just essay synonym

Synonyms of just

• as in exactly
• as in barely
• as in right
• as in simply
• as in lately
• as in justified
• as in logical
• as in honest
• as in honorable
• as in equal
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Thesaurus Definition of just

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Synonyms & Similar Words

• identically
• faultlessly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• differently
• by the skin of one's teeth
• approximately
• more or less
• plus or minus
• significantly
• substantially
• considerably
• unquestionably
• on the nose
• smack - dab
• on the button
• exclusively
• principally
• predominantly
• by and large
• additionally

Thesaurus Definition of just  (Entry 2 of 2)

• appropriate
• uncompromising
• rhadamanthine
• unwarranted
• unreasonable
• unjustified
• inappropriate
• inapplicable
• unjustifiable
• indefensible
• inequitable
• illegitimate
• commonsense
• well - founded
• commonsensical
• commonsensible
• levelheaded
• substantiated
• corroborated
• nonsensical
• unsupported
• nonrational
• unsubstantiated
• implausible
• unconvincing
• right - minded
• commendable
• unobjectionable
• high - minded
• inoffensive
• irreproachable
• sanctimonious
• incorruptible
• incorrupted
• uncorrupted
• law - abiding
• rectitudinous
• pharisaical
• lily - white
• self - righteous
• goody - goody
• dishonorable
• unrighteous
• unscrupulous
• unprincipled
• objectionable
• evil - minded
• blameworthy
• respectable
• conscientious
• unassailable
• unimpeachable
• reprehensible
• blackguardly
• disgraceful
• scoundrelly
• demoralized
• disreputable
• responsible
• conscionable
• trustworthy
• overconscientious
• tried - and - true
• unconscionable
• untrustworthy
• indifferent
• disinterested
• dispassionate
• straightforward
• unprejudiced
• nonpartisan
• nonobjective
• one - sided
• unsympathetic

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective just differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of just are conscientious , honest , honorable , scrupulous , and upright . While all these words mean "having or showing a strict regard for what is morally right," just stresses conscious choice and regular practice of what is right or equitable.

How are the words conscientious and scrupulous related as synonyms of just ?

Both conscientious and scrupulous imply an active moral sense governing all one's actions and painstaking efforts to follow one's conscience.

Where would honest be a reasonable alternative to just ?

In some situations, the words honest and just are roughly equivalent. However, honest stresses adherence to such virtues as truthfulness, candor, or fairness.

When might honorable be a better fit than just ?

While in some cases nearly identical to just , honorable suggests a firm holding to codes of right behavior and the guidance of a high sense of honor and duty.

When is upright a more appropriate choice than just ?

The synonyms upright and just are sometimes interchangeable, but upright implies a strict adherence to moral principles.

Phrases Containing just

• just the same

Articles Related to just

'Would just as soon' vs. 'Would just...

'Would just as soon' vs. 'Would just assume'

One is an idiom; one is an eggcorn.

Thesaurus Entries Near just

Cite this entry.

“Just.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/just. Accessed 24 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on just

Nglish: Translation of just for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of just for Arabic Speakers

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Ways to Replace the Adverb “Just”: A Word List for Writers

I recently posed the following question on Facebook: “What word(s) do you repeat too often in writing and/or dialogue?” One word that appeared numerous times in the thread was just .

There are just so many ways to replace just that I just decided to write a post filled with just alternatives just for all the writers who are just flabbergasted by the glut of just repetitions in their WIPs.

If you had a laugh attack when you read the previous paragraph, you’ll understand why people snicker — or sometimes discontinue reading a book — when they encounter similar passages.

Direct Rep l acements

Like many words in the English language, the adverb just comes with several meanings, each with its own connotations.

The following words and phrases can replace most occurrences.

just , as in bare l y hardly, scarcely, slightly

just , as in exact l y absolutely, accurately, altogether, closely, completely, correctly, entirely, in all respects, in every respect, in every way, perfectly, precisely, quite, thoroughly, totally, unerringly, utterly, wholly

just , as in on l y barely, merely, simply, solely, purely

just , as in recent l y a minute ago, a moment ago, a second ago, a short time ago, freshly, in the past few minutes, in recent times, lately, of late, not long ago

just , as in simp l y absolutely, altogether, clearly, completely, definitely, emphatically, entirely, exactly, indeed, merely, nothing but, perfectly, positively, precisely, purely, quite, really, solely, specifically, totally, truly

Sometimes the Best Approach Is to De l ete Just

Here’s where your writer’s voice can sparkle. It’s unrealistic to remove every occurrence of any word. However, review each occurrence, and you may discover that deletion doesn’t appreciably change the meaning.

Andrea just wants ice cream, no sauce, no sprink l es.

The phrase at the end of the sentence, no sauce, no sprink l es , emphasizes Andrea’s preference, so just is superfluous.

It’s just unbe l ievab l e that they broke up.

Unbe l ievab l e , an absolute adjective , eliminates the need for an adverb of degree.

Just pay attention, and you’ ll l earn the technique.

This statement doesn’t lose its impact without just . However, it would work for dialogue.

He p l ays guitar just as we ll as he p l ays soccer — horrib l y.

This sentence reads smoother with the deletion, and just adds nothing to its meaning.

Her mother to l d her to go to bed. And she did just that .

Deletion of the final phrase makes the sentence more forceful.

Who’s on the phone? It’s just my mother.

Just might be warranted if the speaker is fibbing. However, in most cases, it adds nothing but fluff.

This year just gets worse with every passing day.

Although you might envision people saying this, especially in 1918, 1929, 1939, 2020, and other pivotal years, the deletion of just doesn’t detract from the meaning.

He’ ll just wine you and dine you and drop you.

You might be tempted to keep this just , but the sentence probably reads better without it.

I’ ll just be honest with you — you’re not my type.

During a breakup encounter, people might pad their words while they struggle for the right way to express their thoughts. Therefore, this just might fit your narrative.

It’s just a l itt l e poem he wrote for his mommy.

