Using a thesaurus

Answer A is better.

When we write e-mails, we have time to think about our word choices. This can be a good opportunity to check words — or it can be a danger. It’s tempting to use an online thesaurus to “improve” your vocabulary. However, it’s dangerous to use words you’re not familiar with. They may not have exactly the right meaning, or they may be too formal or too old-fashioned. You can even sound pompous or sarcastic.

Our tip: Ready-made letter-writing phrases such as “I’d be grateful if you could” are perfect — so use them!