School English lessons encourage children to extend their vocabulary, so they produce writing where no noun lacks an adjectival phrase, no verb an explanatory adverb. Professional courses teach simple, direct writing.
EEJit writes: "My current hate is the overuse of "hero". Sportsmen are not hero's." Now that DOES illustrate my current hate!
Though a sportsman who excels has at least done something extraordinary, something worth striving to emulate. That's ok to call "hero" in my book.
Must a "hero" have performed a specific heroic act? Are all our armed forces, firemen, police etc. automatically "heroes" or just people whose occupation makes them more likely than the rest of us to be in a position where a heroic act may be required? Most of us are fortunate enough to lead lives where "heroism" (or indeed "cowardice") is not an issue.
Enough :-)