Abstract Nouns

(Read in conjunction with p.330 of Windows on Writing)

Nouns are all-purpose words -- most of our speech and writing consist of either nouns or verbs. However, some nouns are used to "fill up space" or to make the writer sound more intelligent . . . but that's the problem: the writer only sounds more intelligent (to those who don't know better) instead of actually being more intelligent.
The list below provides some often over-used nouns. Maybe you will recognize some of them.

approach, article,aspect, attribute, characteristic, circumstance, climate, component, concept, concerns, details, direction, development, entity, event, eventuality, everything, facet, fashion, feature, fields, goals, happening, improvement, item, kind, manner, means, nature, object, place, policies, procedures, phases, scene, situation, sort, substance, strategies, structures, thing, topic, trait, type, view/viewpoint, vista, way, Zeitgeist

You may ask "What's wrong with using these? I use some of these words all the time." Well, that's one problem already: people use some of these terms all the time. The problem rests also in how words like these are used. Look at the example below to see how such words (underlined) are used, not incorrectly, but ineffectively.

In many kinds of ways, Shakespeare gives us a manner of writing where its characteristics stress his views and attitudes toward all the things developed in the play's situations and circumstances. In this fashion, he paints every aspect of the story's traits with all types of structures. This is the kind of approach I like best about his perspective on the whole thing.

This sample's worst fault is that it's vague. Read through it again and ask yourself "what specific information does this give me?" Actually, it gives very little.
What this writer could have done is be more specific: name specific "ways," "manners," etc. What kind of "characteristics" does this writer mean? What "fashion," "types," and "traits" does this writer mean? Just what does "the whole thing" mean? This writer either 1) takes for granted that the reader can read the writer's mind, or 2) has no idea what s/he is talking about and is actually padding the paragraph.

Possbile Solutions?

Before using any of these words, ask yourself "what do I mean? Will the reader understand what I mean if I don't spell it out?" Maybe also ask yourself "what kind?"
After prewriting, underline or circle any abstract nouns like those in the list above. Make sure to go back and give specific information about these before moving on to the next draft.

See also Phrases to Avoid page for related material.

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