Originally published by Wayne.
Cut throat-clearing phrases.
These are flabby sentence openers that try to manufacture emphasis but just postpone getting to the point. They look this this:
- It is clear that . . . .
- It is important to point out that . . . .
- It would appear to be the case that . . . .
- A key aspect of this case, which must not be overlooked, is . . . .
- The Defendant would respectfully draw to the court’s attention that . . . .
And no, I didn’t make this up. Many writing guides advise against “throat-clearers.” Here’s a website.
Why avoid them? They’re “needless buildups” (Garner, The Elements of Legal Style); “merely space-fillers” (LeClercq, Legal Writing Style); and “convey little if any information” (Enquist & Oates, Just Writing).
Your writing will be more concise, and stronger, without them.
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