--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Always prefer the plain direct word to…" description: "\"Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one.\" — C. S. Lewis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/c-s-lewis-2-132_direct_always-prefer-the-plain-direct-word-to-t_3163204.png" --- # Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. ![“Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one.” quote by C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/c-s-lewis-2-132_direct_always-prefer-the-plain-direct-word-to-t_3163204.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/c-s-lewis-2-132_direct_always-prefer-the-plain-direct-word-to-t_3163204.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/559/c-s-lewis-2-132_direct_always-prefer-the-plain-direct-word-to-t_3163204.png) > “Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one.” [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Clear, concrete language conveys meaning more effectively than vague, ornate phrasing. **In simple terms:** Use simple words for clarity. Key Takeaway Choose direct expression. Themes communication writing clarity language Mood thoughtful educational Type literary instructional When to use this quote - teaching - public speaking - technical writing - creative writing Key Concepts semantic precision reader comprehension Questions to Reflect On - When is elaborate language necessary? - How does audience affect word choice? A Different Perspective Simplicity can risk oversimplification of complex ideas. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/direct/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-vague-2855819/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Plain Direct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plain-direct-5726422/) [Prefer Plain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prefer-plain-2855821/) [Vague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vague/) [Word Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-long-5726423/) ## Related quotes > [Always prefer the plain direct word to the long, vague one. Don't implement promises, but keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/always-prefer-the-plain-direct-word-to-the-long-vague-one-don-t/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“It wasn’t because you weren’t beautiful, talented, funny, creative or had everything in common. It was because some men prefer plain vanilla ice cream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/it-wasn-t-because-you-weren-t-beautiful-talented-funny-creative-or/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [When Catholicism goes bad it becomes the world-old, world-wide religio of amulets and holy places and priestcraft. Protestantism,in its corresponding decay, becomes a vague…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-catholicism-goes-bad-it-becomes-the-world-old-world-wide-religio/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [The vague torment of ... ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-vague-torment-of-ambition/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [May we not suspect that the vague but very real fears of children, which are quite independent of experience, are the inherited effects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/may-we-not-suspect-that-the-vague-but-very-real-fears-of-children/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I can negate everything of that part of me that lives on vague nostalgias, except this desire for unity, this longing to solve, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/i-can-negate-everything-of-that-part-of-me-that-lives-on-vague/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Problems are often stated in vague terms... because it is quite uncertain what the problems really are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-von-neumann/problems-are-often-stated-in-vague-terms-because-it-is-quite/) [John von Neumann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-von-neumann/) > [The love of God is not something vague or generic; the love of God has a name and a face: Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-love-of-god-is-not-something-vague-or-generic-the-love-of-god-has/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [The camera has an interest in turning history into spectacle, but none in reversing the process. 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It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/i-am-far-from-any-intention-to-limit-curiosity-or-confine-the-labours/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Spiritual activity, education, civilization, culture, the idea are all vague, indefinite concepts, under the banner of which it is quite convenient to use words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/spiritual-activity-education-civilization-culture-the-idea-are-all/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I had a vague memory of the intensity of teenage female relationships; more of a passion than a normal friendship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jojo-moyes/i-had-a-vague-memory-of-the-intensity-of-teenage-female-relationships/) [Jojo Moyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jojo-moyes/) > [Many early-stage entrepreneurs make one simple mistake: Describing this 'big picture' in vague concepts and words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunil-nagaraj/many-early-stage-entrepreneurs-make-one-simple-mistake-describing/) [Sunil Nagaraj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunil-nagaraj/) ## More by C. S. Lewis > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Either Jesus is the Son of God ; or a madman or worse. But His being just a great teacher? He's not left that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/either-jesus-is-the-son-of-god-or-a-madman-or-worse-but-his-being/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [To every soul, God will look like its first love because He IS its first love. Your place in heaven will seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/to-every-soul-god-will-look-like-its-first-love-because-he-is-its/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Don't you understand anything? Isn't it absolutely essential to keep a fierce Left and a fierce Right, both on their toes and each terrified…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/don-t-you-understand-anything-isn-t-it-absolutely-essential-to-keep-a/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“Really great moral teachers never do introduce new moralities: it is quacks and cranks who do that. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/really-great-moral-teachers-never-do-introduce-new-moralities-it-is/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“When He died in the Wounded World He died not for men, but for each man. If each man had been the only man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/when-he-died-in-the-wounded-world-he-died-not-for-men-but-for-each/) [C. S. 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