Replace Vague Words With Exact Ones
Thirty-two easy ways to replace vague words with exact ones, so people know exactly what you mean.
Exact words build trust. Vague words build confusion.
40 tips that really help
These ideas come from The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie), Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo), Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath), and everyday practice. Pick one tip and try it today.
Exact words build trust
“Soon”, “a lot” and “some” leave listeners guessing. “By Friday at noon”, “forty people” and “three options” tell them exactly what you mean, and exact speakers sound reliable.
Replace one vague word in your next message with a number or a name.
Spot your vague words
Common offenders are “stuff”, “things”, “a bit”, “pretty good”, “soon” and “sometimes”. Highlight them in a recent email and you will see how many there are.
Mark five vague words in something you wrote this week.
Swap "soon" for a time
“I will send it soon” worries people. “I will send it by 3 pm Thursday” calms them. A time is a promise people can plan around.
Give a date and time in your next promise.
Swap "a lot" for a number
“A lot of customers” is fuzzy. “Two hundred customers” is concrete. If you do not know the exact number, give a range.
Replace “many” with a real figure or a range.
Swap "good" for what is good
“It was good” says little. “The food arrived hot and the staff remembered our names” tells a story. Specific praise is more useful and more sincere.
Describe one good thing in three specific details.
Swap "problem" for the problem
“We have a problem” worries everyone. “The printer jams every time we load heavy paper” can be solved. Name it.
Describe a problem in one precise sentence.
Swap "thing" for its name
“Pass me the thing” is a game of charades. Name the object, the task or the idea. Names make speech efficient.
Catch yourself using “thing” and replace it.
Swap "stuff" for categories
“Stuff to do” becomes “emails, one report, two calls”. Lists are clearer than clouds.
List items instead of saying “stuff”.
Swap "kind of" for the real description
If something is “kind of annoying”, say how: “It beeps every five minutes.” Exactness lets people help you.
Rewrite a hedged sentence with a precise detail.
Swap "nice" for the real feeling
“Nice” is the word we use when we are not looking. “Warm”, “calm”, “friendly” or “thoughtful” are more truthful.
Replace “nice” three times today.
Swap "interesting" for why
“That was interesting” can mean anything. “That changed how I think about sleep” shows what happened inside you.
Say what made it interesting.
Swap "they" for names
“They said we should change it” leaves doubt. “The finance team said to change the budget” is clear. Name the actor.
Name who you mean.
Swap "it" for the noun
If it is not obvious what “it” refers to, say the noun again. Repeating a noun is better than confusing someone.
Replace one “it” with the noun.
Use dates not days
“Next Tuesday” can be ambiguous. “Tuesday 14 May” removes doubt. It helps across time zones too.
State dates in full when planning.
Use time zones
If you work across regions, “3 pm London time” avoids mistakes. A few words save hours.
Add the time zone to your next meeting invite.
Use units
“Large” and “heavy” depend on who is speaking. “Two metres wide” and “ten kilos” are exact. Units stop guessing.
Add units to one description.
Use comparisons
“As big as a football pitch” or “as long as a bus” turns numbers into pictures. Comparisons make exact words memorable.
Add one comparison to a number.
Use names and places
“A colleague in Leeds, Priya” is more real than “someone”. Specifics build credibility.
Add a name or place to your next story.
Use sensory detail
What did you see, hear, smell, taste or touch? One sensory detail makes any story vivid.
Add one sensory detail to a story.
Concrete beats abstract
The Heath brothers, in Made to Stick, argue that concrete language is a key reason ideas stick. “Every child will have a laptop” beats “improve education”.
Replace one abstract phrase with a concrete image.
Use the "for example" habit
After any general statement, add “for example” and give one. It instantly makes it clearer.
Say “for example” after your next claim.
Define your terms
“Success” means different things. Say what it means in this context. Shared definitions prevent arguments.
Define one key word in your next discussion.
Agree on numbers
“Fast” or “cheap” need a number. “Under two seconds” or “under fifty pounds” agrees on a target.
Replace a fuzzy goal with a measurable one.
Be exact about requests
“Can you look at this?” is vague. “Can you check the numbers on page three by Thursday?” gets results.
Make a request with who, what and when.
Be exact about feelings
“I am upset” is a start. “I felt left out when I was not asked” lets the other person respond.
