Here is a list 8 different categories of words to avoid to improve the quality of your writing. There are also tips on how to work around these words. If you have any questions or ideas on how to improve this page, please email them to Marci@RegalLessons.com.
Avoid Passive Voice
The first set of words to avoid are the passive verbs. The worst passive verbs are be, am, is, was, are and were. Verbs like occurred aren’t that great either.
1. Move the ending noun phrase to the beginning.
Better: The worst passive verbs include be verbs: is, was, are, were.
Original: Be, is, was are and were are the worst passive of verbs.
2. Move the ending adjective phrase to before the subject.
Original: When Snapchat users snap their friends on Snapchat at least once every 24 hours, they develop a streak, which is addictive and makes the user use Snapchat everyday.
Better: When Snapchat users snap their friends on Snapchat at least once every 24 hours, they develop an addictive streak, which makes the user use Snapchat everyday.
Original: Verbs like occurred aren’t that great either.
Better: Writers should also avoid verbs like occurred.
4. Take out nominalized words.
Nominalization words end in ing, y, ance, ion, ence, and ness. Simply drop the nominalized endings.
missing –> miss
discovery –> discover
resistance –> resist
abbreviation –> abbreviate
difference –> different
carelessness –> careless
Original: I am going to go swim.
Better: I will go swim.
Original: The brain is rewarding the person.
Better: The brain rewards the person.
5. Test your knowledge of passive vs active verbs.
This 20 question multiple choice quiz will help you identify which sentences have passive verbs and which have active verbs. It will also give you some more examples on how to reword sentences to use active verbs. Click here to take the quiz.
Avoid Saying It’s Your Opinion
The next set of words to avoid are the ones that tell the reader that the writing is your opinion. Readers already assume it is your opinion because you’re the one writing it. So just take out I think, in my opinion, etc.
Original: I think Abraham Lincoln is a great president.
Better: Abraham Lincoln is a great president.
Avoid Overusing And
Try replacing and with a different conjunction. The acronym FANBOY (for, and, nor, but, or, yet) will help you remember different conjunctions to use.
Avoid Contractions
The next group of words to avoid are contractions which are super informal. They’re fine if you’re writing an article like this and trying to relate to teenagers. However, if you’re trying to impress you’re teacher or anyone in the academic world, you need to write out the whole word.
Original: They’re fine if you’re writing an article like this and trying to relate to teenagers.
Better: They are fine if you are writing an article like this and trying to relate to teenagers.
Avoid Personal Pronouns
Like contractions, personal pronouns are also informal words to avoid. Personal pronouns include I, me, you, your, we, us, mine, our, our, etc. If you are on friendly terms with your audience, you can use them. However, if your audience is grading you, use words like one or his or her instead.
Original: If you are on friendly terms with your audience, you can use them.
Better: If one is on friendly terms with his or her audience, one can use them.
Avoid Negatives
Are you tired of this list of things not to do? That’s because negatives are annoying. The next group of words to avoid are negatives. Try to avoid using negative phrases by using phrases that mean the opposite.
Original: Try to avoid using negative phrases by using phrases that mean the opposite.
Better: Try to use positive phrases.
Avoid using not by using the antonym of the word after not.
Not happy –> sad
Using positive words and phrases also helps you write more concisely.
Avoid Demonstrative Pronouns
Demonstratives are also words to avoid. The most common demonstratives are this, that, and these.
1. Just take it out.
Original: People start to think that they are missing out.
Better: People start to think they are missing out.
2. Use such instead.
Original: This unrealistic standard can cause psychological damage to self worth.
Better: Such unrealistic standards can cause psychological damage to self worth.
3. Use the instead.
Original: To gain control of this attention economy, one can either log out or fix how companies run their companies.
Better: To gain control of the attention economy, one can either log out or fix how companies run their companies.
4. Combine with the previous sentence by turning it into an appositive phrase.
Original: Companies study the biology and psychology of our brains to keep an audience on the platform. These include companies like Snapchat.
Better: Companies, like Snapchat, study the biology and psychology of our brains to keep an audience on the platform.
5. Combine with the previous sentence using which.
Original: When Snapchat users snap their friends on Snapchat at least once every 24 hours, they develop an addicting streak. This constant streak makes the user use Snapchat everyday.
Better: When Snapchat users snap their friends on Snapchat at least once every 24 hours, they develop an addicting streak, which makes the user use Snapchat everyday.
6. Insert the noun that it describes.
Original: This psychological addiction has been compared to substance addiction.
Better: Social media addiction has been compared to substance addiction.
Avoid “In Order”
The final words to avoid are “in order.” To avoid them, just take it out!
Original: A person’s brain sends dopamine in order to make the person feel better.
Better: A person’s brain sends dopamine to make the person feel better.
Beyond Words to Avoid
For more help with writing, visit our English Language Arts page. For help with other subjects, visit our Study Tools page!
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