How to Write Well Excerpted from How to Write Great Essays by Lauren Starkey

Eliminate Ambiguity  Example:  My teacher proofread my essay with the red sports car.

1. When doing the laundry, the phone rang. 2. She almost waited an hour for her friend. 3. I told her I’d give her a ring tomorrow.

1. The phone rang when I was doing the laundry. 2. She waited almost an hour for her friend. 3. I told her I would call her tomorrow.

Be Concise  AVOID: Because of the fact that.  In most cases, just because will do.  Because of the fact that he was late, he missed his flight.  Because he was late, he missed his flight.

 AVOID: That and which phrases.  Eliminate them by turning the idea in the that or which phrase into an adjective.  These were directions that were well- written.  These directions were well-written.

 AVOID: That by itself is a word that often clutters sentences unnecessarily, as in the following examples:  The newscaster said that there was a good chance that election turnout would be low and that it could result in a defeat for our candidate.  The newscaster said there was a good chance election turnout would be low and it could result in a defeat for our candidate.

Wordy Replace with a lot of many or much all of a sudden suddenly along the lines of like are able to can as a matter of fact in fact or Delete as a person Delete as a whole Delete as the case may be Delete at the present time currently or now both of these both

WORDYREPLACE WITH has a tendency to often or Delete has the ability to can in order to to in the event that if in the near future soon is able to can it is clear that Delete

WORDYREPLACE WITH last but not least finally on account of the fact that because somewhere in the neighborhood of about the fact that that or Delete the majority of most the reason why the reason or why with the exception of except for

Practice:  The students were given detention on account of the fact that they didn’t show up for class.  In a situation in which a replacement for the guidance counselor who is retiring is found, it is important that our student committee be notified.

 The students were given detention because they didn’t show up for class.  When a replacement for the retiring guidance counselor is found, our student committee must be notified.

Commonly Confused… Confused Words Definition accept (verb): to recognize except (prep.): excluding advice (noun): a recommended opinion advise (verb): to give advice; inform affect (verb): to influence effect (noun): result

Confused WordsDefinition all ready (adj.): completely prepared already (adv.): by or before a specified or implied time assure (verb): to make certain (assure someone) ensure (verb): to make certain insure (verb): to secure from harm; to secure life or property in case of loss

Confused WordsDefinition choose (verb): to select chose (verb): the past tense of choose loose (adj.): not restrained, not fastened lose (verb): to fail to win; be deprived of passed (verb): the past tense of past past (adj.): finished; gone by

quiet (adj.): still; calm quit (verb): to stop; to discontinue quite (adv.): very; fairly; positively than (conj., prep.): in contrast to then (adv.): next weather (noun, verb): atmospheric conditions; to last or ride out whether (conj.): if it be the case; in either case

who (pronoun): substitute for he, she, or they whom (pronoun): substitute for him, her, or them your (pronoun): belonging to you you’re: contraction for you are