Readers might interpret this just as disparaging if the comment is made in reference to an adult but not if it involves a child. Does it fit? If not, turf it.

She was just too tired to c l ean up after him again.

Here’s another just that might suit your writer’s voice, but it reads even better as:

She was just too tired to clean up after him. Again.

Note the emphasis provided by the sentence fragment.

C l ichés and Idioms

Here’s where just repetitions often sneak into a WIP. Try to replace them with more concise phrasing. Remember, though, that dialogue should seem realistic .

If you don’t see a just phrase listed here, look for it on the internet. For example, a search for “just a minute” (including quotes) produces millions of results.

in just a minute: anon, immediately, momentarily, presently, right away, shortly, soon

just a question of time: inescapable, inevitable, inexorable, predestined, predictable, unavoidable

just a stone’s throw away: at hand, close, in the neighborhood, in the vicinity, within walking distance

just another pretty face : attractive ignoramus, charming halfwit, good-looking simpleton, gorgeous fool

just around the corner: approaching, at hand, close, imminent, impending, near

just crazy enough to work: bizarre, extraordinary, far-fetched, incredible, unusual, weird, whacky

just for fun: for fun, for a joke, for a laugh, for enjoyment, for no reason, for pleasure

just l ike riding a bicyc l e: comfortable, easy, effortless, second nature, straightforward, uncomplicated

just the same: anyway, even so, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, regardless

just to be safe: as a precaution, as a safeguard, for insurance, with foresight, with prudence

Are You Interested in More Word L ists and Writing Tips?

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15 thoughts on “ Ways to Replace the Adverb “Just”: A Word List for Writers ”

This is so useful! It’s a word I often use in speech to stress something and it’s infected my writing.

And there’s just no vaccine for “just” overuse. 😉

I’m just so glad you popped by, Alex.

Just stay safe, OK?

I will thanks. Hope you’re keeping well

Fab post and ‘just’ examples. LOL kidding! 🙂

Thanks, Debby!

I hope you and your husband are well.

“Just” looks like a terrific resource. Off to order the paperback for easy reference.

Thanks, Donnell.

I need to pin this post up next to my laptop! “Just” and “even” are my most overused words. Used to be “that” and “while.” I’m evolving, JUST not sure into what. LOL!

Very useful post. Thanks, Kathy!

Thanks, Felicia!

I have “even” on my to-do list.

Thank you so much, Kathy.

Overuse of “just” is one of my many weaknesses. To make it worse, I flounder for replacements or solutions.

Today, I am indebted to you!

Thank you again.

I’m so glad I was able to help a little, Zarayna. Stay safe!

Guilty as charged! Just slips into my writing far too often. I’m curious what some of the other responses were to your original question

If you’re on Facebook, check out this thread: https://www.facebook.com/kathysteinemann.author/posts/2284098871734939

Thanks for stopping by, Pete!

Wow! What a useful post. Especially those idioms that just seem too difficult to just get rid of or change!

Thanks, Vivienne. I’m just so happy you just stopped by. 🙂

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adjective as in fair, impartial

Strong match

Weak matches

aloof , blameless , condign , conscientious , decent , dependable , dispassionate , due , equal , ethical , evenhanded , fair-minded , good , honest , honorable , lawful , nondiscriminatory , nonpartisan , objective , pure , reliable , right , righteous , rightful , rigid , scrupulous , strict , tried , true , trustworthy , unbiased , uncolored , upright , virtuous

adjective as in accurate, precise

cogent , correct , exact , faithful , good , justified , normal , proper , regular , right , sound , strict , true , undistorted , veracious , veridical , well-founded , well-grounded

adjective as in suitable, appropriate

apt , befitting , condign , deserved , due , felicitous , fit , fitting , happy , justified , legitimate , meet , merited , proper , reasonable , requisite , right , rightful , well-deserved

adverb as in definitely

Strong matches

exactly , precisely

absolutely , accurately , completely , directly , entirely , expressly , perfectly , right , sharp , smack-dab , square , squarely , unmistakably

adverb as in only now

barely , hardly , scarce , scarcely

a moment ago , almost , approximately , at this moment , by very little , just a while ago , just now , lately , nearly , now , presently , recently , right now

adverb as in merely

but , only , simply

at most , no more than , nothing but , plainly , solely

Discover More

Example sentences.

In the just-released USA Today/Suffolk poll, Roberts trails his opponent by five points.

A just-published study in the journal Nature explored how mice reacted to a diet of artificial sweeteners.

Pamphlets were venues for advocacy and commentary on domestic affairs, but newspapers adopted a pose of just-the-facts neutrality.

(Complete CPAC Coverage) A couple of speakers later, Mike Huckabee revved up the crowd with his just-plain-folks sermonizing.

So every bottle of rowanberry schnaps you see began with thousands of hand-harvest, just-frosted rowanberries.

"Sure," grinned Stanton, with all the deceptive, undauntable optimism of the Just-Awakened.

It is served by a ministerial-looking butler and a just-ready-to-be-ordained footman.

Till now one with sudden hiss: "But-good Christ-just look-why, the roof's leaning—!"

In it were included the names of his brother, of Couthon, and of Saint-Just.

We hurried back for them, forgetting that we had promised ourselves a long just-us talk to bridge the months of separation.

Related Words

Words related to just are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word just . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

adjective as in precise

• discriminating
• discriminative
• matter-of-fact
• on the button
• on the money
• on the nose
• punctilious
• ultraprecise
• unmistakable

adjective as in able or deserving of consideration; allowable

• appropriate
• justifiable
• not impossible
• not unlikely
• permissible

adverb as in completely, without exception

• across-the-board

adjective as in suitable

• appurtenant
• tailor-made
• well-suited

Viewing 5 / 125 related words

On this page you'll find 274 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to just, such as: equitable, aloof, blameless, condign, conscientious, and decent.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Synonyms of 'essay' in British English

Additional synonyms, synonyms of 'essay' in american english.

