From the course: Writing with Commonly Confused Words

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"Simple" or "simplistic"?

"Simple" or "simplistic"?

From the course: Writing with Commonly Confused Words

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"Simple" or "simplistic"?

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- Simplistic means that something is oversimplified or lacking something important. For example, if I were to say that in spelling, you put I before E except after C and I didn't talk about all the other exceptions that would be a simplistic explanation. So many words break that rule that is practically worthless, weird, caffeine and seize are just a few examples. The I before E rule leaves out important details, the exceptions and that makes it simplistic and notice that simplistic has a negative connotation. If someone describes your argument as simplistic that is not a compliment. Simple on the other hand, means basic or easy and it can be good or bad. It depends on the context. For example, you could enjoy a recipe because it's simple to make or write a good review of a gadget because it's simple to use but people can also use simple as an insult. For example, they might describe…

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