Writing should be clean, clear, and concise. Useless words clutter sentences and obscure ideas. (See On Writing Well by William Zinsser and The Writer’s Art by James J. Kilpatrick)
Wordy: Because of the increased economic demands I am facing in my personal life, I find it necessary to request monetary assistance and relief in my professional field.
Concise: I need a raise.
Cut Out Filler
Some words and phrases can be deleted without any loss of meaning.
Wordy: The columns must be aligned in an accurate manner.
Concise: The columns must be accurately aligned.
| Wordy | Concise |
| regardless of the fact that | although |
| it is obvious that | obviously |
| it may be that | perhaps |
| it is believed by some that | some people believe |
Verb Power
Utilize strong rather than wimpy verbs. Try to avoid verb phrases in formal writing.
| Wordy Verb Phrases | Economical Verbs |
| put the emphasis on | emphasize |
| make a comparison | compare |
| have an understanding of | understand |
Eliminate Redundancies
Saying the same thing twice wastes words and time.
| Redundant | Clear |
| absolutely essential | necessary |
| anticipate in advance | anticipate |
| few in number | few |
| final outcome | outcome |
| audible to the ear | audible |
| combine together | combine |
| green in color | green |
| join together | join |
| end result | |
| necessary essentials |
Avoid Needless Repetition
Some repetition is used for emphasis. Other repetition may not be useful.
Repetitive: Walking up to the front door, I came upon the skull of a cow placed next to the front door.
Effective: Walking up to the house, I came upon the skull of a cow placed next to the front door.
Adapted from The Practical Writer’s Guide