One of the problems that inexperienced writers have is writing just like they speak. This is evident in a number of ways. When we speak, we drop in slang and often use incomplete sentences. It's often difficult to spot these problems when we sit down to write. One habit that quite a few writers need to eliminate is depending on the word very for emphasis. A few examples should help to demonstrate the nature of the problem. Students might write that a gray haired woman was looking over the steering wheel and driving very slowly or the wind in december was very cold. Imagine how descriptions might sound if writers simply used very to emphasize everything.
Try
very hot
scorching, blistering, oppressive
very thin
emaciated, skeletal, slender, slim, lanky
very ugly
gruesome, horrid, hideous, repellent
very generous
kindhearted, thoughtful, considerate
very sad
depressed, forlorn, dejected, desolate
very happy
ecstatic, joyful, content, satisfied
very old
ancient, antiquated, elderly, decrepit, frail
very pretty
fair, attractive, lovely, astonishing,
very loud
thunderous, booming, deafening, blaring
very windy
brisk, breezy, gusty, drafty
very wet
drenched, soaked, sopping
By now you should be getting "very" bored because
the descriptions on the left are not "very" interesting and are actually
"very" dull. See what I mean. So, what should writers do? First, use a
thesaurus and a dictionary. Second, any time very appears on a page look
for a more descriptive and more precise word and cut out very.
