can you use etc in an essay

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How to Correctly Use the Term ‘Etc.’ in Your Writing

3-minute read

• 23rd January 2022

Etc. is the abbreviation of the Latin term et cetera , which means and the rest or and other things like that . People often make mistakes with etc. , so in this post, we’ll guide you through the rules to follow when using this term in your writing .

When Should You Use Etc.?

Etc. is used to indicate that a list is not complete:

In the first example, the category of items in the list (sports) is specified. The second sentence doesn’t define the category, but the things named in the list make it clear that it refers to unhealthy foods. Both of these uses of etc. are correct.

When Should You Avoid Etc.?

Etc. should not be used in the following situations:

●  When there isn’t a clear connection between the listed items:

Etc. doesn’t work here because the link between the things listed is not obvious enough. Remember that etc. means and similar things , so if the similarity isn’t clear, you shouldn’t use etc.

●  When you have mentioned every possible item in the list:

There is no need for etc. in this sentence because readers would find it difficult to think of anything to add to this list.

●  When you have introduced the list with “ e.g.,” “ for instance,” or something similar:

Etc. is redundant here because the use of e.g. , meaning for example , indicates that the list is incomplete. You could remove either e.g. or etc. to make the sentence correct.

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●  When you are introducing a list of people:

If you are referring to a group of humans, you should use et al. rather than etc.

●  When you’ve used it once already:

One etc. at a time is always enough!

How Do You Punctuate Etc.?

In American English, etc. always has a period. However, if it comes at the end of a sentence, you don’t need to add another one:

But if a question mark or exclamation point is required, you should include this as well as the period:

You should always place a comma before etc. (i.e., after the last item in the list), but you don’t usually need a comma after etc.:

Summary: How to Use ‘Etc.’

Etc. is used to show that a list is not exhaustive. Because it means and other similar things , you should only use it when it will be obvious to the reader what other things the list could infer. Moreover, you should never use etc. if you have already indicated that the list is incomplete (e.g. by using for example or such as ).

To avoid misusing etc. and other Latin terms ( et al., viz., etc.) , it’s always worth having your writing proofread by a professional . At Proofed, our team is available around the clock (i.e., a.m. and p.m.!), so we can return your work within 24 hours. Try us out for free today!

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9 Better Ways to Say “Etc.” in Formal Writing (Essays)

“Etc.” is a very common abbreviation in most forms of writing. It would help to know whether it’s an acceptable form or not. This article will look into some better alternatives that you might be able to use in formal writing (on top of whether “etc.” is acceptable).

The preferred versions are “etc.,” “et cetera,” and to “reword the sentence.” Funnily enough, “etc.” is in itself a good alternative because it is already more than suitable in formal writing. The others are also suitable, depending on the situation that “etc.” may appear.

“Etc.” is already a useful abbreviation in formal writing. There isn’t much of a reason why you can’t use it. As long as you can guarantee that your reader understands what the rest of your list contains, you’ll be able to use this one effectively.

• The lemons, apples, etc., have all been removed from the store shelves to make way for the new treats.
• You can refer to Lemmings 101, Foreword 20, etc., to find out more about these problems. They have manifested in many areas.
• I have visited many impoverished countries (Chad, Benegal, Niger, etc.), but I have never come across one as in need like this one.

If you’re worried about using an abbreviation, you can always use “et cetera.” It’s the long-form version of “etc.,” allowing you to show that there is more to a list without having to list the exact entities.

Some people think this form sounds a bit jarring. It’s almost always better to use “etc.,” which is why there is an abbreviated form in the first place.

• I want to talk to you about the birds, the bees, et cetera. I think it’s worth knowing about them to understand more about life itself.
• She wanted to go there to dance, swim, et cetera. I didn’t understand the need to do any of that, but I followed with her nonetheless.
• You will be able to find cars, bikes, boats, et cetera along the canal path. It’s worth checking out if you’re into those types of things.

Reword The Sentence

One of the best alternatives to “etc.” is to try and find a way to remove it completely. Some people like to remove it from their formal writing because they don’t want to take for granted what their readers may or may not know about a list or situation.

Instead of using “etc.,” it’s better to reword a sentence to contain only the most valuable members of the group. You usually only need to list two or three things before ending the sentence. “Etc.” becomes redundant in most cases.

• These results have made it clear that birds such as robins and doves are most affected by the changes in the local environment.
• As you can see, the currency exchange rates and the stock markets have all been affected by this source.
• I want to talk to her about the ice cream flavors. Both chocolate and vanilla seem to be the best ones, but I want her to help me out.

“And so on” is one of the more informal phrases. It’s not always used in formal writing, though there is no reason why it can’t be. Most people steer clear of it just in case it is misconstrued as a more informal construct.

At the end of the day, “and so on” is synonymous with “etc.” It’s possible to use it in all overlapping situations, so there are plenty of reasons why “and so on” might get used.

• The cars, bikes, and so on all have to be registered with the appropriate authorities. You can’t keep getting away with this.
• These results have found a need for solar energy, nuclear power, and so on. This should be more than enough to go on as we move forward.
• The rats feasted on seeds, corn, and so on from the stores that we had provided. I was quite surprised they managed to eat it all.

And The Rest

“And the rest” is another more informal choice. It’s similar to “and so on,” but “the rest” refers to the other things that might be worked out from the context.

You should make sure that this one (and all the others on the list) is only used when you are certain that a reader understands “the rest.” You need to make “the rest” of the list clear through the context if you’re not going to directly state it.

• The apples, pears, and the rest have all been sitting around for a long time without anyone so much as looking at them.
• I want to investigate the effect of the sun on the growth rate, age rate, and the rest when directly in contact with plants like this one.
• It’s going to be used to look into the energy of the unit, the system, and the rest. We should have a much better understanding after this.

“Et al.” is a Latin abbreviation that works well when you’re introducing a group of names. It’s only ever used to introduce names, and it’s a very common, formal phrase that is used when multiple people have worked on the same academic or formal paper.

“Et al.” is Latin for “et alia” (meaning “and others”). It’s very similar to using “and co.” in today’s world. It’s just a way of showing that a group much larger than the listed names has worked on a product or publication.

Often, only the most notable names will be listed. Every name after that will be grouped into the “et al.” category.

• You’re going to want the one published by Markinson et al. It’s going to have all the information you need about this situation.
• The experiment book is entitled Robison, Peters, et al. They have a lot of information published for the public to use in these cases.
• I want to find Fred et al. It should be somewhere in this section, though I’m not entirely certain what I’m looking for.

Along With Others

“Along with others” is a good way of introducing groups of people. It’s useful when you want to show that multiple people worked on the same thing, and it’s very similar to how “et al.” works. The only difference is that it is English rather than Latin.

It’s quite restrictive in how it can be used. It is still best to use this one when you’re referring to groups of people, just like how “et al.” works.

• Along with others, Steven has managed to work on a system that should revolutionize the way we can do all of these things.
• Mark, along with others, has published his first academic paper. It’s quite remarkable, and I really suggest you read it to learn more.
• Along with others, Sarah’s issues have been presented in the newspaper today. I was quite pleased to see them gaining traction.

And The Like

“And the like” isn’t as popular in most formal publications. Nevertheless, it’s still good to use when you want to show that a common group is formed. If you believe that it’s easy for the reader to work out what the group is referencing, you might be able to use this one.

• The birds, lizards, and the like have all had adverse reactions to the situation on the ground level. It’s not ideal, and it needs to be stopped.
• Peter, David, and the like are all coming along later to help us out with this. It should be enough to get us out of this tricky part.
• I want to investigate the life, death, and the like of plants. I think their life cycle is almost identical to what I’m trying to study here.

Amongst Others

“Amongst others” goes back to the idea of “et al.” and how it works. It’s very commonly used when someone is a part of a larger group. You might also be able to use this one less specifically, allowing it to refer to people, objects, and situations.

“Et al.” is usually only for people. “Amongst others” has the freedom of being about many different things.

Again, you should only use it when you’re confident that the reader will be able to work out the “others” from the context of your writing.

• Sam, amongst others, was in charge of getting these drafts out. There should be enough out there to go on right now.
• I want it done by Peter and David, amongst others. Let me know if they have any issues with it. I want them to help us with this.
• Amongst others, the situation in Philadelphia is something that I’m trying to remedy. You’ll have to be patient with me, though.

Can You Use “Etc.” In an Essay?

You can use “etc.” in an essay, and most people use it well when creating a list. It is a formal phrase in itself. Even though it is an abbreviation, it is common in formal writing. You may use it to extend a list without stating the objects inside it.

You may also like: Etcetera or Et cetera? Here’s the correct spelling (+10 EXAMPLES) How to Use “Etc.” at the End of a Sentence (Period or Not?)

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

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14 Other Ways to Say “Etc.” in Formal Writing

You’re looking for a way to make an open list in an essay, but is “etc.” an appropriate term to use in formal writing?

We’re here to answer that question while also providing a list of alternative phrases that you can use to keep your professor pleased!

Other Ways to Say “Etc.”

• Among others
• And such others
• And the like
• Continuing the same way
• And what have you
• And so forth
• And the rest
• And all the rest
• Among other things

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• You can use “etc.” sparingly in an academic paper, but many grammar and academic authorities advise against doing so at all.
• To rephrase your sentence, you can use the phrase “among others” instead of “etc.”
• Another good synonym with which to end an open list is “and so on.”

Don’t click away! We still need to discuss our favorite alternatives to “etc.” in more detail. Moreover, we’ll provide some useful examples using each.

After that, we’ll discuss whether you can use “etc.” in an academic essay. If so, how?

Among Others

If you’re looking for a different way to say “etc.” in your academic writing, we would recommend the phrase “among others” instead.

“Among others” is a better phrase to use than “etc.” in formal writing .

Firstly, it can be used at the end of a list to show that it is not a closed list, much like the original term.

Secondly, this phrase is not abbreviated, making it less informal . As a rule of thumb for essays, it’s always good to write things out for clarity. Therefore, one should never assume that the reader already knows about the topic, which is what a term like “etc.” might imply.