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Synonyms and antonyms of just in English

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a long trip or holiday taken by car

Apples and oranges (Talking about differences, Part 2)

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4.5 Synonyms and Antonyms

Learning objectives.

• Recognize how synonyms improve writing.
• Identify common antonyms to increase your vocabulary.

As you work with your draft, you will want to pay particular attention to the words you have chosen. Do they express exactly what you are trying to convey? Can you choose better, more effective words? Familiarity with synonyms and antonyms can be helpful in answering these questions.

Synonyms are words that have the same, or almost the same, meaning as another word. You can say an “easy task” or a “simple task” because easy and simple are synonyms. You can say Hong Kong is a “large city” or a “metropolis” because city and metropolis are synonyms.

However, it is important to remember that not all pairs of words in the English language are so easily interchangeable. The slight but important differences in meaning between synonyms can make a big difference in your writing. For example, the words boring and insipid may have similar meanings, but the subtle differences between the two will affect the message your writing conveys. The word insipid evokes a scholarly and perhaps more pretentious message than boring .

The English language is full of pairs of words that have subtle distinctions between them. All writers, professionals and beginners alike, face the challenge of choosing the most appropriate synonym to best convey their ideas. When you pay particular attention to synonyms in your writing, it comes across to your reader. The sentences become much more clear and rich in meaning.

Writing at Work

Any writing you do at work involves a careful choice of words. For example, if you are writing an e-mail to your employer regarding your earnings, you can use the word pay , salary , or hourly wage . There are also other synonyms to choose from. Just keep in mind that the word you choose will have an effect on the reader, so you want to choose wisely to get the desired effect.

Replace the underlined words in the paragraph with appropriate synonyms. Write the new paragraph on your own sheet of paper.

Collaboration

Please share with a classmate and compare your answers.

On your own sheet of paper, write a sentence with each of the following words that illustrates the specific meaning of each synonym.

• leave, abandon
• mad, insane
• outside, exterior
• poor, destitute
• quiet, peaceful
• riot, revolt
• rude, impolite
• talk, conversation
• hug, embrace
• home, residence

Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning of a given word. The study of antonyms will not only help you choose the most appropriate word as you write; it will also sharpen your overall sense of language. Table 4.3 “Common Antonyms” lists common words and their antonyms.

Table 4.3 Common Antonyms

Learning antonyms is an effective way to increase your vocabulary. Memorizing words in combination with or in relation to other words often helps us retain them.

Correct the following sentences by replacing the underlined words with an antonym. Write the antonym on your own sheet of paper.

• The pilot who landed the plane was a coward because no one was injured.
• Even though the botany lecture was two hours long, Gerard found it incredibly dull .
• My mother says it is impolite to say thank you like you really mean it.
• Although I have learned a lot of information through textbooks, it is life experience that has given me ignorance .
• When our instructor said the final paper was compulsory , it was music to my ears!
• My only virtues are coffee, video games, and really loud music.
• Elvin was so bold when he walked in the classroom that he sat in the back row and did not participate.
• Maria thinks elephants who live in freedom have a sad look in their eyes.
• The teacher filled her students’ minds with gloomy thoughts about their futures.
• The guest attended to every one of our needs.

Key Takeaways

• Synonyms are words that have the same, or almost the same, meaning as another word.
• Antonyms are words that have the opposite meaning of another word.
• Choosing the right synonym refines your writing.
• Learning common antonyms sharpens your sense of language and expands your vocabulary.

Writing Application

Write a paragraph that describes your favorite dish or food. Use as many synonyms as you can in the description, even if it seems too many. Be creative. Consult a thesaurus, and take this opportunity to use words you have never used before. Be prepared to share your paragraph.

Writing for Success Copyright © 2015 by University of Minnesota Libraries Publishing is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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10 Other Ways to Say “The Text States” (With Examples)

When analyzing a text or writing about reading, it’s easy to fall into repetitive language like “the text states” over and over. While this phrase isn’t technically wrong, it can make your writing boring for the reader.

Instead, mix it up by using a variety of different phrases to introduce evidence and quotes from the text. This keeps your writing fresh and engaging.

In this blog post, I’ll share different ways to say “the text states” when integrating evidence from reading into your writing. I’ll provide a quick definition and example sentence for each phrase so you can see it in context.

Whether you’re writing an essay for class or analyzing a text as part of a book club or literature discussion, these alternatives to “the text states” will help you smoothly quote the text more dynamically.

Is It Professional to Say “the Text States”?

No, it is not considered professional to overuse the phrase “the text states” in academic writing . While this phrase is direct and clear for introducing a quote or evidence from a text, relying on it too much can make your writing seem repetitive and unsophisticated.

Instead, it is more professional to use a variety of alternative phrases to smoothly integrate quotes and references to the text in your academic work. Phrases like “according to the author” or “as the passage indicates” demonstrate more complex writing skills and make your points flow well.

Varying your language also keeps the reader engaged in your analysis rather than growing tired of seeing the same sentence structure repeated. The occasional use of “the text states” is just fine for clarity.

However academic writing is strengthened when writers use a range of sentence structures and vocabulary , enabling them to express concepts fluidly.

So be sure to break up repetitive phrasing with some of the diverse options available for introducing textual evidence. Your writing will come across more professionally and thoughtfully.

Here is an example text that repetitively uses “the text states”:

In the passage about sea turtles, the text states that these creatures have existed for over 100 million years. The text states that sea turtles migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches where they nest. The text states that sea turtles face many threats from humans, including pollution, habitat loss, and hunting. The text states that six of the seven sea turtle species are classified as vulnerable, endangered, or critically endangered.

• Using “ the text states” clearly attributes information to the source text.
• Repeating this phrase creates consistency in introducing quotes and evidence.
• The repetitive use of “the text states” is monotonous and unsophisticated.
• The writing sounds boring and lacks fluidity due to overusing the same phrase structure.

