essay about curse words

September 4, 2024

published by phi beta kappa

Print or web publication, on the psychology of swearing.

Could cursing be good for us?

Consider cuss words, also known as curse words, swear words, profanity, bad language, and what not to say on television. Most psychologists use taboo words, a term so nonjudgmental that it seems to pass judgment on those who would call them anything else. But however we reference them, the fact remains that they intrigue and disgust, insult and—rather surprisingly, in some circumstances—assuage us.

Why do psychologists bother studying the language of the gutter? Well, as Timothy Jay, a professor at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, puts it in a 2009 review (available on his website , and very worth your time), swearing is ubiquitous: “we say taboo words as soon as we speak and we continue to swear into old age even through dementia and senile decline.” And we do so at a rate of about one taboo word per 200 words. This rate, however, differs dramatically among age groups (swearing peaks in adolescence), between genders (men swear more often and more offensively), and most importantly and perhaps obviously of all, from one individual to the next.

All taboo words are not created equal. Nor are they equal-opportunity offenders. It remains unknown precisely how children acquire the nuanced contexts for a given expletive. In a sense, this is a problem children face for every word in their vocabulary. But with taboo words the stakes seems higher—and the studies undoubtedly harder to come by. What parents are going to sign up their toddler for a study with “cussing” in the title?

In any event, we know that by the time said toddler is old enough for college, his memory for taboo words in psychology experiments is excellent. Taboo words tend to be emotional words, and emotional things attract our attention and keep it. (That is why those “where were you when” moments follow tragic or inspiring events, never mildly disappointing or merely pleasant ones.) The distinctiveness of taboo words also helps us remember them. In many contexts—church, classrooms, and dare I say psychology experiments—we simply don’t expect to encounter swearing. So when we do, it stands out. Thus, changing the context in which swearing occurs can change how we experience it. Were we to read a list chock-full of taboo words (the experimental equivalent of, say, watching Goodfellas ), we’d be less likely to remember a given zinger than when reading a list full of neutral words (the experimental equivalent of watching Babe ).

Some researchers have even suggested—and here things get more controversial—that taboo words have a hold on us that goes beyond their emotional impact or distinctiveness, that we evolved to use and attend to taboo words as a survival strategy . What else, Jay observes, can “intensify” communication more efficiently than a well-placed Fuck you ?

Alternatively, though not incompatibly, we may swear simply because it makes us feel better. In a 2011 study led by Keele University’s Richard Stephens, researchers measured how long participants would keep a hand in a container of freezing water. On one trial, participants repeated a swear word of their choice. On another trial, the same participants immersed their hand without cursing. (Sometimes the no-cursing trial occurred first, sometimes second). When cursing, participants’ heart rates increased, as did the amount of time they were capable of withstanding the freezing water—from about a minute to a minute and a half. But the swearing-as-painkiller method, though intriguing, becomes less effective with repeated use: this “swearing benefit” is largest for those who swear least .

Jessica Love  holds a doctorate in cognitive psychology and edits Kellogg Insight at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

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The power of swearing: how obscene words influence your mind, body and relationships

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Neuropsychologist, University of Westminster

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Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Keele University

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Richard Stephens has prevously received research funding from Nurofen.

Catherine Loveday, Karyn Stapleton, and Kristy Beers Fägersten do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

University of Westminster and Keele University provide funding as members of The Conversation UK.

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Swearing was long dismissed as a topic of serious research because it was assumed to be simply a sign of aggression, weak language proficiency or even low intelligence. We now have quite a lot of evidence that challenges this view, prompting us to reconsider the nature – and power – of swearing.

You can listen to more articles from The Conversation, narrated by Noa, here .

Whether we are fans of swearing or not, many of us are likely to resort to it now and again. To estimate the power of swearing, and work out where it comes from, we recently carried out a review of more than 100 academic papers on the subject from different disciplines. The study, published in Lingua , shows that the use of of taboo words can deeply affect the way we think, act and relate to each other.

People often associate swearing with catharsis – the release of strong emotion. It is undeniably different from – and more powerful than – other forms of language use. Interestingly, for speakers of more than one language, the catharsis is nearly always greater when swearing in one’s first language than any languages learned subsequently.

Swearing arouses the emotions. This can be measured in autonomic responses such as increased sweating and sometimes increased heart rate. These changes suggest that swearing can trigger the “fight or flight” function.

Neuroscientific research suggests that swearing might be located in different parts of the brain from other speech regions. Specifically, it might activate parts of the “ limbic system ” (including features known as the basal ganglia and the amygdala). These deep structures are involved in aspects of memory and emotion processing which are instinctive and difficult to inhibit . This might explain why swearing can remain intact in people who have suffered brain damage and struggle to speak as a result.

Laboratory-based experiments also show cognitive effects. We know that swear words command more attention and are better remembered than other words. But they also interfere with the cognitive processing of other words/stimuli – so it seems swearing can sometimes get in the way of thinking, too.

This may, however, be worth it – at least sometimes. In experiments requiring people to submerse a hand in icy water, swearing produces pain relief. In these studies, vocalising a swear word leads to higher pain tolerance and higher pain threshold compared with neutral words. Other studies have found increased physical strength in people after swearing.

But swearing doesn’t just influence our physical and mental selves – it also affects our relationships with others. Research in communication and linguistics has shown an array of distinctive social purposes of swearing – from expressing aggression and causing offence to social bonding, humour and story-telling . Bad language can even help us manage our identities and display intimacy and trust as well as boosting attention and dominance over other people.

Digging deeper

Despite having such a noticeable effect on our lives, we currently know very little about where swearing gets its power. Interestingly, when we hear a swear word in an unfamiliar language, it seems just like any other word and will not produce any of these outcomes – there’s nothing particular about the sound of the word itself that is universally offensive.

So, the power does not come from the words themselves. Equally, it is not inherent in the word meanings or sounds: neither euphemisms nor similar sounding words have such a profound effect on us.

One explanation is that “aversive conditioning” – the use of punishment to prevent continued swearing – typically occurs during childhood . This may establish a visceral connection between language use and emotional response. While this hypothesis sounds correct, it is weakly evidenced by only a handful of studies that have investigated memories of childhood punishment for swearing. There are almost no empirical studies of links between such memories and adult responses to swearing.

To get to the bottom of why swearing has such a profound effect on us, we need to investigate the nature of people’s memories for swearing. What were their significant swearing incidents? Did swearing always bring about unpleasant consequences, such as punishment, or were there benefits too? What about people’s ongoing experiences of swearing throughout the lifespan? After all, our research shows that swearing can sometimes help people bond with one another.

We think it might be possible for swearing to show a similar memory pattern to that for music – we remember and like the songs best that we listened to during adolescence. That’s because, like music, swearing possibly takes on new meaning in adolescence. It becomes an important way to respond to the intense emotions we tend to have during this time, and an act that signals independence from parents and connection with friends. So, swear words and songs used during this time may become forever linked with important and highly memorable experiences.

Research also needs to examine whether there is a link between memories of swearing and the effects observed in experiments. This could show whether people with more positive memories respond differently to those with negative memories.

A final point to consider is whether swearing will start to lose its power if it becomes more socially acceptable and thus loses its offensiveness. For now, however, it certainly remains a faux-pas.

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The History of Swear Words: Where the &%@! Do They Come From?

From ancient rome to the renaissance, dive into the surprising origins and history of swear words..

Don’t deny it: Sometimes, swearing just feels good. And it’s becoming increasingly clear that dropping the occasionally profanity bomb is actually good for us, too — at least, according to science .

Research has shown that swearing can boost pain tolerance , foster emotional resilience and signal positive traits like verbal fluency and honesty . What’s more, spewing obscenities has the potential to impact our bodies as well as our minds, providing stress relief and even a slight boost in physical performance .

Given their ubiquity in society, it can seem like swear words simply sprouted into existence. But where, exactly, does profane language come from? From ancient Rome to the Renaissance to today, there’s lots that the history of swearing can teach us about how taboos, language and culture evolve — and it can provide a glimpse of the future of (mostly) four-letter words.

The History of Swear Words

Simply put, swearing is taboo language: particular words that certain people deem unacceptable in specific settings within a given culture.

“The words that come to fill that role come from certain places in the human experience,” says Benjamin Bergen, a linguist and cognitive scientist at the University of California, San Diego, and author of What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves. “They tend to describe things that are themselves taboo.”

Historically, Bergen continues, taboo language has tended to revolve around religion; in Judeo-Christian and Muslim traditions, profanity emerges when words selected for specific functions are stripped of their intent and used outside of religious contexts. (In Latin, the word profanus translates to “outside the temple,” signifying words that desecrate sacred precepts.)

As such, words in English like holy , hell and goddamn — or even names of religious figures like Jesus Christ — become swears when they’re used accordingly, even if they're pretty tame by today's standards.

Read More: New Evidence for How Languages Spread 10,000 Years Ago

Other Origins of Curse Words

Beyond religion, profanity can also come from language involving sex and sexual acts, as well as bodily functions — in the latter category, you can find words describing vomit, urine and, of course, feces. In certain cultures, death and disease can even become fodder for profane language. In Dutch, for example, a long list of expletives are derived from the names of diseases , like the extremely-offensive Kankerlijer , which literally translates to “cancer-sufferer.”

“It’s the same general phenomenon [in all cases],” says Bergen. “A taboo about the world becomes a taboo about the word.”

Lastly, there are slurs — among the most offensive of all profanity, according to several studies that rank the offensiveness of English swear words. These derogatory terms refer to members of groups perceived as being defined by their race, gender, ethnicity and sexual orientation, among others. And, according to Bergen, the prominence of slurs in the U.S. is on the rise.

“There’s very clear, empirical evidence that not only is there more of [this type of language], but it’s also judged to be more offensive, at least by younger Americans,” he says.

Read More: Swearing Like A Sailor May Not Be Such A Bad Thing

Swear Words in Ancient Rome

The history of swearing is filled with fascinating twists and turns. But, perhaps surprisingly, obscenity in Latin shares a few striking similarities with swearing today, with both drawing from taboos about sex and excrement. The sexual and cultural norms of ancient Rome, however, were markedly different from ours, giving rise to some unique profanity.

“You get swear words from the cultural preoccupations of the time,” says Melissa Mohr, author of Holy Sh*t: A Brief History of Swearing. “One of the key Roman preoccupations was, ‘What does it mean to be a man?’ They had all of these different words for man , and the best kind of man you could be was a vir , and that’s where we get the word virtuous .”

In ancient Rome, Mohr continues, it was socially acceptable for a virtuous Roman man to have sex with people of any gender, for example, so long as he was the active participant. (As such, one of the surest ways to sling mud at a Roman man was to use language putting them in a passive sexual position.) Meanwhile, if a woman was active during sex, that was deemed taboo by society.

“When you transgress the rules, that’s where you get the swear words,” adds Mohr.

Read More: Eight Ancient Languages Still Spoken Today

Swearing in the Middle Ages

By the Middle Ages, our cultural norms were quite different from those in antiquity; now, religion was an even more dominant force in society. As such, religious oaths — promises before God that your words are true and you’ll do what you say — that were made falsely became the predominant form of profanity.

“The cultural preoccupation [in the Middle Ages] is how and when you use God’s name,” says Mohr. “If you were having a criminal trial, you could be found not guilty just because you swore that you were a good person. […] So when you get vain swearing, which is what they’re worried about, that’s when you swear and you’re lying or you’re not sincere.”

