Eliminating Wordiness from your Writing
at the present time
in the present circumstances
at this point in time
at this moment
in this day and age
Use now or today
at that point in time
in those days
in that period
Use then.
in many cases
in some cases
in exceptional cases
in most cases
consider as, consider as being
I consider study as being necessary
to success.
despite the fact that
regardless of the fact that
Use often.
Use sometimes.
Use rarely.
Use most.
Use: I consider study necessary to success.
Use although.
due to the fact that
Use because.
for the purpose of
by virtue of the fact that
the reason is because
in a position to, in order to
Use can.
in the area of
Use near or in.
in the event that
Use if with a verb.
in the event of
in case of
In the event that fire breaks out, leave the files behind.
If fire breaks out, leave the files behind
in terms of
[Revise out of your prose.]
The new curriculum was designed in terms of student needs and faculty ability.
The new curriculum considers both student needs and faculty ability.
The new curriculum was designed to match faculty ability with student needs
in the final analysis
in no uncertain terms
in the nature of
things of that nature
refer back
He is of a complex character.
Use finally, or drop the phrase entirely.
Drop the phrase, or use firmly or clearly.
Use like or things like that.
Use only refer.
Use: He is complex.
She is of a generous nature.
The car was of a green color.
The weather conditions are bad.
Traffic conditions are congested.
Use: She is generous.
Use: The car was green.
Use: The weather is bad.
Use: Traffic is congested.
Eliminate redundancies:
Redundant
advance forward
continue on
completely eliminate
refer back
repeat again
combine together
circle around
close proximity
few in number
cheaper in cost
disappear from view
past history
important essentials
WORDY
Direct
advance
continue
eliminate
refer
repeat
combine
circle
close
few
cheaper, less costly
disappear
history, the past
essentials
REVISED
Daniel is now employed at a private rehabilitation center working as a registered physical
therapist.
Daniel works at a private rehabilitation center as a registered physical therapist.
WORDY
REVISED
My father has been working at the engineering office for fifteen years now.
My father works at an engineering office.
WORDY
REVISED
Our goal was to try to be able to help the families in their recovery from hurricane Floyd.
Our goal was to help the families recover from hurricane Floyd.
EXPLETIVES (there is, there are, it is, it was, etc.) frequently add unnecessary words and weaken the emphasis on a
sentence’s true subject. Your sentence may be more effective if you begin with the true subject. In other instances, a oneword modifier may convey meaning more economically. (See page 3 of the Hacker handbook.)
WORDY
REVISED
There were fourteen people in attendance at the meeting.
Fourteen people attended the meeting.
WORDY
REVISED
It is apparent that the committee members cannot agree.
Apparently, the committee members cannot agree.
WORDY
REVISED
It will be a pretty day tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be a pretty day.
Nominals are nouns created by adding suffixes to verbs: establishment, completion, deliverance. While using
nominals in your writing is not wrong, these words tend to make writing ponderous and slow-moving. The
reasons is that the verb, the word that conveys action in the sentence, has been transformed into a noun, an object.
WORDY
REVISED
Strict enforcement of the speed limit by the police will cause a reduction in traffic fatalities.
If the police strictly enforce the speed limit, traffic fatalities will be reduced.