5 weak words to whack from your writing
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Linda Caroll
Rev. Fred Denial
Feb 23, 2017 · 1 min read

“4. Perhaps/Maybe

The words perhaps and maybe are used to express uncertainty. So if you’re not actually uncertain, they rob your writing of conviction. Examples…

Perhaps I should have been more open about what really happened.
I should have been more open about what really happened!”

Hmmm. You cannot have blanket rules prohibiting particular words.

What about: “I don’t know why she hasn’t arrived. Perhaps her car has broken down, or maybe she decided not to come.”

    Rev. Fred Denial

    Written by

    Rev. Fred Denial

    Curmudgeon at large. A Baby Boomer vintage Editor & Writer. Three Decades in journalism & publishing. I’m often blunt — I neither aspire to, nor appreciate PC.

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