Finally, to see this synonym in action, let’s look at a snippet from a faux research paper or two:

For the purposes of this paper, we studied the impacts of our modified “pollen-like” solution on the digestive tracts of winged insects, including butterflies, moths, beetles, and bees, among others.

It was noted that the following symptoms, among others , were shared in patients who had been in contact with radiation: fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite.

If you’re wondering what to say instead of “etc.” when you don’t want to write out an entire list in an essay, “and so on” is an effective alternative.

This synonym is more similar to “etc.,” as it implies that the reader already knows what else would appear on a particular list. Thus, there is no need to include everything.

However, this synonym is a better phrase to use in an essay. After all, people often use the abbreviation “etc.” incorrectly, so a phrase like this is significantly clearer.

Consider the following examples to see what we mean:

The CEO was advised to re-evaluate the company’s onboarding scheme, which included a larger recruitment team, more thorough training, and so on .

The impacts of AI are being seen across multiple commercial industries, including marketing, advertising, legal, and so on .

Can You Use “Etc.” in Formal Writing?

You can use “etc.” in formal writing . However, most academic and grammar authorities advise against doing so. After all, it is very easy to overuse and misuse this term.

For example, you should not use “etc.” after a single example or in the middle of a sentence. The proper way to say “etc.” is to use it at the end of an indefinite list . Moreover, the list should include only things that are of the same type. Here’s an example:

• Correct : We tested on various winged insects, such as butterflies, moths, skippers, etc.
• Incorrect : The parents of our participants were asked to supply stationery, blankets, identification documents, etc.

In other words, you should only use “etc.” where the reader can assume what else would go on the list. As the list in the second example is so broad, it is inappropriate to use “etc.”

While you can generally use “etc.” in lists or tables, most academics consider it informal . Therefore, you should avoid using it in narrative essays or papers that are not scientific in nature. Thus, we would recommend rephrasing your sentence using one of the synonyms in our list.

In conclusion, “etc.” is an informal term that you should only use sparingly and cautiously in academic writing. In fact, most authorities urge you to avoid using it at all.

Therefore, if you think you might need our list of synonyms on hand for your next paper, feel free to bookmark this page!

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• English Grammar

How to Use "Etc." Correctly

Last Updated: December 21, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Gerald Posner . Gerald Posner is an Author & Journalist based in Miami, Florida. With over 35 years of experience, he specializes in investigative journalism, nonfiction books, and editorials. He holds a law degree from UC College of the Law, San Francisco, and a BA in Political Science from the University of California-Berkeley. He’s the author of thirteen books, including several New York Times bestsellers, the winner of the Florida Book Award for General Nonfiction, and has been a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in History. He was also shortlisted for the Best Business Book of 2020 by the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 932,215 times.

You might think that it's easy to use et cetera , which translates to "and others" or, more literally, "and the other things", and is abbreviated as "etc." Surely everyone knows how to use "etc." correctly, right? Well, it's not all straightforward–– et cetera can be commonly misspelled, improperly punctuated and even mispronounced! The use of et cetera isn't usually taught in schools or tutoring because it's considered to be just an abbreviation. Regardless, it's important to know how to use it properly. See Step 1 to get started.

• For example, you can say, "We could use cupcakes, cookies, etc." This shows that they can use any kind of dessert, and it could be rewritten by, "We could use cupcakes, cookies, and so on."
• However, you cannot say, "Bring hamburger buns, paper plates, cupcakes, etc.", because the items on the list are not the same and the person you're talking to would not know what you are referring to.
• Items of the same class do not need to be physical items. They can be emotions, or other forms of "things." For example, you could say, "Please write down your three primary emotions today (sadness, anger, fear, etc.)"

• Be careful how you pronounce et cetera . If you're in the habit of saying "ek-SET-ra", it's time to kick out the "k" sound! The real pronunciation is "eht-SEHT-er-uh." [6] X Research source

• "They ate cookies, cakes, peanuts, fairy floss, etc., and it's little wonder they ended up with stomach aches."

• Put a question mark after the period in "etc."
• Put an exclamation point immediately after the period.
• Put the semicolon in right after the period and put a space between it and the next word.
• Put parentheses around the items you are using along with etc. when necessary. For example: "Students should not pack liquids in their carry-on bags (water, shampoo, makeup remover, etc.)"

The Takeaway: Using Etc. Properly

Use "etc." as a substitute for "and so on" and also when referring to similar items within a list. If you're using "etc." in the middle of a sentence, follow it with a comma. Put any other concluding punctuation (like a question mark) right after the period.

Community Q&A

• Use your best judgement when using et cetera . Sometimes, writing the words "and so on" or typing "..." can be more appropriate or may simply look better in the context. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
• Learn the other possibilities for saying the same thing as et cetera . You could say, "and so on", but you could also write "...". Whichever way you use, it will serve the same purpose and will work to convey the correct meaning. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1
• According to William Strunk in the canonical text, The Elements of Style , "etc." is "equivalent to and the rest, and so forth, and hence not to be used if one of these would be insufficient, that is, if the reader would be left in doubt as to any important particulars." By this definition, you shouldn't use "etc." unless the person you're addressing would know exactly which item or items you're referring to, but most people today would find this definition a bit extreme. The objection here is that "etc." is not precise enough, and should therefore be avoided. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• While the rule is not always observed, et cetera is usually used for things. For omission of a list of people, et alii, or et al. is preferred. The same punctuation rules apply, except that there is always a space in et al. Thanks Helpful 12 Not Helpful 2

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/etcetera
• ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/etc
• ↑ https://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2guides/guides/wrtps/index-eng.html?lang=eng&lettr=indx_catlog_e&page=9qbnz5ZJv1tw.html
• ↑ http://grammarist.com/usage/et-cetera-etc/
• ↑ http://grammarist.com/usage/et-al/
• ↑ https://dictionary.cambridge.org/pronunciation/english/et-cetera
• http://grammarist.com/usage/et-cetera-etc/

About This Article

To use "etc." correctly, use it in instances where you would say "and so forth." For example, if you are making a list of possible desserts and want to express that there could be more items than the ones you have listed, write "cakes, cupcakes, ice cream, etc." Do not use "etc." more than once and do not use "etc." to refer to people. Try to avoid using "etc." if you already have a comprehensive list and there is actually nothing to add. For more instances of when to use and when to avoid "etc.," keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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• Mar 11, 2020

How To Use "i.e.", "e.g.", And "etc." Correctly

Many English speakers—both native speakers and learners—have difficulty with non-English terms that are commonly used in English. Latin terms, in particular, can be confusing; few people know Latin because it is a dead language. Most of the Latin terms that are used in English use confined to legal and scientific contexts, but a few are common in everyday use as well. Three of these are abbreviations: "etc.", "e.g.", and "i.e."; in this post, I explain how to use these three common abbreviations.

This stands for the Latin phrase et cetera , which means (roughly) "and the rest" in English. It is used to end a list, and it indicates that there are other, similar items in the list (but which aren't written out). In other words, if you are giving a partial list and want to indicate that the items you've written aren't the only items in the category, end the list with "etc."

One note is that you should not ever say "and etc."; that is redundant because the et in et cetera already means "and." You should always put a comma before "etc." to set it off from the last list item (even if you are not using the serial comma ), and you should always include the period at the end (though don't use two consecutive periods if "etc." ends a sentence). In addition, you'll want to use "etc." either at the end of a sentence or in parentheses; it can be a bit awkward to read when placed in the middle of a sentence.

Here are some examples of incorrect uses of "etc." (the correct versions are given afterward):

We will need to buy plates, cups , etc. for the company picnic. Park rangers lead tours, offer assistance to visitors, protect wildlife , and etc. The rainforest is home to numerous amphibian species (frogs, toads, newts etc ).

Now, here are correct versions of those examples:

We will need to buy supplies (plates, cups , etc. ) for the company picnic. Park rangers lead tours, offer assistance to visitors, protect wildlife , etc. The rainforest is home to numerous amphibian species (frogs, toads, newts , etc. ).

This stands for exempli gratia , which roughly translates as "for example" or "for instance." As you might guess from that translation, it is used to introduce one or more examples. To ensure readability, always put "e.g." and the example(s) in parentheses or between em dashes to set the example(s) off from the main text.

Both "etc." and "e.g." can be used to indicate a partial list. However, unlike "etc." (which always comes after a list), "e.g." comes before a list of examples. If you are listing more than one example after "e.g.", be sure to also include a conjunction (usually "and" or "or") before the last item. In addition, because they have similar meanings, you never need both. When giving a list of examples, you can use either "etc." or "e.g.", but you cannot use both. (Also, "e.g." is more restrictive, as it is only used with lists of examples; don't use it for other lists.)

As far as the punctuation, in most styles, "e.g." always uses both periods because both words of the Latin phrase are abbreviated. However, some styles use neither period; these styles are usually in U.K. English, but AMA Style also omits the periods. If you are using a style guide, be sure to check its preferences. In addition, you should always use a comma after "e.g.", just as you would always put a comma after the phrase "for instance."

Here are some incorrect uses of "e.g.":

I love many breakfast cereals , e.g., Corn Flakes and Oat Clusters. "Euro-style" games (Settlers of Cataan , e.g. ) have become very popular. Everyone should learn an instrument ( e.g. flute, piano , drums).

Now, here are the correct versions of those sentences:

I love many breakfast cereals (e.g., Corn Flakes and Oat Clusters ) . "Euro-style" games ( e.g., Settlers of Cataan) have become very popular. Everyone should learn an instrument ( e.g., flute, piano , and drums).

Finally, we have "i.e.", which stands for the Latin phrase id est —roughly translated as "in other words." It is used to restate the preceding text in different words. The most common uses for this are as follows:

to explain technical terms using more common phrases

to explain slang terms using more formal phrases

to provide a category for a complete list (or a complete list for a category).

See the examples below for a better idea.

