Whether you notice it or not, euphemisms flood our everyday language. Like similes, they are a type of figure of speech. Euphemisms work by replacing topics that are considered offensive, embarrassing, or taboo with words that are more agreeable, pleasant, and acceptable.
Euphemisms could be single words or entire phrases. For example, some people tend to replace God with gosh because the former is a word that can have different connotations depending on who you ask. Or, instead of explicitly calling someone a liar, some people prefer to say he bent the truth. In other words, euphemisms neutralize language and words that can make people feel uncomfortable.
Wordiness is when a sentence contains words that make it longer than it needs to be. Editing for conciseness is one of the best ways to strengthen your writing.
A few examples of wordy phrases are absolutely essential, due to the fact that, and with regard to.
To know when you should or shouldn’t use passive voice, you must first understand what it is. Passive voice is when a sentence puts the direct object before the verb, and the subject after the verb. In other words, a passive sentence emphasizes the results (or the recipient) of the action, instead of the subject that committed the action.
Usually, the active voice is the safer bet and results in clearer, more direct writing. However, there are a few circumstances where passive voice is appropriate. If you’re scratching your head and still asking yourself what passive voice is, don’t panic.You will learn everything you need to know about passive voice after reading this article.
The average sentence length is between 15–20 words. In most cases, the shorter the sentence, the better. This is because in today’s age, many readers have shorter attention spans and want rapid information. But, there’s more to sentence length than just keeping them short. Read on to learn about why short sentences are effective, why it’s important to vary sentence length, and when it’s okay to write long sentences.
A preposition connects a noun or pronoun to other information in a sentence. A few examples of prepositions are about, before, by, for, and with. It’s common (and acceptable) to end a sentence with a preposition in casual speech and writing.
Who are you going to go shopping with?
However, suppose you’re writing in an academic or professional setting, and impeccable grammar is necessary. In that case, you should restructure your sentence so that it doesn’t end with a dangling preposition.
Published on
June 16, 2025
by
Gina Rancaño, BA
Revised on
July 29, 2025
Figures of speech (also known as figurative language) play an enormous role in helping your readers visualize, understand, and relate to your writing. There are numerous types, ranging from alliteration to zeugma, and everything in between. Figures of speech, and other rhetorical devices, are as important as milk to a baby, a tennis racket is to a tennis player, or the sun is to the Earth. Can you guess what type of figurative language we’ll be discussing today? That’s right. Similes.
A simile is a figure of speech that compares two things by using the words “as” or “like.”
He’s as strong as an ox.
Life is like a rollercoaster.
A simile helps make your writing relatable and easy to understand.
A good writer knows when to use formal or informal language in their writing. We’ll go over the difference between the two and provide examples.
Quick Summary of Formal and Informal Language:
The main difference between formal and informal language in writing is that formal language is more rigid and less personal, whereas informal language is more easygoing and adaptive.
Deciding on using formal or informal language depends on what you’re writing and who you’re writing it for:
Formal language is usually reserved for professional and academic settings, while informal writing is used for more casual settings, like friendly text messages and creative writing.
There are many differences found in formal and informal writing. One of them is that contractions shouldn’t be used in formal writing, but are acceptable in informal writing.
Vocabulary is another major difference between formal and informal language.
They should not expect to recognize the changes immediately. (Formal)
They shouldn’t expect to see the changes right away. (Informal)
This blog post will review what basic and advanced vocabulary entails and when to use which.
The difference between basic and advanced vocabulary is usually found in the complexity of the word. For example, use and utilize are synonyms, but use is considered basic, whereas utilize is the more advanced alternative.
They used all available fundsThey utilized all available funds
Using basic or advanced vocabulary depends on what you’re writing and who your audience is. For instance, you wouldn’t use advanced scientific terminology in a commercial intended for the general population.
Analogies are a type of figurative language that helps enhance understanding by comparing an unfamiliar topic with a familiar one.
What Are Analogies?An analogy is a figure of speech that explains something unfamiliar by relating it to something familiar.
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” —Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
If your writing is a dirty window your readers can’t see through, then analogies are the glass cleaners that clear everything up.
Below, we’ll elaborate on what an analogy is and how it can be a useful rhetorical device.
Irony is a rhetorical device in which a statement or situation contrasts with what is expected or known. There are a few different types of irony, including verbal irony, situational irony, and dramatic irony.
An example of verbal irony would be:
This frigid, gloomy weather is perfect to go tanning.
