Website Writing Guide
Grammar and spelling
Tricky words and phrases
All writers should choose their words carefully.
Avoid words and phrases website users will not understand, that have lost impact due to overuse or are unnecessary.
Large organisations are awash with jargon, acronyms and corporate titles that are rarely understood by the target audiences. Words and phrases to be wary of include:
- synergy
- value added
- seamless integration
- to take offline
- strategic framework
- customer interface or customer facing
- enhanced
- committed
- accessing services
- going forward
- ICT.
Many of these have lost their meaning through overuse and indiscriminate use – they have become clichés.
Contact us with your suggestions and examples to add to this list.
Call things by their generic names rather than their bureaucratic or corporate names. Where jargon and acronyms are used make sure they are explained – do not assume that the public knows them.
There are many words and phrases that are used by writers to add meaning to a sentence but which only serve to make the text wordy and awkward. They are often used in a mistaken attempt to add emphasis or to pad-out content that the writer feels is too thin. This usually result in poor expression.
Here is a list of redundant or unnecessary words and phrases to avoid:
Word or phrase |
Preferred form or treatment |
Comment |
basically, essentially, totally |
avoid |
most sentences improve without them |
Both Eg “Records are important both for their content and as evidence of communications, decisions and actions.” naa.gov.au |
avoid |
|
considered to be |
considered |
the ‘to be’ is nearly always redundant |
due to the fact that |
due to or because |
|
each and every |
one or the other |
|
he/she |
he or she or they |
avoid ‘/’ to indicate choice |
and also |
avoid |
this phrase is often redundant |
and/or |
one or the other |
avoid using ‘/’ |
as to whether |
whether |
|
very, really, quite |
avoid |
most sentences improve without them |
should of, could of |
should have, could have |
drop the ‘of’ |
got |
have |
‘have’ will do in most cases |
in terms of |
avoid |
|
necessitate |
avoid |
|
on account of |
because |
|
‘firstly’, ‘secondly’, ‘thirdly’ |
first, second, third |
consider using a numbered list |
plus (as a conjunction) |
avoid |
it is too informal |
point in time |
in time |
the ‘point’ is redundant |
kind of or sort of |
avoid |
too informal |
lots or lots of |
many or much or a lot of |
|
just |
use sparingly |
|
nature (as an adverb) |
avoid |
instead of ‘organisations of a corrupt nature’ use ‘corrupt organisations’ |
literally |
avoid |
only use where the precise meaning of the word is intended |
utilise |
use |
will suffice in most cases |
so as to |
to |
|
the reason this occurred is because… |
this occurred because |
Contact us with your suggestions and examples to add to this list.
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