This document provides tips for revising sentences and words in writing. It recommends varying sentence types, lengths, and structures for impact. Key points should start sentences for emphasis. Word choice should match the intended tone and use precise, vivid language over general terms. Strong verbs and active voice improve clarity, while unnecessary words can be removed. Figures of speech can engage readers if used originally without clichés. The overall goal is economical, impactful writing.

1. Revising Sentences and Words
Revising sentences:
Make your sentences
Consistent with your tone
Economical
Varied in type
Varied in length
Emphatic

2. • Tone- be sure that both what you say and how
you say it support your essay’s tone
• Choose to be economical instead of wordy
– Eliminate redundancy (not the same as dramatic
repetition)
– Delete weak phrases
– Delete roundabout openings (there is, it is, etc)
– Remove excessive prepositional phrases
– Remove unnecessary who, which, and that clauses

3. • Vary your sentence type
– Simple (convey dramatic urgency)
– Compound (may use a semi-colon occasionally)
– Complex (the dependent clause is less important)
• Vary your sentence length
– Too short can sound childish or may give a faster
pace to the piece
– Long sentences slow down the pace

4. • Make sentences emphatic
– Place key points at the beginning (or end)
– Use parallelism
– Use fragments (!!)- be cautious; be deliberate
– Use inverted word order

5. Revising words
• Make words consistent with your tone
• Use an appropriate level of diction
– Formal
– Informal
– Popular
– Avoid jargon
• Avoid words that overstate or understate
– Avoid euphemisms
– Avoid doublespeak

6. • Select words with proper connotations
– Denotation is the dictionary definition
– Connotations are associated with
sensations, emotions, images, and ideas
• Use specific words rather than general words
– Ask which, how, what, where, in what way
• Use strong verbs
– Replace being verbs with action verbs
– Change passive voice to active voice
– Replace weak verb-noun combinations

7. • Delete unnecessary adverbs
• Use original figures of speech
– Similes, metaphors, personification
– Avoid clichés
– Guard against illogical figures of speech
• Avoid sexist language
– Be careful with pronoun/antecedent agreement
ASSIGNMENT: revise your work in
progress, improving sentences and words