The rules for "i.e." are similar to those for "e.g." For instance, it should always be used in parentheses and should always be followed by a comma. You'll also always use both periods—unless your style guide says to use neither (see the "e.g." section above).

Be sure not to confuse "i.e." and "e.g.", though! If you are giving a single example, "e.g." (not "i.e.") is correct. If you have named a category, you can use "i.e." to provide a complete list for that category, as that is equivalent to restating the category's name. However, if any of the items are left out of the list, then you need "e.g." instead, as you are only giving examples.

Here are some incorrect examples:

I am taking a "staycation" next week , i.e. resting at home instead of working. Everyone should take precautions to avoid exposure to COVID-19 ( e.g., the coronavirus). I have visited every state in New England ( e.g., Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island).

Here are the correct versions of those examples:

I am taking a "staycation" next week (i.e., resting at home instead of working ) . Everyone should take precautions to avoid exposure to COVID-19 ( i.e., the coronavirus). I have visited every state in New England ( i.e., Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island).

That's all for now. If you have any questions about how to use these Latin abbreviations—or any other Latin terms—please let me know in the comments or via email ([email protected] ). I'm always happy to help. If you'd rather have an expert editor fix any problems in your writing, then you can always request a quote at ElevationEditing.com .

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Writing – How to use ETC., AND SO ON, …

Test your understanding of this English lesson

297 comments.

,You are born to teaching …Thank You BR

all teachers should teach like him;)

i agree with u , if my teacher were adam, i will feel comfotable in english classes

thanks a lot dear adam carry On

Adam, and what about fourth dot? When you started you said that you’d explane the meaning of the expression with fourth dots but never did it. Or I missed something?

Thanks for the lesson. I has wondered about it since the first time I learnt English.

thank you so much dear adam

That is great, I like it.

They were my questions for years. thank you

Hi, I am very interesting with your lessons. my question for you is what is the different between (different and difference). I hope you answer me, I do appreciated Many Thanks

different= adjective difference =noun.

does that help?

Thank u so much!! you´re amazing!

Thank you for the lesson Mr.Adam

This is an amazing posting! Tks for the good lesson that we couldn’t be able to find in any other pages.

I love you Adam ♥

I didn’t know taht: “There should be no ‘and’ before ‘etc.'”, thanks

i didn’t understand whAT BLAH MEAN.

BLAH means ‘not so good,’ or ‘boring,’ or ‘plain,’ etc.

hey adam,, what does “so on and so for” mean?

You did your hair cut. Looks good! Like Hasan I also was waiting till the end of the lesson. I don’t think I heard anything about it. Q2 is a bit tricky. I should have been more careful for each word. Thanks a lot.

Thank you so much Adam. You are as always, marvellous. But you forgot to explain the fourth dot in …(.)

that´s true.

thank Mr. Adam

thank you so much

thanks Mr Adam, I wish you a Merry Christmas!!!

Very helpful lesson. Besides your teaching skills, you look like a typical english man.

Hello Adam, Thank you for this lesson.Could you please explain me where we can use the word “over”?.You said that “my friend came over to my house”.i know this question is not related to this lesson.I have heard many people use this word with there(over there),here etc.,but you used different.Thank you in advance.

Hi Marryfa,

Actually, I could have said “My friend came to my house.” ‘Over’ is just an extra word we use. Basically, it means a little like ‘here.’ When we say “over there,” seems to make it a little more specific, like ‘in that place’ as though you are pointing. But if you take it out, it doesn’t affect the meaning.

Does that help?

Thank you for the lesson Adam, it was very useful.

PS: The gnocchi’s recipe was great, and it made me hungry…

You lesson was not ‘blah’ at all. That made me interested, open, happy, and so on…

Good teacher, thank you so much.

Adam, what about the fouth dot […(.)]? And the lesson was really good. The way you explain is really easy to understand :). Thank you.

Thanks a lot Mr Adam. It was really helpful and interesting.

Thank you too much .it was the first time that i’ve checked your site and i should say it’s very good

Thanks a lot Adam, it’s very clear. But I’m little bit frustrated, you wrote three dot and you said, sometimes it’s possible to write four dot but you didn’t say the meaning of four dot… ;-)

this vidoe is good thanks adam!

Hi Everybody,

Sorry about forgetting to mention the 4th dot.

It’s actually pretty simple: The 4th dot is a period. That is, it ends the sentence. example: I like all kinds of fruit, such as apples, bananas, strawberries…. The last dot is a regular period for an end of sentence marker. If you list ends at the end of the sentence, you can’t use one of the dots as your period. That’s why you would have the fourth.

If you’re not sure about this, ask me.

Dear teachers,

I’d like to take this chance for telling you ” HAPPY NEW YEAR ” for every things that you did for us . I wish you all the best and enjoyable time with. * MERRY CHRISTMAS FOR ALL * Yours faithfully, Ameen

Hello dear Adam, I couldn’t catch ur last sentences completely, “If u list ends at the…….” What do u mean exactly plz?! Tx in advance.

Hi Fatiima,

First, an apology. I meant ‘your’ list.

example: “I like fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, strawberries, pineapples, plums, and others.” or: “I like fruits like apples, bananas,… The second one is wrong because only three dots means it is missing the period, so the sentence hasn’t ended. It should be: “I like apples, bananas,….” Last dot is the period.

“blah” is only used in spoken english?

PD: Happy Holydays engVid Team!

Adam you rock, thank you for the lesson. BTW In Russian language “blah” sounds like shit.)

I’ll keep that in mind :)

No, it’s not sounds like “shit”, it sounds like “whore” on russian language.Russians like to say this word :\

well thanks for your lesson sir. I just need to know the difference between “it’s been a long time and it has been a long time” pls help me out sir

It’s been… = It has been…

The ‘s is a shortened form.

Thank you very very, Adam! Could you please explain the origin of that mute “h” at the end of such words like “blah”, why not just write “bla” and be happy?!

Hi Kseniia,

Good question. Hard to answer with quiet words on a screen, but basically, the ‘h’ extends the ‘a’ sound, making it longer.

Thank you! One would never think about such things. Such a good lesson Adam! Many thanks.

Dear teacher thank you very much for very useful skills that you have provided us to help us to write proper sentenses and symbols.WISHING YOU A MERRY CHRISTMAS AND PROSPERIOU NEW YEAR 2013.

thank you Adam, you are very simple to teach English

Adam,I have a request.Could you teach us the active and passive voice of causative verbs and present,past and future conditionals?Please,please,please.

Kinds regards Farooq

I’m sure some of these are already on engvid, but I’ll see what i can do for you Farooq :)

BLAH BLAH BLAH …

Hello Adam,

I am a publisher living in Toronto. I came across this site while browsing,and I think it provides an excellent learning opportunity for all kinds of people. I was impressed by your teaching methods in particular, and found it educational and engaging.

I would be very interested to speak to you further and possibly discuss some very rewarding business ideas.

I look very forward to hearing from you.

Iraj Zargham

Thank you Iraj,

I appreciate the thought but can’t take on anything at the moment.

Perhaps in the near future.

Excellent communication demonstrated by you.I loved watching it.Today is 25th Dec 2012(Tuesday)I want to say merry Chrismis to you and to all of engvid team.Mazhar Jamil (Pakistan)

hi Adam this is my first time watching your video and i have to confess that the lesson’s topic was my question also. thanks for your assistance.

here is another question :Don’t we use “etc” solely in writings and so on in speech ?

We can actually use both expressions in writing and speaking. In writing, though, etc. is more common; however, keep in mind that it is pretty informal.

thank you so much!

Thank you so much! I’m a Korean. I hope I am good at English in the near future:-)

me too :) looks good so far

u are perfect man.

thanks adam i learn t which i was totally unawared till date

thanks for the lessons! I wanna know if you can do a video about common poetic expressions or its rules? have a great time! =)

hmmm… You’ll have to give me an example of what you mean.

thanks thanks thanks … :)

What is the difference between “dot” and “period”?

I’m not 100% but I think the “dot” is a dot, :), a circle symbol and used in domain of website not in sentence. The “period” is a dot, used to end a sentence.( period, not dot).

I found this info , `AE` they called it period ,`BE` they called it full-stop . The dissimilarity between dot and period ? Is that dot used in computer filed names , internet addresses ,and email addresses such as www.(dot)EngVid.(dot)com,,also , it said that it used in name of IP addresses 145.260.123 , it pronounced dot . on the other hand, period or full-stop it used in the end of sentence .

but there is something it still questioning me . We know that in BE it`s not used while in AE it`s necessary to used it after abbreviation . such as = ^AE^ co. ,,S.S.,,St.,,^BE^ co ,, SS,,St what we called it here dot or period and why ? what is the differen !!

Too Right! :) I’ve found the same. But,about ur ? ,in my book it is dot after abbreviations like WWW.(dot) & as we know,we use full stop o period at the end of a statement.Right?!! Have Fun!

yep, you have point here^^ it is dot not period but I would like to know why BE never used and AE t

different notwithstanding yep,,you have point here , it is dot not period. But I would like to know why BE never used the dot after abbreviation while AE it is necessary to used it,,, is it kind of rules in AE or what !!!

It’s a rule.

Ok, but what if we have this situation:

I see something in the distance, a text, and I’m not sure if there is a comma or a dot(period). For example: “… , I …” or “… . I …” So, should I ask my friend: “Is there a comma or a dot” or “Is there a comma or a period”?

right it is somehow confusing . but I think there is nothing to special to distinguished between them ,so you showed came near to see it well

Nice dialogue here :)

Period for ending a sentence. Dot for everything else. ellipsis always have at least 3 dots. If you use with a comma within a sentence, 3, but to end a sentence, 4. It’s actually pretty complicated. This is the stuff of editors. But, if you are interested, it’s best to consult a style guide.

Many thanks to you T/Adam ^^

very nice keep on

Amazing! All these explanations make the difference in my learning… Thank you guys!

