report synonym

report synonym

The Importance of Synonyms in Writing

1. The Power of Synonyms

Related Words The first benefit of synonyms is that they enhance the quality of our writing. By using synonyms, we are able to avoid repetition of words which makes the writing more interesting as well as more professional. Proof of this can be seen in the difference between the following two sentences, “The dog barked loudly” and “The canine emitted a loud bark”. Which of the two sentences seems to be better constructed? To most people, the second example would have seemed more thought out and would often take the words ‘better’ and ‘more sophisticated’. This demonstrates how using synonyms can improve the quality of writing. Another advantage of using synonyms is that it enables a writer to expand on their vocabulary. This is because the use of synonyms automatically requires more thought as to what word would best replace the original. In the long term, this can only be beneficial to a writer’s overall proficiency in the language.

2. Enhancing Clarity and Precision

At one time, I taught that synonyms for words in German did not exist. I believed that if a particular word had the meaning, mood or connotations that I wanted, then there was no alternative with the same meaning. I was disabused of this notion when I used the word servile in a piece of writing. My teacher asked me why I had chosen this particular word and I replied that it was the only word that meant exactly what I wanted to express. He then pointed out that the word menial also had the same connotations but negative. This allowed me to give great depth to the characters of servants in the writing, showing that each was doing a different level of work and each felt inferior to their social superiors.

We all know that precision in word choice is important. The choice of a demonstrative pronoun can change the meaning of a sentence. A well-chosen verb can make a huge difference. The use of synonyms can add a great deal to writing; it can also make the meaning less clear. It is important to strive for complete precision while also ensuring that writing flows well and has a natural rhythm. Once the correct word has been chosen, use of synonyms can allow added variety to eliminate repetition.

3. Avoiding Repetition and Monotony

There is a phrase that has become popular in American culture: “No, duh!” It has become strictly associated with the now Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Donatello, who says this when he makes some incredible discovery about something. He says it alluding to the fact that it was so obvious and he knew it in the first place. However, when most native English speakers hear/see the word “obvious,” they first must process what it means and perhaps come up with an example of some kind. However, when we hear/see the phrase “no, duh!” it immediately evokes a situation in our minds because of the personal connection we have with that statement. This is exactly what synonyms do for readers and writers, create a personal connection with a word or phrase. No matter how trite it may sound, this is what writing is all about, forging an emotional bond between writing and reader. Visual and emotional impact is the reason why writers around the world spend hundreds of millions of dollars on thesauruses every year. Think about it, wouldn’t you feel ripped off if you had to use the “find and replace” tool and proofread for every word that you wanted to restate in your paper? Search and immediate find is the convenience that thesauruses plug into Microsoft Word; easy come, easy go. Now the particular reason that thesauruses are a good tool to use in finding synonyms is because they list synonyms of words that are most commonly used in the English language. This is of utmost importance when selecting words due to the fact that using an out-of-context word to be different can drastically affect the tone of the paragraph, sometimes disfiguring the entire style of the passage. In fact, though it may be an obvious statement, someone who is learning English as a second language can make very good progress in English literacy by learning all the synonyms of words that they use on a regular basis and how they are used in the correct context.

4. Expanding Vocabulary and Language Skills

Language skills can be further developed through the writing of creative pieces, which encourages a diverse use of vocabulary. Students can exercise their use of synonyms through “up leveling” activities, where they take a simple sentence and gradually make it more complex through the use of different words and synonyms until they have advanced the sentence into something of a higher standard. This is particularly useful for ESL students who may find it hard to enrich their language skills.

A rich vocabulary will allow a student to express themselves in a more interesting and original manner. The use of synonyms can help to achieve this. Consider the following sentence: “The cat was asleep.” Simply by replacing the verb “was” with its synonym “lay,” the sentence becomes “The cat lay asleep.” This sentence has more impact and draws a clearer, more vivid picture. The use of synonyms widens the options available linguistically to present a concept or idea.

To understand what a particular synonym might be, an individual must be able to comprehend the sentence it is being used in. Each synonym has a slightly different connotation, and it may be that one word is more appropriate in a certain sentence than another. Students studying a particular word may also find a variety of meanings, which are often revealed through the use of synonyms. Encouraging students to find out what a word means and in what contexts it can be used is a vital way of expanding a student’s knowledge of their own language. The student can then create mind maps of this word, linking it to other words of similar meaning and considering how they can be used interchangeably.

5. Creating Engaging and Persuasive Writing

When a writer is mindful of the content of the essay and uses many ways to help the reader understand the writer’s opinion, one way of doing this is by using a variety of words. Many writers are conscious of writing climax, using a variety of words, and using an assortment of methods to help the reader understand the points. Using synonyms is an effective method of creating emphasis. When a writer is aware of using a variety of words with the same meaning, it will help the essay to not become repetitive. This is because the synonym of the original word carries the original connotation and it will be used in a different context to further illustrate the point. By providing a variety of synonyms, you are able to create a climax when the variety of words used have a stronger and stronger meaning, to the point where the reader understands the point you are trying to make. An example of this is the use of the synonyms “happy,” “content,” and “elated.” All these words have a similar meaning but give a different intensity to the feeling, and a different context can be used to illustrate each word. For example, “The boy was happy. The boy felt content. The boy was elated.” By creating a climax in the word choice, you are able to show the depth of the point or the opinion. A further benefit of using synonyms is that it can help students learn new words. This may seem like a farfetched view of this method, but it can be considered as a method of killing two birds with one stone.