Getting an A on an English Paper

Jack Lynch,
Rutgers University – Newark

Clichés

Lapsing into cliché is a nasty habit — break yourself of it as soon as possible.

Clichés are the linguistic equivalent of prefab housing: they're panels of language strung together for the sake of ease, not clarity. They show that you're not thinking, merely tacking chunks of words together and hoping a clear meaning emerges. Don't do it.

A favorite place for clichés in student papers is the opening paragraph, leading up to the thesis.

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from Jack Lynch's guide,
Getting an A on an English Paper

This guide copyright Jack Lynch, 2000–.