Hi, Thanks. I learned the lesson perfectly and scored 90% in QUIZ. Dot within the bracket (.) not been explained ?. Can you please.. K.Sundar.

i want to learn where to use ,:;”‘- while writing a sentence

Thank you adam this is very useful lesson

You are awesome

Extremely intelligent teacher, simple speech, interesting lessons, useful language tips, clear examples. Thank you, Adam, for this! Happy holidays to everyone!

Hi engvid i want you to make a video about anybody,everybody,anyone,everyone,someone,somebody. thanks

oh. you are a good teacher. your job is great! i hope you alway have a strong health.and thank you so much. i hope see you soon in next lesson.bye

Thank you Adam for your clear and smart way of teaching

Very nice, thank you…

i love this

your lesson some of those not esially making me sense

I have a question about “spaces” in writing. In my native language we use two rules:

1. Continuation of sentence. We use: word+space+tree dots. Sample: I like chips, coca cola, pizza … (<– notice space between pizza and three dots). Also, there are no four dots at the end of the sentence. If another sentence is written, then: I like, chips, coca cola, pizza … I also like to watch TV. (<– So pizza+space+tree dots+space+word_of_another_sentence).

2. Abbreviation of word: She is real bit… (<– notice no space between bit and tree words, because "bit…" is actually a abbreviation for bitch, so continuation of word is written without a space).

If I understand correctly, there are no additional spaces in English. Right? It is hard to see spaces from hand-writing.

You’re right, there aren’t extra spaces after the word. However, if you want to shorten a word, use a long dash, like bi–. It’s clearer.

Very interesting and cute lesson :-) Thank you

Hey!! I need to understand one thing about the word “ever” in these words. What they really mean:

ever-deceptive, ever-present,…. Thanks

Hi Henrique,

In these cases, ‘ever-‘ is used like ‘always.’

thanks, Adams thi is important…

This tips were so interesting! tks

hi again dear adam ..what about this on and on thanks once more time<3

I think the meaning is entirely different from `and so on` “on and on“ means something it happening for long time e.g. The screaming went on and on . means continued for long time ^_^

thank you dear brother hicham

In fact,it’s an IDM. On n on : without stopping,without a break. Off n on : occasionally,from time 2 time. :)

thank you dear sister fatima

‘on and on’ is more like ‘blah, blah, blah,’ than the others.

Good point. Thanks :)

thank you so Much adam

u r really great,,thanks a lot for teaching this lesson,,

Suggestion:at the end of each question you should explain why anwser a,b,c or d is correct.

Thank you for your lesson it was very useful and interesting.

Hi Adam, Thank you so much for this useful lesson.

thank you Adam,your lessons are always useful.

I like this lesson very much.Also very useful for my studying.Thank you Adam..

Very interesting lesson.

Thanks a lot! I can learn more English form your excellent teaching videos.

Very useful video thx

Thank you so much teacher, you do great.

more harder, i need one best specializing lesson that would help me out alot as handy reference tool.

Thanks for your lesson. I really like the way you explain. I have problem with pronunciation Mr Mrs Miss Ms. Please could you explain how to pronunc and the difference. Thanks again

Hi Sabrina,

Hard with words, but I’ll try.

Mr.– mis ter (like mystery without the ee end)

Mrs. — mis sis

Miss — miss

Ms. — miz

hope that helps

Thank you very much for this so useful lesson. That’s exactly what we need when we want to address people formally. Catch ya later

Dear MR. Adam, I ‘am sow your video it is very interested. Thanks a lot about it. But please take care about the ideas you broadcasting “kids are (blah)”. Because there is so many family they have problem with this idea and working hard to make it not(blah). Again thanks….

Sorry, I mean “kids are blah blah blah” not {blah).

Thanks for pointing this out. I’ll be more careful. :)

Great lesson and great teacher as well. Thanks a lot.

Sir, can you elaborate more on the 4th dot.

Hello sir thank you very much for your advice . It’s really helpful for me to the way I have lifted me up

thank you very much. The class was very interesting.

your teaching easy to understand : ) thanks a lot

Adam, and what about fourth dot? Thank u very well about interesting lesson.

hi tnx for this lesson i like the last exemple i hope the lesson wasn’t a blah it wasn’t

Thank you very very much :)

thank you very much ^_^

Thank you Adam-I learn this lesson very well.

your lesson was blah,blah,blah. sorry, I was just joking your lesson was really good and interesting also I am looking forward to see your other lessons my teacher.

HAPPY NEW YEAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

thank you. your lesson was great.

thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Great lesson! Thank you :D I just have a question on “and so on” thing. Someone, who is not a native speaker, mentioned about my writing one day. He said that “and so on” is a very unsual expression and native people seldom use it, because they like expressions that are accurate and have only one meaning. Is that true? I’m also wondering if I can use the expression “and so on” in a formal writing as well. I learned that expression when I was about 14 and I thought it was pretty common and formal.

Well, it depends what you are writing. “and so on, is a bit of a cheat. This means it lets you get away with not saying enough. Writing is different from speech in that it needs to be sharp and words shouldn’t be wasted. It’s not an unusual expression, but maybe better used in speech than writing.

Does this help?

Yes, it did help. Then, in writing, should I use ‘etc.’ instead of ‘and so on’? In my language, it’s formal to say those expressions when I have a lot to list. So, I often use them when I translate my language into English. I’d like to know if you have any other suggestions.

Well, if you are writing a lot, for variety you can use both. But etc. is the first choice I’d say.

other expressions are “among others” or “and the like”. If you can combine lists that would save on these as well.

hiAdam, thank you for your teaching I have got 8 out of 10 really it is useful lesson for me thank you again

hi guys I am Amal> I am arebain girl> I wanna improve my englisg so can any one help me by chatting please add me on my skype Amo0ol707 thank u so much

Thank you Adam!! You’re so a great teacher!!! You did helped me a lot.

Your lesson is never a “blah, blah, blah”. I enjoy it! Thank you so much!

thank you teacher adam for this lesson

thank you so much teacher.

Hi everybody,

Happy new year. Hope it’s a good one for all of you.

For those who missed an earlier comment about the fourth dot, here it is: The 4th dot is a period. That is, it ends the sentence. example: I like all kinds of fruit, such as apples, bananas, strawberries…. The last dot is a regular period for an end of sentence marker. If you list ends at the end of the sentence, you can’t use one of the dots as your period. That’s why you would have the fourth.

See you soon

D Best of 2013 4 U! Congrats! :)

it wos a good lesson,thanks teacher

Hello Mr Adam! Before this lesson I couldn’t understand about etc . Now owing to you I get it! Thanks a lot!!! I’m from Kazakhstan!

Hi Mr.Adam thank you for your lesson .it’s great but i’ve a question about the quiz. WHY THE MISTAKE IN ITEM 9 IS AT THE END ???!!!

your lesson is very intersting ;) thank you

Great lesson, not blah at all :)

UR CLASS WAS INTERESTING!!!… THESE THINGS WERE NEVER TOLD 2 ME BY ANY TEACHER. THANK U

Awesome! This is the first time that I visit this site It looks very useful thanks y’all teachers

Great lesson, it is very interesting Adam, thank you very much for your teaching.

Thanks Adan,…excellent teaching

This man is awesome…

great, very interesting.. ;) but since I’m from italy, when you said “..pizza: junk food..” I was like: “oh my god, he cannot be serious about it, it’s absolutely not junk food!!!” ahahah

Hi all, and my honorable teacher mr.ADAN. easily understable and i already sent to my long memory.

That lesson worth it. Excellent explanations . I wasn’t really used to use ’em but now I’d like to level up ’till advanced(C1-lang.certif. is my goal) so these gonna be useful definetely. I’m very pleased !!

Thanks so much Adan. All of you are the best teachers.

Informative, helpful. Thanks!

Hi Adam, you’re the best teacher I finally found!! I love the way you teach. Very Clear and simple :) this is my first time and I got 9 out to 10. THAAAAANKKKKSSS!!!

Very good lasson.

hi sir you are such a great teacher thanks

hi Adam sir the lesson although,though,despite,and in spite of is difficult for me how can i understand it.please help me. thanks

hello Adam I have a question but not about that topic. I had been Amrica for 4 mounth.And ı will be there again 3 times for 4 mounth.I just wanna know if i dont study anything will i able to be goot at in toefl or this kind of exams in the future ? u got the idea i think. Kind regards

hello Adam i have a question, and please i wont you to answer me, what’s the different between: “and so on” and “and stuf like that” ? thanks. :)

Thanks very much Adam!

Thank you very much Adam! Cheers !!!

OH! Well done, another D. But what ‘ D ‘ means? I smiled because I can reply ‘ blah’ for the question ‘ How about you today ? ‘

thanks Dear Adam,

really your are using the easiest way of teaching, thanks again.

thank u so much. I am Vietnamese,so it help me a lot when I use these words.

Super, are you number one there, thank you.

Adam, have you ever been to Russia?

I like the way you teach, explain, giving example etc. Thank you very much teacher.

The lesson wasn’t at all blah :D. It was really useful. I have a Q. If I’m writing an academic essay (i mean in a formal way),am I allowed to write etc. in this form or I have to write etcetera ???

Thanks for lesson, Adam. From your lesson, i have to put a comma (,) before “and so on”. How about “etc.” and “…”? In above examples, you use “…” with or without comma before. Both of them are correct? And if “, and etc.” is fasle (I was wrong this question in the test). It should be “,etc.”. But, is is correct if I write “and etc.” (not comma before)?

thank you adam, you have a nice way :)

Shi sentences and a wonderful teacher

(blah) is funny!

very good lesson:D. i got 100:)

Thanks Adam,… I got 100 %

thanks teacher Adam =)

I used to write many dots, but now I know there should be three dots and the fourth one for an end marker. Thanks Adam!

