Clichés

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One of Orwell's rules is avoid using clichés in your writing. Here are the top clichés, in rank order, from the Oxford English Corpus[1]:

  1. at the end of the day
  2. back on track
  3. the fact of the matter
  4. few and far between
  5. a level playing field
  6. in this day and age
  7. to all intents and purposes
  8. when all's said and done
  9. in the final analysis
  10. come full circle
  11. par for the course
  12. avoid someone or something like the plague
  13. think outside the box
  14. in the current climate
  15. mass exodus
  16. at this moment in time
  17. the path of least resistance
  18. a baptism of fire
  19. in any way, shape, or form
  20. not fit for purpose

References