Avoid clichés [a phrase or word that has lost its original effectiveness or power from overuse] in academic writing. For example, over the hill, a dime a dozen, and head over heels are colloquial expressions and need to be replaced with more formal, academic language. Academic writing requires the use of a formal tone. Words used in everyday conversation need to be replaced with language that is more formal. For example, replace TV with television, replace deal with manage, and replace help out with assist. One word could change the tone of a paragraph or an entire essay. Cliché: "actual" and "actually" are weak words whose meaning is nothing more than "in point of fact." They are often used as intensifiers but usually can be deleted with no change in meaning.