I love this page, you´re a great teacher

hi Adam sir! your way of teaching excellent. can you explain I am done= i did, i am scared, it is cleaned like this… and to be as a word, do you eat now? or will you eat now which one is better

to be as a word with sentences

Thanks you so much. I found this page a long time ago, but when my computer was broken,I seemed to forget it. In recent day, I have found this page again, and I think it’s really useful for me to enhance listening & writing skills. Your voice is so clear and attractive ^^

This session wasn’t blha

thank you sooooo much adam you are the best

Could you professor teach about the use of the Word BY?

i love ur teaching style. i have a request to u plz make some vedio on prices writing. I need to improve it. :)

Hi Sir, Thank you for your interesting lessons I just would like to get some advices from you about how to beautfy my writing style especially the argumentative essays since I have a teaching exam next month, that is to say I need to add various expressions to my style so that it can not be very simple essay I’ll wait for your reply, Thank you Sir in advance.

I think this lesson is not blah~~~

It is interesting lesson,thanks!

Thank you very much

Thank you so much Adam. ” There should be no “and” before etc.”:D

Thank you! You are great teacher!

thanks Adam!

“blah blah blah” sounds fun :) Thank you for your interesting lesson, Adam :D

Thanks a lot!

What a pity not having known before, but Better late then never.

Yes Joseph 74. I think the same way. This site is very good. I found it in recent days. Adam is a great teacher. Bye the way I visited Italy last year, this is a beautiful country.

thank teacher. your lesson is very helpful as always,

Thak you Adam, regards from Mexico, btw, happy new year ;)

Thanks Adam, you know what?, I like the way you speak, the way you explain, the way you clarify, and so on. I am not good at using preposition (advanced use) and also my writing is not that good (technical writing). Could you give me please some advices to improve it (giving me some information – books, webpages, etc.- to practice writing. thanks. I writing you from Nicaragua

Thanks sir I got 80%.

Thanks teacher I got 90%.

Thank you Adam ,I like your way of teaching, really it’s useful to get improving grammar , listning , speaking ect.

I got 60% , promise I will be better next Quiz :)

I like your teaching style. It’s easy to understand. Thank you teacher.

i got 100% thanks a lot for your explanation Adam :)

Thank u teacher

My English so poor anam plz help me..

Hello. It was very interesting lesson! i really like all of Your videos :) And i would like to clarify one moment: Adam, You said, that ‘Blah, blah, blah’ uses when somebody tells something boring, but also this phrase has the similar meaning that the “etc.” or “…”. Is it right?

Thank you very much, sir Adam! I would like to know whether ‘as well’ can be used as synonym of these words, which you explained?

Thanks teacher I got 100% yeah I have a question. Are these formal in essay, term paper, research report, and so on?

Thanks Adam, you’re lesson was quite understood, clear, interesting, and so on.

Hello! My level is not high, but I understand all that you teach,because you have good pronunciation and explain so intelligible!!!) Thank you!!!)

thank u for ur lesson . i enjoyed with it . it isnot blah :D

i got 8 out of 10

well i enjoyed it so much.10qqqqqqqqqqqqqq

This lesson was actually, very interesting. Thanks!

Hi Adam! I like your teaching, because you try to provide in-depth knowledge about the stuff you teach. Now, I want to draw your attention towards one thing that I think I noticed. In the start of the video, when you were talking about dot(.), you said “dot dot dot and dot” sometime the four dots, I will explain it.” and then you said “blah blah blah and blah”…I think you didn’t explain the usage of 4 dots or I didn’t get it nicely. what is true?

Thank You teacher Adam, I like the way you explain every single word :) That’s how I like and it’s so easy for me to understand and get it.

You are the best!

dear sir ! your are my favorite teacher.You always teach me a new thing which is more fruitful for me.And your styles and language are amazing,and likeable. thanks

thanks a lot!!!!!!!

I got 80%, but I realize that “dot dot dot” is often used in spoken language and “etc” shouldn’t be with and thank you so much teacher Adam :))

what about ‘so forth’ as in ‘so on and so forth’? we use it in a formal situation as well.

Thanks alot, i like a way of your teaching sir.goodluck

hello everyone, I think Adam has the touch of teaching he explains very well, gaves us examples with every lesson, and so on. He tries to make easier the topic, and that’s why I think he is a good teaher, you’re one of the my favourites tutors from engvid. Regards.

Thanks Adam, very clear your explanation!

MR:Adam i can’t think in english , i think in arabic cuz arabic its my mother language i wanna think in english what can i do

Thank you so much Adam!, I really like your lessons; it makes me really understand for using properly. You are a good explainer!

thank you Adam, I like the way that you teach. You are a great teacher.

The correct pronunciation of etc. is et cetera. It does not contain a k or an x.

thanks alot

The best English teacher I have ever witnessed.Thank you so much,Prof.Adam.

Thanks Adam

Cool and thank you very much Adam!

3rd question is very tricky.Smart Canadian.

thanks Mr. Adam!

Thank you Adam, You are a great teacher.

Thanks Adam and I love to see your video. I hope you to teach about TOEIC lessons.

great! it’s really helpful

you’re amazing dude thanks a lot

Hi Adam. Very nice lesson, as usual! I was surprised to hear you list pizza together with fish and chips as well as hamburgers adding that this food is junk … well … I don’t know how you prepare pizza (what ingredients you use) in Toronto but in Italy pizza is considered healthy because it’s basically bread, tomato and mozzarella. Then, accoding to taste, you can add other ingredients, from vegetables and other cheeses to cold cuts (ham, bresaola, and so on) and even shellfish. Healthy and delicious! Enjoy … ;)

Thank you very much for you lessons!!!!

Oh! A lesson I was looking for. Thank you.

Hi Adam. Thanks for your lesson. I love this lesson very much. Now I have a question. I want to take a competition by using the contents in your lesson. I want to use your ideas but add more ideas from others. Is this OK? If not, I will do nothing.Hope you will give me some suggestions. Thank you.

Thank you teacher

Thank you Adm, your lessons were very interesting, and so on

Exactly the same in portuguese, except for the “blah”.. We don’t use it.

Can you have some tutorials about essay writing?

Hi Adam, How the spoken English is different from written English? What are the things that we need to keep in mind When we are on the written part?

Hi Adam, Which is the best English dictionary? tell me the Author name.

Thank you Adam.

thank you Adam.

Hello sir Can we use etc in speaking

Adam plz answer me . Could we consider fourth dot as a full stop? Or is it necessary to put the fourth dot with a little bit distance, as i have noticed in your sentence?

TKAMKS SO MUTCH Adam

Thanks Adam. I got 90 for this lesson test.

I’m a new student. I got 90%

Hi Adam, could you explain about “whatsoever” “soever”, and what is it the differences between those? thanks…

blah blah blah…lol

Thank you Adam !

I am very lucky to have a teacher as good as you.

What is meant by ESL?

Thank you. Mr.Adam.

Hello Adam, Thank you for nice lesson. It was not “blah”:))), but I did not understand why before “etc.” can not to write “and”.

Hi Adam, I was wondering if this style will make it in TWE or will someone just get a markdown?

Thank you Adem your lesson was yum yum not (blah)

Thank you so much Mr. Adam.

Thanks Adam for the lesson

9/10! I learned with Engvid’s teachers Emma, Adam, an so on. Thanks, Engvid! These teachers improve my English level.

It’s clear now. Thanks, Adam. God bless you.

This lesson definitely was not blah. Very informative and easy-going.

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Avoid These Words and Phrases in Your Academic Writing

When writing an academic essay, thesis, or dissertation, your professor or advisor usually gives you a rubric with detailed expectations to guide you during the process. While the rubric will identify the major requirements for the paper, it will probably not tell you what words or phrases you need to avoid. Whether you want to earn a stellar grade on your next paper or you're hoping to get published in an academic journal, keep reading to discover words and phrases you need to avoid in your academic writing.

"A great deal of"

I encounter the phrase a great deal of in most academic papers that I edit. Avoid using this vague phrase, because your academic writing should be specific and informative. Instead of saying a great deal of, provide exact measurements or specific quantities.

"A lot"

Similar to the previous phrase (a great deal of), a lot is too vague and informal for an academic paper. Use precise quantities instead of this overly general phrase.

"Always"

Avoid using the word always in your academic writing, because it can generalize a statement and convey an absolute that might not be accurate. If you want to state something about all the participants in your study, use specific language to clarify that the statement applies to a consistent action among the participants in your study.

It is almost a cliché to tell you to avoid clichés, but it is an essential piece of writing advice. Clichés are unoriginal and will weaken your writing. In academic writing, using clichés will erode your credibility and take away from all the research and hard work you have put into your project.

What qualifies as a cliché? According to Dictionary.com , A cliché is an expression, idea, or action that has been overused to the point of seeming worn out, stale, ineffective, or meaningless. Your words should be original, carry meaning, and resonate with your readers, and this is especially important for academic writing. Most clichés have been used so frequently in so many different contexts that they have lost their meaning. To eliminate clichés, scan your paper for any phrases that you could type into an internet browser and find millions of search results from all different topic areas. If you are unsure if your favorite phrases are overused clichés, consult this Cliché List for a comprehensive list.

Contractions

Academic writing should be formal and professional, so refrain from using contractions. Dictionary.com offers the following advice regarding contractions: Contractions such as isn't, couldn't, can't, weren't, he'll, they're occur chiefly, although not exclusively, in informal speech and writing. They are common in personal letters, business letters, journalism, and fiction; they are rare in scientific and scholarly writing. Contractions occur in formal writing mainly as representations of speech. When you proofread your paper, change any contractions back to the original formal words.

Double negatives

Double negatives will confuse your readers and dilute the power of your words. For example, consider the following sentence:

"He was not unwilling to participate in the study."

The word not and the prefix un- are both negatives, so they cancel each other out and change the meaning of the sentence. If you want to convey that someone reluctantly participated in the study, express that clearly and explicitly.

"Etc."

