How to improve vocabulary after you have written a draft is a different skill from learning vocabulary before you write. The page already contains your real decisions: repeated words, vague verbs, unsupported intensifiers, awkward collocations, accidental register shifts and places where an ordinary word is exactly right. A vocabulary revision pass turns that draft into evidence.
This guide teaches a practical vocabulary audit for creative writing, essays, explanations and everyday English. Instead of replacing every simple word with a “better” synonym, you will locate the few lexical decisions that materially affect meaning, precision, voice, cohesion and reader understanding—then revise only where the change earns its place.
Within eduKate’s How to Improve Vocabulary ecosystem, this article owns the finished-draft lexical audit. The Personal Writing Corpus learns across many drafts; the Word-Choice Decision System chooses among candidates; this guide gives one completed draft a disciplined vocabulary-only revision pass.
Quick Read: Do Not Upgrade Every Word
A vocabulary audit is selective. First protect words that are already accurate, natural and appropriate. Then flag only high-value decision points: vague words where the distinction matters, repeated words that flatten meaning, specialised words that may be wrong, intensifiers that overstate evidence, collocations that feel uncertain and vocabulary that breaks character or genre.
The fictional eduKateSG workshop cast—Adrian, Jo, Ben, Aisha, Ryan, Mira, Clara and Ethan—appears throughout. Their drafts and revision scenes are original teaching material.
1. The Six-Pass Vocabulary Audit
Pass one protects meaning. Pass two checks vague and overgeneral words. Pass three checks repetition and lexical cohesion. Pass four checks collocation and word form. Pass five checks register, voice and connotation. Pass six checks claim strength and deletes revisions that merely sound more sophisticated.
Keep the passes separate at first. Trying to solve grammar, plot, punctuation, vocabulary and paragraph structure simultaneously overloads attention. A lexical pass works because it narrows the job.
2. Forty Vocabulary Audit Stations
Audit 1: vague verbs
Locate: Read the draft once with only vague verbs in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 2: vague nouns
Locate: Read the draft once with only vague nouns in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 3: generic adjectives
Locate: Read the draft once with only generic adjectives in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 4: unsupported intensifiers
Locate: Read the draft once with only unsupported intensifiers in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 5: repeated emotion labels
Locate: Read the draft once with only repeated emotion labels in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 6: repeated movement verbs
Locate: Read the draft once with only repeated movement verbs in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 7: repeated speech verbs
Locate: Read the draft once with only repeated speech verbs in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 8: thesaurus substitutions
Locate: Read the draft once with only thesaurus substitutions in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 9: near-synonym drift
Locate: Read the draft once with only near-synonym drift in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 10: collocation uncertainty
Locate: Read the draft once with only collocation uncertainty in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 11: wrong preposition frame
Locate: Read the draft once with only wrong preposition frame in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 12: wrong word form
Locate: Read the draft once with only wrong word form in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 13: nominalisation overload
Locate: Read the draft once with only nominalisation overload in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 14: adverb overload
Locate: Read the draft once with only adverb overload in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 15: adjective stacking
Locate: Read the draft once with only adjective stacking in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 16: abstract language in scenes
Locate: Read the draft once with only abstract language in scenes in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 17: technical vocabulary in dialogue
Locate: Read the draft once with only technical vocabulary in dialogue in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 18: register mismatch
Locate: Read the draft once with only register mismatch in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 19: character-voice mismatch
Locate: Read the draft once with only character-voice mismatch in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 20: narrator-voice mismatch
Locate: Read the draft once with only narrator-voice mismatch in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 21: connotation mismatch
Locate: Read the draft once with only connotation mismatch in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 22: causality overclaim
Locate: Read the draft once with only causality overclaim in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 23: certainty overclaim
Locate: Read the draft once with only certainty overclaim in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 24: scope overclaim
Locate: Read the draft once with only scope overclaim in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 25: evidence verbs
Locate: Read the draft once with only evidence verbs in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 26: comparison language
Locate: Read the draft once with only comparison language in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 27: time and sequence words
Locate: Read the draft once with only time and sequence words in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 28: sensory precision
Locate: Read the draft once with only sensory precision in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 29: movement precision
Locate: Read the draft once with only movement precision in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 30: emotion precision
Locate: Read the draft once with only emotion precision in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 31: social-action verbs
Locate: Read the draft once with only social-action verbs in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 32: cohesive repetition
Locate: Read the draft once with only cohesive repetition in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 33: lexical chains
Locate: Read the draft once with only lexical chains in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 34: topic terminology
Locate: Read the draft once with only topic terminology in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 35: pronoun-versus-noun balance
Locate: Read the draft once with only pronoun-versus-noun balance in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 36: metaphor consistency
Locate: Read the draft once with only metaphor consistency in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 37: cliché detection
Locate: Read the draft once with only cliché detection in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 38: unnecessary rarity
Locate: Read the draft once with only unnecessary rarity in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 39: ordinary-word protection
Locate: Read the draft once with only ordinary-word protection in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
Audit 40: final read-aloud
Locate: Read the draft once with only final read-aloud in mind. Mark candidates without revising immediately. The first job is detection, because editing while searching makes it easy to lose the larger pattern.
