Words not to use
Don’t use the following words:
- agenda (unless it is for a meeting)
- advancing
- collaborate (use ‘working with’)
- combating
- commit/pledge (we’re either doing something or we’re not)
- countering
- deliver (pizzas, post and services are delivered – not abstract concepts)
- deploy (unless it is military or software)
- dialogue (we speak to people)
- disincentivise (and incentivise)
- empower
- facilitate (instead, say something specific about how you are helping)
- focussing
- foster (unless it is a child)
- impact (as a verb)
- initiate
- key (unless it unlocks something. A subject or thing is probably ‘important’)
- land (as a verb. Only use if you are writing about aircraft)
- leverage (unless in the financial sense)
- liaise
- overarching
- progress (as a verb. What are you actually doing?)
- promote (unless it concerns an ad campaign or a marketing promotion)
- robust (unless referring to statistical estimates)
- slimming down (processes don’t diet – state what’s happening)
- streamline
- strengthening (unless it’s strengthening bridges or other structures)
- tackling (unless it’s rugby, football, or some other sport)
- transforming (explain what you are actually doing to change something)
- utilise (this means to use as something other than its intended purpose)
Remember these points when writing in plain English:
- drive (you can drive vehicles; not schemes or people)
- drive out (unless it is cattle)
- going forward (unlikely we are giving travel directions)
- in order to (don’t use it)
- one-stop shop (we are not a retail outlet)
- ring-fencing.