Questions tagged [word-choice]
This tag should be used for questions about choosing the right words for the context of your writing. Questions about etymology and grammar are off-topic.
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Does it come off as weird/offensive to describe someone as 'brown' in partial reference to their skin color, but in absence of a specific descriptor?
I'm not talking about describing someone as 'brown-skinned' or 'having brown skin' or even specific phrases like 'brown people', I should expect the former two to be acceptable and the I know the last ...
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Thoughts on using "looking to" in marketing content
I've been writing content for years, and over the last 6 or so, in marketing for software companies. Very often, I'll see sentences include "looking to" as a way to explain that the reader ...
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I need ideas for what to refer to animal characters as. For humans, we have the word "people." I'm looking for a similar one for animals
The main characters in my book are all animals, and I'm writing the first scene that takes place in a large group. Recently I've come across several instances where I need to use a word similar to &...
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Is it better to create a new word, or add anew connotation to an already existing word? Does it matter?
This question arose from another question I asked on the English Language & Usage Stack: "Is there a specific name for that singular exhalation laugh that happens when you read something only ...
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About the proper way to call a female dog
In a story set in the mid-nineteenth century, a girl refers to her female dog, but having this girl say “my female dog” sounds emotionless to me for a beloved pet. There is a word and an expression, “...
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Trouble describing people standing around three of four sides of a rectangle?
As the title says, I am having trouble describing a group standing around 3/4ths of a rectangle. This is what I have written The students stood along the sides and far side of the stage, creating a ...
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is "next evolution" redundant?
Does saying "next evolution" sound redundant? Isn't evolution already something that comes next? I'm editing an article and the author talks about the "next evolution" of a theory,...
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239
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How to rephrase and simplify a title? Need help with sentence structure
I have the following title:
Why drinking from a glass bottle is better than drinking from a glass
cup at work?
I meant to say that there are lots of benefits to drinking from a glass bottle such ...
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Word order for adverbs in professional prose
I've been editing for my girlfriend, a non-native speaker, recently, and she asked me an interesting question, which we have modified to the following two questions:
Which sounds more natural?
Which ...
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2
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Searching for a word in sentence ending in a question
I would like to search for words in a sentence that ends with a question mark - ?
For example I have a pdf document or a word document with the following sentence:
Which of the following describes a ...
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How do I list a married couple when one of them is deceased?
I need to list a married couple as honorees on an event invitation. They are the recipients of an award, but the husband has recently passed. If I say the late Joe and Jane Smith, does that imply they ...
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Difference between "purpose" and "a purpose"
If an author of a book is trying to convey that someone exists for a reason, would this mean the individual has "purpose" or "a purpose"? Or are the terms interchangeable? Here are ...
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Why use "a throb of sensation" when referring to arousal?
I found this in Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas, set in Victorian England.
She felt a throb verb of sensation noun.
Shouldn't "sensation" be an adjective instead?
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3
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Alternate Word Choice
I am currently writing a story for fun and was looking for some advice on a scene. The scene involves two lovers having an exchange that goes something like this:
Character A smiles warmly. "You ...
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"morally dialectical" is this phrase usable?
I'm wondering if this phrase can be used to characterize two characters, one who is morally good and one who is bad. Specifically I am trying to say that "I want to examine character A and ...
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Is there a word that can replace the phrase "said sarcastically"?
Suppose that,during a conversation in a book, one character says something sarcastically. As the author, I want the readers to know that the character was being sarcastic, but I do not want to say ...
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118
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Describing light like water
I am currently working on writing a storyline for a text-based videogame. I am trying to describe how there is very little light coming into the room that the character is entering, as the window is ...
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Is there an adjective or phrase for trying not to smile at a joke?
I know there exists already "suppressing a smile" or "stifling a smile", but I feel that those phrases imply a lack of a smile.
In this situation, something is funny, but the ...
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Narrative flow - word order
Which version sounds more natural and engaging?
When Tom got out of the water, he was still scared but at the same time relieved. Everyone else was laughing at what had happened. So, he thought aloud, ...
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338
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Can someone "have a moment of reprieve"?
I'm editing a friend's essay for graduate school. They use the sentence:
"I want to help patients have a moment of reprieve."
It feels odd to me, but I don't want to make an edit if it's ...
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2
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Have you ever heard of the word electromobilists?
I have to check my company's English translations for a new product they have made. The product is an electrical wall box for charging electric cars. They wrote the following sentence:
Ideal for ...
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What's the word that means the same as 'compatriots/fellow citizens' but is in a more close-knit and affectionate way?
I'm writing about Vietnamese culture and I want to use a word that is synonymous to compatriots/fellow citizens but the relationship it refers to here must be more intense and intimate like blood ...
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Is there a word for someone who completely agrees with a political party's platform?
Joe, a <this word> Republican, believes that high taxes and strict business regulations hurt the economy, supports gun rights, and believes abortion should be illegal.
John, a <this word> ...
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Are corporations "theys" or "its"?
Because Acme Inc. didn't deliver the item to Joe, he sued them.
Because Acme Inc. didn't deliver the item to Joe, he sued it.
Which is correct? "Them" sounds right, but because a ...
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What is a word that would best fit in this sentence?
The Harlem Renaissance has changed America in a ________ way.
