Almost and half (half-smile, &c.) are weasel words that allow you to evade the responsibility of being precise. Their use will drain the life from your prose. “Some kind of” has recently joined the infamous company of weasel words. If you’re tempted to use this phrase, ask yourself what meaning it conveys. That the writer has no idea what’s going on? That the writer knows but isn’t going to bother to tell the reader? It carries no information. Why use it? Some writers litter their pages with these words and phrases to no purpose. Beware!