Phrases to cut
| Cut | Write instead |
|---|---|
| It is worth noting that X | X |
| It is important to understand that X | X |
| In order to | To |
| Due to the fact that | Because |
| At this point in time | Now |
| Has the ability to | Can |
| Is able to | Can |
| A number of | Three (say the number) |
| Utilize | Use |
| Leverage (as a verb) | Use |
| Facilitate | Help, or the specific verb |
| In the event that | If |
| Prior to | Before |
| Subsequent to | After |
| With regards to | About |
| Serves to X | X's |
Hedge stacking
One hedge is honest. Two is a smell. Three means you do not know and should say so.
- "may potentially" - one of the two.
- "it seems like it might possibly" - "I think", or go and check.
- "could perhaps be considered" - delete the whole clause.
The honest version of deep uncertainty is a short sentence: "I do not know why this fails. Here is what I ruled out."
Openers that add nothing
Delete these and start with the next sentence:
- "Great question!"
- "Let me help you with that."
- "I'll take a look at this."
- "Here's a summary of what I found:"
- "Based on my analysis,"
Closers that add nothing
- "Let me know if you have any questions."
- "Feel free to reach out if you need anything else."
- "I hope this helps!"
- "Would you like me to elaborate on any of these points?"
The one thing never to cut
Uncertainty that is real. "I could not reproduce this" and "I did not test the Windows path" are the most valuable sentences in most reports. Keep them, and put them near the top.