Correcting Vague Language
Vague language is language that talks about something without directly saying what it is. Avoid vague language in your essays whenever possible, since it makes your ideas more difficult to follow. The following are examples of vague words or expressions, along with more specific ones:
| vague | This poem gives me a certain feeling. |
| specific | This poem gives me a happy feeling. |
| vague | A particular experience taught me the value of physical health. |
| specific | My years traveling with the circus taught me the value of physical health. |
| vague | This paper will explain my beliefs about animal testing. |
| specific | This paper will explain my opposition to animal testing. |
| vague | The author's view of taxes can be seen in Chapter Three. |
| specific | The author's favorable view of taxes can be seen in Chapter Three. |
This page was created by Karin Spirn.
