There is a high probability that we will experience some precipitation tomorrow.
What’s wrong with that sentence? Grammatically, I believe it’s correct but there’s something there that makes any writer and reader feel uneasy.
It’s full of big words! This sentence is the work of a pretentious writer trying to sound too intelligent. He used two words when one may suffice. And the word ‘precipitation’? Tell me, who uses that in normal, everyday talk?
That sentence is too complicated. It makes the reader think harder just trying to understand each word and when you’re writing for the internet where your readers have very low attention span, you must try to always keep it simple.
Everybody knows KISS. The only problem is not everyone knows how to KISS. Keep It Simple, Stupid should be the web copywriter’s motto.
So the next time someone tells you that There is a high probability that we will experience some precipitation tomorrow, tell him to KISS it because all he was trying to say was:
It may rain tomorrow.
Author’s note: I will post more examples of this in my future posts just to remind us to always KISS it.
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Great post and great blog. In my ten plus years as a professional journalist, writer and editor, this is the number 1 tip I give folks: keep it SIMPLE!!! A good way to test? Read it out loud.
I love this post! I agree with what you stated about keeping it simple. Most people surfing the internet want to relax and be entertained If you make things to complicated they just move on to the next site.
Great Tip! Good writing!
I often forgot how to KISS my posts. Even some good bloggers flaunt their writing skills by making difficult for ordinary readers like me to understand what they had been saying. In the end they lose their readers.
fantastic tip! using simple words is sometimes the most difficult thing to do, at least personally speaking. ^_^ this is simply awesome! i wonder if you can post your own version of recommended tips on “Learning how to KISS” — something like KISS 101 ^_^
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