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Here are 10 verbs to avoid in your writing.

The following will help your writing be clearer and plainer. They are taken from the UK Government’s style guide (I know, who would’ve expected that?).

❌ leverage — go with influence or use instead, unless you mean leverage in its financial sense.

❌ progress — use work on or develop or make progress.

❌ dialogue — use speak to or discuss.

❌ utilise — write use instead

❌ agenda — use plan instead.

❌ advance — use to improve or something more specific to the context (unless you happen to be writing about an army advancing).

❌ deliver — use make, create or provide when writing about abstract concepts. To deliver is fine if you are actually writing about something that can be delivered, such as post or pizza.

❌ streamline — use simplify or actually write what it is that is actually being done to achieve a streamlined result.

❌ initiate — use start or begin.

❌ land — as a verb only refers to aircraft so use get or achieve or some other verb relevant to the context.

What verbs do you dislike to see in business writing?

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