“Don’t use a big word when a minuscule alternative will suffice.”
It’s an old joke, but one that makes an important point: Big words are like fine jewels—you may take them out for special occasions, but they’re not for everyday use.
No matter what you’re writing, you want your words to be read and understood. If your work is weighed down by a multiplicity of multisyllabic loquaciousness, people will stop reading. And those who do slog through are likely to get so fatigued by the effort that they will miss your message.
Here are a few bloated terms and their leaner counterparts:
| Individual | Person |
| Individuals | People |
| Due to the fact that | Because |
| Have the capability to | Can |
| In the event that | If |
| Subsequent to | After |
| For the purpose of | For |
| Utilize | Use |
| At the time of | When |
| A majority of | Most |
| In order to | To |
By Jan Taylor, an Editorial Project Manager with TalentMEDIA Services. You can reach her at jan@talentmediaservices.com.
The professionals at TalentMEDIA Services can help you write it right. Contact us today at information@talentmediaservices.com.