Diagnose: For every mark, state what the current word is doing and what problem—if any—it creates. Is meaning inaccurate, too broad, too strong, repetitive, unnatural, grammatically wrong, inconsistent with voice, or simply less efficient than another construction?
Generate: Produce at most three alternatives, including the option to keep the original. Use the word-choice decision system rather than choosing the rarest candidate.
Test: Read the whole sentence and its neighbours after the change. Check meaning, grammar, collocation, register, rhythm and viewpoint. A local improvement can damage paragraph cohesion.
Keep or revert: Keep the revision only if you can name the gain. If the change merely looks more advanced, restore the original. Revision is selection, not lexical inflation.
3. Sixty Worked Lexical Revision Cases
Case 1: “went quickly”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 2: “very angry”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 3: “nice place”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 4: “big problem”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 5: “said loudly”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 6: “looked carefully”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 7: “really important”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 8: “very sad”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 9: “good evidence”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 10: “bad method”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 11: “huge difference”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 12: “made a conclusion”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 13: “did a decision”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 14: “powerful rain”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 15: “strongly similar”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 16: “proved the possibility”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 17: “completely unique”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 18: “totally essential”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 19: “walked slowly”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 20: “ran fast”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 21: “smiled happily”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 22: “whispered quietly”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 23: “shouted loudly”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 24: “unexpected surprise”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 25: “future plans”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 26: “past history”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 27: “basic fundamentals”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 28: “final outcome”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 29: “personal opinion”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 30: “close proximity”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 31: “repeated again”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 32: “new innovation”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 33: “free gift”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 34: “end result”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 35: “advance warning”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 36: “brief moment”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 37: “small little detail”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 38: “very perfect”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 39: “absolutely certain”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 40: “possibly might”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 41: “cause a correlation”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 42: “evidence proves”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 43: “character was devastated”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 44: “character was ecstatic”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 45: “dark black night”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 46: “bright shining sun”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 47: “cold icy wind”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 48: “terrible disaster”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 49: “beautiful gorgeous view”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 50: “mysterious enigmatic stranger”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 51: “commenced walking”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 52: “utilised a pen”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 53: “consumed lunch”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 54: “endeavoured to ask”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 55: “perambulated home”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 56: “vociferated”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 57: “expostulated”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 58: “ejaculated as speech verb”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 59: “pulchritudinous scene”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
Case 60: “perspicacious child”
Do not replace it yet. Put the phrase back into its full sentence and ask what proposition the writer intends. The phrase may be inaccurate, redundant, vague, over-intense, stylistically marked—or completely defensible in the right context.
Revision method: Identify the exact dimension that matters: speed, force, degree, causality, certainty, sensory property, social attitude, register or viewpoint. Generate one plain alternative, one more precise alternative and the option to keep the original. Reject any candidate that adds unsupported information.
Context test: Read one sentence before and after. Check whether repetition is functioning as cohesion, whether a character would plausibly use the revised vocabulary and whether the new phrase forms a natural collocation. If a simpler construction communicates the same information more cleanly, prefer it.
Learning record: If the issue reveals a reusable weakness, add only that pattern to your Personal Writing Corpus. Do not archive every edit. The corpus should capture recurring decision problems rather than become a copy of the draft.
4. The Draft With Too Many Improvements
Ben’s first sentence was simple: “Mira walked to the window and looked outside.” His revision read: “Mira perambulated towards the aperture and scrutinised the exterior.” Jo asked one question: “What did the second sentence improve?”
The answer turned out to be almost nothing. Mira had crossed the room because she heard a bicycle bell and wanted to see whether her brother had arrived. She did not inspect the view; she simply looked. Her manner of walking did not matter. Window was the natural word for the viewpoint. They restored all three ordinary choices.
The next sentence said, “She was very worried when the bicycle did not come.” This time they changed the construction rather than hunting for a stronger emotion adjective: “When the path remained empty, Mira checked the clock again.” The revision gave the reader evidence instead of a larger label.
By the end of the page, only seven lexical changes survived from twenty-three proposed replacements. “Seven?” Ben asked. Jo nodded. “Seven that earned their place. That is revision.”
5. Repetition, Claims, Voice and Word Form
Repetition is not automatically a vocabulary problem. Stable terminology can protect meaning, and repeated concrete nouns can create cohesion or rhythm. Replace repetition when the world genuinely contains different actions or qualities; do not cycle through near-synonyms merely to appear varied.
Circle claim-strength words such as proves, suggests, causes, contributes, always, often, all, many, essential and useful. These small lexical choices can alter the proposition more than a conspicuous adjective. Calibrate them to evidence.