What to Say Instead of “the text states”

• The document asserts
• The passage claims
• The article articulates
• The writing specifies
• The section mentions
• The manuscript declares
• The narrative describes
• The content reveals
• The excerpt indicates
• The piece conveys

1. The document asserts

“The document asserts” is a formal way to convey that the text presents a clear statement or position on a topic. It implies a level of authority and confidence in the information presented.

This expression is particularly useful in academic or professional writing when referring to official reports, research findings, or authoritative sources.

In her groundbreaking research on climate change, the document asserts that global temperatures have risen by 1.5 degrees Celsius over the past century, highlighting the urgent need for action.

2. The passage claims

“The passage claims” suggests that a specific section of text makes a statement or argument , possibly open to interpretation or debate.

It’s a useful phrase when discussing literary works, essays, or articles that present a particular viewpoint or hypothesis.

In the debate on renewable energy sources, the passage claims that solar power could potentially meet the world’s energy needs, underscoring the importance of investing in solar technology.

3. The article articulates

“The article articulates” indicates that the piece of writing clearly and effectively expresses an idea, opinion, or fact. This expression is ideal for discussing well-written articles that convey their points persuasively and coherently.

The article articulates the need for more inclusive policies in the workplace, arguing that diversity and inclusion are not just moral imperatives but also key drivers of innovation.

4. The writing specifies

“The writing specifies” is used when the text clearly defines or details particular information or instructions. It’s particularly relevant in technical writing , legal documents, or any context where precision and clarity are paramount.

Example: In the instruction manual, the writing specifies the exact steps to safely operate the machinery, ensuring that users can follow the procedures without ambiguity.

5. The section mentions

“The section mentions” is a more casual way to refer to a part of the text that briefly refers to or acknowledges a piece of information without going into extensive detail. It’s useful for pointing out where an idea or topic is introduced in a broader context.

In the discussion on sustainable agriculture, the section mentions the role of organic farming in promoting soil health and biodiversity, though it does not delve deeply into the subject.

6. The manuscript declares

“The manuscript declares” conveys a formal and somewhat grandiose announcement or statement within a document, often used in the context of significant findings, declarations, or proclamations in a scholarly or literary work.

In his latest novel, the manuscript declares the protagonist’s unwavering resolve to overcome adversity, setting the stage for a dramatic narrative of resilience and determination.

7. The narrative describes

“The narrative describes” suggests that the story or account provides detailed descriptions , offering vivid imagery or a thorough explanation of events , settings, or characters. It’s especially fitting for literary analysis or discussions about storytelling.

The narrative describes the bustling streets of Paris in the 1920s with such detail that readers feel as though they are walking alongside the characters, experiencing the city’s vibrant culture and energy.

8. The content reveals

“The content reveals” implies that the text uncovers or discloses information, often something not immediately apparent or previously unknown. It’s a compelling way to discuss texts that provide insights, expose truths, or unveil new findings.

The documentary’s script the content reveals the hidden impacts of plastic pollution on marine life, offering a stark depiction of the environmental crisis facing our oceans.

9. The excerpt indicates

“The excerpt indicates” is used when a particular portion of the text suggests or points to a broader idea, trend, or conclusion. It’s useful for drawing attention to evidence or hints within a text that supports a larger argument or theory.

The excerpt indicates that the author’s views on democracy were heavily influenced by his experiences abroad, hinting at a deeper exploration of political ideologies throughout the book.

10. The piece conveys

“The piece conveys” refers to the overall message or emotion that a piece of writing communicates to its readers. It’s an effective expression for discussing the impact, tone, or underlying themes of a work.

Through its poignant storytelling, the piece conveys a deep sense of longing and nostalgia, evoking strong emotional responses from its audience.

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Ai paraphraser tool.

Our AI paraphraser tool is designed to help you effortlessly create high-quality, unique content. It utilizes advanced algorithms to accurately paraphrase text, ensuring that the meaning remains intact while the wording is entirely original. With this innovative tool, you can streamline the process of generating synonym-rich essays, enhancing the overall quality and appeal of your content.

By employing our AI paraphraser, you can significantly expedite the creation of synonym-rich essays. It empowers you to efficiently rephrase content, enabling you to produce captivating essays in a fraction of the time it would take through traditional methods.

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Our online paraphraser is a game-changing solution for individuals seeking to elevate the quality of their essays. With its user-friendly interface, you can effortlessly input your text and receive impeccably paraphrased results in no time. This tool serves as a reliable resource for transforming ordinary essays into compelling, synonym-rich compositions.

Utilizing our online paraphraser for text provides unparalleled convenience and efficiency. It allows you to effortlessly refine your essays, infusing them with a diverse range of synonyms that enrich the overall quality and impact of your content.

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Our effortless text paraphraser is the ultimate solution for anyone in search of a seamless means to enhance their essays. It offers a straightforward approach to effortlessly rephrasing content, providing a quick and reliable method for creating synonym-rich essays that resonate with readers. With this innovative tool at your disposal, you can effortlessly elevate the quality of your essays, captivating your audience with engaging, original content.

The text paraphrase tool empowers you to effortlessly infuse your essays with a diverse array of synonyms, elevating the overall quality and impact of your content. It eliminates the complexities of manual paraphrasing, streamlining the process and enabling you to produce top-tier essays with unparalleled ease.

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Paraphrase a text with precision.

When you paraphrase a text, it's crucial to ensure that the essence of the original content is preserved while using different wording. Focus on capturing the core message and ideas, then employ synonyms to convey the same meaning in a unique manner. This precision is key to creating impactful, synonym-rich essays that captivate readers.

Utilizing the best paraphraser tools enables you to effortlessly paraphrase a text with precision, delivering exceptional results and ensuring that the essence of the original content remains intact while the wording is transformed.

Mastering Auto Paraphraser Techniques

Mastering auto paraphraser techniques involves understanding how to effectively utilize the tool to enhance your essays. Familiarize yourself with the features and functionalities of the paraphraser generator, ensuring that you can leverage its capabilities to effortlessly produce high-quality, synonym-rich content. With mastery of these techniques, you can streamline the process of creating compelling essays with ease.

