The Kite Runner Essay

DEAD WORDS

ALTERNATIVES

YOU

THERE ARE NO ALTERNATIVES! DO NOT WRITE IN SECOND PERSON…unless instructed to do so.

a lot, lots

Numerous, innumerable, much, many, a great deal, many times, often, substantial, significant. ample, abundant, enough, excessive

awesome, cool

exceptional, excellent, outstanding, impressive

big/huge

sizable, immense, massive, tremendous, enormous

funny

amusing, comical, laughable, jovial, strange, peculiar, unusual

get/got

receive, obtain, attain, acquire, develop, become

good

excellent, exceptional, fine, marvelous, splendid, superb, wonderful

guy

man, person, fellow, boy, individual

kid

child, boy, girl, youth, teen, teenager, adolescent

kind of/sort of

Somewhat, slightly, rather, variance, variation, variety, alteration. shade of difference

like

such as, similar to, similarly

mad

angry, frustrated, furious, incensed, enraged, irate, indignant

nice

pleasant, charming, fascinating, captivating, delightful, pleasurable, pleasing

sad

despondent, melancholy, dejected, disappointed

scared

afraid, fearful, terrified, frightened, timid, diffident

things

Be specific about what “things” you are referring to

very

extremely, exceedingly, unusually, incredibly, intensely, truly, fully, especially, shockingly, bitterly, infinitely, severely, surely, chiefly

says

exemplifies, argues, instigates, replies, admits, points out

But (use sparingly—especially in the beginning of a sentence)

however, moreover, yet, still, nevertheless, though, although, on the other had

So (use sparingly—especially in the beginning of a sentence)

thus, according, therefore

Show (use sparingly)

display, portray, illustrate, exhibit, depict

Also (use sparingly)

Too, moreover, in addition, as well as, besides