ELIMINATING WORDINESS&STRIVING FOR CONCISION

ELIMINATE REDUNDANCIES

• Repitition in writing is unnecessary.
• Many think it adds emphasis but in reality it doesn't.
• Although modifiers add meaning they are redundant.
• Ex: Jerry is now employed at Carls Jr working as a cashier.

AVOID REPITITION OF WORDS

• Repeating words may be used for effect but they make your writing awkward.
• When reading the readers will already understand after you say it the first time.
• Ex: The child on the swing is swinging very fast.
• Ex 2: The patient in room 3 is a very sick patient.

CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED PHRASES

• Cutting phrases will not take away the meaning of your writing.
• Intro groups like: In my opinion, I think that, one must admit that and so on.
• Cutting your inflated phrases from: At all times- always or this point in time- now, currently.
• Ex: In my opinion, red gummy bears are better than green.
• Ex 2: At this point in time I want to focus on work and school not a relationship.

SIMPLIFYING THE STRUCTURE

• Always look to strengthen the verb.
• Colorless verbs to avoid: is, are, was, and were.
• Expletive constructions to avoid: there is, there are, there was, or there were.
• Colorless and expletive cause excess words that are useless to writing.
• Ex: It is imperative that all night managers follow procedures when locking the safe.

REDUCING CLAUSES TO PHRASES, PHRASES TO SINGLE WORDS

• Word groups used as modifiers can be more compact.
• Look for opportunities to reduce clauses to phrases or phrases to single words.
• Ex: We took a side trip to Monticello, which was home of Thomas Jefferson.

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