Nature may seem very loving and maternal on a warm sunny day with all the birds singing. If you are ‘disinterested’, it means you are personally detached and completely unbiased in a matter at hand. 1. Only Hitler is ‘literally’ Hitler. But do not ‘flout’ the law while doing so. Do not say he was ‘supportive of’ the non-profit organization. (Think of corporate accountants and not much else.). When somebody is in a dilemma, they are facing only two alternative  (and negative) courses of action. In this case, its a redundant adjective. Two words to avoid at all cost. Words To Avoid – Singular “Ambivalent” This word is a false friend of ‘ambiguous’ and can be regularly misused. Often such phrases are hyperbolized (i.e. Such as an ‘innovative’ cure for cancer or male-pattern baldness. Keep in mind that the prefix ‘di’ means ‘two’, and nothing more and nothing less. This word is a false friend of ‘ambiguous’ and can be regularly misused. Accordingly, mastering the tongue is no easy task, and there are many words to avoid when writing the best possible essays, resumes, and academic articles. Instead, using ‘division’ or ‘split’ will get the job done. (Particularly for resumes!). We use the passive voice to make our writing sound objective. Misuse of words is the most common blunder when composing more formal documents in English, and this article will help identify some common mistakes people make. So without further ado, here are over twenty examples of words to avoid when writing on serious matters. Corona Chan – 12 Memes Featuring The Coronavirus Waifu, G K Chesterton Quotes – ‘Heretics’ Passages About Western Civilization, Secure The Bag – 10 Andrew Yang Memes About Free Money, Words To Avoid When Writing Essays, Resumes, And Academic Articles, How Dare You – 10 Greta Thunberg Memes Of Climate Activism. Many students believe that academic writing is wordy and convoluted, and uses a lot of jargon. This phrase should be used only in the realm of finance. Misuse of words is the most common blunder when composing more formal documents in English, and this article will help identify some common mistakes people make. There are plenty of synonyms you can use instead of this word, and its highly recommended that you do. Someone in ‘trouble’ or a ‘predicament’ can have any number of issues. This term is about as meaningless as ‘making history’. Metaphorical terms should be avoided in formal writing. ‘Virtual’ describes something that has the effect of reality, but not the form. Otherwise, it’s another impoverished cliche which metaphorically describes an outcome, result or consequence. This just sounds very bureaucratic, and ‘thinking it over’ or ‘will soon consider’ are much better alternatives. Better word choices are ‘different solution’ or ‘different option’. English has the largest vocabulary of any language. This combination weakens a verb by turning it into an adjective with a preposition. When it’s time to write, you have to carefully choose words that can clearly express the idea and then decide how you will rearrange those words into phrases, sentences, and even paragraphs. Eliminate words that explain the obvious or provide excessive detail. It might interest you to know that ‘charisma’ can be a theological term for the divine grace which gives saints their power. Everything which follows should be self-evident. 2.This list is a small selection of phrases meant to illustrate the style of informal phrases. However, it also unleashes floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. This makes a dichotomy both a truth and a falsehood. 1.Some common phrases that you use in everyday speech don’t translate well to academic writing. Always consider readers while … Here is a question for you. These are two more false friends. Of course. The RMS Titanic did not ‘flounder’ and go under the sea, but it did in fact ‘founder’. Pick something else which cannot be confused as either a negative or a positive. It cannot be disproved. If you are ‘uninterested’, it simply means you are lacking interest. This is often used in academic settings, and has unfortunately spread like wildfire into more generalized writing. Dilemma is not a synonym of being in a ‘predicament’ or ‘trouble’. This should be a sub-heading in resumes only. Ambivalent is a term from the psychoanalysis field that means two competing emotions (such as love and hate) are operating in the mind. This in incorrect. This is perfectly acceptable when used in the computer science world, but its best kept to that field. ‘Address’ a letter. ‘Viable’ means something which is “capable of working successfully”. As the saying goes when