How big’s your vocabulary?

Really? That’s very large! Just think, you must have literally a major selection of words to choose from! With that pretty wide selection, you can be somewhat choosy about what words you use.
I’ve written up a list that had 10 words you could have avoided using. It was awesome.
Make judicious use of your “Find” function, and exorcise these Demons for ever!

1. Really
Really is a really terrible word. It’s weak and useless. A word kids throw around, trying to convince others of the truth of their stories. Really adds no color to a sentence, no weight to an argument. In fact, it often weakens the conviction of what you’re trying to put across. Really is a word used to add emphasis when the writer’s too lazy to think of a more elegant phrasing.
“It’s really cheap!”
“It’s really good!”
“I’m really honest!”
Really?
About the only decent use of the word is a sarcastic one. Bleurgh! Avoid this monster before it catches you in its’ toothless jaws and gums you to death.

2. Very
Very. Ick. Even more nauseating than ‘really’. Same problem applies. Who are you trying to convince? Of what? Very weakens declarative statements by taking the attention away from the subject. If someone says “I’m very sorry”, then you’re left trying to quantify exactly how sorry they are. Pathetic. I spit upon this word!
Ptooey!

3. Just
In the context of “I’m just going to do this”, or “I’m just about ready.” Weak and wormy, ‘just’ is a word to try and squirm out of committing firmly to a statement. Bah! Be bold! It’s the only way to get ahead in life. Stop making excuses for your sentences. Stand them up proudly! Don’t slink about.

4. Literally
Literally is so resoundingly, stunningly overused that, without exaggeration or hyperbole, I want to claw eyes and stomp toes every time I hear it. Hyperbole is invariably bad. Avoid it like an awkwardly aggressive beggar. If you feel the need to emphasize something physically, and not metaphorically, happening, then form your sentence better. Did someone get so angry they made a fist and punched the roof? Then say so (perhaps more elegantly than I did, though.). Don’t fall back on ‘actually’, either, if you can avoid it.

5. Major
Major is a rank, and that’s the only time you should see it in your writing. As a descriptor, it’s terrible, unless you’re writing in surfer/skater/biker/junkie/teenager vernacular. Horrendous. Awkward. Yuck, yuck, yuck! Major has been overused enough that it’s lost all impact, like a bulldozer with a scoop of marshmallow.

6. Pretty
Pretty? What’s pretty? A dress? Some flowers? Kittens and leprechauns, gamboling in a field? Sunshine and ponies and rainbows? If your writing is about all of those things, feel free to whack a ‘pretty’ in there. Otherwise, steer carefully around this pothole on the road of your good writing. Weak, flavorless, wimpish. Grind with heel until pulverized and throw into verbal compost. Replace with better adjectives or remove entirely.

7. Somewhat
Don’t ever use ‘somewhat’ either. Ever. Even if you’re writing a legal essay. Why? It’s poncy and unnecessary. ‘Somewhat’ is useless filler. Either it is, or it isn’t. If it’s a shade of gray, then explain why or use another word. Take it out, I promise you nobody will miss it. Even ‘a little’ is better than ‘somewhat’. Writing is about being bold and outrageous. If you have an opinion, it’s because you’re right. And you can back it up with facts and figures or, if you’re writing a story, it doesn’t matter because it’s your damn story.

8. That
‘That’ can actually be used with caution, but it’s TRICKY LIKE A GREASY WEASEL IN A MAZE. Think before using ‘that’. Why are you using it? Is it creating redundancies in your writing? Are you talking about things passively, weakly, boringly? Keep being bold! Get in there!

9. Had
Had can indicate possession, but if you’re using it to do so, then you haven’t written clearly enough. “The book that John had” can always be “John’s book”, which is shorter, punchier and scans better. (did you see the sneaky ‘that’ in there as well? Constant vigilance!) Eliminating ‘had’ from your writing pushes you towards present tense. Present tense writing is generally more powerful and effective. You can also avoid the awkward “x had had y” sentences this way. This will save editors having to set you on fire.

10. Was
Another of the tricksy sneaky words, ‘was’ is often a crutch for bad writing, used to prop up sentences where reality hasn’t been clearly established. Why should you need to remind readers where or who something was? Is it not clear already? The other problem with ‘was’ is that, not only is it in the past tense, but it’s easy to follow a ‘was’ with a telling rather than a showing:
Mr Shenanigans was angry.
Ick, ick, ick, ick. Use with caution, if at all.

There you are. Quick, dirty, opinionated. What’s wrong about the article? What’s right? Let me know!

Go write!