Not sure how to say it? Search Google books
When you’re not sure how to say something—what turn of phrase to use or what word, to describe something specific, go to Google, type in whatever it is you’re unsure of and then search, but select Books (at the top you’ll see All, Shopping, Images, Videos, News, More—click on More and select Books).
Now read how other authors solved a similar problem to your heart’s content.
I love this particular trick. It saved my butt many times (especially because English is not my first language).
For example, today I couldn’t figure out how to properly say “sit up bolt upright.” I thought there were too many “ups.” I tried all kinds of combinations, then simply searched Google Books, and saw that the most common phrase was “sit bolt upright” (no double ups!), and that’s what I ended up using.
Neat, huh?