someone has an attractive physique, if you’ve got it, ‘flaunt’ it. If you use of course, the … In the latter example, you should ‘deal with’ a problem or ‘rectify’ a problem. This adjective is now nearly devoid of meaning. While I understand that many people gravely dislike Donald Trump, he is not ‘literally’ Hitler as many people have described him. This word can run into a lot of trouble since it’s both an adjective and a noun. Do not let the ‘full’ sound in this word confuse you with something bountiful. How to avoid using personal language. Natural devastation which may kill thousands of people is not exactly what we should associate with mothers. exaggerated), too casual, and so overused that most readers glance over them. It’s advisable to only use this word when an antiques ‘store’ or ‘dealer’ is part of the context. Additionally, ‘less’ modifies a singular noun, while ‘fewer’ modifies plural nouns. ‘Fulsome’ literally means something that is “revolting”. It is also more formal than the ways in which we normally speak. I think Ned Kelly relied on his Irish heritage to gain local sympathy. Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. This word is disastrous as a casual intensifier because it means that something is undeniably factual. Sometimes it is just a matter of eliminating the personal language 1. Words like ‘inhibit’ or ‘restrict’ are much better replacements, and they cannot be confused with temperatures. That cheese block does not have ‘less’ calories, that cheese block has ‘fewer’ calories. Again, metaphorical terms should be avoided in formal writing, and this one is relatively common. A reader is often unfamiliar with the material you are presenting. Poverty is best understood as a disease. Use ‘master in plumbing’ or ‘teaching to read’. Do not ‘address’ a problem. ‘Flaunt’ means to “boastfully exhibit”, while ‘flout’ means to “defy”. As in virtual reality must mean ‘nearly reality’. Academic writing, like most other forms of writing, is a series of choices. During our lives, we will likely have numerous moments which we consider ‘defining’. Very few programs, applications, skills, policies or non-profit organizations are truly original. So without further ado, here are over twenty examples of words to avoid when writing on serious matters. ‘Less’ applies to quantities, while ‘fewer’ is applied to numbers. A ‘chilling effect’ is essentially an ‘adverse effect’. ‘Mixed feelings’ is a better and more widely understood substitute. This is a rather pompous noun where ‘idea’ or ‘scheme’ are much better suited in formal (and yet humble) writing. Academic writing is generally more formal than the writing we see in non-academic materials (including on websites). Probably two of the most misunderstood words in the English language. ‘Concept’ should only be used when referring to something rather extravagant, such as the concept of the universe. ‘Founder’ means “to collapse or break down suddenly”, while ‘flounder’ means “to move clumsily, awkwardly, or in confusion”. He ‘supported’ the non-profit organization. Reserve this word for such rare instances of something innovative. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning. Since your reader will be ill equipped to judge a single ‘defining moment’ compared to others, it’s best to avoid using this phrase. For instance, don’t use ‘master plumber skills’ or ‘teaching reading skills’. You do not want to confuse your readers with this term. Ned Kelly relied on his Irish heritage to gain local sympathy. For general and academic writing purposes, avoid fillers and other unnecessary words and phrases. When exactly did anyone seek an unworkable alternative, or an alternative which was destined to fail? This fancy words translates to “a split or division into two contradictory or mutually exclusive paths”. ‘Virtually’ is frequently confused with meaning “nearly”. For human-to-human use, alternatives such as ‘statement’ or ‘declaration’ are preferable. The following words and phrases are considered too informal for a dissertation or academic paper. It’s a common mistake, but this is not another way of saying you are ‘uninterested’. Two very important rules to remember. An antique (noun) is a rare old object. It’s very common for students to use long words they don’t understand very well in their essays and theses because they have a certain idea of what academic writing should be. Have you ever heard of anyone giving a thought or proposal to ‘passive consideration’? To avoid any confusion, words like ‘appeal’ or ‘charm’ are much more appropriate for mortal human beings. 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