什麼是好字？有些話委婉地說，會更有效果。
你看HBO電影嗎？你讀《赫芬頓郵報》（Huffington Post）嗎？你喜歡Discovery頻道嗎？從中學習委婉的英語用字，會讓你說出一口有美感、又能有效溝通的英文。以下綜合多位中外籍老師的意見，列出符合美的標準的一些字：
不會太難
Mother， smile， love⋯
好記有意象
dawn(黎明)、dew(露珠)、sunlight(日光)⋯
有節奏美感
pinpoint(找出定位)、showcase(展現)、giggle (咯咯笑)
一字多用
come up with (想出)、get around to (找時間)
有特殊的文化韻味
entrepreneur (創業家)、nostalgia(鄉愁)、guru (大師)
怎麼樣選到更好的字--委婉的用字
形容脫衣舞者的職業，很多人會脫口而出用“stripper”，委婉說法可以用“exotic dancer”。究竟什麼是委婉（詞）的說法，簡單的定義，委婉的說法是，無法直接翻譯的說法，也因為這樣，它經常是我們講英文的罩門。我們來看以下例句：
他不聰明
Ｘ He is very stupid.
○ He is not the brightest bulb.
這是他的遺體
Ｘ This is his dead body.
○ This is his remains.
這輛是二手車
Ｘ This car is second hand.
○ This car is pre-owned.
你可以把那支筆遞過來嗎？
Ｘ Can you throw me the pen？
○ Can you pass me the pen？
他行動不便
Ｘ He is a handicapped person.
○ He is a differently-abled.
他在街上乞討
Ｘ He lives on the street.
○ He is homeless.
他被安樂死
Ｘ He was euthanized.
○ He has been put to sleep.
我會辭退他
Ｘ I will fire him.
○ I will let him go.
他很胖
Ｘ he is fat.
○ he is chubby.
我祖父剛剛過世
Ｘ My grandfather just died.
○ My grandfather just passed away.
○ My grandfather is six feet under.
○ My grandfather just met her maker.
我想要去洗手間
Ｘ I have an urge to urinate.
○ I’m calling for nature.
○ I need to relieve myself.
他依賴藥物
Ｘ He was drug addicted.
○ He has some chemical dependency.
他講話大聲又高傲
Ｘ He is loud and arrogant.
○ He has strong opinions about everything
and is not afraid to voice them.
他工作的態度懶散
Ｘ His attitude to his work is lazy.
○ He has a rather relaxed attitude toward work.
她長得不算太出色
Ｘ She is ugly.
○ She is plain.
他不太聰明
Ｘ He is retarded.
○ He has not used much of his brain.
