DICTION

Text Box: DICTION

DICTION:
- word choice
- your task as a writer is to choose the most descriptive, accurate words
- the words below fail this precept

*THING:
- What's a thing?!
- What does it look, sound, feel like?
- this word is completely useless
  - because it conveys little to no meaning
  - because it does not describe
- see the list below for more accurate word choice:

STEP	STAGE	ITEM
step action procedure task assignment undertaking move movement measure course of action duty requisite responsibility obligation	stage phase part period point leg juncture chapter segment	item article object ingredient material utensil tool instrument equipment appliance device implement apparatus mechanism

*A LOT:
- How many is that exactly?
- this word is completely useless
  - because it conveys little to no meaning
  - because it does not describe
- it is often misspelled, too
- it once may have held some metaphorical power,
  - but now it merely makes you sound like a second-grader writing a Valentine
- see the list below for more descriptive alternatives:

many, several, much
a plethora, a cornucopia
numerous, abundant (an abundance), copious
bountiful, plentiful, various
profuse, generous, teeming, prolific
more than a few, a number of

VERY
- overused
- to the point of meaninglessness
- see the point above regarding a second-grader's Valentine
  - I really, really, really like you, very, very much!
- see the list below for more descriptive alternatives:

extremely, exceptionally, exceedingly
especially, incredibly, particularly
dreadfully, woefully, terribly
extraordinarily, , remarkably, vastly
fantastically, tremendously, outstandingly
unusually, uniquely, markedly, notably
superbly, greatly, immensely, enormously
immeasurably, infinitely
*not "way"

REALLY
- - overused
  - to the point of meaninglessness
  - see the point above regarding a second-grader's Valentine
    - I really, really, really like you, very, very much!
  - see the list below for more descriptive alternatives:

ACTUALLY	VERY
actually in fact, in truth indeed in reality in actuality truly certainly essentially in point of fact as a matter of fact as it happens (these last 3 get wordy)	genuinely, sincerely thoroughly utterly "very" synonyms: extremely, exceptionally, exceedingly especially, incredibly, particularly dreadfully, woefully, terribly extraordinarily, , remarkably, vastly fantastically, tremendously, outstandingly