= word choice
Vary your vocabulary:
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Use a thesaurus
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Use synonyms, especially for words that are too broad or too elementary
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Instead of “show,” you can use one of the following: describe, portray, convey, depict, express, illustrate, characterize, represent
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However, keep important terms consistent → if you have identified an example from a text as a metaphor, do NOT suddenly refer to it as a different literary term
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AVOID using words that are vague; always be as specific as possible
Know the correct usage of the word:
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Whether a word is a noun, verb, adjective, or adverb
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Whether a noun is countable or uncountable
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Ways of expressing the plural of an uncountable noun:
bread → loaves of bread
water → bottles of water
food → dishes
vocabulary → words, terms
figurative language → examples of figurative language
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Use “many,” “few,” “fewer,” and “number” for countable nouns:
Many people attended the concert.
Few buildings were left standing after the earthquake.
The number of polar bears has been dwindling.
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Use “much,” “little,” “less,” and “amount” for uncountable nouns:
The construction released much dust into the vicinity.
He spent the little money that he had on a lottery ticket.
This plant needs a consistent amount of sunlight.
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Whether a word is used in its literal definition or in a figurative manner:
The ship lowered its anchor into the ocean.
The coach was an anchor for the players during a difficult match.
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Whether a word is used for its detonation, the dictionary definition, or for its connotation, an emotion or image associated with the word:
positive “vintage” vs. neutral “old”
negative “clique” vs. neutral “group”