Transcript Avoid Lazy Language

Avoid Lazy Language
How to Get Active and Make Your Point
Active Versus Passive Voice
Active Voice
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Passive Voice
Uses primarily action verbs when writing
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Makes the main verb of the sentence an action
verb
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Gets to the point directly
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The action of the sentence is done by the subject
Creates clearer, more direct, more succinct, and
overall better writing
Should be used almost all the time
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The action of the sentence is done to the subject
Uses a mixture of helping and action verbs,
especially state-of-being verbs
Talks around the point of the sentence by shifting
the focus of the sentence
Uses unnecessary words to make its point
Creates confusing, backwards, longer, overall
worse writing
Should be used rarely
Active Voice versus Passive Voice
• ACTIVE VOICE 
• PASSIVE VOICE 
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She slammed on the brakes as the car sped
downhill.
I broke your bicycle.
By March, the sound engineers will completely
remix the soundtrack.
The Planning Committee passed the bill after
long debate.
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The brakes were slammed on by her as the car
sped downhill.
Your bicycle was broken.
By March, the soundtrack will have been
completely remixed by the sound engineers.
The bill was passed by the Planning Committee
after long debate.
Practice
Turn the passive voice into active voice
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Jimmy is described to be carrying Martha’s rock in his mouth.
2. The lazy dog was jumped over by the quick brown fox.
3.
It is believed by the candidate that a ceiling must be placed on the
Congressional budget proposal.
Avoid Lazy Language
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Lazy language is vague and imprecise
Lazy language is typical and boring
Do not use the following
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Nice
Sad
Happy
Thing
Stuff
A lot
Lots
Don’t be this guy
Lazy Language
• Nice – never use this. Consider any of the following alternatives: sweet,
caring, kind, appealing, pleasant, attractive, etc.
• Happy/Sad – not so bad, but the emotion is weak and vague.
• Thing/stuff – what’s a thing? What’s stuff? These are criminally unclear. Plus,
they can always be replaced whatever they’re referring to.
• A lot – “a lot” refers to an amount of land or salable goods. That’s it. It
doesn’t mean “many” or “a large amount.”
Practice Eliminating Lazy Language
1. I ate as much candy as I gave out on Halloween, so I feel really bad today.
2. My sister’s room is covered in all kinds of stuff. It is a mess!
3. The funeral for my Uncle Morty had a lot of crying and stories.
4. Love is nice.
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Love is a many-splendored thing, love lifts us up where we belong, where the eagles
fly on a mountain high.