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