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Whenever possible, strive to use concrete words instead of abstract ones. What’s the difference? A concrete word is specific and suggests exactly what you mean. An abstract word, on the other hand, is general and can be confusing and ambiguous for your audience. Consider the following four sentences, which range from abstract to concrete:

This past week, Jane arrived in a vehicle. (abstract)

Four days ago, Jane arrived in a car. (less abstract)

Last Tuesday at noon, Jane arrived in a blue Toyota. (more concrete)

Last Tuesday at noon, Jane arrived in a blue 2008 Toyota Corolla. (most concrete)

Only the third and fourth sentences convey in specific terms how and when Jane arrived. If this information is relevant to the presentation, either of these sentences would help the speaker convey more information than the first and second sentences.

This is not to suggest that you should never use more general language. In fact, some situations clearly call for a more general language style. In the language of speechwriters, this is the difference between speaking from “five thousand feet, as opposed to fifty feet.” Sometimes you will want to describe a concept or theory from a much bigger perspective and thus give the audience the big picture, or the grand vision, invariably using more general language. On occasion, speakers may want to do both, beginning with general concepts (five thousand feet), and then moving toward more specific details (fifty feet). For example, in a 2007 speech before Congress, Kevin M. Brown, chief operating officer of the American Red Cross, used both lofty language and more grounded examples to describe his organization’s goals and accomplishments. He began with general language:

Charities provide an important role in our nation—in communities from coast to coast. For the American Red Cross, our congressional charter mandates our mission: to help our neighbors prevent, prepare for, and respond to disaster.

Brown then followed up with concrete examples:

Each and every day, our more than seven hundred chapters respond to more than two hundred house fires and other disasters, in addition to providing first aid, CPR/AED, and other health and safety training programs to more than 11 million individuals each year. Our thirty-five blood regions collect, process, and distribute more than 40 percent of all blood needed in and used in the nation. Our two Service to the Armed Forces Centers annually provide 650,000 emergency communications from 193,000 families to loved ones serving in our nation’s armed forces. And our international relief operations respond to an average of thirty international disasters annually.³