Three Words Many Writers Misuse

Choosing between "Anxious" and "Eager," "Adverse" and "Averse," "Pique" and "Peak"

“Adverse,” “anxious,” and “peak,” when they mean “averse,” “eager,” and “pique.”

“Adverse” refers to a thing, like a judge’s ruling. “Averse” refers to a person, like you. “Averse” is always followed by “to” (or a period).

Will she be adverse averse to commenting on Henderson’s coaching style?

“Anxious” conveys sweaty palms and concern; “eager” conveys excitement and impatience.

I am anxious eager to begin negotiations and trust we can resolve our differences in a modicum of time.

Naturally, we think of taking something higher as heading toward the “peak.” But when we seek to take someone’s interest, curiosity, or fascination higher, we try to “pique” it.

I hope I have peaked piqued your curiosity about the injustice perpetrated upon the inhabitants of the reservation.

Clients pay us to arrange the right words in the proper order. We must use these words correctly or we weaken our credibility.

The #1 Sign of Verbiage

The Thelma and Louise Sentence

About Gary Kinder

WordRake founder Gary Kinder has taught over 1,000 writing programs for AMLAW 100 firms, Fortune 500 companies, and government agencies. He’s also a New York Times bestselling author. As a writing expert and coach, Gary was inspired to create WordRake when he noticed a pattern in writing errors that he thought he could address with technology.

In 2012, Gary and his team of engineers created WordRake editing software to help writers produce clear, concise, and effective prose. It saves time and gives confidence. Writing and editing has never been easier.

How Does it Work?

WordRake is editing software designed by writing expert and New York Times bestselling author Gary Kinder. Like an editor or helpful colleague, WordRake ripples through your document checking for needless words and cumbersome phrases. Its complex algorithms find and improve weak lead-ins, confusing language, and high-level grammar and usage slips.

WordRake runs in Microsoft Word and Outlook, and its suggestions appear in the familiar track-changes style. If you’ve used track changes, you already know how to use WordRake. There’s nothing to learn and nothing to interpret. Editing for clarity and brevity has never been easier.