So if you were, say, gambling in the Middle Ages and lost, you might cry out, “By God’s bones!” In particular, oaths on God’s body parts — other examples include “by God’s wounds” or “by the blood of Christ” — were the most obscene phrases you could say. These swears were deemed so shocking because people thought that saying them was akin to ripping apart the body of Christ in heaven, in a perversion of the Eucharist here on Earth.

Over the centuries, however, the perverse power of religious oaths began to fade. Mohr says that the decline started during the Protestant Reformation of the 1500s , with traditional religion playing a less central role in people’s lives.

“Basically, in Catholicism, God is more reachable; there was a sense [during the Middle Ages] that swearing was really directly connected to God and that vain swearing was really bad when you did it,” she says. “And with the Protestant Reformation, it’s no longer God’s physical body; it’s his spiritual body. […] With the decline of religiosity, this has basically been on a downward trend for hundreds of years.”

Read More: By God's Bones: Bad Words in the Middle Ages Were Nothing Like Today’s

Modern Obscenity Was Born During the Renaissance

During the Renaissance, swearing started to more closely resemble modern profanity. Terms that had simply been direct or descriptive during the Middle Ages — like the C-word, which could once be found in medical treatises describing anatomy — began to take over as the new swear words.

“Most of the bad words were around in the Middle Ages, they just weren’t swear words,” says Mohr.

These swears, often sexual or scatological in nature, reached their peak offensiveness during the Victorian era. This is when profanities largely vanished from print and speech, and polite euphemisms took their place. The societal urge to veer away from anything deemed uncouth or explicit was so strong that even now-banal words like leg and trouser were seen as taboo.

“But in private, there were all of these hints that by around 1860, people were swearing basically the same way that they are now,” says Mohr. “It just rarely made it into the record, but it’s in court cases and pornography.”

Around the dawn of the 20th century, however, profanity became much more public. During World War I and World War II, says Mohr, wartime correspondents tried to faithfully report on what soldiers were doing and saying, from trenches to submarines — including all of the colorful language they used. As a result, swearing started to bleed into newspapers and books.

“At that point, they’re saying f--- every other word,” adds Mohr. “There’s a quote [from the era] where someone said, ‘We knew it was serious if the sergeant didn’t say, ‘Get your f---ing rifle.’”

Read More: How Language Shapes Our Understanding of Reality

What Will the Swear Words of the Future Look Like?

Today, slurs are increasingly replacing other forms of profanity as the most shocking and offensive words in the English language. And while research suggests that the bulk of profanity is mostly harmless, even when used around children , slurs are a notable exception to this rule — for both the individuals being defamed and observers.

For example, Italian researchers found that being exposed to homophobic slurs led participants to dehumanize and physically distance themselves from gay men, according to a study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology .

As slurs become more pervasive, both Bergen and Mohr note that it’s difficult to say whether they’ll ever lose their intent to harm and become intensifiers in language like other forms of swearing.

“One way to look at it is to say that, in hundreds of years, when we stop being discriminatory and putting people in all these silos, maybe [slurs] will just be this remnant of a time when this mattered,” says Mohr. “I hope that’s going to go away, but I feel like maybe they’ll never become the ‘seasoning’ words of the future.”

Read More: Is There Any Harm in Swearing Around Your Kids?

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The New York Times

The learning network | have curse words become so common they have lost their shock value.

Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock Value?

Questions about issues in the news for students 13 and older.

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Curse words used to be reserved for private conversations or stubbed toes, but over the past few decades they seem to have solidly found their way into popular culture — into hit songs and television shows, even book titles and company names.

• Have curse words become so common they have lost their shock value?

In “Does The Times Have Its Act Together on Vulgar Language?,” Margaret Sullivan, the public editor , writes about The New York Times’s conservative stance when it comes to publishing “bad” words.

Should The Times write about a company if it can’t – or won’t — put the name of that company in the article? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? But it happened this month when Ron Lieber, the business reporter and columnist, wrote about a Web site that helps people organize their financial lives. It has a word in it that only in the rarest of occasions appears in The Times, both in print or online. Because of The Times’s style rules, which prohibit the use of such language except in the rarest of cases, the article carefully – coyly – wrote around the questionable word…. Many readers got it. Some did not. Mr. Lieber said he heard from some readers that they were puzzled and couldn’t find the site. He said he was frustrated. “I think if we’re going to devote an entire story to a company or service, we ought to be able to print its name once,” he said. It’s hard to argue with that. What harm would it do? I talked with Philip B. Corbett, associate managing editor for standards, who agreed that it was unfortunate that the article caused confusion but nevertheless said that keeping coarse language out of The Times is worthwhile.

Students: Tell us …

• How often do you curse?
• Do you think the trend of vulgar language being used more casually in popular culture is good, bad or just harmless?
• Do you think The New York Times should publish “bad” words when they are newsworthy, as in the piece that Ron Lieber wrote, or should the newspaper continue to uphold its conservative standards about language? Why?

NOTE: Students, please use only your first name. For privacy policy reasons, we will not publish student comments that include a last name.

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I think curse words are losing their shock value. This is because so many people have curse words in their vocabulary and say them like it’s nothing. You’ll hear kids from all ages cursing and it’s crazy. Public figures such as musicians and actors often use curse words, so the kids don’t really see a problem with it. Overall, I think curse words have become too commonly used to the point where it’s almost normal to hear them.

I think that cursing has lost its shock value because modern day parents don’t really enforce it. It is also probably being used by the parents in front of the children, modelling for them to swear. Swearing is also in allot of advertisements, Tv shows, Movies, music Etc. Kids tend to think it isn’t a big deal.

I think curse words have a lost some of their shock value becuase im not shocked when I hear a swear on TV or in any form of media any more. Ill admit that I do swear when im at home and I try to avoid doing it in school. I think the trend is harmless to the majority of people but bad or younger people who might pick up swearing from it. I think the times should publish them if they are newsworthy.

I believe that curse words have become so common and usual, that it is not a big deal when they are used. I do not think they should be used so often. Curse words have become a part of our everyday language. People use them to emphasize how they feel, but i think there are other ways to do that. I try not to curse as much as possible, but occasionally they slip out if I get hurt or forget something. I believe that curse words should not be published because then we would be encouraging the use of them, which is wrong. We should be teaching our future generations that it is wrong to use curse words. I believe that they are used so commonly now because people forget their real meanings.

I think that curse words have become really common to the point that people aren’t taken by surprise as much as it used to. I think that although for some people it has become normal, it is disrespectful language to use in a formal situation. I think that part of the reason why people are cussing as much as they are is because of the influences around them. Parents, other family, friends, and other people influence how you act, so it makes sense that someone would start that habit because of that.

I believe that curse words have been used so commonly that they have lost their shock value. I am regretful to admit it,but I do curse a few times a day. I think the trend of vulgar language being used more casually in popular culture is bad because it is exposing younger generations to it so they would think its okay and when they grow up they will use it more often then they should. The New York Times should continue to uphold its conservative standards about language if it is in a quote. If not, they sould not use vulgar language because it maks the newspaper look unprofessional.

I think the use of curse words in daily language is rather trashy, and I personally do not use them very often. Even when I say things like “crap” I usually fallow it with “pardon my language” because I think words like that are mostly vulgar, inappropriate and impolite. I also dislike music that includes swears, and for the most part choose not to listen to it. My dad once told me “swears are an uneducated person’s way of expressing themselves”, I do not wish for others to view me as uneducated, so I do not want to use them.

Curse words seem to have been becoming more and more popular, and yes I think the shock value is decreasing. I wont say that I don’t curse I have but I do try to avoid using curse words. I think using curse words are the popular thing to do therefore I thin pop culture will start to influence young people. I think the New York times should continue to filter response we have young people writing there opinions on this website and they don’t need to see curse words might encourage them to use them.

In my opinion, curse words have lost their shock value. We hear it everyday, and some of us hear these words from our parents. Its not often that we go somewhere and hear that someone doesn’t curse, because it has become apart of what this generation is today.

Swear words have been more commonly used in today’s society and bad language still has a shock factor depending on the context. If the word is used to offend somebody or to express exclamation they are still alarming, but if the word is used in a song or in a company name, it is pretentious but not as eyeopening.

Curse words are used so frequently that they have lost their shok value. When hear it I don’t ever cringe or find it unexpected. The fact that it’s being used in clothing brand names is unprofessional and shouldn’t happen but there is no way to prevent that since curse words are said so thoughtlessly. Cursing is more of an everyday thing rather than part of a private situation.

I personally love the Times’ code not to use curse words in their writing. Curse words and colorful language have painted the vocabulary of everyone starting from a young age from television, and other forms of media and entertainment. The sharp edges of bad language have dulled in the past few years, I have personally witnessed seven year old’s cuss out their own parents because they won’t buy them an ipod or a toy. I have accidentally and sometimes used swear words but never in a perfectly casual manner. This is becoming the way of life now but i do not agree with the progressive use of swear words.

I think that curse words are being used to often now more than years before and have lost their effect. People use curse words in their everyday language, seeing that people don’t see it as a threat anymore. I think the trend of using coarse language now is bad for our social economy as well because being used casually allows us to think it is okay to swear wherever we are, which isn’t allowed. I think that the newspaper should still keep vulgarity out of their articles because it makes the article more formal and gets the point across better without people focusing on the printed “bad” words.

I believe that curse words have been used so much, that it lost shock value, and lose all effect to them. In my little group of friends, they have been unable to ‘corrupt’ me, meaning that I do not curse or use any bad language.

I think that depending on who you are curse words will mean different things to you. Not very one feels the same way about using them, but I think over the decades curse words have become more and more common in the world.

I think that the use of swears, curse words, and vulgar language is harmful to our culture, as some words used as swears originate from being words that are insulting to certain types of people, races, or social groups and classes. Personally, I despise when people use language such as mentioned in the article in daily conversations, because first of all it shows a lack of more educated words but also, many are insulting, and if not to me, it may hurt someone who over hears it. I believe there is a time when vulgar language can be used, for as humans it is in our nature to look for a way to express anger, yet I think people have come to use language such as mentioned too often.

I think that curse words are used more often and they do not have the same shock value. This could be due to several reasons. They might not be as shocking because people use them so often that they do not care as much. Some people have adapted to their new vulgar language that they will use curse words in most of their sentences. So basically, curse words are used more often and people do not care as much.

In some ways yes, curse words have become common enough not to phase others. This applies more to the younger generations because we use on a regular basis. For some of the older generations, when they hear us swear, they get all surprised and angry sometimes.

Today curse words are used more less than how it was before in the 90″s. Most younger generations of people are the most common to use curse words the older someone is the less they will use it. I am a person that cures sometimes when someone gets me angry. Articles should not use curse words because it will not make the article interesting.

in today society curse word have lost there shock value because its used so much in society that we became desensetized to it and it no longer shock us because we hear it movies and music much more that people in the past have and we are just used to it more that it does not bother us or shock us when people curse. i am a person that curses when i need to like if Im angry i curse,

In some ways curse words have lost their shock value from hearing a famous comedian or actor curse, then to a rapper cursing in a rap song its all part of our daily lives now. For me i’m very vulgar around friends at home its not as much. It really makes me feel its bad we as a generation our teaching ourselves that its good to curse. It makes most people very annoyed as myself that we are all teaching kids younger than us that cursing is part of the lifestyle and that is completely untrue. So for all of us as readers we do not want to see a curse word in an article ever. As a nation were trying to be better people and individuals throughout our lifetime heading into our kids lifetime as well.

in my opinion use the curse words it mean a lot different to your.every one have different way to think about it and use it. i think curse word just use to scare you.

