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Mar 20, 2011 · Probably not. But, because readers will understand the narrator is making an educated guess, and because readers don’t care whether the bomb is ten feet away or twelve feet away, save yourself the extra words and the unnecessary dithering. Elle was forty-five minutes late for her dentist appointment when a cop pulled her over for speeding.
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Here’s a list of common vague phrases, along with suggestions for making them more clear and specific: “We will do it soon.”. More Clear: “We will complete the task by next Friday.”. “That’s not a big deal.”. More Clear: “The issue is minor and can be resolved quickly.”. “She is sort of experienced.”.
Jan 9, 2023 · Clarity: Sharpen Vague Sentences and Paragraphs. When you write, clarity should be one of your top priorities. This is the case for every type of writing. Clear writing that makes its point or purpose unmistakable and provides the reader with the appropriate amount of detail is strong writing. The opposite of clear writing is vague writing ...
- Too Informal
- Too Vague
- Too Exaggerated
- Too Subjective
- Generally Incorrect
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Academic writing is generally more formal than the writing we see in non-academic materials (including on websites). It is also more formal than the ways in which we normally speak. The following words and phrases are considered too informal for a dissertation or academic paper.
Using vague terms makes your writing imprecise and may cause people to interpret it in different ways. Always try to be as specific as possible.
Academic writing is usually unadorned and direct. Some adverbs of frequency (such as always and never) and intensifiers (words that create emphasis, such as really) are often too dramatic. They may also not be accurate – you’re making a significant claim when you say something is perfect or neverhappens. These terms do sometimes add value, but try ...
Some words and phrases reveal your own bias. For instance, if you state that something will obviously happen, you are indicating that you think the occurrence is obvious – not stating a fact. Expressing your opinion is appropriate in certain sections of a dissertation and in particular types of academic texts (such as personal statements and reflec...
Certain words and phrases are often used incorrectly, even by native speakers of a language. If you’re exposed to such mistakes often enough, you may start to assume they are correct – but it’s important that you don’t let them creep into your writing. You should also bear in mind that some of these mistakes relate to things we all frequently mishe...
In general, you should also try to avoid using words and phrases that fall into the following categories: 1. Jargon(i.e., “insider” terminology that may be difficult for readers from other fields to understand) 2. Clichés (i.e., expressions that are heavily overused, such as think outside of the box and at the end of the day) 3. Everyday abbreviati...
Reflective reports and personal statements sometimes have a less formal tone. In these types of writing, you may not have to follow these guidelines as strictly. The preface or acknowledgementsof a dissertation also often have a less formal and more personal voice than the rest of the document.
If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
Dec 7, 2022 · Tautologies. Tautologies are words and phrases that mean the same thing, meaning you can cut one of the words. Examples include things like “evening sunset”, or “autobiography of her life.”. In these examples “evening” and “of her life” mean the same thing as “sunset” and “autobiography” respectively. You don't need both.
Jun 13, 2024 · 2. Use concrete and specific words. Instead of using vague pronouns or words, choose concrete and specific terms that clearly convey your message. For example, you could use a product, item, or object instead of a thing. Similarly, you could use excellent, outstanding, or superb instead of good.
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Vague Language (aka Ambiguous Language) is. a defining characteristic of weak writing and writer-based prose style. Examples of vague language are. generalization, overgeneralizations—a sweeping statement about a group of people, things, topic. an excessive number of non-specific adjectives like good, bad, okay, pretty, happy, and sad, which ...
