Making Better Word Choices - 4 Examples

Writers face many a decisions once working on a project. Choosing the correct word for a certain situation is one select that writers often either struggle with or do an incorrect choice. This article wish give several basic guidance to writers on four of the much common word choices that authors face.

Choosing the wrong words can have a poor effect on your writing and on you. Whether you are writing a cover letter for a job, a business proposal, or an application essay for graduate school mistreatment words poorly can result in negative feedback. One could find entire books regarding word choices for writers, this article wish touch on several fundamental, but important route to choose the correct word for your situation.

Our starting point wish be the use of "There are" or "There is" to begin sentences. Consider this; the word "there" indicates "not here" (in different words, several different place). Now look at the sentence below and think just about what the meaning is and what power be intended.

There are four dogs playing with a ball.

If the writer meant that four dogs are over there and they are playing with a ball, then this would-be be technically correct. If the intention was but that four dogs are playing with a ball, here, there, or anywhere, then the sentence could be worded better. The following sentence would-be show better choice of words on the writer's part.

Four dogs are playing with a ball.

The next two words that writers often confuse are "which" and "that." If the goal of your writing is to describe thing and you have used commas to separate the phrase from the rest of the sentence you want to use "which." Once a writer wants a word to define and the reference is restricted then you want to use "that." The 1st sentence below shows the correct use of "that" and the second sentence shows correct use of "which."

The Yodo is the watercourse that runs through Osaka.

The Yodo, which is a major waterway, runs tho' Osaka.

Our next word select is between "while" and "although." Another way of thinking just about the word "although" is to look at its meaning, as found on Merriam-Webster Online wordbook the meaning is, "in spite of the fact that : even as though."(1) The definition of "while" indicates a relation to time, such as during a period once thing else is happening. Two aright worded sentences are below.

Although he is not tall, he is a nice basketball player.

While he listened to the radio, he finished his homework.

A writer's select between "since" and "because" as well involves the possibility of a reference to time. Many a folk use "since" once they actually mean "because," this is seldom a correct use of the word "since." Once choosing a word to suggest "from a definite past time until now"(1) use "since." If you are not referring to time, "because" should be the word you choose. Try mistreatment "because," if your sentence makes not do sense then you probably want to use "since." In the examples below the two incorrect sentences do not sound correct, patch the correct sentences actually sound better.

Incorrect: He had few friends since he was too annoying.

Correct: He had few friends because he was too annoying.

Incorrect: He has not ridden a bicycle because 1990.

Correct: He has not ridden a bicycle since 1990.

Whether you are writing an essay for school or you are writing a speech for your CEO, choose your words with kid gloves because what folk hear or see from you can do a big difference in their opinion just about you and your intelligence. For anyone writing, regardless of topic, length, or purpose, ask for assistance if you need it, not doing so can have serious repercussions on your reputation.

About The Author

David Clapham is the owner of Blue Arch Consulting, a proofreading and piece of writing business serving clients global to generate English documents of all types. Their website is at http://www.blue-arch.net.

This article was denote on Jan 30, 2005