Grammarly Blog | Grammar & Writing

Keep it simple! Use George Orwell’s six elementary rules (“Politics and the English Language”, 1946): Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print. Never use a long word where a short one will do. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out. Never use the passive where you can use the active. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.  (Image: Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson)
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Keep it simple! Use George Orwell’s six elementary rules (“Politics and the English Language”, 1946):

  1. Never use a metaphor, simile or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
  2. Never use a long word where a short one will do.
  3. If it is possible to cut out a word, always cut it out.
  4. Never use the passive where you can use the active.
  5. Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
  6. Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous. 
(Image: Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson)

39 Notes/ Hide

  1. tdhftw reblogged this from grammarlyblog and added:
    Hear hear.
  2. chandakmayank reblogged this from grammarlyblog and added:
    Keep it simple! Use George Orwell’s six elementary rules (“Politics and the English Language”, 1946): Never use a...
  3. 1bridgewoman reblogged this from grammarlyblog
  4. a-boat-beneath-a-sunny-sky reblogged this from facingskyward
  5. facingskyward reblogged this from phantasmagor1c
  6. phantasmagor1c reblogged this from grammarlyblog
  7. bparramosqueda reblogged this from grammarlyblog
  8. roadjerseys reblogged this from grammarlyblog and added:
    few hockey bloggers who could benefit from following
  9. anniebergin reblogged this from grammarlyblog
  10. serenityhow reblogged this from grammarlyblog and added:
    Thanks Calvin and Hobbes.
  11. anthropologi reblogged this from marshallmitchell
  12. marshallmitchell reblogged this from grammarlyblog and added:
    be. 5 depends on...audience, and 1? Understand what you’re saying and then say it,...
  13. mrdcbc reblogged this from grammarlyblog and added:
    Brilliant
  14. sen-zen reblogged this from grammarlyblog
  15. amb-o reblogged this from grammarlyblog
  16. grammarlyblog posted this

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