Which annoying phrases should be banned?

MY PET hate is the meaningless phrase ‘in terms of’. Describing the lack of cold and flu remedies, the head of the Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies made the ludicrous comment: ‘That has led to a shortage of these products in terms of us not being able to obtain them.’

T. BAILEY, Nottingham. REMEMBER when issues used to be called problems and things were ‘vital’ instead of ‘key’. I wonder how many people have their wages ‘ramped up’ instead of ‘increased’.

KEVIN PALMER, Solihull, W. Mids. I CAN’T be the only one who always grimaces when hearing ‘outside of London’ and ‘all of the time’. The word ‘of’ is redundant. I thought that we were in Britain, not the U.S.

SIMON KING, Kinmel Bay, Conwy. THE three words and phrases I can’t abide are ‘gobsmacked’, ‘and all that’ used at the end of a sentence and ‘pear-shaped’ to describe something that has failed.

HELGA CHARMAN, London SE24.

I DISLIKE the trendy word ‘shoutout’. What’s wrong with mention?

ROGER VINCE, Upper Brynamman, Carms. I CONTACTED ITVX because I had a problem logging on. They emailed me: ‘We’re on it! Let’s do this!’

GILL LAWRENCE, Bletchley, Bucks. IT’S irritating when someone begins a conversation with ‘l’m not being funny, but . . .’ when really they are.

JANET CARNEY, Preston, Lancs. WHEN did visitors or customers to towns, cities or shops become ‘footfall’? If we only have one foot, how are we counted?

JOHN SOLOMON, Redditch, Worcs.

THE word I’d ban is ‘impact’ when used as a replacement for affect.

MARTIN SHAW,

Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.

WHAT does ‘double down’ mean? Is it the same as ‘double up’? When a celebrity is asked a question, their reply is invariably prefaced by: ‘I won’t lie to you . . .’

I should hope not!

TONY CRAFTER, Sevenoaks, Kent.