Name a feeling and its cause in one sentence.
Be exact about needs
“I need help” can mean many things. “I need someone to take the phone for an hour” is clear.
State your need as an action.
Be exact about deadlines
“As soon as possible” is not a deadline. Give one. Deadlines reduce stress for both of you.
Replace ASAP with a date.
Be exact in feedback
“Good job” pleases. “The way you ended the talk with a story made me remember the point” teaches.
Give feedback with one specific detail.
Be exact in thanks
“Thanks for your help” is nice. “Thanks for staying late to fix the file” is memorable.
Add the detail to your thanks.
Be exact in apologies
“Sorry for everything” is vague. “I am sorry I missed your call and did not tell you” is real.
Name what you are sorry for.
Be exact in directions
“Turn left at the blue shop” beats “It is near here”. People use landmarks.
Give directions using landmarks.
Be exact in recipes and instructions
Quantities, times and temperatures remove guessing. Precision is kindness.
Write one instruction with exact amounts.
Ask for exact answers
If someone is vague, ask kindly, “Could you give me an example?” It helps both of you.
Use “Could you give me an example?” once.
Check your own vagueness
Ask, “Could someone act on what I said?” If not, add detail.
Test one message.
Do not fake exactness
If you do not know, say so. Estimates are fine if labelled: “about forty”.
Say “roughly” when it is a guess.
Learn new words
A bigger precise vocabulary helps. Learn one exact word a week.
Pick one precise word to learn.
Use a thesaurus kindly
A thesaurus can help find a more exact word, but choose simple, clear ones. Do not search for fancy.
Look up a precise alternative for “good”.
Edit your first drafts
Read emails once for vagueness before sending. A minute of editing saves messages.
Scan one email for vague words.
Practise with photos
Describe a photo in exact detail to a friend who cannot see it. It builds precision.
Describe a picture in ten exact sentences.
Celebrate exact speech
When people reply with fewer follow-up questions, you know you were clear.
Notice fewer “what do you mean?” replies.
Easy things to say
When you are stuck, pick one of these. They work in many everyday situations.
“I will send it by Friday at noon.â€
“It will cost forty pounds.â€
“I mean the blue folder.â€
“What do you mean by soon?â€
“Thanks for clarifying.â€
“Now we are on the same page.â€
Your first week
One small action a day. Each day is only a little bigger than the last.
Notice vague words
Ask what exactly
Add numbers
Add names
Add dates
Check understanding
Practise
Further reading
- The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking (Dale Carnegie)
- Talk Like TED (Carmine Gallo)
- Made to Stick (Chip and Dan Heath)
The tips above are written in our own words and are general guidance. The books are suggestions for further reading.
More lessons in “Speaking Clearly”
Keep going. Small steps every day make a big change.
← Previous: Say One Idea at a TimeNext: Read Your Words Out Loud First →
- Slow Down by Ten Percent
- Speak From Your Belly, Not Your Throat
- The Magic of the Pause
- End Sentences Like You Mean Them
- Warm Up Your Voice in One Minute
- Find Your Natural Volume
- Vary Your Tone to Keep Attention
- Use Words a Ten-Year-Old Would Understand
- Short Sentences Sound Confident
- Cut Jargon and Filler Words
- Lead With Your Main Point
- Say One Idea at a Time
- Replace Vague Words With Exact Ones
- Read Your Words Out Loud First
- Open Your Mouth and Speak Clearly
- Stop Mumbling in Three Steps
- Pronounce Hard Words With Confidence
- Breathe at the Right Moments
- Speak Clearly on the Phone
- Speak Clearly on Video Calls
- Handle an Accent With Pride
- The Point, Reason, Example Formula
- The Rule of Three
- Start With Why It Matters
- Tell a Short Story Instead
- Use Numbers and Pictures Wisely
- Finish With One Clear Takeaway
- Answer a Question in Thirty Seconds
- Replace Um With a Silent Pause
- What to Do When You Lose Your Thought
- Recover From a Mistake Smoothly
- Stop Over-Explaining
- Stop Apologising Before You Speak
- Practise With a Voice Recorder
- Stay Clear When You Are Nervous
- Speak Clearly When Put on the Spot
- Explain Something Complicated Simply
- Speak Clearly in an Argument
- Speak Clearly to Someone Senior
- Your Daily Clarity Habit