For fiction, audit vocabulary that reveals expertise, age, community or attitude. A specialised word can be excellent characterisation when it belongs to the speaker. Use Character Lexicons when several speakers begin to sound like the same author.
Finally check grammatical form. Use Word Form Control for sentences where the concept is right but noun, verb, adjective or adverb form is wrong or unnecessarily abstract.
6. Twenty Questions for a Final Vocabulary Check
1. Does this word mean what I think it means?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
2. Does it add information the context supports?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
3. Is the degree too strong?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
4. Is the certainty too strong?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
5. Does it imply a cause I have not established?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
6. Is this repetition useful for cohesion?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
7. Am I varying terminology only to avoid repetition?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
8. Does this collocation sound natural?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
9. Is the preposition or grammatical frame correct?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
10. Is this the right word form?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
11. Does the word fit the genre?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
12. Does it fit this character or narrator?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
13. Does its connotation match my intention?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
14. Would a broader word be more accurate?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
15. Would a more specific word help the reader?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
16. Can action or image replace an unnecessary label?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
17. Have I used a rare word mainly for prestige?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
18. Did a thesaurus replacement change the meaning?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
19. Does the revised sentence still fit its neighbours?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
20. Can I name the gain from this revision?
Answer from the sentence and its context, not from a general rule. If the wording passes the check, leave it alone. If it fails, diagnose the exact dimension before generating alternatives. This protects the draft from unnecessary lexical inflation.
After revising, read the sentence aloud and then read the paragraph without stopping. A vocabulary change should improve the reader’s model of the meaning without drawing accidental attention to the author’s effort.
7. A Four-Week Revision Programme
Week one: detection. Mark lexical decision points without editing. Categorise them as meaning, repetition, collocation, form, register, voice or claim strength.
Week two: controlled revision. Generate no more than three candidates per decision point, including keeping the original. Write one sentence explaining why the winner earns its place.
Week three: paragraph effects. Inspect every change in context. Look for broken cohesion, accidental register shifts and specialised vocabulary that makes the prose heavy.
Week four: independent audit. Complete a draft, leave it briefly, then run the six passes without a teacher. Save only recurring weaknesses into the Personal Writing Corpus.
8. Final Principle: Revision Is a Filter, Not a Vocabulary Parade
The first draft proves that you can produce language under real constraints. The vocabulary revision pass should respect that achievement. Its job is not to replace natural language with decorative synonyms.
Protect accurate ordinary words. Repair false precision. Calibrate claims. Fix collocations and word forms. Strengthen distinctions where the reader needs them. Preserve repetition that creates cohesion. Let character and genre control register.
Then stop. A draft can be revised past clarity into self-consciousness. The strongest vocabulary often disappears into the reading experience because every word seems inevitable once it is there.
That is the goal of the audit: not more vocabulary on the page, but better decisions in the places where vocabulary matters.
9. Thirty Mini-Lessons for Vocabulary Revision
Mini-Lesson 1: Keep said
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 2: Keep walked
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 3: Replace vague thing
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 4: Replace vague got
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 5: Calibrate very
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 6: Calibrate completely
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 7: Check prove
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 8: Check cause
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 9: Check always
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 10: Check all
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 11: Repair make/do
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 12: Repair preposition
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 13: Repair word form
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 14: Unpack noun chain
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 15: Restore agent
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 16: Protect terminology
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 17: Build lexical chain
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 18: Break accidental echo
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 19: Test connotation
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 20: Test formality
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 21: Test dialogue
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 22: Test narrator
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 23: Test sensory word
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 24: Test motion verb
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 25: Test emotion label
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 26: Test metaphor
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 27: Test cliché
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 28: Test rare word
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 29: Read aloud
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
Mini-Lesson 30: Revert one edit
Take a completed paragraph and locate one candidate related to this lesson. Do not edit the rest of the paragraph. Write the original phrase, the intended meaning and two alternatives, one of which must be “keep the original.” This makes preservation an explicit option rather than treating revision as compulsory replacement.
Choose by evidence. State what the winning version improves: accuracy, degree, event shape, natural collocation, grammar, cohesion, register, voice or reader inference. If you cannot name a gain, revert. Then read the entire paragraph so the local change is tested inside the larger language system.
Return after a delay and inspect the decision again. If the revised wording now feels conspicuous, verify whether the problem is unfamiliarity or genuine mismatch. A strong revision should remain defensible when the excitement of finding a new word has faded.
10. Closing: Better Vocabulary Can Mean Fewer Changes
A mature vocabulary revision pass often produces fewer replacements than a beginner expects. That is a feature, not a failure. The writer has learned to distinguish a word that is broad from a word that is wrongly broad, repetition from redundancy, sophistication from precision and novelty from usefulness.
The finished draft should sound more like the writer at full control, not more like a thesaurus. When the audit works, the reader notices the scene, argument or explanation rather than the machinery used to choose its words.