This week: Beware the dreaded "it is"

In his book Claw Your Way to the Top, humorist Dave Barry writes:

State that something is your understanding. This statement should be firm, vaguely disapproving, and virtually impossible to understand. A good standard one is: "It is my understanding that this was to be ascertained in advance of any further action, pending review."

Although that sentence has several problems, its fundamental one is that it starts with "It is," an absolutely empty subject-verb combination. 

This week, as you revise, look for sentences like this:

It is not until Wednesday that the parts will arrive.

Change them to sentences like these:

The parts won't arrive until Wednesday.
The parts will arrive Wednesday.

(Which you choose depends, of course, on whether you're the buyer, complaining, or the supplier, promising.)

Comments

[Dwayne Phillips]

It is unfortunate that so many people open with "it is." I think this goes back to high school when the teacher demanded more words than necessary and the kids found ways to insert unnecessary words. It is a shame that our teachers do such. It is such a waste. ;-)