During the Revision Process, Which Type of Wording Should a Writer Delete in a Narrative Essay?
A writer should delete vague wording during revision. Vague, general language, words like "nice," "stuff," "a lot," or "things", should be cut and replaced with specific, sensory details that let readers see, hear, and feel the scene clearly.
The answer
During revision, a writer should delete vague language. A narrative essay succeeds by putting the reader inside a moment, and vague wording does the opposite: it tells the reader something happened without showing what. Words like nice, good, bad, stuff, things, a lot, very, really, and some carry almost no concrete meaning. Revising means finding those weak spots and replacing them with specific, sensory detail what the writer actually saw, heard, smelled, tasted, or felt.
Compare "The food was really good" with "The tortillas were still warm, and the salsa stung the back of my throat." The second version deletes the vague words really good and replaces them with details a reader can experience. That is the essential move of narrative revision: cut the vague, add the vivid.
Why vague wording is the target
Narrative writing is built on the principle show, don't tell. Vague words tell; specific sensory words show. When a writer says a place was "beautiful," the reader must supply their own image and often supplies nothing. When the writer instead describes the light, the sound, the texture, and the smell, the reader builds the scene the author intended. Vague language also weakens emotion: "I was sad" is flat, while "my throat tightened and the letter blurred" makes the reader feel the sadness.
Revision is the stage for this work because first drafts are naturally full of placeholder words a writer reaches for while getting the story down. Revising with fresh eyes is when those placeholders get identified and upgraded.
Why the other choices are wrong
Students are often offered distractors like sensory details, specific descriptions, dialogue, or figurative language and asked which to delete. These are all things a narrative essay needs more of, not less. Deleting sensory details or specific descriptions would gut the essay and make it weaker exactly the opposite of the revision goal. Vivid verbs, concrete nouns, and precise imagery should be added during revision, not removed. The only category on such a list that a writer should cut is vague wording, because it adds length without adding meaning.
One caution: revision also trims genuinely redundant or wordy phrasing, but that is a form of vagueness and imprecision, not a reason to delete the specific detail that makes narrative come alive.
The bigger picture
Effective narrative revision follows a repeatable pattern. First, read for places where the writing tells rather than shows. Second, circle vague words and general statements. Third, replace each with a concrete, sensory image drawn from the actual experience. Fourth, cut filler intensifiers like very and really that pad sentences without strengthening them. The result is prose that is shorter in vague words but richer in the specific detail that makes a story memorable turning a flat report of events into an experience the reader can share.
| "The food was really good." | "The tortillas were warm and the salsa stung my throat." | Sensory detail lets the reader taste the moment |
| "It was a nice day." | "Sunlight warmed the porch and cicadas hummed in the oak." | Concrete images replace an empty judgment |
| "I felt sad." | "My throat tightened and the letter blurred in my hands." | Shows the emotion instead of naming it |
| "There were a lot of people." | "The platform overflowed; strangers pressed shoulder to shoulder." | Precise picture replaces a vague quantity |
| "The room was messy." | "Clothes spilled off the chair and mugs crusted on the desk." | Specific nouns create a visible scene |
Frequently asked
What is vague language in writing?
Vague language is wording that is general and imprecise, giving the reader no concrete image. Words like nice, good, stuff, things, a lot, very, and really carry little specific meaning and force readers to guess what the writer actually meant.
How do you revise a narrative essay?
Read for places where the writing tells instead of shows, circle vague words and general statements, and replace each with concrete sensory detail from the real experience. Then cut filler intensifiers like very and really, and tighten wordy or redundant phrasing.
What is the difference between vague and specific language?
Vague language names things generally ("the food was good"), while specific language uses precise, sensory detail ("the salsa stung my throat"). Specific wording lets readers see, hear, and feel the scene, which is essential in narrative writing.
Why should you use sensory details in a narrative?
Sensory details, sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch, put the reader inside the moment and follow the show-don't-tell principle. They make scenes vivid and emotions believable, transforming a flat report of events into an experience the reader can share.
What should you look for when revising an essay?
Look for vague wording, telling instead of showing, filler intensifiers, and wordy or redundant phrases. Replace vague language with specific sensory detail, strengthen weak verbs and nouns, and cut anything that adds length without adding meaning or clarity.