Dec 12 2007
The Overused “That”
Face it: when you’re writing for business, no one wants to read what you write. They want the information, but they don’t want to have to read a single word more than necessary to get it. It’s all about being concise. So get rid of any words that aren’t needed – and start by challenging all occurrences of the word “that.” Look at the following sentences. Two of them don’t need “that.” Which are they?
• The gift that Bob sent Jenny was expensive.
• We signed the contract that will turn this company around.
• I told him that Alfred was going to quit.
Did you guess the first and third? If so, you’re right. The “that” in each of those sentences only bogs them down and adds nothing. The next time you write anything, circle every “that” and see how many you can delete. You’ll be surprised.
Special Note: Send Me Your Problems!
Some of you have asked if I could help you with specific writing issues. My answer is yes. Send me a comment with a piece of text you have written (nothing too long, please) and tell me what has you stumped or doesn’t seem right. I’ll do my best to get to the bottom of it and we’ll invite others to comment with their ideas or suggestions. Let’s make this a valuable, interactive learning experience. To contact me, click here.