The abbreviation etc. is short for the Latin word et cetera , which means and others; and so forth; and so on. Dictionary.com specifies that etc. is used to indicate that more of the same sort or class might have been mentioned, but for brevity have been omitted. I discourage writers from using etc. in academic writing, because if you are writing an academic paper, you are writing to share information or scholarly research, and you are not conveying any new information with the abbreviation etc. Instead of writing etc., explicitly state the words or list that you are alluding to with your use of etc. If you absolutely must use etc. , make sure you only use it if readers can easily identify what etc. represents, and only use etc. at the end of lists that are within parentheses.

"For all intents and purposes" and "for all intensive purposes"

These two phrases are often used interchangeably, but you should avoid both of them in your academic writing. Avoid the second phrase in all of your writing: For all intensive purposes is an eggcorn (a word or phrase that is mistakenly used for another word or phrase because it sounds similar). For all intents and purposes is generally a filler phrase that does not provide any new information, so you can usually omit it without replacing it.

An idiom is an expression whose meaning is not predictable from the usual meanings of its constituent elements. Idioms include phrases such as he kicked the bucket, and they are particularly problematic in academic writing, because non-native English speakers might not understand your intended meaning. Below are three of the idioms I encounter most frequently when editing academic papers:

• All things being equal : All things being equal is usually an unnecessary or redundant phrase that you can simply omit without replacing with anything else.
• In a nutshell : Instead of saying in a nutshell, use a more universal phrase such as in summary or in conclusion.
• On the other hand : Idioms such as on the other hand are informal and will weaken your paper. Instead of writing the phrase on the other hand, consider using conversely.

In-text ampersands ("&")

Do not use ampersands in place of the word and in sentences. Most style guides dictate that you use an ampersand for parenthetical in-text citations, but you need to spell out the word and in your paper. An ampersand within the text of your paper is too informal for an academic paper.

"I think"

You do not need to include the phrase I think when explaining your point of view. This is your paper, and it should contain your original thoughts or findings, so it is redundant to include the phrase I think. Doing so will weaken your writing and your overall argument.

"Never"

Similar to the word " always, " avoid using the word never in your academic writing. Always and never will overgeneralize your statements. If you absolutely must use never in your academic writing, make sure that you specify that it applies only to the participants in your study and should not be applied to the general population.

"Normal"

Avoid using subjective terms such a normal in your academic papers. Instead, use scientific or academic terms such as control group or standard. Remember that what you consider normal might be abnormal to someone else, but a control group or standard should be objective and definable.

Passive voice

Passive voice is one of the most frequent issues that I correct when editing academic papers. Some students think passive voice provides a more formal tone, but it actually creates more confusion for your readers while also adding to your word count. As the UNC Writing Center explained , The primary reason why your instructors frown on the passive voice is that they often have to guess what you mean. Most style guidelines (APA, MLA, Chicago) also specify that writers should avoid passive sentences. Whether you're writing your first draft or proofreading for what feels like the hundredth time, you can change passive sentences by making sure that the subject of your sentence is performing the action.

One way to look out for passive voice is to pay attention anytime you use by or was. These two words do not always indicate passive voice, but if you pay attention, they can help you spot passive voice. For example, the following sentence uses passive voice:

"The study was conducted in 2021."

If your style guideline allows you to use personal pronouns, specify a subject and reword the sentence to say:

"We conducted the study in 2021."

If your style guideline dictates that you avoid personal pronouns, you can make the sentence active by saying:

"The researchers conducted the study in 2021."

There are exceptions to most writing tips, but not this one: You should never use profanity in your academic writing. Profanity is informal, and many people might find it offensive, crude, or rude. Even if you enjoy creating controversy or getting a rise out of your readers, avoid profane words that might offend professors or other readers.

Academic writing can feel overwhelming, but hopefully this list of words and phrases to avoid in academic writing will help you as you navigate your next big assignment. Although there are exceptions to some items on this list, you will grow as a writer if you learn to avoid these words and phrases. If you consult your professor or advisor's rubric, adhere to style guidelines, and avoid the words or phrases on this list, you might even have fun the next time you have to stay up all night to finish an academic paper.

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Using “Etcetera” in Academic Writing

You probably know it better as “etc.” you have read things that have used it; you have probably said it yourself. You may or may not have used it in your own assignment writing, but chances are you may not be using it correctly. One of the reasons is that how to use etc. is not taught in English grammar and composition classes. But if you plan on using etcetera in academic writing , you will need to understand the rules. And that what this article is all about. So here goes.

The term “et cetera” actually comes from Latin, and it means “so forth” or “and other similar things.” And using etcetera in academic writing is perfectly fine, as long as you do it right.

How to Use Etc. in Lists of Things

In this case, you will want to know how to use "etc." at the end of a sentence and, as well, how do you use "etc." in a sentence, when there is more that follows it. The important point in using etc. at the end of a list is that all things in the list must be related. Here are some examples of both situations:

• They can live in any body of freshwater – creeks, ponds, lakes, etc.
• That literature class covers fiction, non-fiction, short stories, novels, poetry, etc.
• We were asked to describe the emotion (anger, fear, joy, etc.) we felt when we viewed the photography.
• Bring any small items that may be of value - coins, stamps, jewelry, etc. to the appraiser on Thursday morning.

Note that all of the items in the lists are related. Another important point on how to use "etc." in a sentence is punctuation. Because it is an abbreviation, you must place a period at the end of it, no matter where it may appear. You don’t need a period if you spell it out, but be sure your spelling is correct. Excetera, etcetra, and exedra are common mis-spellings, so get it right. In the 4th example, note also that there was a dash before the list, rather than a term like “such as.” If you use “such as,” you do not need to use “etc.” because the meaning is already clear.

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Don’t Use Etc. More Than Once in a Sentence

While using several “etc.’s” in speaking or in informal writing is often used for emphasis, using "etc." in academic writing is far different. You can say to a friend, “I have to get to the grocery store, a doctor’s appointment and my haircut appointment, write my essay before the deadline runs out, etc., etc., etc., before I can get back to home and start cleaning,” is common informal language. But in formal writing, only one “etc.” is “allowed.”

Etc., How to Use When Referring to People

This rule is simple. Never, never, never use "etc." when referring to people. “We studied the works of Shakespeare, Milton, etc. in our English lit class,” is not acceptable. Either name them all or come up with some other term, like, “We studied all of the most famous authors in our English literature course.”

Never Use “And” before “Etc.”

The word “and” already implies what “etc.” means, and using it is just redundant. So, you can say, “The courses covered all of the major forms of government, including democracy, fascism, communism, monarchy, etc.,” or you can say, “The course covered all of the major forms of government, including democracy, fascism, communism, monarchy, and others.”

Etc. How to Use Correct Punctuation

This rule is quite simple. If you use “etc.” in the middle of a sentence, and it is not enclosed in parentheses, then you must use a comma after the abbreviation. If it is in parentheses in the middle of a sentence or at the end of a sentence, no comma is needed. Examples:

• Joe and I stuffed ourselves on pizza, beer, pork rinds, candy bars, etc., and we really felt it the next day.
• After finals were over, Joe and I stuffed ourselves on pizza, beer, pork rinds, candy bars, etc.
• After finals, Joe and I stuffed ourselves with every bit of junk we could find (pizza, beer, pork rinds, candy bars, etc.).

Using Additional Punctuation after “Etc”

Remember, “etc.” is an abbreviation, and abbreviations call for periods after them. This doesn’t mean that you don’t use any other punctuation after that period. Use all of the regular punctuation that you would if that “etc.” was just another word – question marks, exclamation points, semi-solons or colons. The only exception is the period at the end of a sentence. Examples:

• Are you going to bring the paper supplies, like plates, cups, napkins, etc.?
• I hate proofreading my essays, papers, etc.!
• We are not going to get anxious about these finals; we are not going to lose sleep, eat junk, etc.; and we are not going to go in with a defeatist attitude.

You will not find the use of “etc.” rampant in academic writing. That is because scholarly research and writing is usually very specific and detailed and does not rely on the reader to “add” things on his own. Oh, yes, you can use it, certainly, in essays you may write for an English course. But use it sparingly in research works.

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Literary English

Symbolism in “The Old Man and the Sea”

What is a symbol and symbolism? 

A symbol is something that gives a certain meaning to an action, person, place, word, or thing in a piece of literature. Story writers use symbolism to form a view of emotions or moods rather than just saying them plainly. Following are the main symbols used in “The Old Man and the Sea”:

Santiago, the Old Man

The old man is compared to Christ in a religious manner, in terms of stamina and endurance. He is a teacher like Christ who teaches Manolin to fish, and the way he is humble. Repeatedly, it is demonstrated that the old man is a symbol of Christ with the way he fights the marlin. Later on, he also survives the shark’s attacks.

The sea is a symbol of life, and the struggles that every person is bound to endure. According to Hemingway, man is the most worthy in isolation because he has to work and survive on his own. The sea, in the novel, is a sign of life and Santiago’s isolation in the universe. As we can see that in the sea, there is no help or laws at all. Santiago faces his ultimate challenge all alone and survives. The novel, in this regard, is an example of Naturalism in Literature.

The Marlin is a good opponent of Santiago, worthy to fight. It is a symbol of dignity and pride. The Marlin is in contrast to the sharks that are shameful rivals, not commendable to Santiago’s endeavours. Magnificent and radiant, the Marlin represents a perfect rival. In the world’s reality where, “Everything kills everything else in some way”, Santiago feels truly fortunate to wind up against an animal that draws out the best in him. The Marlin brings out his qualities of courage, talent, fortitude, love, and regard.

Manolin symbolizes pure love, compassion, and the circle of life. He dearly loves Santiago and cares for him. Between Manolin and Old Man, there is a vast age difference. It symbolizes their skills of fishing. One day Manolin will be able to reach that point and carry Santiago’s legacy. Manolin is the symbol of hope.

The sharks in “the Old Man and the Sea” symbolize the obstacles in life and the labour against them. Sharks are the opposite of the marlin. For Santiago, the sharks are vile predators, that are not worthy of admiration or glory. They are like detrimental energies that promote no other purpose in life.