1. I think that they have indeed lost their shock value because everyone and their mother curses, and if you say you have never cursed then your a liar. 2. Honestly everyday, probably more than 100 times due to songs i listen to, frustration or even just getting a point across to my friends. 3. I think its harmless, I feel like cursing is inappropriate in a lot of situations but when you are talking socially to a friend then I feel it is ok, but when your grandmother is in the room or something I try to avoid it. 4. In the time of need, I think that the New York Times can say ‘bad’ words. It’s not like anyone who reads the paper is not a mature person in the first place.

Have curse words become so common they have lost their shock value? How often do you curse? Do you think the trend of vulgar language being used more casually in popular culture is good, bad or just harmless? Do you think The New York Times should publish “bad” words when they are newsworthy, as in the piece that Ron Lieber wrote, or should the newspaper continue to uphold its conservative standards about language? Why?

I believe that curse words have became very common in todays world people just use them so random.

i curse a lot because I am used to it and my family curses a lot so it is very common in my house.

I believe that vulgar cursing has been used much more often then usually

I believe the Ny times should not use bad words in the articles because the times is known as high class news.

Curse words have become so common that they’ve lost their shock value. I’ll admit I do curse sometimes when I’m angry, but not on a regular basis. The trend of vulgar language being used more casually i popular culture is harmful. They have bad meanings to it and the younger generations should learn not to swear.

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Swear Words and Argumentation

Chandler Cadman

  Keywords: Curse Words, Audience, Speaker, Media, Burke

Curse words are present in every language and are used in multiple focal points of discourse throughout society, from daily conversations to media. Curse words can be defined as words that hold a level of taboo. These levels of taboo are dependent on an individual’s own set of beliefs. Because of the offensive nature of curse words, these words hold a weight that other words do not contain. If curse words fall under the category of taboo, it would make sense to assume that curse words are bad in all contexts, but this is not the case. Depending on the setting and usage in which the discourse takes place, curse words can make an argument more persuasive or less persuasive. Argumentation serves as a branch of discourse and is a node of convincing an audience of something (“Discourse Examples and Definition”). In this chapter, I analyze the positive effects of swearing in argumentation (such as humor and elicitation) and the negative effects of swearing (offending the audience and conveying a lack of education) (Jay).

First, it would be beneficial to lay out the reasons why curse words can be seen both positively and negatively from an audience’s perspective. There are a few key rhetorical theories that explain the relationship between speaker and audience. Edwin Black’s second persona focuses on a set of shared values between speaker and audience. A speaker will have a set of values that they share with their audience, but also a unique set of values and morals that do not align with the audience. Kenneth Burke argues that social identity is founded “spontaneously, intuitively, and even unconsciously.” This theory states if the audience is a predetermined entity, the speaker will go into to conversation instinctually understanding that identification with the audience members is a necessity in producing a convincing argument. Because of this, the speaker’s choice of lexicon is pertinent in staying relatable with an audience. Lastly, Maurice Charland’s constitutive rhetoric is another lens to describe the audience as an entity containing an identity. This theory explains how an audience can be swayed one way or another because, as a unit, the audience makes up their minds on whether to support the speaker’s ideals or not. In the case of curse words, observing popular media and listeners’ reactions to the use of these words may be a way to understand the effects of the words on specific audience members.

When a comedian is on stage, their goal is to convince the audience that they are funny. Often, comedians use raunchy anecdotes, hypothetical situations, and punchlines to argue the point that they are funny. A comedy set, however, has the potential to produce both positive and negative reactions in an audience. A historically controversial comedian that has gotten large scale pushback from his sets is Dave Chappelle. Due to his language, including the N word and homophobic F slur, Chappelle’s audience members have spoken out against his comedy sets. This is an example on how curse words can take away from an argument. If a comedian uses certain words and offends the audience to the point where they are angry as opposed to make them laugh, the comedian’s argument is no longer effective. The Chappelle example serves as evidence on how rhetoric containing curse words can weaken an argument for the speaker, but in other cases the exact opposite may happen.

A famous speech example from popular media containing foul language that strengthens the speaker’s argument is the fictional dialogue from Al Pacino’s character in the movie Any Given Sunday in his Inch speech. Pacino is readying his team up for an important game, and as the speech is reaching its climax, Pacino uses the F word. Although fictional, the written dialogue is meant to be realistic and mirror how a real audience would react. This use of profanity is welcomed with strong agreements and cheers from the entire team. In this instance, Pacino’s tone becomes more and more aggressive while he is giving his speech up until he uses the swear word, which in this case is a substitution for aggression but used in a constructive way to inspire the team. As Jay argues, “Swear words can achieve a number of outcomes, as when used positively for… fitting in with the crowd, or as a substitute for physical aggression.” This audience already contains an identity shared with the coach, and this moment of identification positively contributes to the outcome of his speech. The curse word Pacino uses positively enhances his argument and helps his team come together.

Curse words affect an argument because the level of agreeability within an argument is set to a spectrum, with one side of the spectrum being complete agreement, and the other side of the argument being total disagreement. It is crucial to acknowledge both sides of the spectrum so that the audience can have a better sense of the polarizing the effects of curse words. Because the number of positions and population of listeners is infinite, “Use of swear words is heavily context-sensitive and also because their meanings can be seen as expressive, rather than as referential/descriptive,” the outcomes of a negotiation would have situational implications when using curse words (Goddard). The limitation is that that every person is different, and when talking about an audience, it would be difficult to gage to what specific degree an audience is swayed. However, observing an audience through Lloyd Bitzer’s rhetorical situation, considering the audience as an entity, as students on rhetoric and argumentation we can understand whether the audience agrees or disagrees. After the presentation concludes, based on an audience’s reaction, we can observe how and why they are capable of being influenced. Moreover, conversations and arguments have an unlimited set of presenters and audience members, each with a set of morals and levels of agreeability. Because of this, it would be impossible to accurately account for every individual member of an audience when studying how a curse word may affect an audience. Jay writes that, “Swearing is positively correlated with extraversion and is a defining feature of a Type A personality. It is negatively correlated with conscientiousness, agreeableness, sexual anxiety, and religiosity” (Jay). The varying degrees of taboo present in both speakers and audiences impact the effect of curse words.

In the context of Chappelle’s stand-up skits and Pacino’s speech, the audiences are varied. In the case of Dave Chappelle, the argument that his jokes are funny on stage were met with criticisms due to his racial and homophobic cursing throughout his set. In the case of the Inch speech, the coach presents himself as an active unit of his team and seeks to motivate his team to win in an aggressive sport. By using a swearword in this context, the coach shows his (fictional) team that he is still one of them and he is outgoing and passionate about his faith in his team, thus making his argument an overall success. Using these two examples from popular media as evidence, I argue that curse words have contextual effects on an argument, on one hand an argument can be embellished by swearing and this embellishment can lead to the argument being more persuasive, on the other hand, curse words can offend an audience and can take away levels of agreement from the audience, weakening the strength of an argument.

Works Cited

Devices , 31 Oct. 2015, https://literarydevices .com/discourse/.

Goddard, Cliff. “‘Swear Words’ and ‘Curse Words’ in Australian (and American) English. At the Crossroads of Pragmatics, Semantics and Sociolinguistics.”  Intercultural Pragmatics , vol. 12, no. 2, Jan. 2015, https://doi.org/10.1515/ip-2015-0010 .

Jay, Timothy. “The Science of Swearing.”  APS Observer , vol. 25, no. 5, Apr. 2012, www.psychologicalscience .org/observer/the-science-of-swearing.

Feeling Rhetoric Copyright © 2022 by Chandler Cadman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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The Case for Mindful Cursing

Swearing can make you happier, as long as you do it for the right reasons.

“ How to Build a Life ” is a weekly column by Arthur Brooks, tackling questions of meaning and happiness. Click here to listen to his podcast series on all things happiness, How to Build a Happy Life .

A mericans are profligate cursers. Of every 1,000 words we speak, some linguists have said , an average of five are swears. If you account for the fact that many people don’t swear in ordinary speech—one study of university students found that nearly half did not curse at all in natural conversation—swearers conceivably utter 9.43 dirty words per 1,000. Though men were responsible for 67 percent of public swearing in 1986, it was down to 55 percent by 2006—presumably not because men were cursing less in public.

And if you’re like a lot of other Americans, you’ve become a bit more of a potty mouth over the past two years. Use of the most common swear words on Facebook went up by 41 percent from 2019 to 2021; on Twitter it rose by 27 percent. Children seem to be swearing more. People are swearing more at work . People I know who never cursed before the pandemic are now using a little profanity, and my friends who were once moderate cursers have become expletive geysers.

John McWhorter: The F-word is going the way of ‘hell ’

This might seem bad on its face—like evidence of rising unhappiness, or of general cultural degradation, or of all the other things that drive us to curse. Or just maybe, dirty words are simply the way we find a little relief in hard times. That wouldn’t be so bad, after all. In truth, swearing can be bad or good for you and for society. The key is to learn how and when to curse, and when you’re better off keeping things clean.

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C ursing encompasses a lot of different words and intentions. It can be a mild modifier (“I’m tired as hell”), a joke (“My wife says I cuss too much, but I say that’s bullshit”), or an abusive obscenity that ends a career or marriage (no examples here; I want to stay employed and married). Taxonomies of bad words—such as the anthropologist Montague Francis Ashley-Montagu’s classic text The Anatomy of Swearing —distinguish among swearing (“damn it”), curses (“damn you”), and oaths (“by God”).

Swearing can be voluntary or involuntary. According to research published in 2006, more than half of the voluntary cursing that people do follows anger and frustration. Nine percent of it follows humor, and 6 percent follows pain. Truly involuntary swearing—not controllable by the swearer—is much rarer, and is associated with neurological disorders such as aphasia (in which the language center on the brain’s left side is usually damaged), Tourette’s syndrome (a dysfunction in neural circuits connecting parts of the brain, which causes involuntary motor movements and, in some cases, unintentional obscene vocalizations ), and some neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders.

John McWhorter: Curses aren’t ‘just words’

According to the psychologist Timothy B. Jay, cursing out of hostility is a defining feature of people with the so-called Type-A personality, which is typically associated with being competitive and aggressive. Swearing is negatively correlated with conscientiousness and agreeableness. Researchers have found that doctors who curse in front of patients are seen as less trustworthy and less expert than those who don’t. But lest you be tempted to conclude that swearing is correlated only with unpleasant personality traits, I should mention that it is also associated with honesty. Researchers writing in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science in 2017 found, across three studies, including one that analyzed almost 74,000 social-media interactions, that “profanity was associated with less lying and deception.”

Profanity also simply feels good and provides swearers with a measure of emotional relief. In the words of the linguist John McWhorter, the author of Nine Nasty Words , “What you need is a nice, crisp eruption to allow you to blow off a certain amount of steam.” Academic literature shows , for instance, that swearing alleviates the discomfort of social distress.

Read: The social benefits of swearing

It can even lessen physical pain. In 2020, British psychologists asked 92 human subjects to submerge their hands in painfully frigid water. Some were told to use profanity, others to exclaim a non-profane neutral word to describe a table, such as solid , or an invented curse word like twizpipe . The cursers tolerated more pain and found more humor in the experience than those using the invented curse, but even the invented curse gave more emotional relief than saying the neutral word. Not surprisingly, some scholars have suggested that cursing might have a place in improving patient outcomes. Perhaps at some point your doctor will tell you to drop two F-bombs and call her in the morning.