Harnessing the Power of AI Text Paraphrase

Harnessing the power of AI text paraphrase tools empowers you to refine your essays with unparalleled efficiency. Embrace the capabilities of AI-driven paraphrasing to effortlessly infuse your content with diverse synonyms, elevating the overall quality and impact of your essays. This approach enables you to harness the full potential of AI technology, enhancing the appeal of your content.

Utilize Automatic Paraphraser Effectively

Effectively utilizing an automatic paraphraser involves understanding its functionalities and optimizing its use to refine your essays. By leveraging the automatic paraphraser's capabilities, you can expedite the process of creating synonym-rich content, ensuring that your essays resonate with readers. Embrace this tool to streamline your workflow and produce exceptional essays effortlessly.

Maximizing the Benefits of Text Paraphrase Online

Maximizing the benefits of text paraphrase online entails leveraging its convenience and efficiency to elevate the quality of your essays. Embrace this tool to effortlessly infuse your content with a rich variety of synonyms, enhancing the overall impact and appeal of your essays. By maximizing the potential of text paraphrase online, you can create captivating, original content effortlessly.

Unlock Creativity with Synonym Essay Generator

Discover the endless possibilities offered by a synonym essay generator. Explore different scenarios and witness how this powerful tool can elevate the quality of your content, making your essays truly remarkable.

Craft an engaging essay on the impact of technology on society.

In today's digital age, technology has permeated every aspect of society, reshaping the way we live, work, and interact. The profound impact of technology on society is undeniable, presenting both opportunities and challenges that warrant in-depth exploration. By delving into the intricate relationship between technology and society, we can uncover a myriad of compelling insights that shed light on the transformative influence of technological advancements.

As we embark on crafting an engaging essay on this topic, it's essential to capture the nuances of technology's impact on various facets of society. From communication and education to healthcare and beyond, technology has revolutionized the way we navigate the world, presenting a wealth of material to be explored and synthesized. By synthesizing diverse perspectives and leveraging the power of synonyms, we can breathe life into our essay, offering a fresh and captivating narrative that resonates with readers.

Embracing the synonym essay generator allows us to infuse our content with an array of impactful synonyms, elevating the richness and depth of our essay. This tool empowers us to effortlessly craft an essay that captivates readers, offering fresh perspectives and originality that set our content apart. By harnessing the capabilities of the synonym essay generator, we can create a compelling narrative that illuminates the intricate interplay between technology and society, fostering a deeper understanding of this complex relationship.

Crafting an essay on the impact of technology on society provides an opportunity to showcase the power of language and storytelling. Through skillful use of synonyms and the adept application of the synonym essay generator, we can weave a narrative that engages, informs, and inspires. The result is an essay that not only educates but also resonates with readers, leaving a lasting impression and sparking meaningful conversations about the profound impact of technology on society.

In conclusion, the synonym essay generator serves as a catalyst for unlocking creativity and elevating the quality of our essays. By embracing its capabilities, we can craft compelling narratives that delve into the intricate dynamics of technology and society, offering fresh perspectives and thought-provoking insights. Let us embark on this journey of exploration, leveraging the synonym essay generator to create essays that leave an indelible mark on readers, shaping a deeper understanding of the impact of technology on society.

Produce an academic paper discussing the implications of climate change on global ecosystems.

The implications of climate change on global ecosystems are of paramount importance, demanding comprehensive analysis and scholarly discourse. As we delve into producing an academic paper on this crucial topic, it's imperative to synthesize a broad spectrum of research and evidence, illuminating the far-reaching consequences of environmental shifts on diverse ecosystems. Our academic paper serves as a platform to explore the intricate interconnections between climate change and global ecosystems, offering valuable insights into the ecological challenges we face.

By leveraging the capabilities of the synonym essay generator, we can enrich our academic paper with a diverse array of synonyms that enhance clarity and depth. This tool empowers us to craft scholarly discourse that is both informative and engaging, elevating the impact of our paper and amplifying the significance of our findings. Through skillful integration of synonyms, we can present a nuanced perspective on the implications of climate change, fostering a deeper understanding of its multifaceted effects on global ecosystems.

Producing an academic paper on the implications of climate change on global ecosystems underscores the pivotal role of language in conveying complex concepts and scientific findings. With the aid of the synonym essay generator, we can articulate our insights with precision and eloquence, ensuring that our scholarly discourse resonates with readers and contributes to the ongoing dialogue about environmental sustainability. This tool equips us to present a rigorous examination of climate change's implications, sparking meaningful discourse and inspiring action to address these pressing ecological challenges.

Our academic paper represents an opportunity to leverage the power of language in advocating for the conservation and preservation of global ecosystems. Through judicious use of synonyms and the innovative capabilities of the synonym essay generator, we can craft a paper that not only informs but also inspires action and fosters a deeper appreciation for the intricate web of life on our planet. Let us embark on this academic journey, harnessing the potential of the synonym essay generator to produce a scholarly discourse that resonates with the urgency of addressing climate change and safeguarding global ecosystems.

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Academic Essay Writing Made Simple: 4 types and tips

The pen is mightier than the sword, they say, and nowhere is this more evident than in academia. From the quick scribbles of eager students to the inquisitive thoughts of renowned scholars, academic essays depict the power of the written word. These well-crafted writings propel ideas forward and expand the existing boundaries of human intellect.

What is an Academic Essay

An academic essay is a nonfictional piece of writing that analyzes and evaluates an argument around a specific topic or research question. It serves as a medium to share the author’s views and is also used by institutions to assess the critical thinking, research skills, and writing abilities of a students and researchers.  

Importance of Academic Essays

4 main types of academic essays.

While academic essays may vary in length, style, and purpose, they generally fall into four main categories. Despite their differences, these essay types share a common goal: to convey information, insights, and perspectives effectively.

