Elegant Writing Quiz

Try this little quiz to deflate these phrases and/or make them more meaningful. Many of them can be cut into half the word count.

Challenge your co-workers and share this around if you like.

1. We provided recommendations as follows:

2. It is recommended that…

3. This slope may have the potential to experience a slump.

4. We made a classification of 43 lake waterbodies.

5. It is important to note that the lake level dropped.

6. As a result, the LiDAR imagery that we created was noted to show…

7. An identification was conducted to determine that the birds that showed up on site were geese.

8. The results of the study were deemed to be too vague.

9. A list of the references consulted to evaluate the hazards of a geotechnical nature is provided in Appendix A.

10. From the economical point of view,

Hint:

Words to search to find where you might write more elegantly include:

• · provided
• · of the
• · have been
• · is the
• · -ing
• · -ment of
• · -ation of

Answers:

1. We recommend the following:

2. Our Company recommends that:

3. This slope may slump.

4. We classified 43 lakes.

5. The lake level dropped.

6. Our LiDAR image showed…

7. The birds on site were identified as geese.

8. The client decided that the study results were too vague.

(You need to identify the actor to get a truly good sentence, as without an actor it’s too vague.)

9. Appendix A lists references that we consulted to evaluate the geotechnical hazards.

10. Economically,

Please let me know if you have any questions. I’m always glad to help!

Christa