Words to Stop Using in Writing: The Banned Words List
QUICK ANSWERThe words to stop using in writing are vague, overused ones such as very, good, nice, a lot, things, stuff, and got. They tell the reader very little.Replace each with a precise word that shows exactly what you mean. The full banned words list is below, with stronger words to use instead and free worksheets to practise by grade. |
Before we open a single book at Wisdom Point, we ask each child one question. How was your day? And almost always, the first answer is a single tired word. Good. Fine. Okay.
When a child says good, we act as though we did not quite hear it. Tell me one true thing, we say, and we wait. The word good is not an answer. It is where a child hides instead of thinking. That one word sits at the top of our banned list, and learning to retire it changes everything a child writes next.
What Are Banned Words?
Banned words are the vague, overused words that quietly weaken almost every young writer's work. They are not wrong in every sentence. They are simply the words children reach for out of habit, when a sharper, truer word is waiting. We call them banned because we ask students to stop leaning on them, so their real thinking can finally show.
The Banned Words List: Words to Stop Using
Here are the words we retire first, grouped by the job they fail to do. For each, choose a precise word that fits your exact meaning.
Category | Words to stop using | Try instead |
Vague intensifiers | very, really, so, quite, totally | cut, or one exact word (very tired → exhausted) |
Weak evaluatives | good, bad, nice, great, interesting, fun | name the quality (good → effective; interesting → surprising) |
Vague nouns | thing, things, stuff, a lot | name the exact thing or number |
Filler words | just, actually, basically, literally | cut them entirely |
Informal words | got, kid, guy, mad | the precise word (got → received; mad → furious) |
Weak verbs | went, made, said, did | a strong, exact verb (went → raced; said → whispered) |
Tired phrases | due to the fact that, in order to, a lot of | because; to; many |
You do not need to ban every word at once. Even retiring three or four for a single piece of writing changes how a child thinks on the page.
How Banning Nice Helped a Six-Year-Old Write Better
Krishvi is one of our youngest writers. One afternoon, her mentor Raveena asked her to describe her dog. Krishvi answered quickly. My dog is nice.
Raveena did what we all do. She acted as though she had not heard it. Nice, she said. But what does your dog actually do? Close your eyes. What does he feel like? Krishvi went quiet, and then it came.
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A child that young had just retired a banned word and reached for something true. That is where precise writing begins, long before the rules of the essay. If your child is in the early grades, this worksheet turns the same idea into practice.
FREE PRINTABLE · DOWNLOADBanned Words Worksheet · Grades 1 to 3 Download the Grades 1 to 3 worksheet ⬇ |
How Banning A Lot Sharpened a Young Writer
Aanya is a few years older. In one piece she wrote, I had a lot of fun at the fair and it was very good. Her mentor Nausheen circled two words, a lot and very, and said, these are banned now. Tell me about the fair without them.
Aanya was stuck for a moment. It is uncomfortable, that first pause, when the easy words are gone. But then she tried again.
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Same fair. Same girl. The only thing that changed was that the grey words were taken away, and Aanya was made to look properly at her own memory. This worksheet builds that habit for middle-grade writers.
FREE PRINTABLE · DOWNLOAD Banned Words Worksheet · Grades 4 to 6 Download the Grades 4 to 6 worksheet ⬇ |
Why a Unique Idea Still Lost Marks
The last story shows why this matters more, not less, as children grow. One of Sabia's older students, Navya came into class almost in tears, holding her essay. Sabia ma'am, she said, why did I get fewer marks? My idea was unique.
Sabia read it carefully. The idea truly was original. But it was buried. Every strong thought was wrapped in very, good, a lot, and interesting, and the grey words hid the brilliance completely.
Sabia did not tell her the idea was weak. She told her the idea deserved better words. Line by line, they retired the banned words and let the argument show itself. The marks, the next time, followed.
A unique idea in grey words reads as ordinary. Precision is not decoration. It is how your child's thinking reaches the person marking the page. This worksheet develops that precision for older students.
FREE PRINTABLE · DOWNLOAD Banned Words Worksheet · Grades 7 to 10 Download the Grades 7 to 10 worksheet ⬇ |
How to Stop Using Banned Words: A Simple Method
You can teach this at home tonight. Here is the routine we use in every class.
1. Circle the banned words. In any draft, circle very, good, nice, a lot, things, and got.
2. Ask what you really mean. For each circled word, ask: what exactly am I trying to say here?
3. Choose a precise word or a strong verb. Swap the vague word for one that shows the exact meaning.
4. Cut the filler. Remove just, actually, and basically. If the sentence still works, leave them out.
5. Read it aloud. If a word does not add meaning, question it.
Banned Words: Frequently Asked Questions
What are banned words in writing?
Banned words are vague, overused words such as very, good, nice, a lot, things, and got. They tell the reader little. The goal is to replace them with precise words that show exactly what you mean.
What words should students stop using?
Students should stop leaning on vague intensifiers (very, really), weak evaluatives (good, nice, interesting), vague nouns (thing, stuff, a lot), filler words (just, basically), and weak verbs (went, got, said). Each can be replaced with a more precise choice.
Why should you avoid words like very and good?
Words like very and good add emphasis or a vague judgement without adding meaning. Very tired is weaker than exhausted, and a good essay tells the reader nothing specific. Precise words make writing clearer and more convincing.
Does banning words limit a child's creativity?
No, it does the opposite. Removing the easy word forces a child past their first lazy choice to a truer, more original one. It stretches their writing rather than shrinking it.
What age should children start learning this?
The earlier the better, usually around Grade 4 or 5, though even younger children can begin with a shorter list. Learning early prevents the lazy habit of writing long, empty sentences to fill a word count.
KEY TAKEAWAYSBanned words are vague, overused words that weaken writing. Replace each with a precise word, a strong verb, or nothing at all. The skill works from age six to sixteen, and across every curriculum. Removing easy words reveals a child's real thinking, not less of it. Free printable worksheets are linked above to practise by grade. |
WRITE WITH US AT WISDOM POINTThis is how every class at Wisdom Point is taught, whether by me or by the mentors I have trained for years. We wait, with patience and warmth, for the true word and the true thought.To book an assessment and find the right program for your child, visit www.wisdom-point.org or call +91 82405 56421. Let us give your child the words to match their thinking. |
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