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N-Gram Phrase finder

This tool set, will return the incidence of each word in a block of text. It will skip words in the "Stop Words" list and return both a count and a percentage use value for words in the "Suspicious" list. The system takes about 5 seconds to parse through 80,000 words. the drop downs a the bottom of the page offer some suggestions on how to deal with some of the more common words. 

Paste this list into suspect words if you want to look for weak adverbs:

really, very, just, suddenly, almost, slightly, completely, totally, barely, definitely, absolutely, practically, actually, somehow, possibly, quietly, loudly, quickly, slowly, finally, instantly, immediately, eventually, hopefully, literally, clearly, simply, honestly, gently, nervously, awkwardly, carefully, barely, roughly, seriously
 

Author Lexicon Words Block

Comma-separated. These words will be counted and flagged in the report.
Comma-separated. These words will be excluded from the word frequency table.

🔁 “Even” – Replacement & Reframing Guide

“Even” works in several ways—emphasis, contrast, intensification, or surprise. Below is a breakdown by usage type with targeted alternatives and rewrite strategies.

1. To Emphasize Contrast / Exception

Often found in: “Even he knew better.”

Alternatives:

  • Surprisingly
  • Incredibly
  • Of all people
  • Remarkably
  • Ironically

Rewritten Examples:

  • Even he knew better. → Of all people, he knew better.
  • Even the general looked afraid. → The general, surprisingly, looked afraid.

2. To Express Surprise or Improbability

Used to heighten disbelief or unexpectedness.

Example:
Even after everything, she stayed.

Alternatives:

  • Still
  • After all that
  • Against all odds
  • Despite it all

Rewritten Examples:

  • Even after everything, she stayed. → Despite it all, she stayed.
  • Even now, the memory stung. → The memory still stung.

3. In Comparisons / Escalations

Usually appears as: “It was even worse than expected.”

Alternatives:

  • Far
  • Still
  • All the more
  • Worse still
  • To an even greater extent (when formal)

Rewritten Examples:

  • It was even worse than expected. → It was far worse than expected.
  • Even more dangerous than they thought. → More dangerous still than they had feared.

4. To Signal Inclusion or Broadening

As in: “Even the children understood.”

Alternatives:

  • Including
  • Even the likes of...
  • Everyone—including…
  • Not excluding

Rewritten Examples:

  • Even the children understood. → Everyone—even the children—understood.
  • Even animals sensed it. → Animals sensed it too.

5. In Sarcasm or Irony (Dialogue / Voice)

Can work, but often better with tone-specific alternatives.

Example:
Even your excuses are lazy.

Alternatives:

  • So much for...
  • That’s how bad it is.
  • You’ve really outdone yourself.
  • You call that an excuse?

Rewritten Example:

  • Even your excuses are lazy. → You’ve somehow managed to make your excuses lazy too.

⚠️ Caution

Overusing “even” can make sentences feel passive, padded, or overly incredulous. Try replacing it with action, contrast, or clarity wherever possible.

🔁 Dialogue Tag

🔹 1. Neutral Alternatives (basic movement + dialogue)

Use when you want to keep things simple but skip the word turned.

  • Jane faced Bill and said...
  • Jane looked at Bill. “...”
  • Jane addressed Bill directly. “...”
  • Jane met his eyes. “...”
  • Jane glanced over. “...”

🔹 2. Dialogue-first Variants (when motion isn’t needed)

Use when it’s obvious who she’s talking to, or you're tightening prose.

  • “Bill,” Jane said. “...”
  • “...” Jane said to Bill.
  • “...” she said, not looking up.
  • “...” Jane told him.

🔹 3. Expressive/Emotional Variants

Use to show attitude, mood, or emphasis.

  • Jane snapped her attention to Bill. “...”
  • Jane turned sharply to him. “...”
  • Jane’s eyes narrowed as she faced him. “...”
  • With a tired glance toward Bill, Jane said...
  • Jane sighed before answering. “...”

🔹 4. Physical Replacements (if she’s doing more than turning)

Use when you want to combine gesture with dialogue.

  • Jane leaned toward him. “...”
  • Jane shifted in her seat. “...”
  • Jane crossed her arms and said...
  • Jane stepped closer. “...”
  • Jane tilted her head in his direction. “...”

🔹 5. Summary Attribution (used for narrative distance or compression)

  • Jane redirected the conversation. “...”
  • Jane broke the silence. “...”
  • She spoke without hesitation. “...”
  • Jane changed the subject. “...”

🧠 Pro Tip:

You don’t always need a physical cue—let dialogue flow when the scene’s focus is on the words. Use motion or attribution strategically to vary rhythm or reinforce emotional beats.

