Avoid Throat Clearing
“ Be not thy tongue thy own shame’s orator.”
The Comedy of Errors III,2; Luciana to Antipholus of Syracuse, believing him unfaithful to her sister.
A meaningful introductory phrase can set up the idea that follows for maximum clarity. It commands your reader’s attention before delivering important information.
On the other hand, a meaningless introductory phrase muddies your point with superfluous verbiage. It is the equivalent of clearing your throat while you think of something to say. The following are examples of unnecessary introductions to sentences that serve no purpose. Try to eliminate these phrases from your writing:
It is important to add that…
It is significant that…
It is interesting to note that…
In this regard…
Clearly…
At this point in time…
Due to the fact that…
It is widely understood that…
It is obvious…
When in doubt, remove the introductory phrase from the sentence and ask yourself “Does this idea need a set up?” If it doesn’t, the introductory phrase is throat clearing. If a point needs no introduction, you need not write “This point needs no introduction…” before it.
Be not thy throat clearing thy own shame’s writer.
