I don’t really know what words most people overuse—mainly because the “people” in my life are mostly students. As a TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) teacher at a university in China, I’ve learned that my students have a handful of go-to phrases they rely on for speaking and writing exams:

• “Nowadays…”
• “With the development of [something]…”
• “Double-edged sword”
• “In a word…” (usually followed by many, many words)

Let’s take an example. If students are assigned an essay on the pros and cons of giving children smartphones, I can guarantee that at least a third will start with: “With the development of modern technology…”

Now, there’s nothing grammatically wrong with this. But when you read it 60 times in a row, your brain starts to melt.

“Every Coin Has Two Sides” — and So Do My Headaches

The phrase that irritates me the most is: “Every coin has two sides.”

By the time they reach college, my students understand that most issues have both positives and negatives. Unfortunately, they feel the need to point this out every single time.

I get why. They’ve been taught for years to use these stock phrases in specific situations. What they often haven’t been taught is that, in real-world English, native speakers don’t lean on these expressions quite so much. It takes time to help them replace these habits with fresher, more natural alternatives—like “it cuts both ways” or “on the other hand.”

The Tricky “Other Hand”

Speaking of “on the other hand,” that phrase comes with its own set of problems. My students are told it’s for presenting different ideas, which is true—but “different” here means opposing or contrasting. I explain it like this:

On one hand, the boy you’re considering dating is rich and well-educated.
On the other hand, he’s unattractive and rude.

That’s contrast. Unfortunately, my students often use it like this:

On one hand, the boy is rich.
On the other hand, he is well-educated.

Technically “different” ideas, yes—but not opposites. Years of using it incorrectly are hard to undo with one class.

Platitudes Without the Payoff

The real problem isn’t that these phrases exist—it’s that they often get dropped into essays without follow-through. Saying “every coin has two sides” without showing the other side is like saying “with the development of modern technology” without explaining how technology changed the situation.

A phrase without context or elaboration is just a platitude. If you tell me a coin has two sides, you’d better show me what’s on the other side.

Thinking Vertically, Not Just Horizontally

My biggest concern is that students repeat phrases without fully understanding them. Either they’re unclear on the meaning, or they don’t know the purpose the phrase is meant to serve (and what should come next).

I tell my students that phrases shouldn’t just add information—they should lead somewhere. Use them as a springboard to explore an idea in more depth. In other words, think vertically, not just horizontally.

A Note for English Learners

If you’re an English learner and you use these phrases often, you’re not doing anything wrong. Remembering language is hard, and the fact that you can recall expressions and place them roughly where they belong is a strength.

The point isn’t to throw out old phrases entirely—it’s to get more out of them. The more you expand the topics you talk about, the more vocabulary you’ll naturally pick up. This doesn’t just grow your word bank—it gives you the tools to express deeper, more nuanced thoughts.

In a word: expanding your ideas will expand your language skills.