S wearing can hurt others or make them laugh. It can make you seem less knowledgeable, but it might help others think you are honest. Uncontrolled, it is evidence of a neurological problem; controlled, it can give you relief from social and physical pain. All in all, it is neither an unalloyed good nor bad, by most people’s standards. When it comes to your well-being, I offer three rules to keep in mind while honing your cursing technique.

1. Do it on purpose.

Even for those who don’t have aphasia or Tourette’s, swearing can become a habit, something like an uncontrolled verbal tic. This is an example of failing to be metacognitive , that is, failing to manage one’s feelings and reactions and instead being managed by them. Happiness is associated with self-management, which is not consistent with unthinkingly blurting out a stream of curses everywhere you go. If you need to break the habit, you can turn to one of many tried-and-true methods. For example, the “swear jar”—a jar or box that you put money into every time you cuss—has been around since at least the 16th century, as expressions from the Middle Ages such as sard and swive became naughty words .

2. Ration your curses.

When you decide to swear on purpose, make it rare. If there is one law in social science more powerful than any other, it is the law of diminishing marginal utility : Each unit of anything desirable brings less enjoyment than the last. If you choose to drop F-bombs, treat them like bowls of ice cream: Savor them once or twice a week, not all day long, and don’t go in for seconds. This will keep your expletives nice and fresh, and the benefit of each one for your mood high.

From the April 1912 issue: Profanity: a lost art

3. Don’t abuse or harass.

Scholars find that curse words are more offensive when they’re used to attack or abuse someone. That might contribute to why using social media, where people swear more than in ordinary speech, can be such an unpleasant experience. Even if you don’t mean any harm, offending others’ sensibilities and beliefs by cursing can lead to hot-mic embarrassments or even lost jobs . Think twice before you let it fly.

O ne last suggestion: If the temptation to curse is just too great, consider creating a swearing “safe space.” Years ago, when my oldest son was little, he came back from a sleepover at a friend’s house, full of admiration for the other boy’s father. The family had a strict rule against swearing, except in the car , where the son and his friends were allowed to curse a blue streak with total immunity. It was like a kid version of Vegas: What you say in the minivan stays in the minivan.

From the January 2016 issue: A guide to strategic swearing

That seemed ridiculous until I thought about it a bit and realized it was genius. The family got the cathartic benefits of swearing while limiting its social downsides. This is what Mark Twain was talking about when he said , “There ought to be a room in every house to swear in. It’s dangerous to have to repress an emotion like that.” I don’t have a minivan, but I have taken to doing just that in my soundproof basement Zoom studio. When I am frustrated, I just shut the door and say “twizpipe”—hey, I’m still new at this—and feel better.

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The Context of a Swear Words Essay

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Language and its complexity is undeniably one of the greatest skills that humanity possesses. It has existed for tens of thousands of years and reflects the uniqueness of the human beings. The interaction, which language allows, creates endless possibilities in expression and conveying of information.

The limitless amount of words, phrases and the way they are put together, gives a chance to fully and practically communicate with others and the self. The swear words are a separate division of language, as the meaning of the swear words greatly differs from others. By one opinion, the swearing in the modern society has increased. From another perspective, the opposite might be true.

The context of a swear word is informal and foul. Sometimes, a word is used out of place, so indirectly, any word can be labeled as taboo. The present world has been greatly desensitized to swear words and often, people do not consider it as standing out. Official social figures and authorities do not use foul language, as they have an image to support. This is where the power of language demonstrates itself in the fullest spectrum of its abilities.

In the media, any kind of language is used since it is considered an art form or type of expression. As people get used to hearing these words, they stop thinking of them as “taboo”. It is the meaning behind the words. Very often, something that is stated seemingly clear, on further thought can presuppose another meaning, so swearing might be conceptual. The listener will have to analyze the situation and conditions, which were present during the speaking.

These are part of indirect speech, which in turn lead to the indirect speech acts. The word “act”, defines the meaning and the physical understanding of what is being said and, which actions will the said words lead to. There are many factors that influence the understanding and assumptions of both the speaker and the listener. As such, a society has a need for rudeness and expression of anger. Most likely, swear words will always exist in some form, as the need to differentiate from formal language cannot disappear.

Another important aspect in understanding how and what was said is the culture of a nation. Sometimes social norms are strict, so the swear words will stay taboo. The meaning attributed to certain words could absolutely change the intended meaning of the speaker. For example, in some cultures it might be impolite to directly answer a request with a no and a person unaware of that could offend the listener, without even knowing it.

This would make words different from western swear words taboo. Irony and sarcasm are other cultural attributes. A nation that accepts such things will understand the speaker and appreciate the reference made, but someone from a different background will create a negative predisposition towards the person speaking. The reputation of the speaker also plays a role in expressing unacceptable words.

A good example is, if dumbass is said by different people: a police officer, a parent and a child. The indirect context is being aligned with the individual and their position in the society. If the police officer is known to have a “foul-mouthed” reputation, this will not be a surprise and disregarded. A parent who finds their child troublemaking would have to somehow express disappointment, thus attributing ‘a negative’ meaning to the word (Verderber 2012).

Most often, some swear words have a much worse connotation because it has no connection to other words and is meant to offend. This form of speech usage appears in almost all instances of life. If someone uses words to their advantage, it can be thought of as an ‘allowed’ action.

A lot of swearing is used in comedy for entertainment effect, so it not only expected but is welcome. In reality, it is difficult to find factual support on the usage. The world is becoming more liberal, and racial, as well as gender differences are merging. The younger population gets mentally older faster, so there are whole groups of people who swear now but did not before. Also, many people have unique characters and use words that were used a long time ago.

This would mean that they are not as common and are not thought of as absolutely rude. Some examples are bloody which means ‘bad’ or Gosh referring to ‘God’. Even though they might not seem as profane today, the context is still present. The modern swear words have become sentence fillers and replace many other words. For example, shit can be used to describe some ‘things’ that were done during the day. As such, a close knowledge of the culture is necessary to ‘decode’ such usage (Hughes 2006).

Human communication is a very valuable resource and must be considered a privilege. Any abuse should not be tolerated because the results are often catastrophic, when those with all the power are able to turn the public into their ally and use it to destroy morals and peace, everyone so persistently fights for.

Works Cited

Hughes, Geoffrey. An Encyclopedia of Swearing . Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2006. Print.

Verderber, Rudolph. The Challenge of Effective Speaking . Boston, Massachusetts: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.

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Home — Essay Samples — Social Issues — Freedom of Expression — Freedom of Expression: Can You Curse in a College Essay

Freedom of Expression: Can You Curse in a College Essay

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Introduction, the principles of free expression, the academic context, context matters, consider the audience, alternatives to profanity.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, is it okay to use swear words in my college essay.

Hey everyone, I've got a story I want to share in my college essay and there's a part where using a swear word might emphasize the emotions and situation better. Is it acceptable to include it or should I find another way to express that moment? Thanks for any advice!

Hi there! It's great that you're considering the impact of your word choice in your college essay. While emotions can sometimes be best conveyed with strong language, I would generally advise against using swear words in your essay. College admissions officers come from diverse backgrounds and what may be acceptable to one person might be offensive to another.

That being said, it's important to find a way to convey your emotions and the intensity of the situation without resorting to swear words. You can use alternative expressions or focus on describing the feelings and actions of the people involved in the story. This can help create a vivid picture for the reader without potentially offending anyone.

For example, instead of using a swear word, you could write something like 'In that moment, frustration and anger consumed me, and I uttered words I would later regret.' This not only conveys the intensity of the situation but also shows self-awareness and growth. Ultimately, the goal is to showcase your ability to communicate effectively and make a lasting impression on the admissions officer. Good luck with your essay!

About CollegeVine’s Expert FAQ

CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.

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Heck and Darn! How and When to Swear in Writing

5-minute read

• 6th August 2020

Authors use swear words in writing for various reasons, including to express strong emotions, add emphasis, shock readers or break taboos, or just to reflect how people talk in the real world (e.g., in dialogue).

But swearing can also offend people, especially if it is gratuitous. When, then, is it okay to swear in your writing ? Key factors include:

• Who you are writing for and how sensitive they are to profanity.
• How formal or professional the document needs to be.
• The intensity of the swearwords you use in your writing.

In this post, then, we’ll look at when (and when not) to swear in your writing, plus what you can do instead of swearing when it isn’t appropriate.

Who Is Your Audience?

The biggest factor when deciding whether to use profanity in your writing is the target audience. For example, swearing is obviously inappropriate if you are writing for children. Likewise, if you’re writing for adults who have very traditional views , they may be easily offended by bad language.

In cases like these, it’s best to avoid any swearing or to keep it very mild.

Swearing in Formal Writing

Swear words are rarely, if ever, appropriate in formal business or academic writing . At best, it would seem unprofessional. At worst, you could lose marks on an essay or lose a client at work.

There are some exceptions to this: if you’re studying the history of offensive language, for example, you will need to include the terms you’re discussing. But even in cases like this, you would restrict profanity to examples or quotes, not use it as part of your general writing style.

Swearing in Informal and Creative Writing

In less formal writing, there is much more room for profanity! If you’re simply emailing a friend, for instance, you are welcome to be as obscene as you like (as long as the recipient is comfortable with bad language).

In creative writing, meanwhile, swearing can be a key part of your writing style. In gritty war or crime novels, for example, a little profanity can help to create a realistic atmosphere. But you should only do this when it fits the context: constant cursing may feel out of place in a period drama about the upper classes, for instance, since we would not expect the well-mannered characters in such a book to swear all the time.

If you’re unsure about whether to use swear words in your creative writing, look at some books in your genre for pointers. Do the narrators or characters use swear words? Do they fit the tone of the novel as a whole?

Intensity of Swear Words

You may also need to consider the intensity of the swear words you use in your writing. Some swear words, for example, are considered very offensive (e.g., the f-word or the c-word). And while stronger profanities are more likely to have an impact, they are also more likely to cause offence.

Other swear words are much milder, though. And a character saying “drat” or “darn” is unlikely to shock anyone these days. So if you want to swear without causing offence, it is best to pick a mild swear word.

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The intensity of swear words can also vary across cultures. The word “w*nker,” for instance, is much less offensive in the USA than the UK. As such, American TV shows have used it for comic effect, but then caused much outrage when they were broadcast before the watershed in the UK. And Australia is famous for its relaxed attitude to swearing.

Even swear words like “damn” or “hell,” which may seem mild by modern standards, can offend people who are very religious. As such, if you are going to swear in writing, it pays to choose your profanities carefully!

Alternatives to Swearing

What, then, can you do instead of swearing in your writing? If all you’re looking for is a way to add emphasis to something, the simplest approach is to use another intensifier . For example, compare the following:

The show was bloody amazing!

The show was really amazing!

This might lack the impact of a swear word in some cases, but it expresses the same thing without any risk of causing offence.

There are also many creative ways to tone down swear-worthy moments, which can even add a touch of humor! These include:

• Child-friendly alternatives to curse words: e.g., Flipping heck!
• Using symbols in place of swears: e.g., What the f*@% are they thinking?
• Completely made-up words that have a similar sound or feel to existing swear words: e.g., “frak” in Battlestar Galactica or “smeg” in Red Dwarf .

