Using Proper WordsWriting Makes an Exact Man (Reading makes a full man; conference

a ready man; and writing an exact man.)

The levels of wordsThe words are often used may be

divided, from a stylistic point of view, into three types: formal, common, and colloquial.

e.g. 1. Five score years ago, a great

American, in whose shadow we stand, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as joyous daybreak to end the long night of captivity.

2. When I was a kid, and reading every science fiction book in the local library, I used to wonder exactly how the future would happen. By that I don’t mean what the future would be like---science fiction already told me that--- but rather how we’d actually get there. Science fiction books seemed to agree, for example, that in the future there would be no money– all transactions would be made via identity cards and centralized computers. But that seemed dubious to me: how, I wondered, are you going to get everybody to give up money in the first place?

3. You have your tension. Sometimess you come close to having an accident, that upsets you. You just escape maybe by a hair or so. Sometimes maybe you get a disgruntled passenger on there, and starts a big argument.traffic. You have someone who cuts you off or stops in front of the bus. There’s a lot of tension behind that. You got to watch all the time. You’re watchin’ the drivers, you’re watchin’ other cars. Most of the time you have to drive for the other drivers, to avoid hitting them. So you take the tension home with you.

General and Specific words As a writer, you give an account of what you

have experienced for your readers, so you should use specific and concrete language----words that clearly and accurately describe what you have seen, heard, and felt. If you choose general and abstract language ----words that are vague and senseless, you can only make your readers bored and poorly informed.

A good manKind, honest, just, generous,

sympathetic, warm-hearted, selfless, brave, honorable.

Good foodTasty, delicious, nourishing, rich,

wholesome, fresh, appetizing,abundant

HouseMansion, villa, chateau, cottage,

bungalow, cabin, hut, shack, shanty, shed, barn.

LaughSmile, grin, beam, giggle, titter, snigger,

chuckle, guffaw, chortle.

Vague -----when I was young, we moved from one area to another.

Revised ------ when I was eight years old, we move from Detroit to Ohio.

V-----the patient’s wound was treated. R---- the nurse bandaged the soldier’s minor

wound. V-----your relative is nice to me. R----your aunt Betty always stops and talks to

me when she meets me in the street. V-----John is a good student. R----In college, John has been rewarded a

scholarship over five years. She loves flowers. She loves roses and chrysanthemums.

Suggestions for choosing proper words A.Use specific and concrete words

when you describe something.E.g. A few houses were destroyed

yesterday.Five houses were burn down yesterday. It grew dark before seven o’clock. The

wind was strong and the rain was heavy.

It grew dark before seven o’clock. Wind was rainwhipped the house.

B.   Verbs are among the most expressive words in language;. Using a verb that most vividly describes an action can bring a sentence to life.

e.g. 1.She spotted him immediately among the

people in the railway station, because hw was wearing his yellow hat.

2. The man in the boat sighted land. 3. They observed entering the bank at 8:32. 4. Several possible buyers are coming to view

the house. 5. He scanned the pages of the book to see

what it was about. 6. He witnessed the accident himself; he saw

it all. 7. She glanced down the list of names. 8. Stop eyeing me like that! 9. She peered through the mist, trying to find

the right path.

Weak verbs---- the man did badly in front of a large audience.

Revised ----- the man panicked(恐慌 ) in front of a large audience.

W----I don’t care for noodles and choose not to eat them.

R----I hate noodles and refuse to eat them. W----the boy walked into the classroom R---- the boy staggered (摇晃 , 蹒跚 , 交错 , 摇摇摆摆 )into the classroom.

C. Use words that are clear and appropriate for the topic. Don’t use words that aren’t common in conversation, and in particular, don’t chose big words to impress the readers rather that to communicate ideas clearly.

e.g. Big verbs------ John displayed an element of

delight over the acquisition of a stereo system of unquestionable quality.

Revised ---- John was thrilled to buy a high-quality stereo system.

B---- my eyesight is getting worse. R-----I can’t recognize you in dim light. B----those lately purchased chairs that rock to

and fro were of a very steep price. R----those lately bought rock-chairs were very

expensive.

D. Whenever possible, show the readers something instead of telling them about it.

e.g. Telling ----Myrtle has a good sense of humor. Revised:----Myrtle loves to tell funny stories

about her childhood and to play practical jokes on her friends.

T----the math test was easy. R----the math test had only fifteen true-false

questions, and all of the answers came from the first five pages of the book.

T----Matthew put up a good fight against the bully. Bully(欺凌弱小者 )

R----Matthew blooded the bully’s face and knocked him down twice before getting knocked out.

Revise the following sentence It is often windy and dusty here in spring. In spring there is often a very strong

northwest wind. It carries so much fine dust with it that sometimes the sun becomes obscure. There is no escape from the fine dust; it gets into your eyes, your ears, your nostrils, and your hair. It goes through the crakes of closed windows and covers your desks and chairs.