How to Avoid Colloquial Writing

Different situations call for the appropriate writing style. When writing an email to a friend or adding to a blog, it is acceptable to use informal writing. In other cases, such as when writing a legal brief, an email to a boss, a speech or an article, the writing style must be more formal. Clichés, slang and colloquialisms must be avoided. Here are some tips to avoid colloquial writing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Know your colloquialisms. If you are familiar with what constitutes colloquial language, it will be easier to avoid it in your writing. See the Resources section. Some examples of colloquial expressions are: kick the bucket, holy roller, I reckon, tore it up, the big cheese, like the plague and high noon.

2. Consider the audience. If formal writing is required, choose an appropriate tone.

3. Finish writing. Read the paper out loud. Identify anything that sounds like slang or a figure of speech.

4. Consult a dictionary or other resource, when in doubt. If the word is a colloquialism, it will most often be noted next to the word. You can also check a questionable phrase in a reference book that specializes in colloquial writing and slang, such as "A Dictionary of American Slang," by Eric Partridge and "A Concise Dictionary of English Slang and Colloquialisms," by B.A. Phythian. These books can be found on Amazon.

5. Replace all figures of speech with a more appropriate expression. For example, "She bought the farm," should be replaced with "She died."

Resources

• This website offers an extended list of common colloquialisms.

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[etmarciniec]

on 7/24/2009 This is helpful. Thanks for the research. Colloquialisms have infiltrated my vocabulary and can be hard to identify!