About Writing: A Very Quick Tip

Here’s a very quick tip.

Read that last sentence back and see if you can figure out what’s wrong with it.

It’s one word too long. Don’t you think it reads much better as:

Here’s a quick tip.

It doesn’t make me very annoyed when I see the word very in a sentence, it makes me annoyed.

“He hit me very hard in the face” adds nothing to the sentiment “he hit me hard in the face”. In fact, it lessens the impact. So, go away and remove all the verys from your writing, otherwise I’ll be very cross indeed.

Very Merry Mary Berry
Very Mary Berry
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