Appendix E

Words and phrases to avoid and some alternatives

The words or expressions in bold type in this list are common in official writing. The words beneath them in light type are simpler and can often be used instead, although they are not always equivalent. They may help you to choose the best word for your purpose.

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | L | M | N | O | P | R | S | T | U V | W | Y

A

above mentioned
above

absence of
no, none

accede to
grant, allow, agree

accommodation
where you live, home

accompanying
with

accomplish
do

in accordance with
because of, under

is in accordance with
agrees, follows

accordingly
so

according to our records
our records show

acquaint yourself
find out

acknowledge
thank you

ad hoc
for this purpose

additional
extra, more

adjustments
changes

admissible
allowed

advantageous
useful, helpful

advise
tell, say, mention

affected
changed

aggregate
total

a large number of
many, most

alleviate
ease, reduce

allocate
give, divide, share

alter
change

alternative
choice, other

alternatively
or

anticipate
expect

apparent
clear, plain, obvious

appreciable
large, great

application
use

apprise
inform, tell

appropriate
proper, right, suitable

appropriate to
which applies to

approximate
about, roughly

ascertain
find out

assist, assistance
help

at an early date
soon

attain
achieve

attempt
try

attend
come to, go to

authorise
allow

authority
may, right, power

B

belated
late

C

calculate
work out, decide

cease
finish, stop, end

complete
fill in

commence
start, begin

compared with
than

component
part

compulsory
must

conceal
hide

concerning
about, on

conclusion
end

condition
rule

in connection with
about

as a consequence of
because

consequently
so

consider
think

consideration has been given
we have considered

constitute
make up, form

consult
contact, talk to, meet, ask

cumulative
add up, added up

customary
usual, normal

D

deduct
take off

deem
treat as, consider

defer
put off, delay

deficiency
lack of

delete
cross out

despatch
send

denote
show

designated
chosen

desire
wish

determination
decision

devolved
responsible for

diminish
drop, lessen, reduce

disseminate
spread

disburse
pay

disclose
tell, show

discontinue
stop, end

discrete
separate

documents
papers

dominant
main

due to the fact that
because, as

duration
time

dwelling, domicile
home

E

economical
cheap

elect
choose

eligible
allowed, qualify

emphasise
stress

enable
allow

enclosed
inside, with

endeavour
try

enquire
ask

enquiry
question

ensure
make sure

entitlement
right

equivalent
equal, the same

erroneous
wrong

establish
show, find out

evaluate
test, check

evince
show, display

exceptionally
only when, in this case

excessive
too many, too much

exclude
leave out

excluding
apart from

exclusively
only

exempt from
free from

ex officio
by virtue of his/her office

expedite
hurry, hasten

expeditiously
as soon as possible, quickly

expenditure
spending

extant
current, in force

F

fabricate
make

facilitate
help

factor
reason

failure to
if you do not

following (in time)
after

for the duration of
during, while

for the purpose of
to

forthwith
now, at once

forward
send

frequently
often

furnish
give

furthermore
then, also

G

generate
produce, give

H

henceforth
from now on, from today

hereby
now (or leave out)

herein
here (or leave out)

herewith
now (or leave out)

heretofore
until now

hitherto
until now

I

I am advised
I understand that

immediately
at once

implement
carry out, do

in accordance with
as, under

in addition to
also

in case of
if

in connection with
for, about

in conjunction with
and, with

in consequence
because, as

incurred
paid

indicate
show

in excess of
more than

in lieu of
instead of

initiate
begin, start

in order to
to

in receipt of
get, have, receive

in relation to
about

in respect of
about, for

inter alia
among other things

issue
give, send

institute
begin, start

in the case of
in, for

in the course of
in, while, during

in the event of
if

irrespective of
whether or not, even if

it is hoped
we hope that

J

jeopardise
risk

L

locality
place

locate
find

M

magnitude
size

maintain
keep

manufacture
make

mandatory
must, compulsory

marginal
small, slight

material
relevant

modification
change

N

necessitate
have to, need

nevertheless
but, however

notify
tell, let us know

notwithstanding
even if, despite, still, yet

O

objective
aim, goal

obtain
get, receive

occasioned by
caused by

on behalf of
for

on the grounds that
because

operate
work, run

opportunity
chance

option
choice

ordinarily
normally, usually

otherwise
or

outstanding
unpaid

owing to
because

P

partially
partly

participate
take part in

particulars
details, facts

per annum
a year

performed
did

permissible
allowed

permit
let, allow

persons
people, anyone

peruse
read, look at

possess
have, own

practically
almost, nearly

predominant
main

prescribed
set, fixed

preserve
keep

principal
main

prior to
before

procure
get, obtain

promptly
quickly, at once

proportion
part

provided that
if, as long as

provisions
rules, terms

proximity
near

purchase
buy

pursuant
under

pursuant to
under

R

re
about

receive
get

reconsider
think again

reduce
cut

regarding
about

regulation
rule

reimburse
repay, pay back, refund

render
send, make, give

remain
stay

remainder
the rest

remittance
payment

remuneration
pay, wages, salary

report
tell

represents
shows, stands for, is

request
ask, question

require
need, have to

reside
live

residence
home

have a responsibility to
must

restriction
limit

retain
keep

reverse
back

revised
new, changed

S

said/such/same
the, this, that

select
choose

solely
only

state
say, tell us, write down

statutory
legal, by law

submit
send, give

subsequently
later

subsequent to
after

substantial
large, great, a lot of

sufficient
enough

supplementary
extra, more

T

terminate
stop, end

thereafter
then, afterwards

timeously
in good time

to date
so far

to the extent that
if, when

transmit
send

U

unavailability
lack of, absence

ultimately
in the end, at last

undertake
agree

uniform
same

utilise, utilisation
use

V

variation
change

virtually
almost

visualise
see, predict

W

whensoever
when, whenever

whereas
but

with a view to
to

with effect from
from

with reference to
about

with regard to
about, for

with respect to
about, for

Y

you are requested
we ask you to/please tell us