Editing the Needless Word
"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should contain no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the writer make all his sentences short, or that he avoid al detail and treat his subjects only in outline, but that every word tell."
Strunk and White, The Elements of Style
Get rid of what you--and your readers--don't need.
Read the following list of phrases. Try to cut them--and you own, similar verbosities--from your writing:
Phrase to avoid |
|
Replace with |
| adequate enough |
|
adequate |
| all of a sudden |
suddenly |
| along the lines of |
like |
| and etc. |
etc. |
| a number of |
many |
| any one of the two |
either |
| as of yet |
yet |
| as to |
about |
| at the present time |
now |
| at which time |
when |
| be in attendance at |
attend |
| be in favor of |
favor |
| be of the opinion that |
think |
| by the name of |
named |
| call attention to the fact that |
remind, notify |
| circle around |
circle |
| come in contact with |
meet |
| come to realize |
realize |
| covered all over |
covered |
| different varieties |
varieties |
| due to the fact that |
because |
| during the time that |
while |
| first of all |
first |
| for the purpose of |
for |
| for the reason that |
because |
| from the point of view of |
for |
| gathered together |
gathered |
| general consensus |
consensus |
| had an experience of |
experienced |
| have a conversation |
converse |
| have an intention |
intend |
| in accordance with |
by, under |
| in a gruff fashion |
gruffly |
| in a hasty manner |
hastily |
| in all sincerity |
sincerely |
| in as much as |
since, because |
| in a strange way |
strangely |
| in consideration of |
considering |
| in favor of |
for, to |
| in order to |
to |
| inside of |
inside |
|
|
Phrase to avoid |
|
Replace with |
| in spite of the fact that |
|
though, although |
| in terms of |
in, for, or [cut] |
| in the case of |
if |
| in the event that |
if |
| in the nature of |
like |
| in the near future |
soon |
| in the neighborhood of |
about, near |
| in today's world |
today, now |
| is at |
is | | was unsure of the fact that | did not know | | kindly by nature | kindly | | later on | later | | make a study of | study | | more unique | unique | | necessary requirements | requirements | | of easygoing temperament | easygoing | | off of | off | | on the basis of | by | | on the grounds that | since | | on the part of | by | | optimistic in outlook | optimisitic | | owing to the fact that | since, because | | past history | history | | pay a visit to | visit | | plan on | plan | | prior to | before | | put on an appearance | appear | | return again | return | | small in size | small | | take a look | look | | the fact that | [cut] | | tried a taste of | tasted | | still persists | persists | | sum total | total | | wild savages | savages | | with a view to | to | | without a doubt | surely | | with reference to | about, or [cut] | | with regard to | about, regarding, or [cut] | | with the result that | so, so that | | | | |
"So you're saying that I'm redundant, that I repeat myself, that I say the same thing over and over?"
--Frasier Crane, Cheers
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