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> avoid "-ly" words I hope this isn’t the actual advice you were given. They are called adverbs.

junon 4y ago
It was the exact advice given. Not all adverbs end in "-ly", either, and not all adverbs should be avoided in technical writing; that'd be impossible. The rule states "-ly" words because those words are often cruft or crutch words that can be removed. If the sentence can't stand on its own without that word, then the sentence probably doesn't belong in the body of technical writing. Compare this with time-related adverbs, which generally provide chronological structure. Those are more relevant for technical writing. So yes, avoid "-ly" words. Not adverbs in general. That was the advice given.
- nohuck13 4y ago
  Some adverbs not ending in "-ly" are always, soon, today, ever, yet. "The Python interpreter has a number of functions and types built into it that are always available." [1] "Long option values can be split across multiple lines simply by indenting the continuation lines." [2] Agree with your teacher in that the first one seems fine. [1] https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html [2] https://docs.python.org/3/distutils/configfile.html https://docs.python.org/3/distutils/configfile.html
  - sorokod 4y ago
    I think that the advice is a bit more nuanced, your first example is fine as it is but consider the variants: "...that are clearly always available." "...that are obviously available." "...that are simply available." These adverbs are not only redundant but their presence suggest that things are actually not clear, simple or obvious.
Fnoord 4y ago
For non-native English speakers -ly is simpler than adverts. But simpler does not necessarily mean better long-term.
- School-Cotton 4y ago
  Why is it simpler? Are non-native English speakers less likely to know what an adverb is than English speakers are? I doubt it.
  - Fnoord 4y ago
    In their own language they know it but uncommon words in a non-native language might have to be looked up. Its theoretical vs practical.
- Hendrikto 4y ago
  I am a non-native English speaker, fwiw.

It was the exact advice given. Not all adverbs end in "-ly", either, and not all adverbs should be avoided in technical writing; that'd be impossible. The rule states "-ly" words because those words are often cruft or crutch words that can be removed. If the sentence can't stand on its own without that word, then the sentence probably doesn't belong in the body of technical writing. Compare this with time-related adverbs, which generally provide chronological structure. Those are more relevant for technical writing. So yes, avoid "-ly" words. Not adverbs in general. That was the advice given.

nohuck13 4y ago
Some adverbs not ending in "-ly" are always, soon, today, ever, yet. "The Python interpreter has a number of functions and types built into it that are always available." [1] "Long option values can be split across multiple lines simply by indenting the continuation lines." [2] Agree with your teacher in that the first one seems fine. [1] https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html https://docs.python.org/3/library/functions.html [2] https://docs.python.org/3/distutils/configfile.html https://docs.python.org/3/distutils/configfile.html
- sorokod 4y ago
  I think that the advice is a bit more nuanced, your first example is fine as it is but consider the variants: "...that are clearly always available." "...that are obviously available." "...that are simply available." These adverbs are not only redundant but their presence suggest that things are actually not clear, simple or obvious.

Fnoord 4y ago

For non-native English speakers -ly is simpler than adverts. But simpler does not necessarily mean better long-term.

School-Cotton 4y ago
Why is it simpler? Are non-native English speakers less likely to know what an adverb is than English speakers are? I doubt it.
- Fnoord 4y ago
  In their own language they know it but uncommon words in a non-native language might have to be looked up. Its theoretical vs practical.
Hendrikto 4y ago
I am a non-native English speaker, fwiw.