Streamline your writing with this short how-to checklist. Use it to strip away confusing clutter and sharpen your journalism for better clarity.
The checklist is based on the MHM article The use of adjectives and adverbs in journalism by Bob Eggington.
In the professional newsroom, space and time are limited. Learning to write with precision and avoiding wordiness is a foundational skill that is essential for good journalism.
Using adjectives and adverbs effectively
To ensure your writing is tight, accurate, and clear, follow this checklist to prune your articles:
- [ ] Check for redundancy
Before keeping an adjective or adverb, ask if the sentence works without it. Avoid phrases like ‘completely untrue’ or ‘high-speed car chase’ where the second word already implies the first. - [ ] Prioritise strong verbs
If you feel a verb needs an adverb to make it stronger (e.g., ‘shouted loudly’), you have likely chosen the wrong verb. Replace the pair with a more descriptive single verb, such as ‘bellowed’. - [ ] Remove value judgements
Avoid adjectives like ‘tragic’, ‘incredible’, or ‘astonishing’. These words tell the reader how to feel. Worse it can be a form of editorialising. Your job is to provide the facts so the reader can make their own judgement. - [ ] Delete ‘very’ and ‘really’
These are known as empty intensifiers. They rarely add actual meaning to a sentence. If you find them in your draft, delete them immediately. - [ ] Be specific with size
Instead of using vague adjectives like ‘massive’ or ‘huge’, use specific measurements or comparisons that provide a clear picture for the audience. - [ ] Avoid the ‘adjective habit’
Check that you are not clustering adjectives together. Modifiers give strength when they are used sparingly and are spread far apart in your text. - [ ] Test for necessity
Every time you use an adjective or adverb, ask: ‘Does this add essential information or is it just decoration?’ If it is the latter, cut it out.
In good journalism, every word must earn its place on the page. Keep practicing this economy of style, and your writing will soon have the authority and clarity of a seasoned professional.
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