The word “but” probably scares you a lot. It definitely scares me in the few cases where I have to spend some time to come up with a sentence that can convey the same or a better meaning without using that word. Using the word “but” is also, in many cases, the same as simply saying “No, you cannot have this” or “No, you are wrong because of this.” However, those latter two sentences are more direct and less negative than a sentence containing the word “but.”
The word “but” usually marks the beginning of something that the listener, and the reader, would know is not in their best interest. Would you want to use words in your sentences that the other person is simply going to start resenting or not wanting to hear? Today, we will go through 5 extremely simple yet effective ways to focus on a message and to avoid using the word “but” completely. This way, you can gain more attention and be able to actually convey your message to an audience without creating an air of resistance in other people.
The dangerous world of “but”
I would like to tell you immediately what the 5 points are, but you must first read everything else I have to say before I tell you anything. How does that sentence sound to you? Chances are, it may feel like I am forcing you to do something you do not want to do before you get to read the 5 points. Imagine if I had said: “I would like to give you a small introduction to the concept of using the word “but” in order to show you how avoiding it can both simplify and complicate things in a good manner. That latter sentence to me sounds much better, even though it is longer, as it actually plans an outline of what I would request of you, instead of telling you what I want to force out of you.
5 ways to avoid the word “but”
Following are 5 simple and effective ways to avoid the word “but” and to focus on the actual message. The word “but” can easily be replaced by other words with simple modifications to any sentence.
- Focus on the whole situation by listing it out like a story, instead of focusing on the main difference by starting it with the word “but.”
- Use the word “however.”
- Use the word “while.”
- Use the word “therefore.”
- Use the word “though.”
But why is “But” bad?</h2
The actual quality of any communication improves when you are telling the other person what is going on, instead of telling the other person how they cannot get what they want. Avoid using the word "but“, and focus on alternate solutions to convey your message. For example, if you are accepting applications for a guest blogger, instead of saying “You do have many comments here, but we are looking for someone who has their own blog elsewhere too!“, try saying “We are looking for someone who has a lot of comments here and also a blog. Therefore, since you already have many comments here, if you can start a blog or already have a blog and can let us know what it is about, we can move forward with your application.”
Just by eliminating one word and rephrasing the sentence without changing any meaning of the actual message you want to actually convey, you go from telling someone that their application is rejected because of them not having a blog, to telling someone that their application will be considered further once they have a blog or once they tell you what their blog is. The entire focus of the reason for wanting to replace the word “but” lies in the idea of communicating any difficulties, deficiencies or not-so-great-news-for-the-other-person by listing out the entire scenario and by not adding to it any advance and extreme negative connotation or labeling than what is already present.
Help your friends, co-workers, readers, contacts and clients by telling them what is going on and how what they wished to happen may happen in a different manner or may not happen under current circumstances. Avoid telling them that what they wished to happen is not going happening using the word “but.” The less you use the word “but“, the less resistance people or situations may feel when you are communicating about things that seem to be anything but smooth.
EXERCISE FOR YOU
Here is a simple exercise for you. In the comments below, please list any sentence with the word “but” in it. You and I can then share our views on how we can replace that sentence with a better, but-less word.
But will you share your thoughts on this article and the exercise?
Do you like the word “but“? Do you happen to use it regularly? What is your view on its benefits and drawbacks?
Please share in the comments below. Also, please participate in the exercise mentioned above so that you can figure out and share with others how a but-free world of communication may be better. Thanks!
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This is a great article. I was recently talking to a firend and we realised how often we use unnecessary words such as ‘like’ i.e. ‘I was walking down the street, and like, I saw….’ so silly! And BUT is quite a negative word in many cases. I would genereally like to expand my vocab and start to construct proper sentences rather than pollute the beautiful English language!
Thanks, your post has really inspired..
But, I can’t write without using but, but i could try. I agree this is one of my pet peeves.
I totally agree with this article. At times, we get stuck or fall in love with a word or expression and we use it over and over again and we’re not aware of its correct usage or the way it has over the sentence.
Obviously, the richer your vocabulary is, the more lexical alternatives to “but” you’ll find.
That is a nice graphic in the corner. This is a very interesting grammer point, I had not considered the negative points of the word but, but now I do
the best paart of your post is this
Focus on the whole situation by listing it out like a story, instead of focusing on the main difference by starting it with the word “but.”
Use the word “however.”
Use the word “while.”
Use the word “therefore.”
Use the word “though.”
I recently found in my speech that I am using the word right in many unwanted places. This is a nice article about using unnecessary words in unnecessary places. In future I will try my best not to use this word again in unnecessary places.
hi Bes,
This is a great post, BUT apparently you have a pet peeve against the word BUT.
My personal pet peeve is with, ummmm, the word, ummmm, the word UMMMMM.
