Avoiding vagueness in writing is a quick fix to help students improve their content and style. In this post, you’ll learn about which types of words to add to your writing and which types of words to avoid in essays.
Avoid Demonstrative Pronouns
Has your English teacher ever circled the word “this” in your essay? Or maybe written “this what?”
This, that, these, and those are demonstrative pronouns.
To avoid an unclear antecedent, be sure to add a noun after the word “this.”
Here’s a quick fix: Instead of saying “this depicts” you might say “this chart depicts.”
Adding a noun after a demonstrative pronoun helps add clarity to your essay. As you are writing try to incorporate specifics whenever possible, as this leads to more precise writing.
Add Adjectives and Adverbs
Including adjectives and adverbs is a great way to avoid vagueness in writing.
I typically have my students add in adverbs and adjectives as part of the revision process. With practice, they build their vocabulary and become more likely to add in higher-level vocabulary in their rough drafts.
Consider this example: Instead of saying “she says,” try “she asserts” (or another strong verb that captures the intended meaning. Then add an adverb before “asserts.” How is she asserting that statement? What is the tone? Boldly? Logically? Emphatically?
Words to Avoid in Formal Writing
It’s important to avoid lower level words in formal writing. When writing an essay, students should strive for an academic tone. Therefore, words to avoid in formal writing include “good,” “bad,” “thing,” “stuff,” and “a lot.” Students should also avoid imprecise descriptors like “really” and “very.”
Many students try to replace “good” and “bad” with “positive” and “negative.” While “positive” and “negative” are slightly better than “good” and “bad,” “positive” and “negative” still make my list of words to avoid in writing, if possible, because saying “positive diction” or a “negative tone” is still vague. For this reason, I consider “positive” and “negative” words to avoid in formal writing.
Other words to avoid in formal writing include “says,” “shows,” and “uses.”
There are many possible synonyms for “says.” Therefore, it is important to select a verb that precisely conveys the intended meaning. For example, while “asserts” and “implies” could both mean “says,” these two words have different meanings and uses. Selecting a stronger verb for “says” leads to more precise writing.
Similarly, there are multiple synonyms for “shows.” These verbs can often help students lead into their commentary. Some possible alternatives include conveys, demonstrates, illustrates, highlights, portrays, reveals, emphasizes, underscores, and suggests.
These 3 quick tips will help you avoid vagueness in writing essays. Before submitting an assignment, double check that you don’t have any unclear antecedents. For a typed essay, do a “Ctrl F” and search for demonstrative pronouns in your document. You can also search for lower-level words that need a stronger synonym. Lastly, look for opportunities to add more specific evidence or detail. Adding precise adjectives and adverbs will allow students to better articulate their analysis.
Want more tips? Check out this video!
