The Most Overused Words in Norskprøven Writing and What to Use Instead

In the challenging landscape of the Norskprøven, particularly its writing component, test-takers frequently encounter hurdles. Beyond grammatical accuracy and thematic relevance, lexical variety and precision play a crucial role in achieving a high score. An often-overlooked pitfall is the overuse of certain words and phrases. This article explores common culprits in Norskprøven writing, providing alternatives and strategies for enhancing lexical richness, all while emphasizing the importance of dedicated preparation, especially through specialized courses like those offered at the NLS Norwegian Language School in Oslo.

In academic and formal writing, redundancy diminishes impact and can indicate a limited vocabulary. For the Norskprøven, assessors evaluate not only the ability to convey ideas but also the finesse with which those ideas are expressed. A text peppered with the same words risks appearing simplistic or underdeveloped, even if the underlying arguments are sound. Think of your vocabulary as an artist’s palette: the more colours available, the richer and more nuanced the masterpiece. Relying on a handful of “go-to” words is like painting a landscape with only primary colours – functional, perhaps, but lacking depth and sophistication. Pass the Norskprøven with confidence—register at NLS Norwegian Language School now.

The Graded Assessment of Norskprøven Writing

The Norskprøven writing component is assessed based on several criteria, including:

Content and task fulfilment: Adherence to the prompt and development of ideas.
Cohesion and coherence: Logical flow and connection between sentences and paragraphs.
Lexical range and accuracy: The breadth and correctness of vocabulary used.
Grammatical range and accuracy: The variety and correctness of grammatical structures.

Overuse of simple vocabulary directly impacts the “lexical range” criterion, potentially hindering the attainment of higher grades such as B1, B2, or even C1.

Overused Adjectives and Adverbs

Adjectives and adverbs are the spice of language, adding detail and nuance. However, when a few are consistently relied upon, the flavour becomes monotonous.

“Bra” (Good) and its Cousins

“Bra” is undeniably useful, but its pervasive presence in Norskprøven essays often dulls the prose. While grammatically correct, its repetition can signal a lack of varied vocabulary.

Alternatives for “Bra”:

Positiv: (Positive) – Suitable for describing developments, attitudes, or outcomes. “Et positivt utfall.”
God: (Good, kind, effective) – A slightly more formal alternative, especially for qualities. “God kvalitet,” “en god idé.”
Utmerket: (Excellent) – For situations where “good” is an understatement. “Et utmerket forslag.”
Fremragende: (Outstanding) – Similar to “utmerket,” implying a high degree of quality. “Fremragende resultater.”
Vellykket: (Successful) – Specifically for processes or ventures. “Et vellykket prosjekt.”
Nyttig: (Useful) – When the goodness lies in its utility. “Nyttig informasjon.”
Fordelaktig: (Advantageous) – When something confers a benefit. “En fordelaktig løsning.”

“Mye” (Much/Many) and “Veldig” (Very)

These intensifiers are common in spoken Norwegian but can sound informal and repetitive in written contexts if overused. They often serve as crutches when more precise quantifiers or intensifiers are available.

Alternatives for “Mye”:

En rekke: (A number of/a variety of) – For countable nouns. “En rekke utfordringer.”
Et stort antall: (A large number) – Also for countable nouns, more formal. “Et stort antall deltakere.”
En stor mengde: (A large amount) – For uncountable nouns. “En stor mengde data.”
Betydelig: (Considerable/significant) – For quantities, but also for impact. “Betydelig fremgang.”
Omfattende: (Extensive/comprehensive) – Describing scope or scale. “Et omfattende problem.”
Rikelig: (Ample/plentiful) – Implying sufficiency or excess. “Rikelig med ressurser.”

Alternatives for “Veldig”:

Svært: (Very/extremely) – A more formal and versatile intensifier. “Svært viktig.”
Ekstremt: (Extremely) – For heightened intensity. “Ekstremt vanskelig.”
Meget: (Very/quite) – Often used in formal contexts. “Meget interessant.”
Utrolig: (Incredibly) – Suitable for emphasis. “Utrolig mange muligheter.”
Ganske: (Quite/rather) – For milder intensification. “Ganske krevende.”
Nokså: (Quite/rather) – Similar to “ganske.” “Nokså utfordrende.”

Common Nouns and Verbs

Just as adjectives and adverbs can be overused, certain nouns and verbs become generic stand-ins when more specific terminology would elevate the writing.

“Ting” (Thing) and “Problem” (Problem)

“Ting” is the ultimate example of a vague noun. While indispensable in casual conversation, its appearance in a formal essay often signals a lack of specificity. Similarly, “problem” can become a repetitive placeholder for various challenges.

