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English Writing Style and Usage Links
For many years, my writing help websites focused primarily on providing direct “how to” information in the form of actual real-life sample documents and templates. My belief has always been that the very best way to write any type of document is to use an actual sample of a similar document as a starting point. My view on that has not changed at all.

That’s why this Writing Help Central website contains more than 250 actual real-life sample templates of letters, reports, proposals, essays, business forms, and other documents. In addition, I have supplemented those examples with more than 100 pages of practical writing tips for the writing of each type of document.

Accordingly, my approach to providing writing help to people has always been to focus on the practical approach to day-to-day home and business writing, through actual examples. I have always steered clear of getting into the technical vagueness of formal English grammar terminology and definitions. In my opinion, by far the best way to understand how English is written is to actually see, visually, through real-life examples, how it is really done. This is much more effective than learning the definitions of such esoteric terms as “gerund”, or the difference between the “transitive” and “intransitive” forms of the verb. Rather, I would prefer to demonstrate how “… most indefinite pronouns should be treated as singular”, rather than trying to explain what that means!

Nevertheless, over the years I have received many questions from my website and blog subscribers asking me about “writing style” in the sense of how to properly phrase something in English. In fact, when I posted a series of articles on my writing help blog, The Write Place, on the subject of “commonly confused words and terms”, the positive reaction from my blog readers was instant and strong. It turns out that, in addition to sample templates, people are also looking for practical “writing style tips” to help them with their day-to-day writing tasks, at work, at home, and in school.

Below are links to a number of pages I have put together to help you with the “style” side of writing; without getting into the technical details of English grammar. The subjects I have chosen to cover are what I consider to be the most common stumbling blocks encountered by people when trying to improve their written English for day-to-day usage.

Redundant Words and Phrases
These are words and phrases that tend to make the language more complicated and cumbersome than necessary.


Transition Words and Phrases
There are many words, terms and phrases that can be used to help your writing flow more logically and smoothly.


Proper Use of Prepositions
Prepositions are those little connector words that join words and/or phrases to other words and/or phrases.


Homonyms and Similar Sounding Words
Words of the same (or similar) spelling or sound can be easily confused and unintentionally change the meaning of something.


Plural Forms of Common Nouns
The plural form of some common nouns is non-standard and not obvious.


Frequently Misspelled Words
Some words cannot be spelled correctly by sounding them out phonetically.

Gender-Neutral Words and Phrases
The use of gender-specific language has (is becoming) a thing of the past.


I have tried to keep the above lists reasonably short by limiting them to what I consider to be the “essential” items for practical writing usage in most daily writing activities for home, school, and business.

If you ever want to go into further details than these usage lists, there are any number of English usage style guides available, both online and offline.

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Transition Words and Phrases

One of the most frequent problems that I see in day-to-day writing these days is the lack of natural logical flow linking one sentence to another, and one paragraph to the next.

In fact, smooth, orderly and logical transitions from one thought to another, one sentence to the next, and one paragraph to the other, are key to creating a professional quality document that makes sense. Appropriate use of transition words and phrases will achieve this for you in your business letters and other documents.

There are many words, terms and phrases that can be used to help your writing flow more logically and smoothly. Following, is a list of typical transition words and phrases.

Cause and Effect then as a result for this reason the result was what followed in response therefore thus because of consequently the reaction In Contrast To unlike different in spite of on the other hand on the contrary opposing however contrary to nevertheless Sequence & Relativity then in addition to enumerate next next in the series besides that subsequently following Similarity & Comparison like the same similar close likewise also near Explanation & Example for example one such for instance to illustrate also that too to demonstrate

