Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Effective Word Choice

Effective Word ChoiceEffective Word Choice

Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Sentence Skills: A Workbook for Writers, Form AWriters, Form A

John LanganJohn Langan

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Effective Word Choice

Slang

• Slang is usually out of place in formal writing.

• Some drawbacks to using slang expressions:– They go out-of-date quickly.They go out-of-date quickly.– They become tiresome if used They become tiresome if used

excessively.excessively.– They may communicate clearly to They may communicate clearly to

some readers but not to others.some readers but not to others.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Effective Word Choice

Slang

Someone Someone ripped offripped off Ken’s new Ken’s new Adidas.Adidas.

After the game, we After the game, we stuffed our facesstuffed our faces at the dinner.at the dinner.

I finally told my parents to I finally told my parents to get off get off my case.my case.

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Effective Word Choice

At a loss

for

words

Word to the wise

Clichés

A clichécliché is an expression that has been worn out through constant use.

Short but

sweet

Sigh of reliefSaw the

light

Work like

a dog

Sentence Skills, Form A, 7E ©2002 The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

Effective Word Choice

Pretentious WordsTrying to use fancy, elevated words rather than simple natural words may make your sentences sound stilted.stilted.

Pretentious: It was a splendid splendid opportunityopportunity to get some slumber.

Simple: It was a good chance to get some sleep.