So, This Is One of My Pet Peeves

So, I have to tell you a pet peeve of mine. It drives me crazy. Every time I hear it, it grates on my nerves.

What is it? It’s when people unnecessarily say “so” at the beginning of a sentence. I don’t understand it. Nor do I don’t know when it became so prevalent?

“What’s the big deal?” you may be asking. It’s simple. When a sentence begins with “so” for no reason, it’s just not as strong. Read the following sentences aloud.

So, I was standing in the rain, waiting for a cab, when all of a sudden …

I was standing in the rain, waiting for a cab, when all of a sudden …

There are times when it is appropriate to use the word, but adding it to the beginning of a sentence for no other reason than it’s a habit is not one of them. If this is one of your habits, you might want to think about breaking it. It’s not difficult to overcome, and your presentations to 1 or 1,000 will be more powerful and more professional.

PS OMG! As I just typed the last word of this post, I heard a Mutual of Omaha commercial on television. The main speaker in the commercial used “so” three times when unnecessary, if not detrimental. Ugh!