I would much rather people say BUT than UMMM, however, that’s just my opinion.
Seriously, people just sound smarter if they avoid BUTS and UMMMS.
Scott, aka table top displays
I havn´t thought about it, but I realize that I´m using that word a lot
I liked your 5 suggestions and will do my best to try to change my way of writing and speaking.
i completely agree with the post, we can love a word, yes we can , for now my best word is agree
I like the word “but”. It’s a lot less formal that its older brothers like however and nevertheless. But maybe “although” is better to use in some occasions!
I try not to use “but” whenever I can. I’ve successfully avoided using it in writing; speech is a different matter however.
In my daily life I use the word “but” too much. It saves me from embarrassment just in case I’m wrong.
Haha Sales 101… Yeah I think many a deal has been one or lost as a result of not using an adequate synonym for this word.
My favorite is replacing it with “however this is contingent on”
Use it wisely
But, But is common word so how we can avoid this words.
I usually use but with almost all of my articles. Moreover, I’m also using however, though and while. On the other hand, I don’t normally use therefore. But, I can’t see anything wrong with the use of “but” in a sentence.
It’s interesting article. When someone say BUT, I start to nervous and wonder what is the next sentence that he will say to me. Most of times I will think that he wants to make some excuses to save himself from certain topic. I like your alternate words, it sounds softer and more polite.
but don’t you think but is less formal?
The words I hate are “nonetheless” and “nevertheless’.
No question that the selection of words is important in any presentation.
The words that you have chosen to replace “but” have so much more in the way of nuance, and their overall ability to communicate meaning.
And, after all is said, the purpose of writing in the first place is communication.
Anything that detracts from that goal needs to be eliminated.
And, “but” is a poster boy word with which to start.
Beth
When you use the word but, the first thing that comes to mind is my mother. I swear she would use that word 20 times a day. For instance…mom I going out to play, but you forgot your homework… See I hate that word it meant something needed to be done before I could have fun.
I love to avoid but with :
“I think in different way “,
“I may agree with you ,if you can explain “,
Thanks for the positive article.
After reading this interesting post about avoiding the word “But” I will try to get rid of this word but the problem is that I use this word so consistently that without it, I afraid how I will join the dots of my speech
But yes, after reading this post, now I am assessing myself to find out how many are such words which I use more than enough times.
I have removed the website name from the box above to see whether my comment will still be delivered to the trash by Akismet. Dr. Ann
Hi Bes, You will find my comment in your trash folder. Please rescue me. Dr. Ann
I never realized in past that how much I use the word “But” in my conversation but your post has made me alert about my words selection and I am successful to identify at least five such words which I use more than necessary.
I personally use the word BUT quite often in my conversation intentionally as well as unintentionally but I always overlooked and never care for it. But now I realize how problematic and annoying it might have been for my listener especially in my business presentations. I think “however” is a good substitute for BUT and now I will try to use this as well instead of always using BUT. Thanks anyways for raising attention to this point.
This is a great article. Also the words i hate are “nonetheless” and “nevertheless’.
I was writing a forum post and was about to use the word but and realised it sounded negative. So I did a google search to see how I could avoid using it and found this post. Thanks heaps! Great advice.
Highly helpful. Continue to keep these posts coming.
I try not to use “but” whenever I can. I’ve successfully avoided using it in writing; speech is a different matter however.!
salut ! merci bcp pour cette article (y)
But, But is common word so how we can avoid this words.
lol. Your “but” was used in a good way – using “but” to bring about bad news or to not do something, without using logical reasoning, is very bad in my view.
Hello there. I found your web site by means of Google even as looking for a comparable subject, your website got here up. It seems to be good. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks to come back later.
But! however like, you know like , you know, anyway…
you can use to make your audience confortable theses words:
‘your mama’
‘namae wa’
‘glue’
and the last word is:
“supercalifargilistiquespialidosius”
so cool…
thanks for the TIPS man i really apreciate that
I like concept of your post. Very creative post. Best of luck and waiting for some new ideas.
Now this kind of particulars are very well worth looking for, straight answers for site visitors together with something to suit your needs as will definitely show the conventional in the author.
I keep hearing Obama uses too many “BUT” words in his speech. The word “BUT” cancels everything he promises. It kind of drives me crazy when I hear public speaker uses the word “BUT”. In fact, I don’t even like using though, however, by the way, because those words can be diminishing the original value of the subject (focus) of agenda. As far as substitution of these words, maybe an alternative can be using, “on top of”, “at the same time, it is also….”, “in addition”, “it is also important to know that…”
Thanks Jan! Heh, are you also implying that so far in office, he has not done anything or most of the things that he promised in the last presidential campaign? Regarding his speech, yes, using the word “BUT” gives the strong indication that everything said before the that word is now going to be negated.
I agree: for some reason, those alternates to the word “BUT” sound much more useful.