Concision and Eliminating Wordiness

Long sentences are not necessarily wordy, nor are short sentences always
concise. A sentence is wordy if it can be shortened without loss of meaning.
The goal of concise writing is to use the most effective words. Concise
writing does not always have the fewest words, but it always uses the
strongest ones. Writers often fill sentences with weak or unnecessary words
that can be deleted or replaced. Words and phrases should be deliberately
chosen for the work they are doing. Like bad employees, words that don't
accomplish enough should be fired. When only the most effective words
remain, writing will be far more concise and readable.
Methods to Eliminate Excess Words
1. Eliminate redundancies.
a. Avoid phrases like small in size, yellow in color, true in fact.
i.

Agatha was determined in her mind to refuse his proposal.

2. Avoid unnecessary repetition of words.

i.

Our newest professor desires to help each student

become a better student academically.

grow

to

3. Cut empty or inflated phrases.

a. Avoid introductory word groups such as, in my opinion, I think

that, One must admit that.

i.

Because of the fact that she is allergic to cats, she has

never owned a cat.

ii. At the present time, it is very difficult to find a job now.

4. Simplify the structure.
a. Try to be direct and strengthen the verb.
b. Get rid of There is and It is at the beginning of sentences

whenever possible.
i.

There is another book that tells the story of Thomas

Jefferson and explains his attitude towards his slaves.

5. Reduce clauses to phrases and phrases to single words.

i.

For her birthday, we gave Jessie a stylish

made of silk.

silk

vest which was

Practice

1-Our website has made available many of the things you can use for making
a decision on the best dentist.

2- Working as a pupil under someone who develops photos was an

experience that really helped me learn a lot.

3-The teacher demonstrated some of the various ways and methods for
cutting words from my essay that I had written for class.

4-The supposed crash of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico aroused interest in

extraterrestrial life. This crash is rumored to have occurred in 1947.

5-Ludwig's castles are an astounding marriage of beauty and madness. By

his death, he had commissioned three castles.