Just simply DON’T!

How often should you use “just” and “simply” when you write instructions?

Almost never.

Look a a few examples. In every case, not only do you not change the meaning when you remove these offending words, but the result is cleaner, faster, tighter, easier. The fewer distractions you give your readers, the better your writing.

“Just put your money in the box.”                           “Put your money in the box.”
“Just turn left when you see the sign.”                     “Turn left when you see the sign.”
“To accept the document, simply click ‘I Accept’ ”      “To accept the document, click ‘ I Accept.’ ”
Just simply eliminate these useless words.                Eliminate these useless words.

Simple, isn’t it?

When do you use these words?

• Use “just” to refer to the immediate past. “He just stepped off the plane.”
• Use “simple” to say that something is not complicated, but I can’t think of a simple example for “simply.”

In the next hour you will see a few examples of this misuse out there in the wild. Maybe you’ll find a useful use of “simply.” Come back and share in the comment box (click “Add a comment” below this post). If you want some good general advice about writing, fill in the form on the right.

Subscribe to this blog's RSS feed

On traffic signs you see “Bridge may be icy” meaning that the bridge might be icy. Now “may” has only three letters, and highway signs don’t have much real estate, so the shorter word (ahem) might be justified. People seem to want to retreat from admitting that an event is only possible, so they use “may” to make what they say sound more polite. Or weaker. When you write expositorily—to convey information, facts, instructions, directions, or anything more formal than an email to a buddy, I recommend you be explicit—use these words precisely. Say what you mean!

May—Something has permission. You may show up any time after noon. You may watch TV after you finish your homework. You may not go out with the boys unless you bring me along.

Can—Something is able. Goats can butt. You can wash your hands and still have germs on them. You can watch TV, but it will rot your brain. I know you can fix the washing machine, but how long will it take?

Might—Something is possible. If traffic is heavy, you might be late. You might want to watch TV, but you may not, if you can’t get your work done.

You might find some room for variation, and you may certainly appeal to poetic license, but if you can, you should say exactly what you mean.

Now it’s your turn. Got any bad examples you love to hate? You may post a comment to this post and share it with us. I know you can, and some of you might. Look at the writing techniques on the right.

(Okay, no more bad rhymes.)

“Which” is slightly more high-falutin’ than plain old “that,” so people, especially in business, tend to use “which” when they should use “that.” Let’s strive for clear communication, here, folks, not snootiness.

Which—are you making an aside, a remark that supplies extra (not necessary) information? Then use a comma and “which.” For example: “The steamboat, which was chugging across the harbor, capsized.” Sorry for the grim example, but it’s made up, so no one was hurt. All that “which” does is add some information about the steamboat. The sentence would have the same meaning without it. “The steamboat capsized.”

That—Are you giving extra information that’s necessary? Then you need “that.” Suppose you had several steamboats, and you need to identify the one that capsized. “The steamboat that was chugging across the harbor capsized.” No commas, either.

Bonus info: You don’t have to use commas to set off the aside. You can use parentheses or dashes. For example: “Correct use of asides (which I hope you learn) makes your writing more lucid.”

Extra bonus: If you use MS Word, and have the grammar checker turned on, it just about always gives you the correct recommendation on this one.

Maybe you can come up with better examples of this. Put them in the comments, and if you haven’t already, download my five basics over there on the right.

I see this so often in internet marketing efforts; you’d think these folks were more literate. “That” and “who” are called relative pronouns. They refer to a word that came earlier in the sentence.  (Yes, I know, they have other names in other contexts.)

who—refers to PEOPLE, people! You might say, “Will the person who got my name wrong please stand up?”

that—refers to THINGS, but not people. (I was going to use all caps instead of italic, but I don’t want to be someone who displays bad manners by shouting.) Say “Things that go bump in the night…”

You don’t refer to things who go bump in the night; don’t refer to people that do something. This rule applies to words that stand for people, too. “The teacher who teaches well…”  “The police who were on duty that night…” “The wretch who stole my pen…” I invite those of you who read this tender missive to provide your own examples in the comments.

Harrumpf.

Download that report on the right and be one of the folks who writes well.

Yes, we borrow from the Latin on some pairs of words, such as employer and employee, and grantor and grantee, but most of the time we don’t. We have parent/child, husband/wife, giver/recipient, boss/underling, master/apprentice (or slave). You can come up with your own list, and I invite you to do so in the comments. So what about “mentor”?

It’s not mentor and mentee! (Mentee sounds like a sea creature that used to be mistaken for mermaids.) The correct term is protegé (accent optional in English). You pronounce it “prota-zhay.” This one we borrow from the French, and leave Latin to its dusty spot on the bookshelf.

We borrow from the Greek, too— “Mentor” is an eponym. It’s the name of Odysseus’ teacher. Remember the Odyssey? That guy. Mentor was an old, wise fellow, who was instrumental in saving Odysseus’ marriage. It’s an interesting story.

One last tip: to get that high-class accented “e,” hold down the Alt key while you type 0233 on the numeric keypad. Then lift the Alt key and “é” appears.