Easy on the adjectives - Emphasis

Easy on the adjectives Easy on the adjectives New research suggests that if you want your writing to be shared online then overusing adjectives is not wise, advisable, judicious, big or clever. [Mental note: should probably edit this.] The findings come from social media scientist Dan Zarrella, who aims in his book Zarrellas Hierarchy of Contagiousness to demystify social media marketing for the masses. After examining how often online content was shared, he came to one definite conclusion: the less complex the language, the more likely it was to be passed on. And, after studying which types of words were the most mobile, he found the biggest no-nos were adjectives and adverbs. This is actually a good tip for just about any writing. Its easy to imagine that cramming in adjectives will give your writing colour or help create more vivid images in your readers mind. But more often than not they do just the opposite, and merely add clutter that slows your reader down. Fledgling fiction writers are taught to adopt the lotus position and chant the mantra show, dont tell over and over until their posture is perfect and they never want to overdo the adjectives and adverbs again. But this advice evidently isnt only for creative writing. Its much better to choose verbs (the most-shared word type) and nouns that work hard, rather than using adjectives or adverbs as crutches for your writing to hobble along on. The finished piece will be tighter and more expressive for it. For example, instead of ran quickly, how about sprinted? Or bounded? See how either could replace the phrase, but each gives a very different and more distinct mental image? Sometimes adjectives are simply redundant. Forward planning, for example. Is anyone out there still planning what to do yesterday? Have a look at these (genuine) examples and spot the pointless words: Teen dies after fatal stabbing Gunned down by armed rebels A visual treat for the eyes Ill-chosen adjectives can also lead to unintentional silliness (which can be delightful for everyone but the writer): Stiff opposition expected to casket-less funeral plan Statistics show that teen pregnancy drops off significantly after age 25 This isnt to say that all adjectives should be banned on pain of death. Mark Twain put it nicely, if youll forgive the adverb: When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I dont mean utterly, but kill most of them then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. Perhaps its worth thinking of them like magnets: repellent together, useful kept apart, and not recommended anywhere near computers.

Biography of James K. Polk, 11th US President

Biography of James K. Polk, 11th US President James K. Polk was president during the Mexican American War and the era of Manifest Destiny. Learn more about the 11th president of the United States. James K. Polks Childhood and Education James K. Polk was born on November 2, 1795, in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He moved with his family at the age of ten to Tennessee. He was a sickly youth who suffered from gallstones. Polk did not begin his formal education until 1813 at the age of 18. By 1816, he entered the University of North Carolina and graduated with honors in 1818. He decided to enter politics and also was admitted to the bar. Family Ties Polks father was Samuel, a planter and landowner who was also a friend of  Andrew Jackson. His mother was  Jane Knox. They had been married on Christmas Day in 1794. His mother was a staunch Presbyterian. He had five brothers and four sisters, many of whom died young. On January 1, 1824, Polk married Sarah Childress. She was  well-educated and wealthy. While first lady, she banned dancing and liquor from the White House. Together, they had no children. James K. Polks Career Before the Presidency Polk had focused on politics his whole life. He was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives (1823-25). From 1825-39, he was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives including serving as its speaker from 1835-39. He was a great ally and supporter of Andrew Jackson. From 1839-41, Polk became Governor of Tennessee. Becoming President In 1844, the Democrats were having a difficult time getting the necessary 2/3 of the vote to nominate a candidate. On the 9th ballot, James K. Polk who had only been considered as a Vice Presidential candidate was nominated. He was the first dark-horse nominee. He was opposed by Whig candidate Henry Clay. The campaign centered around the idea of annexation of Texas which Polk supported and Clay opposed. Polk received 50% of the popular vote and won 170 out of 275 electoral votes. Events and Accomplishments as President James K. Polks  time in office was eventful. In 1846, he agreed to fix the boundary of the Oregon territory at the 49th parallel. Great Britain and the United States disagreed about who claimed the territory. The Oregon Treaty meant that Washington and  Oregon  would be a territory of the U.S. and Vancouver would belong to Great Britain. Much of Polks time in office was taken up with the  Mexican War  which lasted from 1846-1848. The annexation of Texas which had taken place at the end of  John Tylers time in office hurt relations between Mexico and America. Further, the border between the two countries was still disputed. The U.S. felt that the border should be set at the Rio Grande River. When Mexico would not agree, Polk prepared for war. He ordered General  Zachary Taylor  to the area. In April 1846, Mexican troops fired on the U.S. troops in the area. Polk used this to push forward a Declaration of War against Mexico. In February 1847, Taylor was able to defeat the Mexican army led by  Santa Anna. By March 1847, U.S. troops occupied Mexico City. Concurrently in January 1847, Mexican troops were defeated in California. In February 1848, the  Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo  was signed  ending the war. By this treaty, the border was fixed at the Rio Grande. By this means, the U.S. gained California and Nevada amongst other present-day territories amounting to over 500,000 square miles of land. In exchange, the U.S. agreed to pay Mexico $15 million for the territory. This agreement reduced the size of Mexico to half of its former size. Post Presidential Period Polk had announced before taking office that he would not seek a second term. He did retire at the end of his term. However, he did not live much past that date. He died only three months later, possibly from Cholera. Historical Significance After Thomas Jefferson, James K. Polk increased the size of the United States more than any other president through the acquisition of California and New Mexico as a result of the Mexican-American War. He also claimed Oregon Territory after a treaty with England. He was a key figure in Manifest Destiny. He was also an extremely effective leader during the Mexican-American War. He is considered to be the best one-term president.