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We’ve explained in previous segments that clichés are words or phrases that early on were really, really popular, so everyone used them. Way too much.
You thought we’d listed all of them?
Recently, we found a marvelous list of hundreds of clichés at Lisa Lepke’s “Pro Writing Aid.” Do yourself a favor. Make this list part of your “stylebook.” If a phrase is here, don’t use it! It’s a no-brainer.
Some of our favorites:
Unsplash.com
Beating a dead horse.
A blast from the past.
As the crow flies.
A last-minute decision.
A picture's worth a thousand words.
All bets are off.
All's well that ends well.
As far as the eye can see.
Bad egg.
Better safe than sorry.
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
He had an ax to grind.
He’s a man after my own heart.
He’s as good as gold.
I’m all ears.
I’m as happy as a clam.
Unsplash.com
Iowa Agribusiness Network
It’s a drop in the bucket.
Ignorance is bliss.
It was all hands on deck.
It’s a fate worse than death
It’s all in a day's work.
The grass is always greener on the other side.
Play your cards right.
It’s as easy as pie.
It’s no bed of roses.
Read between the lines.
It’s a no-brainer.
Watch this on video! https://youtu.be/oBzRQ8kfg2o
Next time: What’s in a name?
Readers: "Something Went Horribly Wrong" features samples of bad writing we see nearly every day. You can participate! Be our duly deputized “grammar police.” Your motto: “To protect and correct.” Send in your photos of store signs, street signs, menus, TV news graphics, newspaper headlines, tweets, and so on. It doesn’t have to be a grammatical error. It can be just what we call “cowardly writing.” Include your name and home town so we can credit you properly. You're free to add a comment, although we reserve the right to edit or omit. Now get out there! Send to Eliot@eliotkleinberg.com
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NOTE: Eliot and Lou Ann are available for speaking engagements, and can travel. Reach us through the comments section. Just think of all of your employees getting back to work on a Monday, their heads filled with all the ways we’ve shown them to be better communicators!