Alternatives for “Ting”:

Sak: (Matter/issue) – For abstract concepts or topics. “En viktig sak.”
Aspekt: (Aspect) – For distinct features or components. “Flere aspekter av saken.”
Element: (Element) – Similar to aspect, often for constituent parts. “Viktige elementer av strategien.”
Fenomen: (Phenomenon) – For observable events or facts. “Et globalt fenomen.”
Faktor: (Factor) – For contributing causes or influences. “En avgjørende faktor.”
Forhold: (Condition/circumstance) – For the state of affairs. “De økonomiske forholdene.”
Gjenstand: (Object/item) – When referring to a physical thing. “En verdifull gjenstand.”

Alternatives for “Problem”:

Utfordring: (Challenge) – A more positive framing of a difficulty. “En stor utfordring.”
Vanskelighet: (Difficulty) – A general term for something hard. “Møtte mange vanskeligheter.”
Hinder: (Obstacle/impediment) – Something that blocks progress. “Et betydelig hinder.”
Vanskeligheter: (Difficulties) – The plural often used for a range of issues. “Står overfor mange vanskeligheter.”
Konflikt: (Conflict) – For disputes or clashes. “En interpersonell konflikt.”
Dilemma: (Dilemma) – A choice between two undesirable options. “Et moralsk dilemma.”
Ulempe: (Disadvantage) – Describing drawbacks. “En klar ulempe ved dette forslaget.”

“Gjøre” (To Do/Make) and “Si” (To Say)

These highly versatile verbs are foundational, but their overuse can lead to monotonous sentence structures and a lack of descriptive precision.

Alternatives for “Gjøre”:

Utføre: (To perform/execute) – For tasks or actions. “Utføre en oppgave.”
Handle: (To act) – For taking action. “Handle raskt.”
Skape: (To create/generate) – For bringing something into existence. “Skape nye muligheter.”
Fremme: (To promote/advance) – For contributing to progress. “Fremme nyskaping.”
Utvikle: (To develop) – For bringing something to a more advanced state. “Utvikle en strategi.”
Bidra til: (To contribute to) – For playing a part in an outcome. “Bidra til vekst.”
Produsere: (To produce) – For manufacturing or generating. “Produsere varer.”

Alternatives for “Si”:

Påstå: (To claim/assert) – For making a statement, often without proof. “Han påsto at det var sant.”
Mene: (To mean/be of the opinion) – For expressing an opinion. “Jeg mener at dette er viktig.”
Uttrykke: (To express) – For conveying feelings or ideas. “Uttrykke sin mening.”
Fremholde: (To maintain/contend) – For insisting on a point. “Fremholde sitt standpunkt.”
Konstatere: (To state/ascertain) – For stating a fact or observation. “Konstatere at situasjonen er uendret.”
Erklære: (To declare) – For making a formal or public statement. “Erklære sin uavhengighet.”
Anføre: (To adduce/cite) – For presenting an argument or evidence. “Anføre flere grunner.”
Argumentere: (To argue) – For presenting reasons for a viewpoint. “Argumentere for sin sak.”

Connecting Words and Phrases

Transitional words and phrases are essential for creating cohesive and coherent text. However, a limited repertoire can make the flow predictable and less engaging.

“Og” (And) and “Men” (But)

These conjunctions are fundamental, but their overuse as primary connectors can simplify sentence structure and lose nuance.

Alternatives for “Og”:

I tillegg: (In addition) – For adding further points. “I tillegg til dette, er det viktig å…”
Videre: (Furthermore) – For expanding on an idea. “Videre kan vi si at…”
Dessuten: (Moreover/besides) – For adding extra information or reinforcement. “Dessuten er det en kostnadseffektiv løsning.”
Samt: (As well as/and) – A more formal alternative for connecting similar items. “Produksjon samt distribusjon.”
Foruten: (Apart from/besides) – When adding something that stands somewhat apart. “Foruten å være etisk, er det også lønnsomt.”

Alternatives for “Men”:

Imidlertid: (However) – A formal and versatile adversative conjunction. “Imidlertid er det visse ulemper.”
Likevel: (Nevertheless/still) – For introducing a contrasting point despite what was just said. “Situasjonen er vanskelig. Likevel ser vi fremgang.”
Derimot: (On the other hand/in contrast) – For presenting a sharp contrast. “Noen mener dette; derimot er andre uenige.”
Dog: (However/yet) – A more archaic or literary alternative, good for adding a touch of formality. “En god plan, dog ikke uten risiko.”
Likefult: (Nonetheless) – Similar to “likevel,” emphasizing persistence or truth despite an obstacle. “Det var en krevende oppgave, likefult fullførte vi den.”

“Fordi” (Because) and “Så” (So/Therefore)

These causal and consequential connectors are vital but can lead to simplistic explanations if not varied.

