11 March 2015

Phrases You Can Replace With One Word - Part 2

Circumlocution

The use of many words when fewer would do, especially in an attempt to be vague or evasive.
(Oxford Dictionaries)


                           



Here we are again! I don't know about you, but there are times when long, drawn-out phrases seem appropriate. At other times I prefer my writing to be short, sweet and to the point. Here are a few more phrases I come across on a regular basis which can be replaced with just one word:

Instead of:                                  Try:

along the lines of                       like
all the time                                always
as well as                                  and
at the present time                     now
because of the fact that              because
by means of                               by
for the purpose of                       for
for the reason that                      because
have the ability to                       can
in all likelyhood                          likely
in order to                                  to
in regards to                               about
in the event that                         if
on two separate occasions         twice
on the occasion of                     when
reach out to                               contact
the majority of                           most
with that being said                    therefore



Related Posts:
















Piper is the author of military lifestyle books and RV travel journals. When she isn't busy typing away on her computer, she can be found chasing after her furry children or holding on tightly to a good cup of coffee. Follow her on LinkedInFacebookGoodreads and Google+.

6 comments:

  1. Excellence short list of switch out phrasing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your blogs always help me tighten my writing, Piper! When I look through my manuscripts, I always find things from your list I can use.

    ReplyDelete
  3. TIghten, lighten - these words come to mind when unloading the baggage of sloppy, verbose writing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. One thing that caught my eye in Shoshanah's initial Comments on this thread was whether it "prints well." That evoked a complex question of my own in that regard: For those like me, who self-published their first two books via Amazon/CreateSpace/KDP and formatted their text using Word converted to PDF, did you notice contrasts in the light same type face (e.g. TNR 12- or 14-point) in the proofs and even the books themselves? If so, does anyone have a proven remedy, esp. since this seems to occur by piecemeal writing sessions producing such contrasts?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish, I had an answer for you, Phil, but I have never noticed any contrasts in any of my proofs or the actual books. Perhaps another fellow writer out there can help?

      Delete
  5. Hi Piper, I love to read anything composed of 'just the right words'. It makes the experience lighter and truer and altogether more enjoyable. Ans so now I'm a fan of yours.

    Ivy

    ReplyDelete