Tip #84: Most doesn’t do it like almost

Effective technical writers understand well that more precise language often yields more effective writing.  They also understand the importance of distinguishing between spoken English and written English.  Spoken English has conventions the same as any other language form.  Yet those conventions tend to be much less rigid than those for written English.

Let’s examine a case in point.  Many people commonly use most in their speech to mean almost.  Yet such a substitution in more formal arenas like technical writing usually yields less effective results.

Consider the example sentence in the cropped graphic above.  As speech, this sentence works well.  But as writing, it does not convey the formality appropriate for technical writing circles.  A more effective sentence would read like this:

---

---

Line workers must adjust the layout of the welding area almost every day.

---

This sentence has more formality and so performs more effectively as technical writing than the one in the cropped graphic.

When it comes to almost, here’s a good rule of thumb.  If almost works as replacement for most in your sentence, then almost is the word to use.  And that’s not almost always true.  It’s always true.  In formal communication, most just doesn’t do it like almost.

Precision in language makes for more effective writing.  So be more precise in your writing.  You’ll make a more effective presentation.  And that will convey a more professional image of both you and your brands.