I'm trying to make the sentence sound professional. Here is what I had at first: The Harlem Renaissance has changed America in a great way....
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2
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A good one-word synonym for "over-spent'
If you throw a party for 100 people and it ends up with only 5 people showing up, it looks like an over-spent party. It shows that the money has been wasted but it's also unintentionally.
Can I also ...
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297
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How do you write verbal abuse without it coming off as cheesy?
I have a character who's being abused by his father. While most of the abuse is only implied/referenced and readers instead see the fallout or emotional/physical effects of it, there are a few scenes ...
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4
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Is there an unbiased term for undocumented/illegal immigrants?
"Illegal immigrant" is often used by conservatives to refer to a person who enters a country in violation of that country's laws; "undocumented immigrant" is often used by liberals....
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If one is in a hall of mirrors, at a carnival for example, would this sentence make sense, or is kaleidoscope incorrect (Also Me's?)
I have this sentence in a flash fiction. My alpha/beta readers are unsure if the wording is correct, and I am starting to doubt myself.
As I entered, I picked a mirror ahead of me and locked eyes ...
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102
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describing a child's footsteps on stairs
I am trying to write a scene where dad is trying to get house ready for his mother visiting, so he has got up early to tidy and sweep stuff under the sofa (not literally lol) His daughter has woken up ...
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Supporting letter for business visa application
As part as my application for a business visa, I'm required to provide a supporting letter from my company. However, I'm a bit lost at how to word this correctly, since this is my own company, and I ...
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Using English idioms in a particular fantasy setting?
Using idioms such as "the pot calling the kettle black" in fantasy novels considered to be something that breaks immersion? In a fantasy setting, you wouldn't expect that particular ...
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How to describe types of hum a character uses to convey their thoughts and opinions
I have a character who struggles to put his thoughts, feelings and opinions into words - he finds words somewhat too contained and specifically defined to adequately convey what he wants to say. He ...
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How can I justify a choice that seems too binary?
My universe is a fantastical universe, and the area is a Viking area.
My three characters are :
S, a character who was born female but raised to think they are a man to protect them from their father ...
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How to describe someone whose eyes sparkle mischievously?
I've been told that I'm telling instead of showing when I say my characters' eyes sparkle 'mischievously.' How do you describe something like that? I've been looking it up and trying different tricks ...
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Is there a word for something that is structured like a parody, but utilizes an idealized or improved version of the original context?
(Edit: title frames the question better thanks to @TheRubberDuck)
This has been bugging me for a while; enough to join this wonderful community - thanks for any help you can offer! Keep in mind ...
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How do you describe the sound of a body being dragged through the snow? [closed]
How to describe the sound of a body bring dragged through snow
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What's the word for shortened speech?
I've seen it everywhere where a character uses shortened words often with this single punctuation mark: '.
Like G'day, G'night.
I've seen it in some TV shows too.
Like "'Bout time someone hit him....
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Is "point out" appropriate in formal writing?
Is it acceptable to say something like "[person] pointed out [things] as [things] that [action]" in formal academic writing?
If not, what are some phrases with similar meaning that would be ...
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Using "etc." at the end of list introduced by "e.g."
According to the Strunk & White's The Elements of Style (p. 46)
at the end of a list introduced by such as, for example, or any similar expression, etc. is incorrect.
However, I have seen "...
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How do I describe a baby's cry?
How I describe a baby's cry in writing like the way baby Fig cried off-screen in part three of the movie Barney's Great Adventure? Do I just say, the baby started to cry, or the baby began to cry? ...
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Can "splooge" be considered a form of onomatopoeia?
I know I've heard that sound. I can't quite remember where. If you Google it, it refers you to ejaculation. I did find one reference that identified it as a verb and a noun, but no mention of ...
user55169
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"From to" or "From Through"
Which is correct: "I got the chance to work there as an employee FROM 2013 TO 2014 or FROM 2013 THROUGH 2014"? Or does it depend on whether you worked there for the whole of 2014?
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Semicolon and period in software instructions
I'm writing a software manual and I worry about my semicolon usage. I believe I'm using them correctly, but it's not that I have to.
My project is a software manual.
People scan for the information ...
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What is this linguistic device called?
Consider these two sentences:
I was considering taking a taxi, but realized that Uber was cheaper and more convenient, anyway.
I was considering taking a taxi, but then I was like, "Hey, Uber ...
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Does anyone know any specific words that can be used to describe a character flying?
I feel like I've used words like "floating" and "hovering" too often, to the point of tedium.
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Good time to get your dream out of the drawer?
I'm trying to properly phrase a main sentence on a banner. Imagine that you had a dream to do something but it had to be put aside (let's say into a drawer) to wait for a better times. Now, I want to ...
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"Wicked sharp" - is this exclusively something a New Englander would say?
I have a character in my novel who describes a creature's talon as "wicked sharp". My wife says this is something she would only hear in New England (and my character isn't from there). I'm ...
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Avoiding two sentences ending with same word?
How can I avoid that these two sentences end up with medical system? I do not want to use a synonym for medical system to avoid ambiguity. I further do not want to change the word order of sentence ...
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Ways to show someone is whispering without using "he whispered"
I've seen a lot of advice that says you should scrap all non-'said' dialogue tags. I can see the value of this, but I'm not sure how to make it work in every instance.
It's pretty easy to show things ...
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