1. Expository Essay

2. Descriptive Essay

3. Narrative Essay

4. Argumentative Essay

Expository and persuasive essays mainly deal with facts to explain ideas clearly. Narrative and descriptive essays are informal and have a creative edge. Despite their differences, these essay types share a common goal ― to convey information, insights, and perspectives effectively.

Expository Essays: Illuminating ideas

An expository essay is a type of academic writing that explains, illustrates, or clarifies a particular subject or idea. Its primary purpose is to inform the reader by presenting a comprehensive and objective analysis of a topic.

By breaking down complex topics into digestible pieces and providing relevant examples and explanations, expository essays allow writers to share their knowledge.

What are the Key Features of an Expository Essay

Provides factual information without bias

Presents multiple viewpoints while maintaining objectivity

Uses direct and concise language to ensure clarity for the reader

Composed of a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion

When is an expository essay written.

1. For academic assignments to evaluate the understanding of research skills.

2. As instructional content to provide step-by-step guidance for tasks or problem-solving.

3. In journalism for objective reporting in news or investigative pieces.

4. As a form of communication in the professional field to convey factual information in business or healthcare.

How to Write an Expository Essay

Expository essays are typically structured in a logical and organized manner.

1. Topic Selection and Research

• Choose a topic that can be explored objectively
• Gather relevant facts and information from credible sources
• Develop a clear thesis statement

2. Outline and Structure

• Create an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
• Introduce the topic and state the thesis in the introduction
• Dedicate each body paragraph to a specific point supporting the thesis
• Use transitions to maintain a logical flow

3. Objective and Informative Writing

• Maintain an impartial and informative tone
• Avoid personal opinions or biases
• Support points with factual evidence, examples, and explanations

4. Conclusion

• Summarize the key points
• Reinforce the significance of the thesis

Descriptive Essays: Painting with words

Descriptive essays transport readers into vivid scenes, allowing them to experience the world through the writer ‘s lens. These essays use rich sensory details, metaphors, and figurative language to create a vivid and immersive experience . Its primary purpose is to engage readers’ senses and imagination.

It allows writers to demonstrate their ability to observe and describe subjects with precision and creativity.

What are the Key Features of Descriptive Essay

Employs figurative language and imagery to paint a vivid picture for the reader

Demonstrates creativity and expressiveness in narration

Includes close attention to detail, engaging the reader’s senses

Engages the reader’s imagination and emotions through immersive storytelling using analogies, metaphors, similes, etc.

When is a descriptive essay written.

1. Personal narratives or memoirs that describe significant events, people, or places.

2. Travel writing to capture the essence of a destination or experience.

3. Character sketches in fiction writing to introduce and describe characters.

4. Poetry or literary analyses to explore the use of descriptive language and imagery.

How to Write a Descriptive Essay

The descriptive essay lacks a defined structural requirement but typically includes: an introduction introducing the subject, a thorough description, and a concluding summary with insightful reflection.

1. Subject Selection and Observation

• Choose a subject (person, place, object, or experience) to describe
• Gather sensory details and observations

2. Engaging Introduction

• Set the scene and provide the context
• Use of descriptive language and figurative techniques

3. Descriptive Body Paragraphs

• Focus on specific aspects or details of the subject
• Engage the reader ’s senses with vivid imagery and descriptions
• Maintain a consistent tone and viewpoint

4. Impactful Conclusion

• Provide a final impression or insight
• Leave a lasting impact on the reader

Narrative Essays: Storytelling in Action

Narrative essays are personal accounts that tell a story, often drawing from the writer’s own experiences or observations. These essays rely on a well-structured plot, character development, and vivid descriptions to engage readers and convey a deeper meaning or lesson.

What are the Key features of Narrative Essays

Written from a first-person perspective and hence subjective

Based on real personal experiences

Uses an informal and expressive tone

Presents events and characters in sequential order

When is a narrative essay written.

It is commonly assigned in high school and college writing courses to assess a student’s ability to convey a meaningful message or lesson through a personal narrative. They are written in situations where a personal experience or story needs to be recounted, such as:

1. Reflective essays on significant life events or personal growth.

2. Autobiographical writing to share one’s life story or experiences.

3. Creative writing exercises to practice narrative techniques and character development.

4. College application essays to showcase personal qualities and experiences.

How to Write a Narrative Essay

Narrative essays typically follow a chronological structure, with an introduction that sets the scene, a body that develops the plot and characters, and a conclusion that provides a sense of resolution or lesson learned.

1. Experience Selection and Reflection

• Choose a significant personal experience or event
• Reflect on the impact and deeper meaning

2. Immersive Introduction

• Introduce characters and establish the tone and point of view

3. Plotline and Character Development

• Advance   the  plot and character development through body paragraphs
• Incorporate dialog , conflict, and resolution
• Maintain a logical and chronological flow

4. Insightful Conclusion

• Reflect on lessons learned or insights gained
• Leave the reader with a lasting impression

Argumentative Essays: Persuasion and Critical Thinking

Argumentative essays are the quintessential form of academic writing in which writers present a clear thesis and support it with well-researched evidence and logical reasoning. These essays require a deep understanding of the topic, critical analysis of multiple perspectives, and the ability to construct a compelling argument.

What are the Key Features of an Argumentative Essay?

Logical and well-structured arguments

Credible and relevant evidence from reputable sources

Consideration and refutation of counterarguments

Critical analysis and evaluation of the issue 

When is an argumentative essay written.

Argumentative essays are written to present a clear argument or stance on a particular issue or topic. In academic settings they are used to develop critical thinking, research, and persuasive writing skills. However, argumentative essays can also be written in various other contexts, such as:

1. Opinion pieces or editorials in newspapers, magazines, or online publications.

2. Policy proposals or position papers in government, nonprofit, or advocacy settings.

3. Persuasive speeches or debates in academic, professional, or competitive environments.

4. Marketing or advertising materials to promote a product, service, or idea.

How to write an Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays begin with an introduction that states the thesis and provides context. The body paragraphs develop the argument with evidence, address counterarguments, and use logical reasoning. The conclusion restates the main argument and makes a final persuasive appeal.