 These will give you all the fun of swearing without any of the offence!

Summary: When to Swear in Writing

Whether to use swear words in your writing is ultimately a matter of personal preference. But we can offer some helpful guidelines on the topic:

• Do not use swear words in formal business or academic writing.
• Think about whether your audience would be offended by bad language.
• Only use swear words in creative writing when it fits the context.

In general, moreover, it is wise to hold back on profanity in writing. The odd swear word can be expressive, adding emotion and emphasis to what you’re saying. But excessive cursing will blunt this effect, so the best approach to swearing is usually to save it for when it will have the greatest impact.

To make sure your writing strikes the right tone every time, moreover, why not try out our professional proofreading services ?

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How to Swear: Understanding the Grammar of the Top 7 Curse Words

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Part 3 in Our Series on the Grammar of Swearing

Written by Taylor Dennis

Now that you know where some of your favorite swear words come from and the trouble they have stirred up in the past, it's time to look at the modern usage of the most awesome curses at your disposal. Let's check out how the most useful swear words are also the most grammatically versatile.

Swear Words as Parts of Speech

Generally speaking, the more parts of speech a swear word can act as, the more useful it is. I'm not kidding. As a giant nerd (don't worry—it's a compliment), you can feel good knowing that even your most profane speech is grammatically correct.

Most swear words can act as nouns, verbs, and of course, interjections. In their modified forms, they can even act as adjectives. Take a look at these examples.

• Noun: The attic was full of shit.
• Verb: I went to the woods to shit.
• Interjection: Oh, shit! I missed the bus!
• Adjective: That was a shit movie.
• Adjective (Modified): What a shitty day this has been.

The more common a swear word is, the more likely it is to have a greater variety of forms—or is it the other way around? Either way, if we're measuring the greatness of a swear word by its number of uses, a certain f-bomb most certainly takes the cake:

• Noun: I don't give a fuck.
• Verb: Don't fuck around with fire.
• Interjection: Fuck! That hurt!
• Adverb: Fuck yeah, I'll be your best man!
• Adjective (Modified): That's fucking awesome.
• Pronoun (Modified): I've accomplished fuck-all tonight.

While it probably can't serve as a conjunction, article, or preposition, fuck works nicely as the other six parts of speech.

Why You Should Understand How to Use Swear Words

Because swear words can work as so many different parts of speech, there are countless ways to integrate them into different sentences. Even putting aside variations of swear words (think asshole , fuckface , and shithead ), integrating standard swear words seamlessly into speech can be a difficult task for someone who is not a native speaker of English.

As with other aspects of language, the rules and conventions of swearing vary depending on the language being spoken. There may be no way to directly translate some of the most popular curses in another language into English, as the translation may be either not offensive at all or far more offensive than the original meaning. For example, in Quebec French, the word equivalent in harshness to an English f-bomb literally translates to tabernacle (a biblical term; essentially a small, sacred place or sanctuary).

Knowing how to use English swear words properly indicates that you have a strong command not only of the English language, but also of the region in which you are speaking it. A word can be incredibly offensive in Toronto, Canada, but perfectly acceptable for daily use in Sydney, Australia.

Even understanding where to put a swear word in a sentence or which form of a swear word to use demonstrates familiarity with the English language. For example:

• Correct: What the fuck was that?
• Incorrect: What fuck was that?
• Correct: I fell on my ass.
• Incorrect: I fell on my asshole.
• Correct: Abso-fuckin'-lutely!
• Incorrect: Abso-fuck-lutely!
• Correct: The cat pissed all over the place.
• Incorrect: The cat is pissy all over the place.

It should be noted that the last example of incorrect usage actually expresses a completely different meaning than intended, as pissy means grumpy or bad-tempered . So, although it doesn't capture the speaker's intended meaning, the phrase is likely still accurate (as we all know that the pissiness of a cat knows no bounds.)

There are many correct ways to use your favorite swear words, and at times, these words can come in very handy. But understanding how swear words should be used doesn't necessarily mean that you should use them all the time. To learn when to cuss and when to keep things squeaky clean, check out next week's final post , which will cover the use of swear words in different types of writing.

Image source: GeorgeRudy/BigStockPhoto.com

About the Author

Taylor Dennis is a writer and editor based out of Toronto, ON. She's obsessed with dogs, food, serial commas, and the written word, pretty much exactly in that order. You can find more of her work at  taylordenniswrites.com , where she publishes a blog about life, health, and all the rest.

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How to handle swear words in quote / transcription?

In my research, I interview practitioners/real users. One of them, a native english speaker, used a lot a swear words (basically the f-word).

Question: how to deal with curse words in content you need to quote?

Since I use transcripts for a content (and not formal) analysis, I sometime 'smooth' interviewee wordings (like removing " hum ", " well ", " you know ", and other recurring verbal tics). In some case, I could remove the f-word:

it's just super f*cking slow, and really f *cking annoying

However, in some cases it is less harmless, because it more deeply changes the perceived meaning:

if you don't want to do things, just don't f*cking do it oh f *ck, we'll just go back to do, as we were doing

and in some other, I simply cannot change interviewee's words:

[...] he really tried and wanted to build up, but he completely f*cked up every single part of every single thing.

Since I am not a native speaker, I don't know how "bad" would using the f-word be perceived (which is why I tried to be careful here.)

In some cases, I could do a cut quote, e.g. " it's just super [...] slow, and really [...] annoying ", but it looks like I'm not accurately depicting the wordings.

I've also seen on the internet people using 'f*ck' standing for the f-word. Could this be a solution? (I personally find this solution a bit prudish.)

Otherwise, could I simply quote them? Should I put a warning somewhere?

• writing-style

• 9 In a formal paper, should I censor “brainf**k”, the name of a programming language? is related, but I think different. (Even if this answer suggest quoting swearwords is allowed.) –  ebosi Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 17:28
• 3 What do other academics in your field do in this situation? (In the papers you read, how is this handled?) –  ff524 Commented Nov 10, 2016 at 17:40
• 2 An example of a formal paper which contains the word "bullshit" almost 200 times : journal.sjdm.org/15/15923a/jdm15923a.html –  vsz Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 9:23

4 Answers 4

If you're quoting someone, quote them as they said it. We're all adults. In the literature world, we quote swear words and other potentially offensive things all the time and no one bats an eye. I've no doubt other fields are the same.

Personally, if I saw an asterisk or similar, I would presume you interviewed them via chat or email, and they actually self-censored. If it were a printed text, I'd think it a part of the edition you used.

• 5 @JDługosz it's possible in academia to be not yet be adults, but I think we can confidently say that 99.9% or more are. I would imagine the same could be said of the average person reading a research paper. If a non-adult were to be reading (or writing) such a paper, they're probably at the very least mature enough to handle it. –  user0721090601 Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 22:35
• 10 @JDługosz Anyone mature enough to read a paper in a journal is mature enough to read the word fuck , regardless of age. –  Chris Cirefice Commented Mar 12, 2017 at 13:19

In research, you should quote them verbatim. Editing, or censoring, swearing is wrongly representing your research subjects and is thus a form of scientific misconduct. If you need to edit the quote for specific audience you must make it clear that you have done so:

It's just so [obscenity] slow, it really [obscenities] me off.

With a note saying that you have edited the text to remove swear words. Partial censorship such as you used above (e.g. f*ck, c*nt) is both utterly pointless and misleading; either completely remove the word (indicating where you have done so) or quote properly:

It's just so fucking annoying; it really fucks me off.

• 10 And as it should already be absolutely clear what's a direct quote and what isn't, no-one should get the impression that your academic writing style involves liberal use of swearwords. –  Chris H Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 9:24
• 6 I was always wondering why the word "fstarck" was abbreviated as "f*ck". With this answer so many texts I read came under a new light... (on the serious side +1 in the name of sanity) –  WoJ Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 15:30
• 1 @WoJ: for those knowing a bit of German f*ck could stand for Frühstück (breakfast) :-) –  LorenzoDonati4Ukraine-OnStrike Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 14:22
• 1 @LorenzoDonati, I think the most similar abbreviation for Frühstück you could get to which still makes sense would be Frstk. ( Stk. is an acceptable abbreviation for the word Stück ) --- cf. a website for a bed and breakfast in Warnemünde : 2 P. Frstk. u. TG 325,00 € (lit. "two persons breakfast and meal du jour €325.00"); Sorry to rain on your parade. –  errantlinguist Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 14:52
• 2 @errantlinguist I should have added a disclaimer to that comment: "Not necessarily a linguistically-correct German abbreviation" :-D –  LorenzoDonati4Ukraine-OnStrike Commented Nov 13, 2016 at 14:59

I'm a history student currently working with oral history. You should not smooth anything on a transcript — when quoting you should do exactly as said or written. There are certain ways to indicate that something is a grammar mistake or a phonetic(?) transcription to clarity that there's no mistake on your part; usually those things are put in foot notes.

I'll edit this later to give you some resources for that, but for now if you put any notes make sure to do it as a footnote. You can use the brackets too, they indicate some comment of the author outside the context of the quote.

• 10 One very strong argument for not censoring is that what we consider obscene is very much time and place dependent. –  gerrit Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 10:56
• 1 Are the mentioned resources coming at some point, or should that part be edited away from the answer? –  Tommi Commented Feb 19, 2019 at 10:05

If this is for publication, check with the editor.

If this is for a working (non-published) paper that you, and perhaps som collaborators, will be working with, then you get to decide, based on subjective considerations, such as, will it be irritating for you to read the f-word 200 times a day? If so, you are free to choose a euphemism.

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Can you Curse in a College Essay?

When writing a college essay, it is common for your college to have a guideline on the requirements. Despite this, there is hardly any mention of whether curse words are allowed. And if allowed to what extent is the allowance. This may leave you confused, especially if tackling a topic that requires mentioning such words once in a while.

Nevertheless, this article is here to help you with this problem. The article will look at what is allowed when you use the words, what you shouldn’t write, and the implications of using the words if your college doesn’t allow their use.

Can You Curse in a College Essay?

Using curse words in college essays is a common question with varied answers. The answer might be yes or no, depending on who you ask.

Generally, it would be best to avoid using curse words in a college unless it is essential and you can defend yourself if called upon.

As mentioned, there is no hard and fast rule about whether you can use curse words or vulgarity in your college admissions essays. Many schools have strict rules against cursing on their campuses but will view cursing in an essay as entirely different because it does not represent your character but rather the character’s viewpoint you adopt for your story or opinion piece. If you are going to use cursing in your essay, it is crucial to understand your purpose and then do it sparingly.

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Additionally, curse words in a professional piece erode the writer’s confidence, which may make you appear casual and not an expert in the subject matter. Further, people who have extreme intolerance to the words, including your instructor or professor, may even give you a fail grade even if the essay was good in all other areas.

When Can you Use Curse Words in an Essay?

There are a few cases you can use curse words in an essay.

But it would be best not to use the words because your instructor’s and college professors’ opinions vary. They are some who will be okay with it, while others will view it negatively and affect your grade.

• When quoting a dialogue 

However, curse words can be used when quoting dialogue from a character or poem. If you are quoting a character and that character uses curse words, you may use those exact curse words in your essay. On the other hand, if you want to use curse words in an original college essay, it is best to avoid them. It’s better not to include them at all because they will detract from the overall quality of your writing piece and hurt your chances of admission into the college of choice rather than help them.

