About a year ago, I wrote a popular post about how to reduce your word count, which is a handy skill to have if you write a lot. Many of us tend to be wordy.
The article was basically a list of 6 tips to easily fix the most common wordiness habits. The fourth tip was to replace phrases with single words, such as “discover” for “find out” or “provide” for “come up with”.
Today’s tip is related to this one, but it focuses on a particular phrase: that which starts with the word “not”.
Consider the following sentences:
- He was not willing to eat a dozen hot peppers.
- The cotton ball was not hard.
- She is not agreeable to the proposal.
- They are not tired.
Now compare them with these versions:
- He was unwilling to eat a dozen hot peppers.
- The cotton ball was soft.
- She is disagreeable to the proposal.
- They are rested.
As you can see, in many cases, there are one word alternatives to “not” phrases. If you’re tempted to use a “not” phrase, first determine if a shorter, stronger option exists that more clearly conveys your message.
All that being said, you may find the occasional situation where using a “not” phrases is necessary, such as when you are comparing two things and you need to emphasize what something isn’t. Be careful though.
