bob ahmed's List: VERY important

• "It seems to me..." (obviously it seems that way to you, you are the one talking!)  

  "I believe..." (again, we can see it is you)    

  "I think..." (see above)     

  "A bit" (exactly how much is that?)     

  "Like" (unless you really do like someone)     

  "You know?" (no, I don’t know)     

  "You know what I mean?" (if you have to ask, then you weren’t too articulate, were you?)     

  "You see?" (see what?)     

  "More or less" (so which is it?)     

  "Really" (You Really need a new intensifier if this is all you can come up with!)     

  "Hopefully" (better to say "I want this to happen.")     

  "Pretty" (unless you are talking about someone who is good looking)     

  "Perhaps" (or perhaps not)     

  "Sort of" (sort of what?)     

  "Kind of" (this isn’t to kind)     

  "Maybe" (or maybe not)     

  "Fairly" (it’s not fair)     

  "Reasonably" (you don’t have reason)     

  "Quite" (speak loud)     

  "So" (so what)     

  "Rather" (I’d rather you not use this)     

  "Somewhat" (somewhat of what?)     

  "To some extent" (what to what extent?)     

  "To a certain extent" (same as above)     

•  

    

  Wiping Out Wimpy Words

• That’s more like it!

   
   
  • I KNOW.
   
  • I INTEND.
   
  • I WILL.
   
  • I CAN.
   
  • I AM.

• Pop quiz time: Which of the following two statements do you find to be more effective?

  “I think you might like this new service we offer.”

   

   Or

  “You’re really going to like this new service we offer.”

• EXAMPLES OF WEAK, WIMPY WORDS
   - Just, as in “I was just calling to tell you about the new communication course we’re offering.”

   

  Replace it with, “I’m calling to tell you about the new communication course we’re offering!”

• - Think as in “I think this sentence will be much stronger without those first two words.”

   

  Replace it with, “This sentence is much stronger without those first two words!”

• - Wondering and might, as in “I was wondering if you might want to go to dinner and a movie with me this weekend.”

   

  Replace it with, “Would you like to go to dinner and a movie this weekend?”
• You can probably think of many more examples such as possibly or maybe. The definition of a weak, wimpy word is any modifying word or phrase that:
   a) makes you sound less confident; and
   b) can easily be removed and make your original sentence stronger.

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• Have you ever seen a child fall asleep in the high chair, face in the plate? That's a power nap. If you describe how tired that child was, the word "sleepy" simply won't suffice. You may be tempted to go first to that good old stand-by - "very." But "very sleepy" also doesn't get the message across. "Exhausted" becomes a power word in this case, because most readers will be able to visualize that "exhausted" child who is now peacefully snoring in her spaghetti.
• "sleepy" simply won't suffice. You may be tempted to go first to that good old stand-by - "very." But "very sleepy" also doesn't get the message across. "Exhausted" becomes a power word in this case, because most readers will be able to visualize that "exhausted" child who is now peacefully snoring in her spaghetti.
• Drop those words like "very" and find some words with real punch. "Incredible," "humongous" and "tremendous" become your best friends.

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