Clichés Fail Because the Reader Skips Them
A cliché is not wrong. It is invisible — the eye slides over it, and whatever you meant slides past…
Adjective lists for every subject you might write about, and plain-English guides to using them well. Free, and written to be read in a couple of minutes.
Two libraries
One half teaches you to use adjectives well. The other hands you the words.
348 guides
How adjectives behave in a sentence — the order they fall into, how they compare, when they carry opinion rather than fact, and how to reach for a vivid word without overreaching.
Browse the guides1,119 word lists
Curated describing words for people, food, places, feelings, work and more — each list sorted by shade of meaning, with example sentences so you can hear how the word behaves.
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Pick the subject you are writing about — the list is already made.
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99 lists
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90 lists
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Recently published
A cliché is not wrong. It is invisible — the eye slides over it, and whatever you meant slides past…
· 2 min read
Items in a list must share a grammatical shape. Break it and the sentence stumbles in a way readers feel…
· 2 min read
"The implementation of the solution" was once "we solved it". Nominalisation is the single biggest cause of writing that is…
· 2 min read
Free gift. Advance planning. Past history. Each one contains a word doing nothing, and most people have said all three…
· 2 min read
Prose where every sentence runs the same length reads as flat, however correct it is. Variation is the fix, and…
· 2 min read
English rearranges the sentence to ask a question, and then inserts a helper verb that was not there before. Few…
· 2 min read
Worth your time
Adjectives are essential for adding detail and color to our descriptions, particularly when we talk about the world around us.…
· 15 min read
Understanding how to use adjectives effectively is crucial for vivid and precise communication. When describing creatures like caterpillars, adjectives bring…
· 14 min read
Understanding the nuances of language is crucial for anyone aspiring to be a poet. Adjectives, in particular, play a vital…
· 16 min read
Understanding the nuances of language is crucial, especially when describing grave subjects like murder. The adjectives used to characterize a…
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Most read
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Plain-English grammar guides and curated adjective lists. Free to read, checked against Merriam-Webster, Chicago and AP before publication.
348 grammar guides →