Precise Language: Replacing Vague Words

Replace vague, overused words with precise ones that say exactly what you mean.

Vague words such as 'good', 'bad', 'thing', 'stuff', 'nice', and 'a lot' are easy to use but say very little. Precise words narrow the meaning so a reader sees exactly what you see. Compare: 'The scientist found a thing in the soil' with 'The scientist found a fossilized tooth in the soil. ' The second sentence answers what kind, which, and how. Precision matters in reading too: authors of strong texts choose exact words, and noticing them helps you understand.

If a historian writes that a treaty 'eroded' trust, the verb tells you trust wore away slowly, not that it broke all at once. To make your own language more precise, ask three questions about a vague word. What kind? (A 'good' book might be gripping, informative, or moving.) How much? (A 'big' crowd might be dozens or thousands.) In what way? (A 'bad' plan might be costly, risky, or unfair.) Each answer points to a sharper word.

• 1Vague words like good, thing, and a lot say little.
• 2Precise words show what kind, how much, and in what way.
• 3Notice precise word choices when you read.