A Quick Writing Tip That'll Give Your Content Better Flow

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2.9K followers


Quick Question: How do you format WA blog posts?


When I first started writing online, there was this word I nearly used in every sentence. After I learned that I can cut it out of my content, it's given my copy a much higher readability.

Can you guess what that word is?

I'll give you a hint...I just said it.

The 4-Letter Word That Breaks Reading Flow

Drum roll please...*drum-roll*

T-H-A-T.

If you think about it, you use the word THAT in your content all the time. And, it likely slows your readers down a bit.

I'm not saying you should cut it from your writing completely. THAT is still a pretty important word. But it's used too much in unnecessary circumstances.

Here's an example:

Are you sure that you should sell your car?
-OR-
Are you sure you should sell your car?

Here's another:

I don't think that I'm good at video games.
-OR-
I don't think I'm good at video games.

You see what I mean?

There's a bunch more examples I had in mind, but didn't write down. But I think you get the picture.


So, what do you think?

Do you think you'll cut your THATS down? Or just keep everything as is.

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Recent Comments

8

Its proper English to use "that" but even as a former professor, I am dropping many proper words in my posts and making them more journalistic. Why be wordy?

This is one of those things I tell everyone who asks me how to write;

1st; tell them what you are going to tell them,
2nd; Tell them,
3rd; tell them what you told them,

.....and then, before you hit the 'submit/publish/send button,
Go through and get rid of EVERY word that does not work to accomplish the above three purposes.

One of my extraneous words is JUST. Whenever I find it twice in one sentence, I know to take one out! lol

You are right Julian,
The word "that" should be eliminated.

Good tip Julian. Less is often more.

Thanks for sharing

Terry

I heard that before, I will consider the elimination going forward, thank you for that tip.

Good tip thanks for that!

yes it is a superfluous shadow word that can easily be eliminated

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