Careless wording can make even the best ideas fall flat. Academic writing calls for clarity and precision, even a certain level of formality. Learning which words to avoid in an essay will help you keep your writing focused and on point. Here’s a quick look at words that usually don’t belong in serious essays:
- A lot – too vague and informal
- Really / very – adds little to no value
- You / your – too conversational for academic tone
- Things / stuff – unclear and imprecise
- Kind of / sort of – weakens your argument
- Always / never – too extreme without evidence
This article will cover the words you should avoid and why they don't work in writing. And if you're halfway through an assignment and are starting to think your paper could use a serious clean-up, WriteMyEssay is always here to help with professional writing support.
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Informal Words and Phrases
Informal language sneaks into essays more often than you’d think. We can use these casual expressions - contractions, slang, vague language - in everyday conversations, but academic papers are not the place for them. Below, we'll talk about the words to avoid in academic writing if you're aiming for professionalism.
Contractions
Contractions are shortened versions of two words, like don’t or it’s. They're everywhere in speech and casual writing, but in academic essays, they come off as too relaxed.
| Contraction | Full Form | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| don’t | do not | I don’t think it works. | I do not think it works. |
| it’s | it is / it has | It’s a major concern. | It is a major concern. |
| won’t | will not | This won’t be enough. | This will not be enough. |
| shouldn’t | should not | You shouldn’t ignore it. | You should not ignore it. |
| couldn’t | could not | He couldn’t explain it. | He could not explain it. |
Colloquial Expressions
Colloquial language refers to those informal, everyday phrases we use all the time, like a bunch of, get rid of, or way too much. They will make your papers sound too casual and even imprecise, which is exactly what you want to avoid in an essay.
| Colloquial Phrase | Better Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| a lot | many / several | A lot of people disagree. | Many people disagree. |
| get rid of | eliminate / remove | We need to get rid of pollution. | We need to eliminate pollution. |
| kind of / sort of | somewhat / slightly | She was kind of unsure. | She was somewhat unsure. |
| way too much | excessive | That’s way too much time. | That is an excessive amount of time. |
| really / very | use stronger word | It was really important. | It was essential. |
Vague and Ambiguous Words
Some words are too broad to mean anything specific. Vague words will probably leave your reader guessing, so stuff and things are some of the words to not use in an essay. You don't want to lose those much-needed points because your writing sounds imprecise and underdeveloped.
| Vague Word | Better Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| things | topics / factors | The essay covered many things. | The essay covered several key topics. |
| stuff | materials / evidence | She used stuff from class. | She used supporting evidence from class. |
| some | a few / several | Some studies suggest... | Several studies suggest... |
| big / small | significant / minor | A big issue was missed. | A significant issue was overlooked. |
| good / bad | effective / ineffective | That’s a good result. | That’s an effective result. |
Weak Modifiers
People use modifiers to try to add emphasis, but the weak ones often do the opposite. Words like very, really, and quite feel lazy and vague instead of strong or descriptive. It's always better to remove or replace them with more accurate terms so your writing is more precise.
| Weak Modifier | Better Word | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| very | extremely / highly | This is very important. | This is extremely important. |
| really | truly / significantly | That’s really hard to prove. | That’s significantly hard to prove. |
| quite | rather / fairly | The results were quite good. | The results were fairly accurate. |
| a bit | slightly / somewhat | It’s a bit confusing. | It’s slightly confusing. |
| kind of | somewhat / partially | The theory kind of explains it. | The theory somewhat explains it. |
Exaggerations
Exaggeration won't make your writing sound credible, just dramatic. Overstatements like always, never, or everyone suggest bias in writing, instead of emotion. Avoid these words and phrases if you want to write an essay faster: that will help you stay on track and save time during revisions.
| Exaggeration | Better Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| always | often / frequently | He always fails to explain. | He frequently fails to explain. |
| never | rarely / seldom | They never consider this. | They rarely consider this. |
| everyone | many / most people | Everyone agrees with this. | Most people agree with this. |
| totally | completely / entirely | That’s totally wrong. | That’s entirely inaccurate. |
| huge | significant / notable | This is a huge problem. | This is a significant problem. |
Subjective Language
Academic essays require objectivity. Here, you have to make an argument and base it on specific facts, not personal opinions or bias. Subjective words bring your own feelings or assumptions into writing, which you don't want. These include emotional language or opinionated phrases like I think, obviously, or honestly.