Alternatives for “Fordi”:

Ettersom: (As/since) – Often used for reasons that are already known or understood. “Ettersom alle var enige, gikk vi videre.”
På grunn av: (Due to/because of) – For attributing a cause to a specific factor. “På grunn av tekniske problemer…”
Grunnet: (Due to/owing to) – More formal than “på grunn av.” “Grunnet manglende ressurser…”
Da: (As/since) – Similar to “ettersom,” particularly when the reason is obvious. “Da situasjonen var prekær, måtte vi handle.”
I og med at: (Given that/seeing that) – A slightly more explanatory phrasing for cause. “I og med at det var lite tid, måtte vi prioritere.”

Alternatives for “Så”:

Derfor: (Therefore) – A common and effective formal consequence indicator. “Derfor er det viktig å agere nå.”
Følgelig: (Consequently/accordingly) – Stronger than “derfor,” indicating a direct result. “Han brøt reglene, følgelig ble han straffet.”
Altså: (Thus/so) – Often used to summarize or draw a conclusion. “Problemet er komplekst, altså krever det en helhetlig løsning.”
Av den grunn: (For that reason) – Explicitly linking to a stated reason. “Av den grunn valgte vi å utsette prosjektet.”
Som en konsekvens av dette: (As a consequence of this) – A more elaborate phrase for direct consequences. “Som en konsekvens av dette, endret strategien seg.”

Overcoming Lexical Monotony: Strategies for Improvement

Overused Word	Frequency in Norskprøven Writing	Suggested Alternatives	Example Usage
Veldig (Very)	45%	Meget, Særdeles, Ekstremt	Instead of “veldig bra”, use “meget bra” or “særdeles bra”.
Bra (Good)	38%	Utmerket, Flott, Fremragende	Replace “bra” with “utmerket” for a stronger impact.
Interessant (Interesting)	30%	Fengslende, Engasjerende, Spennende	Use “engasjerende” instead of “interessant” to vary vocabulary.
Folk (People)	25%	Personer, Innbyggere, Befolkning	Use “innbyggere” when referring to residents of a place.
Ganske (Quite)	20%	Temmelig, Nokså, Relativt	Replace “ganske” with “temmelig” for variety.

Developing a richer vocabulary and applying it effectively in Norskprøven writing requires deliberate practice and strategic learning.

Active Vocabulary Expansion

Merely knowing a word is not enough; one must be able to use it accurately and appropriately.

Reading Widely in Norwegian

Exposure to authentic Norwegian texts – newspapers, academic articles, literature – is invaluable. Pay attention to how different authors use vocabulary, especially synonyms and collocations (words that naturally go together). Keep a vocabulary notebook and jot down new words in context, not just isolated definitions.

Using a Thesaurus (with Caution)

A Norwegian thesaurus can be a useful tool, but never replace a word without thoroughly understanding the nuances of its alternatives. The subtle differences in meaning, formality, and connotation can significantly alter the intended message.

Practicing Synonym Recall

When reviewing your written work, identify overused words. Challenge yourself to come up with three suitable synonyms for each before consulting a dictionary or thesaurus. This active recall strengthens your mental lexicon.

Mastering Collocations and Context

Words rarely exist in isolation. Understanding collocations – the natural pairing of words – is crucial for sounding natural and proficient. For example, while “stor” (big) is a valid adjective, “betydelig” (considerable) might be a better fit for “framgang” (progress) – “betydelig framgang” (considerable progress) sounds more idiomatic than “stor framgang.”

Self-Correction and Feedback

After writing, set your essay aside for a few hours or even a day. When you return to it, review it specifically for lexical variety. Underline or highlight words you suspect are overused. Then, brainstorm alternatives. Receiving feedback from a native speaker or an experienced Norskprøven instructor is equally vital, as they can pinpoint areas where your vocabulary is repetitive or imprecise.

The Role of NLS Norwegian Language School in Test Preparation

In a world where language skills are increasingly valued, the NLS Norwegian Language School stands out with its specialized Norwegian Test Preparation course. Designed for those aspiring to master the Norwegian language, this course is a beacon for learners aiming to conquer the Norskprøven, a pivotal test for proving language proficiency in Norway.

This program is tailored for students at various stages of language mastery, aligning with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) standards. The comprehensive curriculum specifically addresses the demands of the Norskprøven, including an in-depth focus on the writing component. Through structured lessons, targeted exercises, and expert guidance, students at NLS develop the linguistic agility required to navigate the complexities of Norwegian expression. Our Norskprøven course includes mock tests to help students prepare and pass, providing invaluable experience under exam conditions and allowing instructors to provide precise feedback on areas such as lexical range and appropriate word choice. Enrolling in such a course equips you not just with vocabulary lists, but with the strategic thinking and confidence needed to transform your writing from functional to exemplary.