🔁 “Eyes” – Replacement & Reframing Guide

1. Emotional reaction (surprise, fear, sadness, etc.)

Her eyes widened in shock.

🔁 Try:

  • She flinched.
  • A sharp breath escaped her.
  • Her expression froze.
  • The corner of her mouth twitched.
  • She went still.

2. Connection / Intimacy / Tension

He met her eyes.
Their eyes locked.

🔁 Try:

  • Their gaze held.
  • He looked at her—really looked.
  • A long silence passed between them, charged and wordless.
  • She faced him without flinching.

3. Looking / Observing / Paying attention

She kept her eyes on the road.
His eyes scanned the room.

🔁 Try:

  • She watched the road closely.
  • He studied the room.
  • Her attention stayed on the road.
  • He tracked every movement around him.
  • She didn’t look away.

4. Avoiding / Deflecting / Shame or withdrawal

He dropped his eyes.
She looked away.
Their eyes didn’t meet.

🔁 Try:

  • He stared at the ground.
  • She turned her head.
  • He focused on anything but her.
  • She busied herself with the hem of her sleeve.
  • His shoulders tensed.

5. Eyes as Description / Metaphor

His eyes were cold.
There was fire in her eyes.

🔁 Try:

  • His stare was ice.
  • She burned with fury.
  • There was no warmth in his expression.
  • Her look was a warning.
  • He looked at her like she was already gone.

✂️ Sometimes, Cut It Entirely

You don’t always need a physical beat:

Original: He narrowed his eyes in suspicion before answering.
Better: “What exactly are you implying?” he asked.
(The tone already tells us he’s suspicious.)

🛠️ Tips for Managing “Eyes” Use

  • Group similar uses and replace in batches. Don’t try to kill all 120—just the redundant ones.
  • Look at clusters—if you’ve got 3 eye actions on one page, change at least one.
  • When in doubt: What does the moment need? A beat? A gesture? Or nothing at all?

🔁 “Something” – Replacement & Reframing Guide

1. Vague Feeling or Reaction

She felt something shift inside her.
There was something in his voice that unnerved her.

🔁 Try:

  • A flicker of doubt crept in.
  • A strange tension edged his voice.
  • She couldn't name it, but her chest tightened.
  • A shadow passed through her.

🎯 Goal: Capture the emotion more specifically, or own the ambiguity with texture.

2. Indefinite Object or Action

He reached for something in his coat.
She threw something at the wall.

🔁 Try:

  • He reached for a folded paper / a blade / a scrap of parchment.
  • She hurled the nearest object—a cracked mug / her notebook / a shoe.

🎯 Goal: If it matters, name it. If it doesn’t, pick something colorful anyway to keep it grounded in the world.

3. Mystery / Intrigue

There was something strange about the way he smiled.
Something told her not to trust him.

🔁 Try:

  • His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.
  • A gut instinct told her not to trust him.
  • It was the way he lingered—too calm, too ready.

🎯 Goal: Reveal a detail that builds tension or shows character, rather than skating by with “something.”

4. Hesitation or Vagueness in Dialogue or Thought

“I don’t know... something about this feels wrong.”

🔁 Try:

  • “I don’t know... maybe it’s the timing. Or how quiet it is.”
  • “I can’t put my finger on it, but this doesn’t sit right.”

🎯 Goal: Keep it vague if the character’s mind is vague, but still try to shape it with voice or implication.

5. “Something like…” Comparisons

It looked like something out of a dream.
He moved with something like grace.

🔁 Try:

  • It looked like a half-remembered dream.
  • He moved with a clumsy kind of grace.
  • It reminded her of an old painting, warped by memory.

🎯 Goal: Keep the impressionistic tone, but give it shape or flavor.

✂️ When “Something” Can Stay

  • When it reflects a character’s inarticulateness or awe

“I don’t know... something beautiful.”

  • When mystery or vagueness is the point

Something passed overhead, silent and massive.

🔁 “Still” – Replacement & Reframing Guide

“Still” can be used in several ways, so the replacement depends on context. Here’s a breakdown by usage type, with alternatives and rewrites:

1. As a synonym for “yet,” “even now,” or “despite that”

Often used to contrast or show persistence.

Example:
She knew the danger. Still, she moved forward.

Alternatives:

  • Yet
  • Nevertheless
  • Even so
  • All the same
  • Regardless

Rewritten:
She knew the danger. Nevertheless, she moved forward.
Though she knew the danger, she moved forward anyway.

2. To indicate silence, calm, or lack of movement

Can describe a scene or emotional state.

Example:
The room was still.

Alternatives:

  • Silent
  • Motionless
  • Quiet
  • Calm
  • Unmoving
  • Frozen (for dramatic tension)

Rewritten:
The room held a tense silence.
The air was unmoving, thick with waiting.