| Subjective Word/Phrase | Better Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| I think | Remove or rephrase | I think this proves the point. | This evidence supports the point. |
| obviously | Clearly / it is evident | Obviously, this is true. | It is clear this is supported by data. |
| honestly | Remove | Honestly, the method is flawed. | The method appears flawed. |
| I believe | Based on the findings | I believe this approach works. | Based on the findings, this approach works. |
| luckily | Fortunately / omit | Luckily, we had extra data. | Fortunately, additional data was available. |
Clichés
Clichés are those redundant words to avoid in writing that have been overused to the point of losing their meaning. In academic essays, they sound lazy and can often replace actual analysis. These are some of the most common words to avoid in essay writing:
| Cliché | Better Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| at the end of the day | ultimately / in conclusion | At the end of the day, it didn’t work. | Ultimately, the approach was ineffective. |
| think outside the box | use innovative / creative | You must think outside the box. | You must take a more innovative approach. |
| in today’s society | currently / in modern contexts | In today’s society, people... | Currently, people... |
| the tip of the iceberg | early evidence / surface-level | It’s just the tip of the iceberg. | It’s only surface-level evidence. |
| when push comes to shove | under pressure / in critical situations | When push comes to shove... | In critical situations... |
Fillers
Filler words and phrases take up space without adding any meaning. Essays, especially academic ones, should be concise, and phrases like in my opinion, basically, or just can make your writing feel unsure.
| Filler Phrase | Better Option / Remove | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| in my opinion | Remove / rephrase | In my opinion, this matters. | This is a key point. |
| basically | Remove | Basically, the theory works. | The theory works. |
| just | Remove | It just explains the outcome. | It explains the outcome. |
| actually | Remove | He actually supports the idea. | He supports the idea. |
| in conclusion (repetitive) | Use once or rephrase | In conclusion, this proves... | This proves the main argument. |
Language That Needs a Second Look
Certain words aren't exactly banned, but they do need to be handled with more caution than usual. Some can make your tone feel too casual or personal if you're not careful. Let's take a look at how first and second person pronouns change your writing and why you should leave them out of formal essays.
Avoiding First and Second Person
Using I, we, or you might work in a personal blog or narrative, but it doesn’t always belong in a formal essay. While there are some exceptions, like reflective essays or personal statements, most formal writing calls for an objective tone. Otherwise, the focus might shift to the writer or the reader instead of the topic. Shortly put, unless the assignment specifically calls for personal reflection, you should keep the focus off yourself (and off the reader).
| Personal Pronoun | Better Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| I think | Remove or rephrase | I think the theory is flawed. | The theory appears flawed. |
| we can see | It is evident / The evidence shows | We can see that it's true. | The evidence shows that it's true. |
| you should | One should / It is advisable to | You should avoid repetition. | One should avoid repetition. |
| I believe | It can be argued / The research suggests | I believe this is valid. | The research suggests this is valid. |
| you must | It is essential to | You must analyze the results. | It is essential to analyze the results. |
Jargon
Jargon is technical or field-specific language that might make sense to experts but can confuse readers who are unfamiliar with the industry. It's important to explain complicated ideas in a clearer language in academic essays, unless you're writing for a specialized audience or you're required to use technical terms.
| Jargon Term | Clearer Alternative | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| paradigm shift | major change | This caused a paradigm shift. | This caused a major change. |
| interface | interact / work together | These teams interface regularly. | These teams work together regularly. |
| throughput | output / productivity | The system improved throughput. | The system improved productivity. |
| synergize | work together | We must synergize our efforts. | We must work together. |
| leverage | use / take advantage of | Leverage your resources. | Use your resources. |
Gendered Language
Gendered language uses unnecessary words that imply a specific gender. Avoid words like mankind, chairman, or simply using he to refer to a general person: that approach is outdated and makes your writing feel exclusive. Academic writing should reflect inclusivity, so gender-neutral alternative choices are much more appropriate.
| Gendered Term | Gender-Neutral Option | Example (Avoid) | Improved Version |
| mankind | humanity / humankind | Mankind has evolved quickly. | Humanity has evolved quickly. |
| chairman | chair / chairperson | The chairman made a decision. | The chairperson made a decision. |
| fireman | firefighter | The fireman arrived early. | The firefighter arrived early. |
| he (as default) | they / one | He must submit the form on time. | They must submit the form on time. |
| man-made | synthetic / artificial | It’s a man-made material. | It’s a synthetic material. |
Keep Your Words Sharp
It's always a good idea to take a second look at the language you've used in your essay before submitting it. The right words to use in an essay will strengthen your message so it lands better with the reader, while a weak word choice can quietly work against you. Here's what you should keep in mind:
- Avoid informal, vague, and exaggerated expressions
- Stay away from filler words and clichés that add no value
- Use precise, formal language for clarity
- Be cautious with personal pronouns, jargon, and gendered terms
- Academic writing is about sounding focused, not smart or fancy
And if you're ever unsure what words to leave in your paper and which ones to cut, WriteMyEssay's experts can always help you sort it out.
FAQ
What Words Can't You Use in an Essay?
You should avoid words that are too casual and vague. For example, contractions like don't or can't and filler words like just and really make your writing feel less formal and precise, which are the two things academic essays depend on.
What Shouldn't You Say in an Essay?
Avoid personal opinions, generalizations, and conversational language. Phrases like you should, in my opinion, or everyone knows can make your argument sound biased. Stick to objective, evidence-based statements that focus on the topic, rather than your personal take on it.
Sources
Four Types of Unnecessary Words and Phrases. (2020). https://www.brandeis.edu/writing-program/resources/faculty/handouts/four-types-unnecessary-words-phrases.html
