A thesaurus can be an outstanding tool to develop your writing. For writers and students who aim to be better in writing, a thesaurus can be a big help to express words that totally complement what they have in mind.
In improving diction, it can provide useful support that is more vibrant and sensory. It will allow them to cut adverbs and adjectives that can clutter their drafts, offering the more direct and active language.
So, as a writer and a student, a thesaurus can help you produce stronger, clearer language. Be careful, though. A thesaurus can also lead to weak, pompous, or obscure language. Read these suggestions for when is the right time to use a thesaurus:
When to Use a Thesaurus
- To nudge your memory: when you can’t say the right word
- To have choices and not settle on words that come first to your mind
- To get rid of an unsuccessful repetition: finding another term that occurs too frequently
- To find out that, when you compare it to its synonyms, you do not have the right word to start with
- To discover adjectives that say what you think
- To find that you don’t know what you’re talking about yet
- To find good, accurate verbs that can be seen, heard, and felt by a reader and allow me to get rid of adverbs
- To find strong, accurate nouns that cut to the chase and allow a reader to see, hear and feel
Remember that using a thesaurus is to enrich your writing, not to search obscure multisyllabic phrases. If you are not one hundred percent sure about the use and its meaning, never use it when you are writing. Simple, direct, and active is the language of good writing. Pay attention to limp, colorless verbs.
Suppose you are ready and sure about using a thesaurus. In that case, Power Thesaurus is an online community-driven thesaurus that you can access on most browsers, and if you want to make it easier, you can download the mobile apps for quick search wherever you are.
Now, as thesaurus can help make your writing better and clearer, how can this be a big help to writers and students?
Should Writers Use Thesaurus?
Writers often brag about their refined vocabularies. Some of them swear that they never use glossaries in a thesaurus or other alternate forms. It is a heresy and dishonor to apply these tools, according to others. But should writers use a thesaurus?
Yes, if they can’t pick the most precise word by themselves, authors should use a reference book. In their texts, it can bring a variety of words that will cause them to seem more attractive and aesthetic. They can even write what they truly want to say when they find it difficult to find the right words.
It is bizarre to ignore such a tool for the sake of being a pure writer. Not only can the thesaurus make your writing sound better, but it will also make your editor’s tasks much easier.
The only downside to using these techniques is that writers can take a step too far and sound smarter using the ‘big terms.’ That will make their writing appear less coherent and more repelling to readers. So, when applying this mighty tool, be smart, and don’t overuse it.
Should Students Use Thesaurus?
One of the most useful tools that any English learner can possess is a thesaurus regardless of their level. By simply using it to learn a new word each day, beginners can use it to expand their vocabulary. Thesaurus-based activities can also help inexperienced students learn fresh vocabulary and formulate clearer and easier sentences. To improve the consistency of their writing and speaking skills, intermediate and advanced students may use a thesaurus.
A simple to access a list of synonyms will dramatically impact any writing task a student has. It also makes their writing sound more real, particularly if the assignment is a creative writing one. It is a must-have instrument for any student, as developing a broad vocabulary as early as possible would be a key asset for a writer. It may also make the difference between someone who sounds like a natural speaker and someone who is “pretty good” at speaking English.
Remember, though, by overusing a thesaurus while performing a writing task can make your content plain and feel dull. Overusing pretentious terms or giving too large a portion of descriptions can make writing difficult to read and even give an awkward feeling. It is a great tool to build vocabulary, but it should be used properly when used for writing purposes as it can have an adverse effect.
If you are looking for the best and easy thesaurus to use in your writing, check out Power Thesaurus today.
Louie is the father behind the travel blog Browseeverywhere.com. He has a background in photography, E-commerce, and writing product reviews online at ConsumerReviews24. Traveling full time with his family was his ultimate past-time. If he’s not typing at his laptop, you can probably find him watching movies.