The following are the key consideration that determines if you can use profane language apart from the general rules your college has in place

• The target audience
• The intensity of the curse words
• How formal or informal the document needs to be
• If you can justify the use of the words
• If the words portray a deep or the main point in the statement

What Should You Not Write About in a College Essay?

Every word that you write impacts how the reader interprets what they’ve read and allows them to understand what you were trying to say. If every other word is a swear word, this might take away from the meaning of your overall message instead of clarifying what you want them to understand.

• Avoid Curse words 

One of the things you should not write about is curse words. But if you must include them, the best way is by deciding whether or not including foul language makes sense with regards to what you’re trying to say within the context of your essay. If swearing works as shorthand for something else, go ahead and do it. Otherwise, leave out vulgarity altogether so that you don’t distract from the main point of your application essay or any other paper which requires good grammar.

• Don’t bring out your weaknesses 

Similarly, you should avoid bringing up your weaknesses or things that may be viewed negatively about you. However, you can write about your weaknesses but twist them to portray how you are working towards self-improvement. But if writing a guided essay about your weaknesses, there is no harm in that.

• Avoid controversial topics 

You should also avoid giving deep, opinionated essays about issues like politics or religion outside of yourself. There is nothing worse than a bad college essay with biased opinions. The essays intend to show your creativity and personality, not how much you hate other people or belief systems different from yours. Your beliefs will show through in the rest of your application, so there’s no need for them to stand out in your essays.

Further, you might criticize an area your professor ascribes to. The aftermath is that you will appear as an inconsiderate individual. Nevertheless, if you have been asked to write about your opinion on it, there is no harm, but still, you need to be considerate to both sides.

It might be challenging to decide whether to use curse words in your essay or not. But your college’s instructions, type of writing, and the intensity of the words, among other factors, are the fundamental guiding principles. It is best to avoid them totally, but if you can’t, use them sparingly.

Likewise, there are cases where curse words are allowed in an essay. Therefore, you should first know your college’s take before plunging yourself into their use

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How to Censor Words in an Essay: Bad Words in Academic Papers

Censor Words in an Essay

If you are wondering how to censor words in an essay, then this is the article for you. In today’s essay-writing world, we see many essays containing expletives or filthy language.

It may sound like an exaggeration, but the truth is that some students still don’t know how to censor words. This can become a real problem when it comes to obtaining a good grade and getting accepted by their college of choice.

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7 Ways How to Censor Words in an Essay

1. use words you know will be offensive to a particular audience.

It is usually not a good idea, but it can work if you are writing for a specific audience.

If you are writing an essay on why people should stop using the word “gay” as a slur, and your friend who has taken offense to that word tells you that it is offensive, use it in your essay.

This will show him that he has no right to tell you what words to use and how to use them.

2. Replace them with synonyms

Sometimes we use unnecessary words in our essays or articles because we do not know what else to write about or we do not have time to add more sentences. Still, these words are not necessary for the content of the article or essay.

Such can be done by using synonyms instead of these unnecessary words or by rephrasing them, making them clearer and more understandable for others who read our text. If you want your readers to understand your ideas better, try using synonyms instead of overloading your text with unnecessary words.

3. Look it up in the Dictionary

If you are unsure about a word, look it up in the dictionary. For example, if you are looking up the word “clever,” you will find it under its definition as: “having or showing quickness of wit” or “having a sharp mind.”

When using a dictionary, pay attention to how the word is used in context and look for other examples of how it can be used.

If your word choice doesn’t make sense when taken out of context, then there’s a good chance that your word choice doesn’t make sense here either!

4. Use Parentheses (or brackets)

Use parentheses or brackets to indicate that you are being ironic or sarcastic rather than saying what you mean. This is the easiest way to censor a word or phrase because you can use either commas or parentheses.

You will have to specify which kind of parenthesis you want to use, but you can use multiple levels of parentheses if necessary.

For example, “Here are some examples that show how students should use commas: when they are used with a question mark, when they are used in front of a comma, and when they are used at the end of a sentence.”

5. Use an ellipsis (three periods) at the end of a sentence

There are a lot of ways to censor words in an essay. One of the most common ways is to use an ellipsis (three periods) at the end of a sentence. This allows you to censor a word or two within the sentence but keep the meaning intact.

Use an ellipsis (three periods) at the end of a sentence when your sentences trail off into a long list or explanation of something.

6. Never use profanity

Using profanity is a sign of disrespect, and it will not only make your essay appear unprofessional but also reflects poorly on you as an individual.

For example, writing “fuck” and “shit” may seem like a simple word choice, but it can have a very different connotation to others.

7. Use Quotation Marks

You can use quotation marks around any word you want to censor in your paper. This will make it clear that the word is being quoted rather than spoken by the author.

You could use italics instead of quotation marks if you don’t want the word to appear in boldface.

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Reasons for Censoring Explicit Words in Essay Writing

You might want to censor words for many reasons, but the most important of these is to protect your audience and their feeling:

Maintain Professional Image

The main reason is to avoid embarrassment and to maintain a professional image. It is also important to maintain the integrity of the subject matter and avoid any confusion or ambiguity.

Censoring explicit words in essay writing must maintain a professional image. Explicit words are those that readers can understand. As noted before, Essay writing should be a formal type of writing and not informal writing.

In other words, they are words that are not hidden or covered by other words. Censoring explicit words makes the writing more readable and understandable.

Protecting Your Audience

Many negative consequences can result from using certain words in an essay. For example, using the wrong word can be considered rude or demeaning. Using overly formal language can make you seem distant and aloof, which may put off your audience.

So, it’s important to avoid using swear words or offensive terms if you want your audience to return for more.

Keeping Things Simple

You also need to keep things simple when writing an essay, as it is confusing for your audience and difficult for you to explain what you mean by certain words or phrases. This can lead to confusion and misunderstanding on both sides of the argument.

Keeping things simple will allow both parties involved in the discussion to understand each other better so they can reach a common ground much quicker than if things weren’t kept so simple.”

To avoid offensiveness

Explicit words can be offensive and inappropriate for a specific audience. For example, the word “bulls***” is inappropriate for a children’s book or newspaper article about animals.

To avoid confusion among readers

If you censor explicit words, people outside your intended audience won’t know what your essay discusses without reading it first.

To avoid being sued by someone who feels offended by your work

Censoring explicit language means there’s no legal recourse for anyone who feels offended by your work.

However, if you don’t censor your work, someone might file a lawsuit against you for defamation of character or defamatory statements in public forums such as social media websites like Facebook or Twitter.

Helps you express yourself clearly and concisely

It helps you express yourself clearly and concisely without being too wordy and redundant.

Such can make your writing more interesting because it forces you to think about how exactly you want to structure each sentence so that it flows smoothly from one sentence to another without any awkward pauses or repetitions that might confuse your readers’ understanding of what you have written so far on the topic at hand.

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Common Explicit and Curse Words Used in Academic Writing

Explicit words are those that are clearly defined in the text. Curse words are those that are not explicitly defined but are often understood by the reader to mean something unpleasant or offensive.

The most common curse words used in academic writing are:

• Fuck—used to express anger, frustration, or disbelief.
• Shit—is used to express disgust, annoyance, or a lack of interest.
• Damn—used as a mild expletive or intensifier.
• Goddammit—an expression of annoyance at an existing problem. It can also describe the result of a failure or mistake.
• Crap—an informal version of hell, usually used for emphasis or when you don’t want people to know what you are talking about.

With over 10 years in academia and academic assistance, Alicia Smart is the epitome of excellence in the writing industry. She is our chief editor and in charge of the writing department at Grade Bees.

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curse words in essay?

<p>Hey guys I’m including a direct quote from someone in my essay. The problem is that it includes numerous curse words. I have replaced the last letters of each word with asterisks - do you think there will be any problems?</p>

<p>The quote qoes something along the lines of “D<strong><em>!! D</em></strong> S***!!! … etc” How would the UCs, for example, look at this? It’s a priceless quote so I don’t want to change it if I don’t have to.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>im sure at a school like Cal Berkley it wouldnt be much of a problem. am not firmilar about the others though</p>

<p>The essay should convey to the committee something important about what sort of person you are. If you wish to convey that you are the sort of person who uses curse words a lot, even on formal writing exercises submitted to strangers, sure - knock yourself out. Curse away.</p>

<p>If you have any doubts at all about how it would be viewed, don’t do it. Personally, I think it’s a bad idea.</p>

<p>Thanks for the responses.</p>

<p>"The essay should convey to the committee something important about what sort of person you are. If you wish to convey that you are the sort of person who uses curse words a lot, even on formal writing exercises submitted to strangers, sure - knock yourself out. Curse away.</p>

<p>It’s not like as if I’m saying this to the adcoms themselves. It’s a straight quote from someone I met as I was volunteering.</p>

<p>^^Right, but the fact that you would use the quote yourself says something about you. If a daily newspaper wouldn’t use the quote without editing it in some way, I wouldn’t either. But that’s just me.</p>

<p>do you really have to quote it? Why not just say “He cursed at me very colorfully” etc.? I can’t see a good way to work in that direct quote…</p>

<p>Don’t use the curse words. Just say that he cursed at you.</p>

<p>Good authors too who once knew better words, Now only use four letter words Writing prose, Anything Goes. </p>

<p>“Anything Goes” Cole Porter 1934</p>

<p>However, I wouldn’t use bad language in a college essay. There are better ways of showing what you want to say.</p>

<p>I disagree with everyone else in this thread. Profanity has an important, irreplacable role in our language and our literature. Refusing to shy away from a few “bad” words shows an intellectual honesty and courage. </p>

<p>Obviously the type of school you’re applying to will affect how it’s perceived. I wouldn’t apply to Messiah with a stream of profanity in my essay, but most other schools I think would find it refreshing as long as it is used effectively or within a quote. </p>

<p>Despite how I feel about profanity and its essential nature, all the dissent in this thread highlights the variability in how profanity might be perceived. In any case, it’s risky, but if you feel it’s valuable to your writing, do it.</p>

<p>Oh, and I just remembered. I have a copy of 50 Successful Harvard Application Essays (2nd Edition) and the very first essay uses “s***” (except with the ‘h’ and ‘t’ uncensored). Note, however, that the word is particularly effective within the context of the essay, which explores the value of practical knowledge when the writer is unable to flush a toilet in a sticky situation. Here, the word serves two distinct purposes. </p>

<p>The key is to use profanity well if you’re going to use it at all. Even if you use it well, be aware that there is some calculated risk involved.</p>

<p>Also check these threads out: <a href=“ http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/754629-curse-word-essay.html[/url] ”> http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/754629-curse-word-essay.html&lt;/a&gt ; <a href=“ http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/624768-curse-words-too-risky.html[/url] ”> http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/624768-curse-words-too-risky.html&lt;/a&gt ; <a href=“ http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/262018-argh-son-wants-use-curse-word-essay.html[/url] ”> http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-essays/262018-argh-son-wants-use-curse-word-essay.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt ;

<p>Yeah, and it also shows a limited intellect and lack of creativity and dexterity with the language to effectively communicate the same ideas without resorting to language that many might find offensive.</p>

<p>@coureur</p>

<p>Toni Morrison uses profanity prolifically. Do you consider her to have a “limited intellect and lack of creativity and dexterity with the language?” After all, that Nobel Prize in Literature hanging on her wall doesn’t at all prove her authority over language.</p>

<p>Please read his post. He wants to use the words to quote someone else.</p>

<p>gmitil10: People curse in their college essays, but too often it’s just for shock value. Make sure that the quote is serving a real and important purpose in your essay, otherwise leave it out.</p>

