| A Writer's Workshop: Crafting Paragraphs, Building Essays Bob Brannan,
Johnson County Community College
Choosing the Most Effective Word
Summary1.Style in writing consists largely of word choices and arrangement. |
| | | 2.Writers choose their words based on their subject, their attitude toward it, and their sense of what the audience wants or needs to know. |
| | | 3.General and abstract words are necessary for framing larger ideas, particularly in thesis and topic sentences, but specific and concrete terms are essential to develop the more general sentences. |
| | | 4.Writing concisely requires eliminating words that serve little purpose in a sentence. Sentences, paragraphs, and essays may be concise and still long. |
| | | 5.We can improve concision by controlling these elements:- Redundant expressions: each and every one, true facts
- Padded phrases: very, thing, in terms of
- Excessive qualifiers and emphasizers: sometimes, maybe/certainly, obviously
- Unnecessary detail: ...postage stamp that is rectangular and placed in the corner
- Inflated clauses and phrases: in an eager way = eagerly
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| | | 6.Writers vary their tone based on how they feel about their topic and how they regard their audience. |
| | | 7.Multisyllable words can easily be overused. Generally, rely on the more common word: numerous = many; terminate = end; edifice = house. |
| | | 8.Eliminate slang from relatively formal writing and use colloquial expressions judiciously: bummed = depressed; psyched up = excited; kid = child. |
| | | 9.The connotation of words often affects tone: child = innocence, happiness, freedom. |
| | | 10.Avoid biased language, including sexual bias, in writing: all men = everyone. |
| | | 11.Contractions should be used sparingly in relatively formal writing. |
| | | 12.Figures of speech can enrich writing, helping in concision, color and emphasis. |
| | | 13.Avoid cliches and worn expressions: sent chills up my spine. |
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