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Here is language advice and tips for writers and editors.


A

affordable
  • Almost everything is affordable to someone. Replace with "low-cost" or "lower-cost" if that is what you mean.
accused, alleged
  • Potentially libelous in a construction such as "alleged killer." One option is "who is accused of killing ..."
arrested for
  • Potentially libelous. One option is "who was charged with ..."
attitude
  • Some attitudes are positive and some are negative. But the only people who don’t "have an attitude" are comatose.

C

cliches

See separate page.

comma
  • Use to indicate a pause.
condo
  • Slang. Spell out as "condominium."
crisis proportions

Redundant.

crisis situation

Redundant.

E

early-morning hours

Redundant

elementary
  • This is an adjective. A child may go to an elementary school, but not "an elementary," or even "Joe Schmuckattelli Memorial Elementary."
emergency situation

Redundant.

entities
  • Limp word. "Agencies" or "organizations" is better.
epidemic proportions

Redundant.

exlamation point
  • Rarely appropriate in newswriting.
expected
  • If something is expected, indicate who expects it.

F

facility, structure
  • Limp words. Better: "building," "campus," or "center."
fatality, fatalities

"Death" is more concise.

false range
  • A range can be indicated by "from ... to ..." It is a false range, and should be rewritten, if the items listed do not form a continuum.
  • Examples: "A to Z" is a true range. "Diapers to tools" is a false range; there is nothing that would obviously come between them.
forces
  • See "troops."
from ... to
  • See "false range."

G-R

general consensus

Redundant.

gonna
  • This is not a word! It should only rarely be used in print. The argument "We don’t change quotes" is a misapplication of a basic principle. The key is that it’s not a matter of meaning, but enunciation. Do we record all instances of nonstandard enunciation? "I dunno."
in color
  • As in "The suspect fled in a car that was blue in color." What else would it be, blue in weight? Just say "a blue car."
kick off, kicked off, kicking off
  • Trite when used figuratively.
launch, launched, launching
  • Trite when used figuratively.
(season) months

Why not just say "winter" or whatever?

old adage

Redundant.

on the ground
  • Often adds little or no meaning.
quotes
  • Do not clean up grammar in quotes. Paraphrase if needed.
rain showers

Redundant.

relationship
  • A hermit could be "in a relationship," although he would likely relate to the forest instead of a romantic partner. In other words, probably everyone is "in a relationship."
relocate
  • Limp word. "Move" is shorter and usually better.

S

slang
  • Usually not appropriate in formal writing.
slash (/)
  • OK as part of a proper name, Web address or other appropriate computer context. Otherwise, replace it. Try "and," "or" or at least a hyphen. Replace "and/or" with "xxx, yyy or both" or "xxx, yyy, zzz or a combination."
so-called
  • Use only to show doubt.
strangled to death

Redundant.

structure
  • See "facility."
substance
  • If drugs or alcohol is meant, that should be specified. (If I abused mayonnaise, would you send me to a "substance abuse" counselor?)
sued for
  • Potentially libelous. One option is "sued and charged with ..."
suspected
  • Potentially libelous in a construction such as "suspected killer." One option is "who is suspected of killing ..."
sworn affidavit

Redundant.

T-Z

titles
  • Capitalize formal titles when used before a name. Formal titles are those that a person could be addressed with, either before the name or instead of the name.
troops
  • As a noun, this means "units of people." In Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts, it’s specific. In a military context, "40,000 troops" does not mean "40,000 soldiers." Even if used correctly in a military story, it’s usually too broad to be meaningful. A troop or unit might range in size from a fire team (four people) to a division in the U.S. Marine Corps (one-third of the Marines’ active-duty infantry, plus I don’t know what else).
tux
  • Slang. Spell out "tuxedo."
veggies
  • Slang. Spell out "vegetables."
wait on
  • This means "serve." It is not the same as "wait for."

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