There are no great writers…only great re-writers.
Today’s “AFTER DEADLINE” post offered the following example of the misuse of the word “like” along with a suggested fix:
At times it seems like the mayoral race here between the two front-runners — Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who is seeking a second term, and Vincent C. Gray, the City Council chairman — is boiling down to a personality contest.
Make it “seems as though,” “seems as if,” or simply “seems that …”
I’ll go one better.
At times, the mayoral race here between the two front-runners — Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, who is seeking a second term, and Vincent C. Gray, the City Council chairman — seems to boil down to a personality contest.
I call this editing by subtraction.