<p>Um. Yeah, how ‘bout not? I would actually argue the other way around, that if you limit yourself to “safe” words in writing, then you’re showing a lack of willpower (and confidence?), especially if you’re talking about fiction-writing in third-person limited, when you’re supposed to get into your characters’ heads and not your own.</p>

<p>Anyways, to the OP: I actually cursed in my essay. Not too much, but yes, a little. It was written in first-person. The curse was my own, but it was in the narrative, not in the actual dialogue. It wasn’t used for shock value; it was used for authenticity. Make what you will of that. It’s your decision.</p>

<p>@coureur English is a wonderful language as it is; why should we limit ourselves just because some people get offended? People have a right to be offended.</p>

<p>@gmitil10 Though I can’t say how the admissions committee would react to something like that, I would have no problem with someone who cursed in an essay as long as the context was appropriate. Curse words are words; they only stick when not used properly (of course, it’s harder to use them properly) - if you think you can pull it off, go ahead (it might not be the best idea, but if the effect of the curse word is important, take a shot).</p>

<p>I actually remember a line in a Stephen King book: something about not giving a ‘flying f*** at a rolling doughnut’. That had me laughing for a few minutes :P.</p>

<p>While this is an interesting discussion of language and its usage, I’m not sure it helping the OP make his decision.</p>

<p>As others have pointed out, when it comes to cursing, audience and context are everything. In New York, I’ve heard the “F-Bomb” used as a noun, verb, adjective and most amusingly, an adverb. But what flows trippingly off the tongue on the streets of Manhattan will get a different reaction in Provo Utah.</p>

<p>For the OP the real question is one of risk and reward. Is the risk of possibly offending an admissions councilor worth the perceived benefit of a more “colorful” essay? That the OP felt the need to ask the question obviously shows that he/she is concerned. So let me suggest the OP answer the following questions:</p>

<ol> <li>Is the quote absolutely necessary to the essay?</li> <li>If yes, will the desired impact be appreciably weakened by “*”-ing out some of the letters?</li> <li>Is the quote really that insightful?</li> <li>Are the curses truly that offensive? I’ll be damned if I can think of a four-letter curse starting with “D” that would really get anyone into trouble. Of course I’d recommend staying away from the four-letter “S”, “F” and “C” options.</li> <li>Finally, are you the type of person who will second guess themselves if you use the curses and then get rejected from the school? If so, then they’re probably not worth using. If not, then you aren’t really risking all that much; after all, would you want to attend a school so easily offended by what you consider to be an insightful observation.</li> </ol>

<p>If you answer those questions I think you’ll know how to handle the quote.</p>

<p>I found the multiple exclamation marks after each of the three profanities to be somewhat annoying and to show less creativity than the profanities, themselves. Using the words in a quote is alright as long as the words help greatly to convey a strong point.</p>

<p>Oh, dear God, please don’t “<em>” out the letters. If you’re going to censor yourself, censor yourself all the way. If you’re going to curse, just curse. It’s not as if anybody doesn’t know what’s getting “</em>”-red out anyways, and “*”-ing out just looks horribly amateur. Same goes for any form of “#$%#^” censoring.</p>

<p>Also, I agree with the multiple exclamation points. Use one. If necessary, italicize the words. But don’t use more than one at any given time.</p>

<p>These points of view are interesting. I wonder, which of the posters are young adults and which are “older” adults? I wonder if that has any bearing on the answer?</p>

<p>I’m an “older” adult. I do not think you should use profanity in a college essay. Anyone else?</p>

Frequently asked questions

Can i swear in a college essay.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

• Extracurriculars, especially sports
• Role models
• Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
• Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
• Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
• Overcoming a difficult class
• Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

• Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
• Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
• Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
• Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
• Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

• Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
• Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

• Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
• Focuses on you and your experiences
• Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
• Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

• Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
• Reveal the main point or insight in your story
• Look to the future
• End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

• For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
• For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
• Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
• Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

• Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
• Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
• Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

• Your personal information
• List of extracurriculars and awards
• College application essays
• Transcripts
• Standardized test scores
• Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

• A unique, personally meaningful topic
• A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
• Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
• Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
• Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
• A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

• Use a standard, readable font
• Use 1.5 or double spacing
• If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
• Stick to the word count
• Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

• A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
• A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

• What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
• Whom do you admire most and why?
• What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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Cursing in Personal Statement Essay

I'm rough drafting my personal statement. I want to quote something that someone said to me but what they said had a curse/swear word in it. Would it be inappropriate to curse/swear in my personal statement?

Thanks ahead for the advice :)

EDIT: thanks again for all of the advice.

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Money blog: Iconic Trio chocolate bar could return, hints McVitie's

The Money blog is your place for consumer and personal finance news and tips. Today's posts include NatWest launching the cheapest mortgage on the market, an old Liam Gallagher tweet about ticket pricing and our latest Bring It Back feature - as McVitie's tells us Trio could return.

Tuesday 3 September 2024 21:39, UK

• How your pension could be taxed more as chancellor refuses to rule out hikes
• High-street bank trumps rivals with cheapest five-year mortgage
• Iconic chocolate bar could return, hints McVitie's
• 'Blow' for female founders as agency backtracks on competition awards  

Essential reads

• Basically... Free school meals
• 'This job has saved lives': What's it like selling the Big Issue?
• Best of the Money blog

Tips and advice

• Cheapest holidays dates before Christmas
• Money Problem : 'My dog died but insurance still wants whole year's payment'
• How else to eat Greggs on cheap as O2 Priority scraps freebies

Ask a question or make a comment

Labour is facing a drop-off in confidence among business leaders amid plans for tax rises and improvements to workers' rights, according to a survey.

The Institute of Directors noted a leap in optimism in July among its membership as the new government came to power.

But its latest economic confidence index showed a slump from a three-year-high, falling into negative territory in August.

Read more below...

The number of hospitality establishments across the UK has grown for the first time in two years - a sign of recovery for the industry.

Between March and June there were 462 new openings of pubs, restaurants, bars and hotels in the UK - an average of five per day - according to the Nationwide Caterers Association.

The organisation said casual dining establishments in particular have experienced growth in numbers for the first time since COVID.

"While there is still a way to go for the sector to return to pre-COVID heights, tangible growth in hospitality premises is clearly a positive development and hopefully a sign of more growth to come," the association said.

Aldi is in talks with the government over planning reform in a bid to speed up the opening of new stores.

The discount supermarket is offering investment to tackle "under-resourcing" across local authorities, which is currently leading the planning application process to take more than a year, Aldi UK's national real estate director George Brown wrote in LinkedIn.

Mr Brown said to "unlock" significant investment in the UK economy, the retail sector should be given more weight in the decision-making process to reflect the number of jobs it delivers.

Aldi said in February that it plans to open 500 more stores in 2024, which would also lead to the creation of 5,500 new jobs.

An "urgent review" into dynamic pricing has been launched as the backlash from the price of Oasis concert tickets continues. 

The Competition and Markets Authority said it was looking into the ticketing market to make sure consumers were being treated fairly. 

Oasis fans were disappointed at the weekend when tickets for their reunion tour more than doubled while on sale due to dynamic pricing systems. 

Tickets shot up from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster within hours of their release - and while fans were stuck in long online queues.

Dynamic pricing is common within industries beyond music - it's used frequently in the travel industry, with hotel rooms and airline tickets.

"The CMA is urgently reviewing recent developments in the ticketing market, including the way dynamic pricing is being used in the primary market," a CMA spokesperson said. 

They noted that consumer protection law requires businesses to be fair and transparent in their dealings with consumers. 

They are also required to give clear and accurate information about the price people have to pay. 

"The CMA wants fans to get a fair deal when they buy tickets," they added. 

"We have already acted against major resale websites on the secondary market to ensure consumer law is being followed. 

"But we think more protections are needed for consumers here, and made recommendations to the previous government in 2021 about the changes that are needed." 

The government has promised to look into dynamic ticket pricing, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy saying it would be reviewed in an upcoming consultation. 

Female founders have been dealt a "blow" after Innovate UK delivered just half the number of grants pledged in a funding competition for women business owners.

The Women in Innovation programme was aimed at encouraging women leading small to medium-sized businesses to apply for grants of up to £75,000 each.

The government-backed agency said it would be offering the grants to 50 female founders when it launched the competition earlier this year - but subsequently changed the wording to say "up to 50". 

Only 25 ended up being chosen to receive funding, out of 1,452 applicants.

Dearbump and Femtech founder Emma Jarvis said in a LinkedIn post that the situation will have left many female entrepreneurs "pretty disheartened"

The post  has been shared more than 100 times and has garnered nearly 830 reactions.

"Innovate UK's decision is a blow not just to existing female founders but future ones," Ms Jarvis said. "It's really disappointing to hear that the number of awards was cut in half and that the wording was changed after the results were announced."

She said the "only way forward" was for Innovate UK to honour its original commitment of 50 awards.

Meanwhile, Patricia McGirr, Repossession Rescue founder , said female founders "deserve more than lip service". 

She said Innovate UK's decision "isn't just trimming fat, it's cutting opportunity and ambition".

"This broken promise to the women fuelling our future is a step backward for innovation and a slap in the face to countless women who dare to lead."

And Debbie Porter, managing director at Destination Digital Marketing , said the move was "hard to believe".

"Innovate UK ought to go back over those 1,427 other applications as a matter of priority to fix this situation," she said. 

In a statement to the Money blog, Innovate UK apologised and said its decision was a "mistake". It also said it would honour its original commitment to award 50 applicants with funding.

The added: "We recognise the impact this has had on the many applicants and on the community as a whole, and we apologise wholeheartedly.

"We confirm we will be funding a total of 50 awards."

Our Money blog reporter Jess Sharp spoke to women who are  leading figures in their respective fields for our eight-part Women in Business series earlier this year. You can read some of their stories here...

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has refused to rule out heavier taxation on pensions in the October budget. 

"I'm not going to speculate on what will be in the budget, but I'm absolutely determined to ensure that working people are better off," she told MPs in the House of Commons. 

"This budget will be a budget to fix the foundations of the economy after the mess left by the previous government."

How could your pension be taxed further? Let's have a look at some of the possibilities...

Leading left-wing thinktank The Fabian Society said the government could raise at least £10bn a year by reducing pension tax relief for high earners. 

At the moment, pension tax relief depends on an individual's tax band. 

But Ms Reeves could create a single flat rate of tax relief for all tax bands, the society said.

"First, the rate of income tax relief should be equalised for people on all tax bands - for example at 30% of gross earnings, midway between the 20p and 40p rates of tax," the thinktank said in a report. 

Ms Reeves could also reduce the maximum tax-free lump sum  you can get on retirement from £268,275 to £100,000 or 25% of pension wealth. 

"The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that this might eventually save over £2bn per year, which would be targeted entirely at people with high lifetime earnings or assets," the report added. 

Another suggestion was to charge national insurance on private pension incomes . 

The organisation said it would lead to today's affluent pensioners making a higher tax contribution.

Other possibilities could be to levy income tax on all inherited pensions. 

It said pension pots could also be liable to inheritance tax in the same way as other assets. 

What else did the chancellor say today?

Away from refusing to rule out pension tax changes, Ms Reeves also confirmed a cap on corporation tax.

Speaking during Treasury questions, she said the tax would be capped at its current level of 25% to "give business the confidence to grow". 

