You want to discuss some upsides and downsides of an issue. But is it appropriate to use the phrase pros and cons in a professional setting? What about in an academic essay?
In this article, we’ll consider 6 alternative phrases that you can use when pros and cons starts to feel worn out.
After that, we’ll discuss the correctness of the phrase pros and cons.
6 Alternative Ways to Say “Pros and Cons”
Below, you’ll find 6 alternative ways to say pros and cons at work or in your essays:
- For and against
- Positives and negatives
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Strengths and weaknesses
- Trade-offs
- Benefits and drawbacks
1. For and Against
Since the phrase pros and cons originates from the Latin words “pro”and“contra,” meaning for and against, this phrase is the most direct synonym for the original.
Like the original expression, this alternative is fairly diverse. Moreover, its plain phrasing makes it suitable in both a professional and academic setting.
However, a term like for and against is best suited for an argumentative essay in which you are discussing all the arguments relating to a topic and concluding on which side is most correct.
In addition, the phrase for and against will help you set out your writing in an organized way, making it far more accessible and understandable for your readers.
For example:
The following paper will set out the arguments for and against a mandatory tax increase for any present beneficiaries of this colonial past.
2. Positives and Negatives
Another way to say pros and cons at work is positives and negatives.
Essentially, this phrase is another way to discuss all the possible benefits of a business decision while also considering the potential downsides.
This phrase comes across as rather casual. Therefore, we would recommend a slightly more formal alternative for an email to your boss or a client.
However, the straightforward nature of this phrase makes it useful in an email to a colleague who is equal to you in rank.
Let’s see a sample email with this phrase in tow:
Dear Delainey,
I have been considering the positives and negatives of taking our promotion event online this year and have written them down in the memo attached.
Let me know what you think.
Kind regards,
Kara
3. Advantages and Disadvantages
The phrase advantages and disadvantages is essentially a slightly more formal synonym for the phrase above.
Therefore, you can use this alternative when discussing the pros and cons of a work decision with your boss.
An “advantage” is a circumstance that puts someone or something in a favorable position. Meanwhile, a “disadvantage” is a circumstance that reduces one’s likelihood of success.
Therefore, advantages and disadvantages is not a direct synonym for pros and cons. Nevertheless, this phrase can be used in a similar way to the original in a professional setting.
To see what we mean, consider the email sample below:
Dear Miss Chong,
The client has inquired about some of the advantages and disadvantages of a trust.
As this is your area of expertise, I would like to hear your opinion before responding.
Sincerely,
Roxanne Bogosian
4. Strengths and Weaknesses
Another good way to discuss a topic in an academic essay is to consider the strengths and weaknesses of a particular argument or idea.
After all, this phrase allows you to evaluate what another writer or researcher has stated and point out any holes in their argument.
In short, this phrase is particularly useful if you are writing a paper in response to the work of a fellow academic in your field of interest.
Check out this example:
I will be discussing the strengths and weaknesses of the redistribution argument posed by my colleague, Professor Olajide.
5. Trade-offs
Another word for pros and cons in the business world is trade-offs.
Essentially, in the commercial realm, you sometimes have to accept a few negatives in order to enjoy the benefits of something.
This makes trade-offs the best option if you are looking for one word that encapsulates the need to balance competing interests at your organization.
Therefore, you can use this phrase in an email to your clients.
In particular, you can use it when you want to be transparent about some of the potential obstacles they might encounter if they were to take your professional advice.
The best way to illustrate this is with an email example:
Dear Mr. Bass,
Having considered your current business model, I believe a reduced recreational office space will be an acceptable trade-off to increase the size of your workstation.
Kind regards,
Eugenia Bondurant
6. Benefits and Drawbacks
When discussing the pros and cons of a work-related issue with a colleague, you can use more casual and conversational words in your emails.
After all, in a busy office setting, it doesn’t make much sense to spend time drafting flowery, formal emails for your inter-office correspondence.
Rather, you should speak clearly and plainly.
The phrase benefits and drawbacks is tonally neutral enough for an email to any coworker, regardless of the nature of your relationship with them.
Therefore, let’s see this alternative phrase in our final email sample:
Dear Damon,
I’d be very keen to have a meeting tomorrow so that we can discuss some of the benefits and drawbacks of seeking a freelancer for this task.
Let me know what time would suit you.
All the best,
Gopal
Is It Correct to Say “Pros and Cons”?
The phrase pros and cons is perfectly correct, and you can use it to list all the positive and negative aspects of a certain situation.
The words “pros” and “cons” are not abbreviations for any other English words. Rather, they stem from the Latin term “pro” meaning “for” and “contra” meaning “against.”
People in the business realm often use the phrase pros and cons to weigh the benefits of a particular action or decision.
Likewise, academics often use this phrase to discuss the topic of their paper holistically.
Below, we’ve provided two examples illustrating how you can use the phrase pros and cons in practice.
First, let’s look at an email example showing how you can use it at work:
Dear Tobias,
I have been considering the pros and cons of a collaboration with their team, and I think the benefits outweigh any of the potential obstacles.
Kind regards,
Daryl
Next, let’s see a faux essay snippet making use of this phrase:
Although there are numerous pros and cons involved in the development of a Bill of Rights, this yardstick has proven useful for the legal systems of other countries.
Finally, we’ll discuss whether it is grammatically correct to use the singular form of the phrase pros and cons or whether this is a grammar mistake.
Variation: Pros and cons or pro and con?
- Correct: Pros and cons.
- Correct: Pro and con.
Using the singular form pro and con does not actively break any grammatical rules in English.
So, we know that the phrase pros and cons is a correct and popular phrase. However, it is rather standardized.
Therefore, if you want to diversify your academic writing or avoid repetition in your work emails, you can use one or more of the synonyms on our list.
