Sunday, October 20, 2019
What to Do When Words Appear Twice in a Row
What to Do When Words Appear Twice in a Row What to Do When Words Appear Twice in a Row What to Do When Words Appear Twice in a Row By Mark Nichol Using a word twice in a row isnââ¬â¢t always a no-no, but thereââ¬â¢s always a more elegant way to revise a sentence in which you might initially be inclined to repeat a word immediately. When words collide, try these approaches: 1. ââ¬Å"What you do do is your own business.â⬠Even if this sentence is intended as a counterpoint to a ââ¬Å"what you donââ¬â¢t doâ⬠proposition, the emphatic first do is superfluous (ââ¬Å"What you do is your own businessâ⬠). If you must retain the repetition, introduce a separating phrase: ââ¬Å"What you do decide to do is your own business.â⬠2. ââ¬Å"They had had many arguments.â⬠Replace the second had with a prepositional phrase (ââ¬Å"They had gotten into many argumentsâ⬠) or a more specific verb (ââ¬Å"They had endured many argumentsâ⬠), or introduce more vivid imagery into a revision (ââ¬Å"They had verbally sparred many timesâ⬠). 3. ââ¬Å"I showed her her message.â⬠Replace one pronoun preferably, both of the pronouns with a noun (ââ¬Å"I showed my sister the womanââ¬â¢s messageâ⬠). This isnââ¬â¢t a problem with him, because two forms of the pronoun would appear (ââ¬Å"I showed him his messageâ⬠), though, again, if him and his refer to different men, it might be better to specify, in place of one pronoun or the other, one of the men in question. 4. ââ¬Å"He came in in disarray.â⬠Replace the prepositional phrase with a simple verb (ââ¬Å"She entered in disarrayâ⬠). 5. ââ¬Å"She gives in in every case.â⬠Simply recast the final phrase (ââ¬Å"She gives in every timeâ⬠) or flip the phrase to the front (ââ¬Å"In every case, she gives inâ⬠). 6. ââ¬Å"What it is is a travesty.â⬠ââ¬Å"What it isâ⬠is always an unnecessarily verbose way to start a sentence. Start with the subject (ââ¬Å"Itââ¬â¢s a travestyâ⬠). 7. ââ¬Å"I placed the card I had written on on the desk.â⬠Recast the prepositional phrase ââ¬Å"written onâ⬠with on at its head (ââ¬Å"I placed the card on which I had written the note on the deskâ⬠). But first confirm that the modifying phrase involving written is necessary at all. 8. ââ¬Å"We realize that that will not be satisfactory.â⬠Replace the second that with a noun (ââ¬Å"We realize that the proposal will not be satisfactoryâ⬠). 9. ââ¬Å"We will discuss this this evening.â⬠Replace the first this with a pronoun (ââ¬Å"We will discuss it this eveningâ⬠) or a noun (ââ¬Å"We will discuss the matter this eveningâ⬠). 10. ââ¬Å"Is there someone I can talk to to resolve the issue?â⬠Employ a participial phrase in place in the infinitive phrase ââ¬Å"to resolveâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Is there someone I can talk to about resolving the issue?â⬠) or amplify the second to by replacing it with the phrase ââ¬Å"in order toâ⬠(ââ¬Å"Is there someone I can talk to in order to resolve the issue?â⬠). Occasionally, an immediate repetition of a word, separated from the first instance by punctuation, is appropriate for emphatic effect (ââ¬Å"I have come here from far, far awayâ⬠). At other times, even though punctuation separates the repetition, a recast would improve the sentence. For example, ââ¬Å"Even though I was there, there didnââ¬â¢t seem to be anything for me to doâ⬠might be revised to ââ¬Å"Even though I was there, I didnââ¬â¢t seem to be of any useâ⬠or ââ¬Å"Despite my presence, there didnââ¬â¢t seem to be anything for me to do.â⬠Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Style category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Talking5 Brainstorming Strategies for Writers20 Ways to Cry
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