be technically correct. If the intention was merely that four dogs are playing with a ball, here, there, or anywhere, then the sentence could be worded better. The following sentence would show better wording on the writer's part.
Four dogs are playing with a ball.
The next two words that writers often confuse are "which" and "that." If the goal of your writing is to describe something and you have used commas to separate the phrase from the rest of the sentence you want to use "which." When a writer wants a word to define and the reference is restricted then you want to use "that." The first sentence below shows the correct use of "that" and the second sentence shows correct use of "which."
The Yodo is the river that runs through Osaka.
The Yodo, which is a major waterway, runs though Osaka.
Our next word choice is between "while" and "although." Another way of thinking about the word "although" is to look at its meaning, as found on Merriam-Webster Online dictionary the meaning is, "in spite of the fact that : even though."(1) The definition of "while" indicates a relation to time, such as during a period when something else is happening. Two correctly worded sentences are below.
Although he is not tall, he is a good basketball player.
While he listened to the radio, he finished his homework.
A writer's choice between "since" and "because" also involves the possibility of a reference to time. Many people use "since" when they really mean "because," this is rarely a correct use of the word "since." When choosing a word to suggest "from a definite past time until now"(1) use "since." If you are not referring to time, "because" should be the word you choose. Try using "because," if your sentence doesn't make sense then you probably want to use "since." In the examples below the two incorrect sentences do not sound correct, while the correct sentences actually sound better.
Incorrect: He had few friends since he was too annoying.
Correct: He had few friends because he was too annoying.
Incorrect: He has not ridden a bicycle because 1990.
Correct: He has not ridden a bicycle since 1990.
Whether you are writing an essay for school or you are writing a speech for your CEO, choose your words carefully because what people hear or read from you can make a big difference in their opinion about you and your intelligence. For anyone writing, regardless of topic, length, or purpose, ask for assistance if you need it, not doing so can have serious repercussions on your reputation.
1. Merriam-Webster Online. 20 January 2005. http://m-w.com/
David is the owner of Blue Arch Consulting, a proofreading and editing business helping clients worldwide to generate English documents of all types. Their website is at http://www.blue-arch.net
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareIs your book nearly finished, finished, published, or even in... Read More
How do you describe a scene without slowing down the... Read More
In his book, "Achieving Financial Independence as a Freelance Writer,"... Read More
Be careful when you write.Words you use, sentences you phrase... Read More
Technology vendors often contribute bylined articles to trade journals. The... Read More
"This is just brilliant. The whole interview is incredible? I'm?... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
The writing community is a strong one, with many new... Read More
You have just completed a draft of an article. It... Read More
Q and A.Best choice when subject is very verbal or... Read More
Originality emerges from structure. Once you have a story idea,... Read More
Writer's Block can strike like a King Cobra, paralyzing every... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?By now you should have an idea... Read More
What am I supposed to give Anthony as a wedding... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?What a plot is and what a... Read More
Griselda spent hours polishing up her resume. No detail was... Read More
Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation,... Read More
While novels do not usually attempt to convey concepts about... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?The writer, who doesn't have the time... Read More
A poet isn't born; you must work at crafting your... Read More
It's important to have a space set aside in your... Read More
Short Story Writing Tips:Your title is your selling tool. It's... Read More
I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More
People familiar with the Myers-Briggs Personality test know that the... Read More
Lately I've been noticing an odd trend amongst the freelance... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..DEFINITIONSRetail margin is basically the difference between your book's wholesale... Read More
Do you have a problem creating a focus in your... Read More
The first five pages of a novel are critical.Editors make... Read More
If you want to be a writer, you must write... Read More
Human beings seem to be born with a gene for... Read More
It's clich?, but true-a picture does paint a thousand words.... Read More
If your writing muscle isn't in shape, writing a novel... Read More
Sailors had it for years. Great explorers had it as... Read More
Today it begins.I have always known I was a freelancer.... Read More
Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More
The self-indulgent writer listens only to the mumblings of sycophants,... Read More
What do people expect when they join a writing group?The... Read More
If you haven't realized the success you wanted last year,... Read More
Making Money from Freelance WritingIt's the question that every aspiring... Read More
A UK based freelance proofreader should be able to provide... Read More
A certified proofreader is one that has taken a few... Read More
Eight or nine times out of ten, picking up and... Read More
Writers often get stuck because they make assumptions about writing,... Read More
ESSAYS ON AUTOBIOGRAPHY: NUMBER 1Preamble:Nearly seven years ago I wrote... Read More
I just finished to read a book. A story for... Read More
I'm in the process of moving from one computer to... Read More
Being a great writer is no longer enough if you... Read More
What Makes a Great Headline?Headlines are far more important than... Read More
The following answer sounds simplistic?but think about it. The single... Read More
IntroductionSince our early days of elementary education we have been... Read More
Writing |