Dead Words
DEAD WORDS:
When ideas fail, words come in very handy.
…::: Johann Wolfgang van Goethe::…
So…
Eliminate the following “dead” words from your writing, so your ideas will not be hindered by the power of useless words:
get good well got just fine
great always very lots so every
nice a lot fun neat !!! !!!
**** Did I mention no exclamation points!!!****
FIRST AND SECOND PERSON PRONOUNS:
(EXCEPTION: WRITER’S WORKSHOP ESSAYS)
I me you your
my mine one one’s
us we our ours
ALL:
CONTRACTIONS ( i.e. don’t, you’d, I’ll)
ABBREVIATIONS (i.e. etc., o.k., T.V.)
SLANG (i.e. awesome, cool, fine, totally, rad).
“THE END” ENDINGS
!!! EXCLAMATION POINTS !!!
“So”, “and so”, “and then”
BEING VERBS:
am is are was
were be being been
THE VERBS:
would could should may might
SENTENCES BEGINNING WITH:
(EXCEPTION: If you absolutely need to start a sentence with one of the following words— occasionally it will be acceptable. But, if repeated for every sentence beginning it will result in a deduction of points).
A, An, The, But, So, However, This, That, There, Here, Well, It
ARE YOU STUCK? POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS:
Find an alternative word or phrase; spell the word out; show, don’t tell, rewrite
REMEMBER:
Do not refer to the essay itself or to any part of it in your sentences (i.e. In this essay I will explain the possibilities why Brad Pitt is not as cool as Johnny Depp.)
!!!FINAL REMINDER!!!
!!!MISS LOOCK DOES NOT LIKE EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!