Write Right - Defence Academy of the United Kingdom

Clichés, metaphors and similesClichés. A cliché is an overused expression or idea: a phrase or wordthat has lost its original effectiveness or power from overuse. We useclichés because we think they somehow add colour and vigour to ourwriting - but they don't. Expressions such as at one fell swoop and theworld's my oyster would have sounded refreshingly new whenShakespeare first coined them - but not any more.Should we stop using clichés? No. Just think twice before rolling out anover-familiar phrase, and then use it only if you can’t think of a better wayto express what you want to say.Metaphors. A metaphor is an implicit comparison: the application of aword or phrase to somebody or something that is not meant literally butto make a comparison. For example saying that somebody is a snake ora business is a bit of a lame duck is speaking metaphorically.Beware of mixed metaphors! This is the application of 2 or moreinconsistent metaphors to a given situation, for example ‘the leadershiphave gone over the top and taken up fully entrenched positions’ or ‘incoal mines, mice are used as human guinea pigs’. Mixed metaphorscreate confusing imagery and distract the reader from your message.Similes. A simile is a figure of speech that draws a comparison between2 different things, especially a phrase containing the word ‘like’ or ‘as’, forexample ‘she stood like the image of the muse’ or ‘as white as a sheet’.By all means make your writing colourful and imaginative, but knowwhere to draw the line – especially in official documents.McMurphy fell 12 floors, hitting the pavement like a paper bag filledwith vegetable soup.13