You might think that polite words in writing are harmless, but some are words that weaken writing without you noticing.
When you write, you want to sound considerate, friendly, and understanding. Yet, certain words you use for politeness can quietly dilute your message.
Using everyday words like just, maybe, or I think is often a habit, because you don’t want to be too direct or pushy. But they can water down your ideas or make you seem uncertain.
But my advice isn’t about removing politeness, because effective writing can always be courteous.
How polite words can affect your writing
Some polite words you might use seem friendly, but they can make your message sound hesitant.
They can indicate some doubt, even when you’re confident about your point.
A perfect example is, “I just wanted to ask you if…” It can unintentionally make your question seem unimportant.
Your recipient might focus more on your uncertainty rather than the importance of your question.
Set phrases like “I think this might…” or “I think I will…” both sound guarded. Without realizing it, you create unnecessary doubt about your ideas.
In fiction writing, using hedging words in your dialogue can give the impression that your characters might be weaker than you intended.
Small modifiers like “a little bit” or “sort of” tend to soften statements for no good reason.
If you repeatedly use these types of words, it compounds the effect. Sentences start to feel cluttered with hesitancy.
Being aware of these little tics and habits is the best way to improve the effectiveness of your texts and avoid weak words in your writing.
However, you don’t have to stop being polite or courteous. Instead, choose your words carefully so that they convey respect without weakening your voice or message.
Recognizing weak phrasing in everyday writing
Weak phrasing often sneaks up on you without you even noticing.
You might believe a sentence you write sounds polite or casual, but it can quietly diminish your point.
We all use phrases like this to be polite. “I was wondering if you could…” But it makes a request seem hesitant.
Even minor hedges like “I feel that possibly…” reduce the authority of your idea or proposal.
In emails, phrases like “I think it might be a good idea…” or “I just thought I’d mention…” can make even excellent suggestions sound like they might not be.
In fiction, dialogue can suffer the same way. A character saying, “I guess I could try…” might seem too timid if you want them to be decisive.
How often do we slip modifiers such as “a little” or “somewhat” into sentences without noticing? I know I use these two way too much.
But they can water down statements and leave a reader unsure about your certainty. It’s especially true in work or business correspondence.
Repetition can make things worse. If you use multiple weak phrases in a paragraph, it can multiply the impression of hesitancy.
Tone is a factor that can lead to unnecessarily apologizing. Beginning a sentence with “Sorry…” says more about insecurity than politeness. It’s rarely necessary to apologize. “I’m afraid” or “unfortunately” are much better choices.
Even harmless introductory phrases like “I think I will” or “maybe we could” add unnecessary caution.
However, spotting these patterns takes (a little) practice.
You need to ask yourself whether a sentence carries your idea confidently. If it doesn’t, look for the words that are weakening it unnecessarily.
You certainly don’t have to take out every kind or polite word. But you should be intentional about the words you choose.
Strengthening your writing without losing politeness
Being polite doesn’t have to mean sounding weak in your writing.
It’s always about vocabulary choice. You want to pick words that strengthen your message, not dilute it.
All you need to do is a quick scan read for hedging words like “just,” “maybe,” or “I think.” Then ask yourself if they are really necessary.
Very often, removing or replacing a single word can make a sentence more confident without changing the tone.
For requests or suggestions, you can quickly reframe sentences to remain courteous.
A good example of this is, “I just wanted to ask if you could review this.” You could change it to, “Could you review this when you have a moment?” It’s still polite, as well as authoritative.
Another way is to use strong verbs and more concrete nouns. They have much more weight than modifiers that soften statements.
For instance, “I recommend we meet,” is stronger than “I think maybe we should meet.”
You can maintain politeness without using hedging words.
Simple words like “please” and “thank you” are always useful because they immediately imply courtesy, even for direct requests.
Polite but strong: 10 Ways to rewrite weak sentences
Many of the weak phrases we use pop up all the time. So much so that they are possibly a habit.
Here’s a quick list of before and after examples to show you the effect of words that weaken writing. You’ll see how easy it is to fix them.
Before: I just wanted to ask if you could review this.
After: Could you review this when you have a moment, please?
Before: I think maybe we should meet tomorrow.
After: I recommend we meet tomorrow.
Before: I feel that this might not be right.
After: This may need adjustment.
Before: I was wondering if it would be okay to suggest a change.
After: May I suggest a change?
Before: Sorry to bother you, but could you take a look at this?
After: Could you take a look at this when you have a moment?
Before: I guess I could try doing it this way.
After: I will try it this way.
Before: It might be a good idea to consider another approach.
After: I suggest we consider another approach.
Before: I just thought I’d mention this in case it’s useful.
After: Here’s a suggestion that may be useful.
Before: I feel like maybe we could improve this section.
After: This section could be improved with a few adjustments. Thank you for reviewing it carefully.
Before: I’m sorry, but I can’t make it on Friday.
After: Unfortunately, I can’t make it on Friday.
As you can see, it’s very easy to remain polite yet keep your message strong.
Conclusion
Being polite and courteous doesn’t need to weaken your writing. It’s about recognizing hedges, qualifiers, softening phrases, or apologies that can affect your message.
When you scan your sentences, trim out any unnecessary weak words, and choose strong verbs, concrete nouns, or even simply use please and thank you to maintain your politeness.
The examples above show you how simple it is to do.
By being aware of hedges and other words that weaken writing, you can edit or trim your sentences while remaining polite.
So, the next time you need to write an email, give it some thought. (Maybe, just maybe), you’ll discover how easy it is to be polite, yet confident, and direct.
Related Reading: Zap These Dead Words To Make Your Writing Stronger