• Choose a debatable and controversial issue
• Conduct thorough research and gather evidence and counterarguments

2. Thesis and Introduction

• Craft a clear and concise thesis statement
• Provide background information and establish importance

3. Structured Body Paragraphs

• Focus each paragraph on a specific aspect of the argument
• Support with logical reasoning, factual evidence, and refutation

4. Persuasive Techniques

• Adopt a formal and objective tone
• Use persuasive techniques (rhetorical questions, analogies, appeals)

5. Impactful Conclusion

• Summarize the main points
• Leave the reader with a strong final impression and call to action

To learn more about argumentative essay, check out this article .

5 Quick Tips for Researchers to Improve Academic Essay Writing Skills

Use clear and concise language to convey ideas effectively without unnecessary words

Use well-researched, credible sources to substantiate your arguments with data, expert opinions, and scholarly references

Ensure a coherent structure with effective transitions, clear topic sentences, and a logical flow to enhance readability 

To elevate your academic essay, consider submitting your draft to a community-based platform like Open Platform  for editorial review 

Review your work multiple times for clarity, coherence, and adherence to academic guidelines to ensure a polished final product

By mastering the art of academic essay writing, researchers and scholars can effectively communicate their ideas, contribute to the advancement of knowledge, and engage in meaningful scholarly discourse.

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How-To Geek

How to make only one page landscape in a word document.

Sometimes landscape is just the way to go.

Quick Links

Turn specific pages landscape by inserting a break, change specific pages to landscape with page setup.

By default, Microsoft Word orients its pages in portrait view. While this is fine in most situations, you may have page or group of pages that would look better in landscape view. Here are two ways to make this happen.

Regardless of which method you use, be aware that if the text runs over to an extra page as a result of the rotation, that new page will also adopt the landscape orientation.

You can make a page or group of pages landscape by using section breaks , but there are slight differences in how to do this depending on the position of those pages in your document.

Enable Show/Hide

Unless you change your settings, section breaks are invisible pagination controls and can cause confusion if you forget where you've added them. To make them visible, click the Show/Hide (¶) icon in the Paragraph group of the Home tab.

Re-orientate the First Page or Pages

Place your cursor at the end of the page or pages you want to change to landscape. In the Layout tab, click "Breaks," and choose "Next Page." This inserts a next page section break in your document.

With your cursor on the first page (before the section break you just added), in the Layout tab, click "Orientation," and pick "Landscape."

This changes the first page or group of pages (depending on where you added your section break) to landscape.

Re-orientate Pages in the Middle of Your Document

If you have three or more pages, and you need to change the middle page or pages to landscape, place your cursor at the start of the first page you want to change. Then, as before, in the Layout tab, click "Breaks" and "Next Page." This inserts a section break at the start of the pages you want to re-orientate.

Next, with your cursor at the beginning of the new section you have just created, head to the Layout tab, click "Orientation," and then click "Landscape." This changes the current and all subsequent pages to landscape view.

But, as you only want certain pages in the middle of your document to be landscape, you'll need to add a second page break at the end of your landscape section.

Then, click anywhere after this new section break, and use the Orientation option in the Layout tab to turn the remaining pages to portrait, leaving the pages in between your section breaks in landscape view.

Re-orientate the Last Page or Pages

To change the end of your document to landscape, simply place your cursor at the start of this final section, add a next page section break here, and change the orientation accordingly (using the same steps as outlined above).

To delete a section break, place your cursor before the paragraph marker (¶), and press Delete.

Another way to convert a page or a number of adjacent pages from portrait to landscape in Word is to select the content and turn only those pages manually. This method works with text, images , tables, and other items you have on the page.

Select all items on the page or pages you want to rotate 90 degrees. If you have text, drag your cursor through all of it. If you have an image, table, chart, or another type of object, simply select it.

In the Layout tab, click the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the Page Setup group.

In the Page Setup dialog box that opens, confirm that you're on the Margins tab . In the Orientation section, choose "Landscape." Then, at the bottom, change the "Apply To" drop-down choice to "Selected Text," and click "OK."

When the dialog box closes, you will see the pages you selected turn to landscape view.

While this method is the simplest, you may run into difficulties. For instance, if you have an image or table with text wrapped around it , changing the page's orientation may alter its layout. Also, you might run into difficulties if you want to add more landscape pages to your document. The most structurally secure way to change page orientation is through the first method described at the top of this article.

If you use Google Docs, you can change the page orientation in Google Docs just as easily.

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Officials change course amid outrage over bail terms for Indian teen accused in fatal drunk driving accident

By Arshad R. Zargar

May 22, 2024 / 1:37 PM EDT / CBS News

New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.

He is accused of killing two young people while speeding in his luxury car on Sunday in the western Indian city of Pune.

The lenient bail conditions initially imposed by the local Juvenile Justice Board shocked many people, including officials, across India. The local police approached the board with an appeal to cancel his bail and seeking permission to treat the boy, who is just four months shy of his 18th birthday, as an adult, arguing that his alleged crime was heinous in nature.

In 2015, India changed its laws to allow minors between 16 and 18 years of age to be tried as adults if they're accused of crimes deemed heinous. The change was prompted by the notorious 2012  Delhi rape case , in which one of the convicts was a minor. Many activists argued that if he was old enough to commit a brutal rape, he should not be treated as a minor.

On Wednesday night, after three days of outrage over the initial decision, the Juvenile Justice Board canceled the teen's bail and sent him to a juvenile detention center until June 5. It said a decision on whether he could be tried as an adult, which would see him face a more serious potential sentence, would be taken after further investigation.

Late Sunday night, police say the teen, after drinking with friends at two local bars in Pune, left in his Porsche Taycan, speeding through narrow roads and allegedly hitting a motorcycle, sending the two victims — a male and female, both 24-year-old software engineers — flying into the air and killing them.

The parents of both victims have urged authorities to ensure a strict punishment for the teen.