Corporation tax applies to the annual profits of UK resident companies and branches of overseas companies.

The 25% main rate is payable by companies with taxable profits above £250,000.

A small profits rate applies for companies with profits of £50,000 or below, meaning they will pay 19%.

Up until April 2023, the previous corporation tax main rate was 19%.

After the revival of popular Cadbury's chocolate bar Top Deck earlier this year, we asked you which discontinued treat you would like to see brought back - and we got so many responses that we've decided to make a weekly feature of it called  Bring It Back . 

Every Tuesday, we'll pick one from our comments box and look at why it was so beloved and, crucially, find out whether the companies in question might consider reintroducing them.

This week we're looking at a chocolate bar that became a staple of lunch boxes in the 1980s and '90s - and spawned a TV advert that is among the most fondly remembered of the era: McVitie's Trio.

Sold in multipacks of six, each bar included three segments made up of a caramel layer over biscuit, all covered with milk chocolate.

The product became synonymous with a memorable commercial that featured an animation by artist Bob Godfrey and a play on the traditional Jamaican folk song "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)".

Its lyrics, which will be familiar to almost anyone who grew up in the 1980s, included the bar's tagline: "I want a Trio and I want one now."

Having discontinued the product in 2003, it briefly returned to shop shelves in 2016 following a Facebook campaign, before vanishing from sale again shortly after.

Hordes of Sky News readers have called for the chocolate bar's revival.

Kellie said: "I'd love to have Trios back! They were yummy. McVitie's really need to start selling them again."

Derek told us: "What a chocolate bar the Trio was! I could eat an entire multipack in one sitting now if given the chance. And that old advert... instantly transported back to childhood just thinking about it."

Samantha said: "I can hear the jingle in my head now! Trios were just delicious chocolate bars... and we want one now!"

When asked by Sky News, a McVitie's spokesperson conspicuously declined to rule out a return for the iconic chocolate treat, saying the company was "constantly listening to what audiences want".

"This helps us to keep innovating and adapting to changing tastes, meaning more biscuits and snacks you love for generations to come," they said.

"For those who miss the caramel taste of Trio, one of our newest and most exciting innovations, McVitie's Gold Billions Wafer, will be your new favourite for on-the-go chocolate moments."

And, tantalisingly for fans of the bar, they added: "Watch this space for more to come..."

Along with the legions of Trio diehards, the Money blog will certainly be doing that - and hope to bring you news of further developments in the crusade in the near future.

Got a craving for any of the products below? Click the links to find out if they've got any chance at making a comeback... 

NatWest has launched the cheapest five-year fixed mortgage deal on the market. 

The 3.71% rate comes with a £1,495 product fee and is available to customers who have a 40% deposit. 

Other lenders have also announced cuts this week, including Barclays and Halifax. 

Yesterday, Barclays reduced its five-year fixed 60% LTV remortgage deal from 4.06% to 3.93%. 

It also announced cuts across its purchase product range, with a five-year fixed 75% LTV deal coming with a 3.95% rate and a £899 product fee. 

Halifax also launched a 3.81% five-year deal to new borrowers yesterday. 

Brokers have welcomed the cuts as "hugely positive" news, and suggested more lenders could follow suit. 

"NatWest's latest rate cut is another clear signal that mortgage lenders are pulling out all the stops to reignite the housing market," Ranald Mitchell, director of Charwin Mortgages, told Newspage.

"This flurry of rate reductions is a positive step towards finding that sweet spot where consumer confidence rebounds, and the property market gets back on track. 

"It's an exciting time for potential buyers, affordability is improving, and the window of opportunity is wide open." 

Justin Moy, the managing director at EHF Mortgages, said: "Lenders are looking to grab some market share by the end of the year.

"Other lenders will likely want to make a similar move over the coming days to remain competitive." 

By James Sillars , business reporter

It's a fairly muted start to the day's trading, again, on financial markets.

The FTSE 100 has opened 10 points higher at 8,373.

Rolls-Royce, the civil aerospace-to-defence firm (not to be confused with the luxury motor car manufacturer), is leading the gainers.

Its shares rallied by 4% early this morning after a 6.5% decline the previous day.

That tumbled was in reaction to the apparent mid-air failure of one of its engines on a Cathay Pacific flight .

Analysts said that the share price recovery was down to an update from  the airline that the fleet affected should be back to full operation by the weekend.

A tweet Liam Gallagher wrote seven years ago criticising the eye-watering price of gig tickets has come back to haunt him.

His message, written in September 2017 about his older brother Noel, who was touring America with his band High Flying Birds at the time, read: "350 dollars to go and see rkid in USA what a c*** when will it all stop as you were LG x"

The tweet has resurfaced after dynamic pricing for Oasis's much-hyped reunion next year left fans - many of whom had spent hours queueing online - stunned after some standard tickets more than doubled in price from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster due to demand.

X users pointed out the irony upon seeing the 2017 tweet, posting comments including, "Well this is evergreen", "What's your excuse for charging over 368 quid then?" and "Not ageing well, Liam".

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Using a phrase Liam adopts in his own social media comments, another fan wrote simply "BIBLICAL".

Hundreds of people have complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) over "misleading claims about availability and pricing".

In response, Sir Keir Starmer has said the government will get a "grip" on the issue of surge pricing, with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy promising a consultation over the transparency and use of dynamic pricing, and the technology around queuing systems, to ensure fans don't get ripped off.

Yesterday we revealed that official reseller Twickets had lowered its fees after criticism from Oasis fans.

Scroll through today's Money blog for: Cheapest dates to go on holiday this year (6.42 post); how do you get free school meals (7.58 post); pay-per-mile tax proposed (7.38 post)

Basically, free school meals are aimed at making sure the country's more vulnerable youngsters don't go hungry while they're learning in their earlier years.

Children of certain ages automatically qualify without having to apply, but the rules differ across the four nations.

Children whose parents claim certain benefits or asylum support may also be eligible - though an application may be needed.

Free school meals without having to apply

In England, outside of London , all state school children in reception to year two automatically qualify for infant free school meals, while in the capital , all state primary school children up to age 11 qualify for the benefit in the 2024-25 academic year.

In Scotland , all state school children up to primary five (around four to nine years old) get the meals automatically. There are plans for this to be extended to pupils in receipt of the Scottish child payment in primary six and seven from February.

In Wales  all primary school children in state schools can get free meals from September.

Families who claim benefits

If your child falls outside the eligibility criteria for automatic free school meals, they'll still be able to benefit in certain circumstances.

Wherever you are in the UK, your child may be able to get free school meals if you get one or more of the following:

• Income support
• Universal credit
• Income-based jobseeker's allowance
• Income-related employment and support allowance
• Support under part six of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
• The guaranteed element of pension credit
• Child tax credit
• Working tax credit (Scotland and Northern Ireland)
• Working tax credit run-on England and Wales) – paid for four weeks after you stop qualifying for working tax credit

There's some specific criteria for families by devolved nation, which we'll break down below...

England and Wales

If you're claiming universal credit, your net household income must be less than £7,400 after tax, and not including any benefits.

Those receiving child tax credit must not also be entitled to working tax credit and must have an annual income of less than £16,190.

If you're classed as having no recourse to public funds - a type of condition placed on temporary visas in the UK - and the parents are able to work, they must have a household income of no more than:

• £22,700 for families outside of London with one child
• £26,300 for families outside of London with two or more children
• £31,200 for families within London with one child
• £34,800 for families within London with two or more children

People claiming universal credit in Scotland must have a household monthly income of no more than £796 (£9,552 per year) to qualify for free school meals. 

Families on child tax credit, but not working tax credit, can get the meals if they earn less than £19,995. For those on both benefits, their income must be no more than £9,552.

Northern Ireland

You may be able to claim free school meals in Northern Ireland if you receive universal credit and your post-tax earnings are £15,000 or less per year.

If you get child tax credit or working tax credit, you can still get free school meals on an annual income of up to £16,190.

How can I claim the meals?

In England, Wales and Scotland, you apply to your local council.

The UK government website has a local authority postcode checker here , which directs you to the council running services in your area. There are similar tools on the Scottish and Welsh government websites.

In Northern Ireland, you can use this form to apply directly to the government.

How many children are eligible - and how much does it cost? 

According to the latest data from the Department for Education, 2.1 million pupils were eligible for free school meals in the 2023-24 academic year - 24.6% of pupils. This was a rise from 23.8% the year before.

According to the London mayor's office, it's estimated that school meals cost £13.25 per week - or £2.65 meal - on average.

It says its free school meals offer for all state-educated primary school children in the capital saves parents around £500 per year.

According to a 2023 report from the IFS, the current system of free school meals in England – both means-tested and universal provision – costs the government around £1.4bn a year.

But separate research from the Food Foundation found that expanding free school meal eligibility to all primary school students could generate around £41bn in direct benefits to students and a further £58bn to the wider economy over 20 years.

Read other entries in our Basically series.. .

Tax receipts from petrol and diesel duty bring in £25bn for the Treasury each year - and questions have been raised about what happens as more drivers go electric.

Today, the public transport charity Campaign for Better Transport (CBT) is proposing that drivers of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), such as electric cars, should be charged based on how far they travel.

They are asking Chancellor Rachel Reeves to impose the pay-per-mile scheme, saying it's the solution to a "black hole" that will be created by the loss of fuel duty.

The scheme would not apply to drivers of traditionally fuelled cars.

Under the plan, drivers with a ZEV before the implementation date would be exempt, incentivising the switch to electric vehicles.

Previous governments have found the prospect of introducing per-mile charges - known as road pricing - to be too politically toxic.

But CBT claims it would have public support.

Let us know your thoughts in the comments box - and read more on this story here ...

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Guest Essay

I Swore Off Air-Conditioning, and You Can, Too

By Stan Cox

Mr. Cox lives in Salina, Kan., and is the author of “Losing Our Cool: Uncomfortable Truths About Our Air-Conditioned World.”

Whenever people ask me how my wife and I have endured 25 Kansas summers almost entirely without air-conditioning, I like to say we do it because air-conditioning makes it too hot outside. We’re not ascetics, Luddites or misers; we just want to keep living comfortably, indoors and out.

It’s not just that air-conditioning is making our summers even hotter. (On a sweltering night in a city like Houston, the hot air that A.C. units blast out over the streets can raise outdoor temperatures up to three or four degrees.) It’s also that air-conditioning has altered the way most Americans experience heat.

Our bodies have grown so accustomed to climate-controlled indoor spaces, set at a chilly 69 degrees, that anything else can feel unbearable. And the greenhouse gases created by the roughly 90 percent of American households that own A.C. units mean that running them even in balmy temperatures is making the climate crisis worse.

Of course, I’m not suggesting that anyone switch the air off in the middle of a heat wave. Year in and year out, heat waves kill more people than any other type of natural disaster. If you live in Miami or Phoenix, you need air-conditioning to survive the summer. But if you live in the middle of the country, try leaving the air-conditioning off when it’s hot but not too hot.

Our species evolved, biologically and culturally, under wildly varying climatic conditions, and we haven’t lost that ability to adapt. Research suggests that when we spend more time in warm or hot summer weather, we can start feeling comfortable at temperatures that once felt insufferable. That’s the key to reducing dependence on air-conditioning: The less you use it, the easier it is to live without it.

When I was growing up in Georgia, my family moved into our first air-conditioned house when I was 12, and I loved it. But I left home for college in the 1970s, and I’ve lived mostly without A.C. ever since.

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