3. As an intensifier (emotional or abstract)

Sometimes “still” is used to emphasize continuity or surprise.

Example:
She was still angry after all these years.

Alternatives:

  • Remained
  • Continued to be
  • Was yet
  • Had not stopped being
  • Was no less

Rewritten:
Even after all these years, her anger hadn’t faded.
She remained angry, the years doing little to soften her.

4. In internal monologue / character perception

Frequently shows contradiction or emotional tension.

Example:
He had lied. Still, she trusted him.

Alternatives:

  • And yet
  • Despite everything
  • Somehow
  • Against her better judgment

Rewritten:
He had lied. And yet, she trusted him.
He had lied—somehow, she trusted him anyway.

⚠️ Common Pitfall: Overuse for Dramatic Pause

When “still” is used to slow a sentence or heighten mood, it often adds drag instead of impact.
Try trimming or replacing with visual or sensory detail.

🔁 “Turned” – Replacement & Reframing Guide

 

✅ 1. Neutral / Directional (basic physical movement)

  • looked at
    ➤ She looked at him, waiting for a reply.
  • faced
    ➤ He faced her, expression unreadable.
  • glanced toward / over at
    ➤ She glanced over at her brother before answering.
  • shifted toward
    ➤ He shifted toward the others, ready to speak.

✅ 2. Emotional / Relational

  • met [someone’s] eyes
    ➤ She met his eyes, defiance clear in hers.
  • regarded
    ➤ He regarded her with a calm curiosity.
  • studied
    ➤ She studied his face before responding.
  • turned her attention to
    ➤ He turned his attention to the ambassador.
    (Still uses "turned" but more precise and flexible.)

✅ 3. Avoiding Eye Contact / Turning Away

  • looked away
    ➤ She looked away, suddenly unsure.
  • lowered her gaze
    ➤ He lowered his gaze, avoiding her stare.
  • stepped back
    ➤ She stepped back, not ready to answer.
  • withdrew
    ➤ He withdrew, folding his arms in silence.

✅ 4. With Voice or Reaction

  • replied without looking at
    ➤ He replied without looking at her.
  • spoke while facing the window
    ➤ She spoke while facing the window, distant.
  • said as he shifted his weight toward her
    ➤ He said, shifting his weight toward her.

💡 Pro Tips:

  • You don’t need to replace every “turned”—repetition is only a problem when it becomes visible.
  • Sometimes you can skip the physical action altogether and go straight to the dialogue or emotional beat. Let the words or silence do the heavy lifting.
  • Use substitutions that reveal something new about the character or tension in the scene.

🔁 “Way” – Replacement & Reframing Guide

✳️ “Way” has many roles: as a synonym for method, path, degree, or even manner of doing something. Below are the most common uses with specific alternatives and rewrite ideas.

1. “The way [someone] did [something]”

Often describes behavior, mood, or expression.

Example:
The way she looked at him made him pause.

Alternatives:

  • How
  • As
  • In the manner that
  • With a look that
  • Her expression

Rewritten:

  • Her expression made him pause.
  • How she looked at him made him pause.
  • She looked at him in a way that made him pause. → She fixed him with a gaze that made him pause.

2. “The way forward / the only way” (method, solution)

Alternatives:

  • Path
  • Approach
  • Course
  • Means
  • Strategy
  • Option

Rewritten:

  • The way forward was unclear. → The path ahead was unclear.
  • There was no other way. → There was no other option / no other course of action.

3. “In a way” (softener / qualifier)

Often used to hedge or add nuance—but easily replaced or trimmed.

Alternatives:

  • Somehow
  • To some extent
  • In some sense
  • Partly
  • Arguably

Rewritten:

  • In a way, she was right. → She was partly right.
  • It was, in a way, beautiful. → It was strangely beautiful.
  • Or, delete entirely: It was beautiful.

4. “A long way / a great way / far / near” (distance or degree)

Alternatives:

  • Far
  • Much
  • Greatly
  • Significantly
  • Close
  • Approaching

Rewritten:

  • She had come a long way. → She had come far.
  • A great way off, the towers gleamed. → In the distance, the towers gleamed.
  • He was a long way from understanding. → He was far from understanding.

5. Figurative use: “No way,” “That’s the way it is,” “In every way”

These are tone-dependent—some are fine in dialogue, but in narrative they can usually be rephrased.

Examples & Fixes:

  • No way was he going to back down. → He refused to back down.
  • That’s the way it is. → That’s how things are.
  • In every way, she exceeded expectations. → She exceeded expectations completely / without exception.

⚠️ Pro Tip

“Way” is usually a placeholder. When in doubt, ask:
→ Can this be replaced with a concrete noun, verb, or clearer phrasing?