In technical writing, keep things as short and to the point as possible. Here are some words and phrases to watch out for. If you’d like to see something added or changed, please let us know.
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z |
| Inflated | Concise |
|---|---|
| a distance of five miles | five miles |
| a minimum/maximum of | at least/most |
| a period of (e.g., “a period of 10 years”) | eliminate “a period of” |
| a variance to | a change in |
| accomplish | do |
| accordingly | so / therefore |
| accounted for the fact that | because |
| additional | more |
| adequate number of | enough |
| advance notice | notice |
| advantageous | helpful |
| advised | said / told / informed |
| afforded | given |
| aforementioned, aforesaid | mentioned above |
| ameliorate | improve |
| an amount of | some |
| an increasing number of | more |
| anticipated | expected (usually—check context) |
| approximately | about |
| are applicable | apply |
| are inclusive of | include |
| arising out of | from |
| as a consequence | because |
| as a result | because |
| as per | according to |
| as provided for | as described |
| as set out | as described / as listed |
| as to how / as to whether | how / whether |
| as well as | and |
| ascertain | find out |
| assist / assistance | help |
| at a later date | later |
| at present / at the present time / at this time / at this point in time | now / today / currently |
| at the same time | concurrently |
| at the time | when |
| attempt | try |
| be beneficial to | benefit |
| be responsive to | respond to |
| by means of | by |
| by reason of | because |
| by the fact that | that |
| by virtue of | because of, under |
| can be attributed to | was |
| carry out | do |
| cause adverse effects to | hurt / harm |
| cognizant | aware |
| commence | begin / start |
| conduct / conduct flaring (e.g.) | do / flare |
| conducted an inspection of | inspected |
| conducted, sampling (e.g.) was | was sampled |
| consequently | so |
| consists of | has / includes |
| consolidate | combine |
| construct | build |
| contained in | in |
| could potentially | might |
| currently | now (or omit altogether) |
| deemed | considered |
| deleterious | harmful |
| depart from | leave |
| discontinued the conduct of | quit doing |
| disseminate | issue, send out, distribute |
| due to the fact that | because |
| during / in the course of | during / in |
| during such time | while |
| each and every | each / every |
| endeavour (v.) | try |
| entirety | all |
| equivalent | equal |
| erroneous | wrong / false |
| exceeds | is more than |
| excessive number of | too many |
| expedite / expeditious / expeditiously | hasten, speed up / fast / quickly |
| expiration | end |
| facilitate | do / ease / help |
| fails to | does not |
| feel | think / believe |
| file an application | apply |
| fix (a date) | set |
| for similar reasons | similarly |
| for the most part | mostly |
| for the purposes of this | for this |
| for the reason that | for |
| formulate | work out, devise, form |
| frequently | often |
| functionality | function |
| furnish | give |
| further to | as a follow up / following our discussion |
| grant (v) | give |
| has direct supervision over | is supervising / supervises |
| held | stated / concluded |
| henceforth | from now on |
| hereby | by this / “hereby grants” → “authorizes” |
| herein | in this (directive, decision …) |
| identified that | said / wrote |
| impact (as a verb) | affect |
| implement | carry out, fulfill, do |
| in accordance with (see also “pursuant to”) | according to / under / following / as directed by |
| in advance of | before |
| in an effort to | to |
| in close proximity to | near / close to |
| in compliance with | complies with |
| in connection / conjunction with | with / about / at / during / together with |
| in depth | deep |
| in excess of | more than |
| in favour of | for |
| in lieu of | instead of |
| in light of the fact that | because |
| in most cases / instances | usually |
| in order to | to |
| in place of | for |
| in possession of | have |
| in receipt of | received |
| in relation to / regard to / reference to | for, about |
| in respect of | about, for, as to, on |
| in short supply | scarce |
| in some instances | sometimes |
| in spite of the fact that | although |
| in terms of | in |
| in the absence of | without |
| in the amount of | of |
| in the case of | if |
| in the context of | about |
| in the course of | during |
| in the event that/of | if / for |
| in the final analysis | ultimately |
| in the near future | soon |
| in the neighbourhood of | about |
| in the vicinity of | near / close to |
| in view of the fact that | because |
| in violation of | violates |
| inception | start |
| influence (v) | affect |
| inquire | ask |
| is able to | can |
| is authorized to | may |
| is binding upon | binds |
| is empowered to | may |
| is going to | will |
| is in possession of | possesses |
| is of the view / opinion that | thinks / believes |
| is protective of | protects |
| is unable to | cannot |
| it is probable that | probably |
| it would appear that | apparently |
| large numbers of / large amounts of | many / much |
| lend itself to | support |
| length of time | period |
| locality | place |
| located in / located near | in / near |
| made a complaint | complained |
| majority of / the majority | most |
| make an application | apply |
| make an effort | attempt / try |
| make changes / decisions | change / decide |
| make mention of | mention |
| make payment | pay |
| make regulations with respect to | regulate |
| make use of | use |
| may | might / can |
| means by which | how |
| methodology | method |
| minimize | reduce / limit |
| mitigate | reduce |
| multiple | several / many |
| negatively impact (v) | harm / damage (v) |
| not less than | at least |
| not more than | at most |
| notwithstanding the fact that | although |
| notwithstanding | despite / even if / nonetheless / nevertheless |
| number of | several, many, some |
| numerous | many |
| obtain | get |
| occurs | is found / is present / happens / takes place / exists |
| of a similar nature | similar |
| on a daily / annual basis | daily / annually (or yearly) |
| on a regular basis | regularly |
| on a temporary basis | temporarily |
| on an expedited basis | promptly |
| on the part of | by |
| on two occasions | twice |
| optimum | best, greatest, most |
| outlined (e.g., “conditions outlined in …”) | described / presented |
| perform a flaring (e.g.) activity / perform | flare / do |
| period of time | period |
| persons | people |
| play an important role in helping to | help |
| portion | part / segment / area |
| predominantly | mostly / mainly / largely |
| prescribed | required |
| presently (as a synonym for “now”) | now / currently |
| primarily | mostly / mainly |
| prior to | before |
| proficiencies | skills |
| proved to be | was/were |
| provide assistance | help |
| provide notice to | notify |
| provide responses | respond |
| provide updates to | update |
| provide with | give |
| provided that | if, but |
| provides that | says / indicates / states |
| proximal to | near |
| pursuant to | under / according to / as required by / on the basis of / described in / authorized by / because of / as a result of / as directed by |
| put forward | propose |
| quantities | amounts |
| referenced | referred to / cited |
| regarding | for / about |
| relative to | about |
| represents | is (as appropriate in the context) |
| request (v.) | ask |
| respecting | about |
| result in | cause |
| retained | kept |
| set down | described |
| shall (future) | will |
| shall (imperative) | must |
| since (unless in the context of time) | because |
| small number of | some |
| some (as an adjective) | about |
| specific to | for |
| state / stated | say / said |
| strategize | plan |
| submit an application | apply |
| submits | thinks / believes / recommends |
| subsequently / subsequent to | later / after |
| substantial amount of | a lot |
| sufficient / sufficient volumes of | enough |
| take a look | look |
| take/taken into consideration | consider/considered |
| terminate | end / stop |
| to the extent that | as |
| together with | and |
| under the provisions of | under |
| undertaking excavation (e.g.) | excavating |
| undertaking | promise |
| until such time as | until |
| usage / utilize / utilization | use |
| where (use “where” only for location) | when / in the case of |
| whether or not | whether (usually) |
| while (in a comparison context) | whereas / although |
| with a view to | to |
| with respect/regard to | about / for / on /over |
| with the exception of | except for |
| with the result that | so that |