The lions in the story symbolize youth of the old man. They are a symbol of vitality. At the end of the novel, when Santiago dreams of the lions, it represents the hope of eternal life, of freedom and youth. Because of the qualities of strength of lions and their proud, the writer has used them to represent childhood days of Santiago. Lions are a symbol for his might and pride in days of his youth. Just as Santiago hunts the Marlin, lions are also mighty creatures and hunters.

DiMaggio symbolizes the value of enduring through pain and suffering. He is a Symbol of motivation to keep Santiago on his feet. DİMaggio is a true representation of Santiago’s talent, pride, and ethics. He is also a sign of hope for the old man. Santiago desires that Manolin will grow up to become like the great DiMaggio, strong and young. He does not want him to be like him, a poor fisherman.

The Mast is a symbol and represents as the cross of Jesus. The mast stands on Santiago’s skiff. It is similar to the cross because of the way Santiago suffers. He goes three days with painful injuries to the palms of his hands as Jesus did and to his back as well.

The Harpoon

While fighting off sharks, Santiago loses his Harpoon. It is a symbol for those who lose faith, and doubt everything in their life. When life tests them with struggles, they lose hope, as Santiago is without his harpoon, defenceless. People are exactly like that without faith.

Should I Use “I”?

What this handout is about.

This handout is about determining when to use first person pronouns (“I”, “we,” “me,” “us,” “my,” and “our”) and personal experience in academic writing. “First person” and “personal experience” might sound like two ways of saying the same thing, but first person and personal experience can work in very different ways in your writing. You might choose to use “I” but not make any reference to your individual experiences in a particular paper. Or you might include a brief description of an experience that could help illustrate a point you’re making without ever using the word “I.” So whether or not you should use first person and personal experience are really two separate questions, both of which this handout addresses. It also offers some alternatives if you decide that either “I” or personal experience isn’t appropriate for your project. If you’ve decided that you do want to use one of them, this handout offers some ideas about how to do so effectively, because in many cases using one or the other might strengthen your writing.

Expectations about academic writing

Students often arrive at college with strict lists of writing rules in mind. Often these are rather strict lists of absolutes, including rules both stated and unstated:

• Each essay should have exactly five paragraphs.
• Don’t begin a sentence with “and” or “because.”
• Never include personal opinion.
• Never use “I” in essays.

We get these ideas primarily from teachers and other students. Often these ideas are derived from good advice but have been turned into unnecessarily strict rules in our minds. The problem is that overly strict rules about writing can prevent us, as writers, from being flexible enough to learn to adapt to the writing styles of different fields, ranging from the sciences to the humanities, and different kinds of writing projects, ranging from reviews to research.

So when it suits your purpose as a scholar, you will probably need to break some of the old rules, particularly the rules that prohibit first person pronouns and personal experience. Although there are certainly some instructors who think that these rules should be followed (so it is a good idea to ask directly), many instructors in all kinds of fields are finding reason to depart from these rules. Avoiding “I” can lead to awkwardness and vagueness, whereas using it in your writing can improve style and clarity. Using personal experience, when relevant, can add concreteness and even authority to writing that might otherwise be vague and impersonal. Because college writing situations vary widely in terms of stylistic conventions, tone, audience, and purpose, the trick is deciphering the conventions of your writing context and determining how your purpose and audience affect the way you write. The rest of this handout is devoted to strategies for figuring out when to use “I” and personal experience.

Effective uses of “I”:

In many cases, using the first person pronoun can improve your writing, by offering the following benefits:

• Assertiveness: In some cases you might wish to emphasize agency (who is doing what), as for instance if you need to point out how valuable your particular project is to an academic discipline or to claim your unique perspective or argument.
• Clarity: Because trying to avoid the first person can lead to awkward constructions and vagueness, using the first person can improve your writing style.
• Positioning yourself in the essay: In some projects, you need to explain how your research or ideas build on or depart from the work of others, in which case you’ll need to say “I,” “we,” “my,” or “our”; if you wish to claim some kind of authority on the topic, first person may help you do so.

Deciding whether “I” will help your style

Here is an example of how using the first person can make the writing clearer and more assertive:

Original example:

In studying American popular culture of the 1980s, the question of to what degree materialism was a major characteristic of the cultural milieu was explored.

Better example using first person:

In our study of American popular culture of the 1980s, we explored the degree to which materialism characterized the cultural milieu.

The original example sounds less emphatic and direct than the revised version; using “I” allows the writers to avoid the convoluted construction of the original and clarifies who did what.

Here is an example in which alternatives to the first person would be more appropriate:

As I observed the communication styles of first-year Carolina women, I noticed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

Better example:

A study of the communication styles of first-year Carolina women revealed frequent use of non-verbal cues.

In the original example, using the first person grounds the experience heavily in the writer’s subjective, individual perspective, but the writer’s purpose is to describe a phenomenon that is in fact objective or independent of that perspective. Avoiding the first person here creates the desired impression of an observed phenomenon that could be reproduced and also creates a stronger, clearer statement.

Here’s another example in which an alternative to first person works better:

As I was reading this study of medieval village life, I noticed that social class tended to be clearly defined.

This study of medieval village life reveals that social class tended to be clearly defined.

Although you may run across instructors who find the casual style of the original example refreshing, they are probably rare. The revised version sounds more academic and renders the statement more assertive and direct.

Here’s a final example:

I think that Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases, or at least it seems that way to me.

Better example

Aristotle’s ethical arguments are logical and readily applicable to contemporary cases.

In this example, there is no real need to announce that that statement about Aristotle is your thought; this is your paper, so readers will assume that the ideas in it are yours.

Determining whether to use “I” according to the conventions of the academic field

Which fields allow “I”?

The rules for this are changing, so it’s always best to ask your instructor if you’re not sure about using first person. But here are some general guidelines.

Sciences: In the past, scientific writers avoided the use of “I” because scientists often view the first person as interfering with the impression of objectivity and impersonality they are seeking to create. But conventions seem to be changing in some cases—for instance, when a scientific writer is describing a project she is working on or positioning that project within the existing research on the topic. Check with your science instructor to find out whether it’s o.k. to use “I” in their class.

Social Sciences: Some social scientists try to avoid “I” for the same reasons that other scientists do. But first person is becoming more commonly accepted, especially when the writer is describing their project or perspective.

Humanities: Ask your instructor whether you should use “I.” The purpose of writing in the humanities is generally to offer your own analysis of language, ideas, or a work of art. Writers in these fields tend to value assertiveness and to emphasize agency (who’s doing what), so the first person is often—but not always—appropriate. Sometimes writers use the first person in a less effective way, preceding an assertion with “I think,” “I feel,” or “I believe” as if such a phrase could replace a real defense of an argument. While your audience is generally interested in your perspective in the humanities fields, readers do expect you to fully argue, support, and illustrate your assertions. Personal belief or opinion is generally not sufficient in itself; you will need evidence of some kind to convince your reader.

Other writing situations: If you’re writing a speech, use of the first and even the second person (“you”) is generally encouraged because these personal pronouns can create a desirable sense of connection between speaker and listener and can contribute to the sense that the speaker is sincere and involved in the issue. If you’re writing a resume, though, avoid the first person; describe your experience, education, and skills without using a personal pronoun (for example, under “Experience” you might write “Volunteered as a peer counselor”).

A note on the second person “you”:

In situations where your intention is to sound conversational and friendly because it suits your purpose, as it does in this handout intended to offer helpful advice, or in a letter or speech, “you” might help to create just the sense of familiarity you’re after. But in most academic writing situations, “you” sounds overly conversational, as for instance in a claim like “when you read the poem ‘The Wasteland,’ you feel a sense of emptiness.” In this case, the “you” sounds overly conversational. The statement would read better as “The poem ‘The Wasteland’ creates a sense of emptiness.” Academic writers almost always use alternatives to the second person pronoun, such as “one,” “the reader,” or “people.”

Personal experience in academic writing

The question of whether personal experience has a place in academic writing depends on context and purpose. In papers that seek to analyze an objective principle or data as in science papers, or in papers for a field that explicitly tries to minimize the effect of the researcher’s presence such as anthropology, personal experience would probably distract from your purpose. But sometimes you might need to explicitly situate your position as researcher in relation to your subject of study. Or if your purpose is to present your individual response to a work of art, to offer examples of how an idea or theory might apply to life, or to use experience as evidence or a demonstration of an abstract principle, personal experience might have a legitimate role to play in your academic writing. Using personal experience effectively usually means keeping it in the service of your argument, as opposed to letting it become an end in itself or take over the paper.

It’s also usually best to keep your real or hypothetical stories brief, but they can strengthen arguments in need of concrete illustrations or even just a little more vitality.

Here are some examples of effective ways to incorporate personal experience in academic writing:

• Anecdotes: In some cases, brief examples of experiences you’ve had or witnessed may serve as useful illustrations of a point you’re arguing or a theory you’re evaluating. For instance, in philosophical arguments, writers often use a real or hypothetical situation to illustrate abstract ideas and principles.
• References to your own experience can explain your interest in an issue or even help to establish your authority on a topic.
• Some specific writing situations, such as application essays, explicitly call for discussion of personal experience.

Here are some suggestions about including personal experience in writing for specific fields:

Philosophy: In philosophical writing, your purpose is generally to reconstruct or evaluate an existing argument, and/or to generate your own. Sometimes, doing this effectively may involve offering a hypothetical example or an illustration. In these cases, you might find that inventing or recounting a scenario that you’ve experienced or witnessed could help demonstrate your point. Personal experience can play a very useful role in your philosophy papers, as long as you always explain to the reader how the experience is related to your argument. (See our handout on writing in philosophy for more information.)

Religion: Religion courses might seem like a place where personal experience would be welcomed. But most religion courses take a cultural, historical, or textual approach, and these generally require objectivity and impersonality. So although you probably have very strong beliefs or powerful experiences in this area that might motivate your interest in the field, they shouldn’t supplant scholarly analysis. But ask your instructor, as it is possible that they are interested in your personal experiences with religion, especially in less formal assignments such as response papers. (See our handout on writing in religious studies for more information.)