Sample sentence… Then, he moved to the next work station. As a result, the team lost the game. For this reason, she always rested later. The result was always predictable. What followed was painful but necessary. In response, he upped the ante. Therefore, the aircraft overshot the runway. Thus, it was just a matter of time. Because of this, the results were always the same. Consequently, he was no longer friends with Frank. The reaction to this event was swift and decisive. Unlike last year, this one was highly profitable. Different from this, was our approach to charity. In spite of the dot com bust, the company prospered. On the other hand, earnings per share have increased. On the contrary, the impact was less than expected. Opposing that idea was the move to new technologies. However, that approach may actually prove better. Contrary to his findings, the revenue picture is good. Nevertheless, something still appears to be missing. Then, each one stopped in numerical order sequence. In addition, a fourth material was added to the mix. To enumerate, first there was the accident, then … Next in line for cuts was the marketing division. Next in the series was the “outrigger” brand line. Besides that, there were two other possible sources. Subsequently, they moved on to the next phase. Following the concert, the reception was in the lobby. Just like that, he reversed his earlier decision. The new approach was almost exactly the same. Similar things were known to happen at other times. The latest results were close, but far from perfect. Likewise, they made similar changes in the factory. Also, there were the worker’s families to consider. Near that one, was the faulty component. For example, last year’s model was underpowered. One such occurrence was last week’s power outage. For instance, earnings this year are higher than last. To illustrate, he went to Chicago to make his point. Also, there is a new approach to tax accounting. That too, just goes to make my point even stronger. To demonstrate, I will use the new model throughout.

As shown in the examples, these words and phrases are usually inserted at the beginning of a sentence. They normally refer directly back to the previous sentence and/or paragraph without repeating the specific subject.

The above are just examples. There are many other such transition words and phrases used in everyday conversation and writing. I believe that appropriate use of such words and phrases is the number one technique for making any type of writing flow more logically and clearly.

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Redundant Words and Phrases

There are certain words and phrases that one often sees in general correspondence that tend to make the language more complicated and cumbersome than necessary. Unnecessary words inserted into your writing can be very confusing to the reader, and sometimes outright misleading.

Accordingly, one should make a point to avoid the use of redundant words and phrases and eliminate them whenever possible.

The following list contains some of the more common redundant words and phrases, along with shorter and less cumbersome alternative wording.

Instead of this… absolutely essential accounted for actual experience add the point that advise, inform along those lines am in receipt of are of the opinion of as a result of as of this date at your earliest convenience at this time, at the present time attached hereto attached please find came to the conclusion check into cancel out cognizant collect together compensate conceive consensus of opinion conception conclude, conclusion consequent results connect up deficiency demonstrate descend down despite the fact that determine discontinue due to the fact that early beginnings effect a change enclosed herein encounter endeavor equitable establish exemplify exhibits a tendency to facilitate few in number first and foremost for the purpose of for the reason that forward free of charge frequently give an indication of have at hand I am of the opinion in accordance with in advance of inasmuch as in compliance with in spite of the fact that in the amount of in the course of in the event that in the majority of cases in the matter of in the process of being in the near future in the neighborhood of in the normal course of events in the same way as described in this day and age in view of the fact that indicate initiate is/was found to be is suggestive of it has been brought to my attention it is apparent that join together kindly make a decision to make the acquaintance of mutual cooperation my personal opinion new innovation of a confidential nature on behalf of on the basis of on the grounds that on the part of owing to the fact that past experience permit me to take this opportunity pertaining to perform an analysis of perform an examination of preparatory to present a conclusion prior to prolong the duration of provided that reached an agreement send an answer the modifications contained herein subsequent to subsequently supplement take under advisement the undersigned terminate the committee made the decision the question as to whether to be in agreement with to have a preference for to secure under no circumstances undertake a study of until such time as utilize, utilization with a view to with regard to within the realm of possibility whereas whereby whether or not you will find attached

Use this… essential caused by experience add that say, tell, let us know like, similar to have think that, believe that because today soon, next week, specific date now, at present attached attached is concluded check cancel aware collect pay think consensus idea end results connect lack show descend although find stop due to, because beginnings change enclosed meet try fair set up show tends to help few first for because send free often indicate have I think according to before because as requested, as specified although for during if, in case most, usually about being soon about normally as described nowadays because show begin, start is/was suggests I have learned it seems join please decide meet cooperation my opinion new confidential for by since by because, since experience I want to about analyze examine before conclude before prolong if agreed reply these changes after, since later add consider I, me end, stop the committee decided whether agree prefer to get never study until use to about possible but which whether attached is, here is

The above list is not exhaustive; it is the list that I have compiled to-date, and the best that I could come up with when I wrote this page. But I’m sure you get the point. No doubt there are many more of these, and I urge you to be on the lookout for them.

The obvious lessons that one can draw from the above is: the simpler the better, and don’t use three words when one will do the job.