5 Weak Words To Ween From Your Writing

In a world rampid with tweets and text lingo today writing is more important than ever before.

When you want to make your writing more powerful, consider removing weak words—such as the 5 included in this article:

Really: Using the word “really” is an example of writing the way you talk. It’s a verbal emphasis that doesn’t translate perfectly into text. In conversation, people use the word frequently, but in written content it’s unnecessary. Think about the difference between saying a piece of metal is “hard” or “really hard,” for example. What does the word add? Better to cut it out to make your message stronger.

Very: Everything that applies to “really” applies to “very.” It’s a weak word. Remove at once!

Perhaps/maybe: Do you want your audience to think you’re uncertain about what you’re saying? When you use words like “maybe” and “perhaps,” uncertainty is exactly what you’re communicating.

Amazing: The meaning of “amazing” is causing great wonder or surprise—but it so over used, it’s amazing, the meaning has become diluted. How can anything be amazing if everything is? Cut out this weak word.

Got: Think of all the ways we use the vague word “got” in our daily conversations: “I’ve got to go,” “I got a ball,” or “got milk.” Though it’s okay for conversation, in writing, “got” misses precious opportunities. Rather than writing a lazy word, look for clearer, more descriptive words: “I promised I’d leave by 9,” “I picked up a ball,” or “I woke up today,” for example. Specificity and clarity makes for powerful writing – got it?

Whether you’ve been writing for a short time or for many years, you’ll benefit from examining the words you use. Scratch the fillers to make your writing more gooder. J