Literature, Music, Fine Arts, and Film: Writing projects in these fields can sometimes benefit from the inclusion of personal experience, as long as it isn’t tangential. For instance, your annoyance over your roommate’s habits might not add much to an analysis of “Citizen Kane.” However, if you’re writing about Ridley Scott’s treatment of relationships between women in the movie “Thelma and Louise,” some reference your own observations about these relationships might be relevant if it adds to your analysis of the film. Personal experience can be especially appropriate in a response paper, or in any kind of assignment that asks about your experience of the work as a reader or viewer. Some film and literature scholars are interested in how a film or literary text is received by different audiences, so a discussion of how a particular viewer or reader experiences or identifies with the piece would probably be appropriate. (See our handouts on writing about fiction , art history , and drama for more information.)

Women’s Studies: Women’s Studies classes tend to be taught from a feminist perspective, a perspective which is generally interested in the ways in which individuals experience gender roles. So personal experience can often serve as evidence for your analytical and argumentative papers in this field. This field is also one in which you might be asked to keep a journal, a kind of writing that requires you to apply theoretical concepts to your experiences.

History: If you’re analyzing a historical period or issue, personal experience is less likely to advance your purpose of objectivity. However, some kinds of historical scholarship do involve the exploration of personal histories. So although you might not be referencing your own experience, you might very well be discussing other people’s experiences as illustrations of their historical contexts. (See our handout on writing in history for more information.)

Sciences: Because the primary purpose is to study data and fixed principles in an objective way, personal experience is less likely to have a place in this kind of writing. Often, as in a lab report, your goal is to describe observations in such a way that a reader could duplicate the experiment, so the less extra information, the better. Of course, if you’re working in the social sciences, case studies—accounts of the personal experiences of other people—are a crucial part of your scholarship. (See our handout on  writing in the sciences for more information.)

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Using “I” in Academic Writing

Traditionally, some fields have frowned on the use of the first-person singular in an academic essay and others have encouraged that use, and both the frowning and the encouraging persist today—and there are good reasons for both positions (see “Should I”).

I recommend that you not look on the question of using “I” in an academic paper as a matter of a rule to follow, as part of a political agenda (see webb), or even as the need to create a strategy to avoid falling into Scylla-or-Charybdis error. Let the first-person singular be, instead, a tool that you take out when you think it’s needed and that you leave in the toolbox when you think it’s not.

Examples of When “I” May Be Needed

• You are narrating how you made a discovery, and the process of your discovering is important or at the very least entertaining.
• You are describing how you teach something and how your students have responded or respond.
• You disagree with another scholar and want to stress that you are not waving the banner of absolute truth.
• You need “I” for rhetorical effect, to be clear, simple, or direct.

Examples of When “I” Should Be Given a Rest

• It’s off-putting to readers, generally, when “I” appears too often. You may not feel one bit modest, but remember the advice of Benjamin Franklin, still excellent, on the wisdom of preserving the semblance of modesty when your purpose is to convince others.
• You are the author of your paper, so if an opinion is expressed in it, it is usually clear that this opinion is yours. You don’t have to add a phrase like, “I believe” or “it seems to me.”

Works Cited

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin . Project Gutenberg , 28 Dec. 2006, www.gutenberg.org/app/uploads/sites/3/20203/20203-h/20203-h.htm#I.

“Should I Use “I”?” The Writing Center at UNC—Chapel Hill , writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/should-i-use-i/.

webb, Christine. “The Use of the First Person in Academic Writing: Objectivity, Language, and Gatekeeping.” ResearchGate , July 1992, doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1992.tb01974.x.

J.S.Beniwal 05 August 2017 AT 09:08 AM

I have borrowed MLA only yesterday, did my MAEnglish in May 2017.MLA is of immense help for scholars.An overview of the book really enlightened​ me.I should have read it at bachelor's degree level.

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Dr. Raymond Harter 25 September 2017 AT 02:09 PM

I discourage the use of "I" in essays for undergraduates to reinforce a conversational tone and to "self-recognize" the writer as an authority or at least a thorough researcher. Writing a play is different than an essay with a purpose.

Osayimwense Osa 22 March 2023 AT 05:03 PM

When a student or writer is strongly and passionately interested in his or her stance and argument to persuade his or her audience, the use of personal pronoun srenghtens his or her passion for the subject. This passion should be clear in his/her expression. However, I encourage the use of the first-person, I, sparingly -- only when and where absolutely necessary.

Eleanor 25 March 2023 AT 04:03 PM

I once had a student use the word "eye" when writing about how to use pronouns. Her peers did not catch it. I made comments, but I think she never understood what eye was saying!

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• Tips & Guides

How To Avoid Using “We,” “You,” And “I” in an Essay

• Posted on October 27, 2022 October 27, 2022

Maintaining a formal voice while writing academic essays and papers is essential to sound objective. 

One of the main rules of academic or formal writing is to avoid first-person pronouns like “we,” “you,” and “I.” These words pull focus away from the topic and shift it to the speaker – the opposite of your goal.

While it may seem difficult at first, some tricks can help you avoid personal language and keep a professional tone.

Let’s learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

What Is a Personal Pronoun?

Pronouns are words used to refer to a noun indirectly. Examples include “he,” “his,” “her,” and “hers.” Any time you refer to a noun – whether a person, object, or animal – without using its name, you use a pronoun.

Personal pronouns are a type of pronoun. A personal pronoun is a pronoun you use whenever you directly refer to the subject of the sentence. 

Take the following short paragraph as an example:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. Mr. Smith also said that Mr. Smith lost Mr. Smith’s laptop in the lunchroom.”

The above sentence contains no pronouns at all. There are three places where you would insert a pronoun, but only two where you would put a personal pronoun. See the revised sentence below:

“Mr. Smith told the class yesterday to work on our essays. He also said that he lost his laptop in the lunchroom.”

“He” is a personal pronoun because we are talking directly about Mr. Smith. “His” is not a personal pronoun (it’s a possessive pronoun) because we are not speaking directly about Mr. Smith. Rather, we are talking about Mr. Smith’s laptop.

If later on you talk about Mr. Smith’s laptop, you may say:

“Mr. Smith found it in his car, not the lunchroom!” 

In this case, “it” is a personal pronoun because in this point of view we are making a reference to the laptop directly and not as something owned by Mr. Smith.

Why Avoid Personal Pronouns in Essay Writing

We’re teaching you how to avoid using “I” in writing, but why is this necessary? Academic writing aims to focus on a clear topic, sound objective, and paint the writer as a source of authority. Word choice can significantly impact your success in achieving these goals.

Writing that uses personal pronouns can unintentionally shift the reader’s focus onto the writer, pulling their focus away from the topic at hand.

Personal pronouns may also make your work seem less objective. 

One of the most challenging parts of essay writing is learning which words to avoid and how to avoid them. Fortunately, following a few simple tricks, you can master the English Language and write like a pro in no time.

Alternatives To Using Personal Pronouns

How to not use “I” in a paper? What are the alternatives? There are many ways to avoid the use of personal pronouns in academic writing. By shifting your word choice and sentence structure, you can keep the overall meaning of your sentences while re-shaping your tone.

Utilize Passive Voice

In conventional writing, students are taught to avoid the passive voice as much as possible, but it can be an excellent way to avoid first-person pronouns in academic writing.

You can use the passive voice to avoid using pronouns. Take this sentence, for example:

“ We used 150 ml of HCl for the experiment.”

Instead of using “we” and the active voice, you can use a passive voice without a pronoun. The sentence above becomes:

“150 ml of HCl were used for the experiment.” 

Using the passive voice removes your team from the experiment and makes your work sound more objective.

Take a Third-Person Perspective

Another answer to “how to avoid using ‘we’ in an essay?” is the use of a third-person perspective. Changing the perspective is a good way to take first-person pronouns out of a sentence. A third-person point of view will not use any first-person pronouns because the information is not given from the speaker’s perspective.

A third-person sentence is spoken entirely about the subject where the speaker is outside of the sentence.

Take a look at the sentence below:

“In this article you will learn about formal writing.”

The perspective in that sentence is second person, and it uses the personal pronoun “you.” You can change this sentence to sound more objective by using third-person pronouns:

“In this article the reader will learn about formal writing.”

The use of a third-person point of view makes the second sentence sound more academic and confident. Second-person pronouns, like those used in the first sentence, sound less formal and objective.

Be Specific With Word Choice

You can avoid first-personal pronouns by choosing your words carefully. Often, you may find that you are inserting unnecessary nouns into your work. 

Take the following sentence as an example:

“ My research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

In this case, the first-person pronoun ‘my’ can be entirely cut out from the sentence. It then becomes:

“Research shows the students did poorly on the test.”

The second sentence is more succinct and sounds more authoritative without changing the sentence structure.

You should also make sure to watch out for the improper use of adverbs and nouns. Being careful with your word choice regarding nouns, adverbs, verbs, and adjectives can help mitigate your use of personal pronouns. 

“They bravely started the French revolution in 1789.” 

While this sentence might be fine in a story about the revolution, an essay or academic piece should only focus on the facts. The world ‘bravely’ is a good indicator that you are inserting unnecessary personal pronouns into your work.

We can revise this sentence into:

“The French revolution started in 1789.” 

Avoid adverbs (adjectives that describe verbs), and you will find that you avoid personal pronouns by default.

Closing Thoughts

In academic writing, It is crucial to sound objective and focus on the topic. Using personal pronouns pulls the focus away from the subject and makes writing sound subjective.

Hopefully, this article has helped you learn how to avoid using “we” in an essay.

When working on any formal writing assignment, avoid personal pronouns and informal language as much as possible.

While getting the hang of academic writing, you will likely make some mistakes, so revising is vital. Always double-check for personal pronouns, plagiarism , spelling mistakes, and correctly cited pieces. 

 You can prevent and correct mistakes using a plagiarism checker at any time, completely for free.

Quetext is a platform that helps you with all those tasks. Check out all resources that are available to you today.

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