The suspect was first charged with causing death by negligence, but that was changed to a more serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. On Wednesday he was also charged with drunk driving offenses.

Police have arrested the suspect's father and accused him of allowing his son to drive despite being underage, according to Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar. The legal age for driving in India is 18. Owners of the two bars where the minor was served alcohol have also been arrested and their premises seized.

"We have adopted the most stringent possible approach, and we shall do whatever is at our command to ensure that the two young lives that were lost get justice, and the accused gets duly punished," Kumar said.

Maharashtra state's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had described the original decision of the Juvenile Justice Board as "lenient" and "shocking," and called the public outrage a reasonable reaction.

Road accidents claimed more than 168,000 lives in India in 2022. More than 1,500 of those people died in accidents caused by drunk driving, according to Indian government data.

Under Indian law, a person convicted of drunk driving can face a maximum punishment of six months in prison and a fine of about $120 for a first offense. If, however, the drunk driving leads to the death of another person, the offender can face two to seven years in prison.

• Deadly Crash
• Deadly Hit And Run
• Drunk Driving

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A.I.’s Black Boxes Just Got a Little Less Mysterious

Researchers at the A.I. company Anthropic claim to have found clues about the inner workings of large language models, possibly helping to prevent their misuse and to curb their potential threats.

• Share full article

By Kevin Roose

Reporting from San Francisco

One of the weirder, more unnerving things about today’s leading artificial intelligence systems is that nobody — not even the people who build them — really knows how the systems work.

That’s because large language models, the type of A.I. systems that power ChatGPT and other popular chatbots, are not programmed line by line by human engineers, as conventional computer programs are.

Instead, these systems essentially learn on their own, by ingesting vast amounts of data and identifying patterns and relationships in language, then using that knowledge to predict the next words in a sequence.

One consequence of building A.I. systems this way is that it’s difficult to reverse-engineer them or to fix problems by identifying specific bugs in the code. Right now, if a user types “Which American city has the best food?” and a chatbot responds with “Tokyo,” there’s no real way of understanding why the model made that error, or why the next person who asks may receive a different answer.

And when large language models do misbehave or go off the rails, nobody can really explain why. (I encountered this problem last year when a Bing chatbot acted in an unhinged way during an interaction with me. Not even top executives at Microsoft could tell me with any certainty what had gone wrong.)

The inscrutability of large language models is not just an annoyance but a major reason some researchers fear that powerful A.I. systems could eventually become a threat to humanity.

After all, if we can’t understand what’s happening inside these models, how will we know if they can be used to create novel bioweapons, spread political propaganda or write malicious computer code for cyberattacks? If powerful A.I. systems start to disobey or deceive us, how can we stop them if we can’t understand what’s causing that behavior in the first place?

To address these problems, a small subfield of A.I. research known as “mechanistic interpretability” has spent years trying to peer inside the guts of A.I. language models. The work has been slow going, and progress has been incremental.

There has also been growing resistance to the idea that A.I. systems pose much risk at all. Last week, two senior safety researchers at OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, left the company amid conflict with executives about whether the company was doing enough to make its products safe.

But this week, a team of researchers at the A.I. company Anthropic announced what they called a major breakthrough — one they hope will give us the ability to understand more about how A.I. language models actually work, and to possibly prevent them from becoming harmful.

The team summarized its findings in a blog post called “ Mapping the Mind of a Large Language Model .”

The researchers looked inside one of Anthropic’s A.I. models — Claude 3 Sonnet, a version of the company’s Claude 3 language model — and used a technique known as “dictionary learning” to uncover patterns in how combinations of neurons, the mathematical units inside the A.I. model, were activated when Claude was prompted to talk about certain topics. They identified roughly 10 million of these patterns, which they call “features.”

They found that one feature, for example, was active whenever Claude was asked to talk about San Francisco. Other features were active whenever topics like immunology or specific scientific terms, such as the chemical element lithium, were mentioned. And some features were linked to more abstract concepts, like deception or gender bias.

They also found that manually turning certain features on or off could change how the A.I. system behaved, or could get the system to even break its own rules.

For example, they discovered that if they forced a feature linked to the concept of sycophancy to activate more strongly, Claude would respond with flowery, over-the-top praise for the user, including in situations where flattery was inappropriate.

Chris Olah, who led the Anthropic interpretability research team, said in an interview that these findings could allow A.I. companies to control their models more effectively.

“We’re discovering features that may shed light on concerns about bias, safety risks and autonomy,” he said. “I’m feeling really excited that we might be able to turn these controversial questions that people argue about into things we can actually have more productive discourse on.”

Other researchers have found similar phenomena in small- and medium-size language models. But Anthropic’s team is among the first to apply these techniques to a full-size model.

Jacob Andreas, an associate professor of computer science at M.I.T., who reviewed a summary of Anthropic’s research, characterized it as a hopeful sign that large-scale interpretability might be possible.

“In the same way that understanding basic things about how people work has helped us cure diseases, understanding how these models work will both let us recognize when things are about to go wrong and let us build better tools for controlling them,” he said.

Mr. Olah, the Anthropic research leader, cautioned that while the new findings represented important progress, A.I. interpretability was still far from a solved problem.

For starters, he said, the largest A.I. models most likely contain billions of features representing distinct concepts — many more than the 10 million or so features that Anthropic’s team claims to have discovered. Finding them all would require enormous amounts of computing power and would be too costly for all but the richest A.I. companies to attempt.

Even if researchers were to identify every feature in a large A.I. model, they would still need more information to understand the full inner workings of the model. There is also no guarantee that A.I. companies would act to make their systems safer.

Still, Mr. Olah said, even prying open these A.I. black boxes a little bit could allow companies, regulators and the general public to feel more confident that these systems can be controlled.

“There are lots of other challenges ahead of us, but the thing that seemed scariest no longer seems like a roadblock,” he said.

Kevin Roose is a Times technology columnist and a host of the podcast " Hard Fork ." More about Kevin Roose

Explore Our Coverage of Artificial Intelligence

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