I use E-Prime. It helps me to break out of those easy patterns of
thought that can create traps for writers, by forcing me to consider
the actual relations and consequences between objects and actors.
Unfortunately, when used online, E-Prime can create the impression
that the user has a cold personality (as has been mentioned to me by
various readers of my posts who have met me in person). I've
concluded that in general list postings, mixing in a few 'is'
constructions makes a post read more like a conversation.
An E-prime web site with an excellent bibliography can be located
through any web search engine by entering the key words 'general
semantics'.
Sin,
Kathryn Aegis