ELIMINATE WORDINESS

AND REDUNDANCIES
 DEFINITION

• Wordiness is one of the most common mistakes in ESL.

• It happens when a writer, either intentionally or unintentionally,

uses far too many words or unnecessarily complex or abstract
words.

• Wordiness causes readers to lose interest in the material.

 WHY REDUCE WORDINESS?

• To be more effective in your message.

• Being concise keeps the readers
engaged.
• Wordiness detracts from the overall
message/argument.
 HOW TO REDUCE WORDINESS?

ELIMINATE FILLER WORDS

• One easy way to avoid wordiness is to
limit or eliminate the use of "filler words.“
• Filler words sneak between relevant
words, and though they may sound good,
they are essentially useless.
 ELIMINATE FILLER WORDS

Redundant/Wordy:
• Black slaves were thought of or
stereotyped as lazy even though they
were the main labor force of the South. 
 ELIMINATE FILLER WORDS

Better:
• Black slaves were stereotyped as lazy
even though they were the main labor
force of the South. 
ELIMINATE FILLER WORDS

Redundant/Wordy:
• Jerry is now employed at a private
rehabilitation center working as a
registered physical therapist. 
 ELIMINATE FILLER WORDS

Better:
• Jerry works at a private rehabilitation
center as a registered physical
therapist. 
 HOW TO REDUCE WORDINESS?

REMOVE REDUNDANCIES
• Redundancies are another cause of wordiness.

• Redundant wording is most often found in

descriptive writing. This occurs when writers
attempt to describe something and overuse
synonyms. 
Writers often repeat themselves unnecessarily.
Afraid, perhaps, that they won’t be heard the first
time, they insist that a teacup is small in size or
yellow in color, that married people should
cooperate together, that a fact is not just a fact
but a true fact.
 REMOVING MODIFIERS THAT
ARE REDUNDANT

Redundant/Wordy:
• Sylvia very hurriedly scribbled her name,
address, and phone number on the back
of a greasy tissue.
 REMOVING MODIFIERS THAT
ARE REDUNDANT

Better:
• Sylvia scribbled her name, address, and
phone number on the back of a greasy
tissue. 
 AVOID UNNECESSARY
REPETITION OF WORDS

Redundant/Wordy:
• The best teachers help each student to
become a better student both
academically and emotionally. 
 AVOID UNNECESSARY
REPETITION OF WORDS

Better:
• The best teachers help each student to 
grow both academically and
emotionally.
 AVOID UNNECESSARY
REPETITION OF WORDS

• Mark is a funny, hilarious, and comical

person.
 AVOID UNNECESSARY
REPETITION OF WORDS

Better:
• Mark is a funny person.
 AVOID UNNECESSARY
REPETITION OF WORDS

• The cheerleading squad choreographed

a new cheerleader routine, but the coach
rejected the routine.
 AVOID UNNECESSARY
REPETITION OF WORDS

Better:
• The cheerleading squad choreographed
a new routine, but the coach rejected it.
 HOW TO REDUCE WORDINESS?

ELIMINATE EMPTY WORDS OR

PHRASES
• Same meaning, fewer words.
• Deliver a concise message.
 CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED
PHRASES

Redundant/Wordy:
• We will file the appropriate papers in the
event that we are unable to meet the
deadline.
 CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED
PHRASES

Better:
• We will file the appropriate papers if we
are unable to meet the deadline. 
 CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED
PHRASES

• As a matter of fact, the Bureau of Vital

Statistics maintains demographic
records for the United States.
 CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED
PHRASES

Better:
• The Bureau of Vital Statistics maintains
demographic records for the United
States.
 CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED
PHRASES

• I need money in order to buy a trip to

Jurassic Park.
 CUT EMPTY OR INFLATED
PHRASES

Better:
• I need money to buy a trip to Jurassic
Park.
REDUCE CLAUSES TO PHRASES,
PHRASES TO SINGLE WORDS

Redundant/Wordy:
• For her birthday we gave Jess a stylish
vest made of silk.
REDUCE CLAUSES TO PHRASES,
PHRASES TO SINGLE WORDS

Better:
• For her birthday we gave Jess a stylish
silk vest.  
 SIMPLIFY THE STRUCTURE-
LOOK FOR STRONGER VERBS

Redundant/Wordy:
• The secretary is responsible for
monitoring and balancing the budgets
for travel, contract services, and
personnel.
 SIMPLIFY THE STRUCTURE-
LOOK FOR STRONGER VERBS

Better:
• The secretary monitors and balances
the budgets for travel, contract services,
and personnel. 
 HOW TO REDUCE WORDINESS?

AVOID PASSIVE VOICE

• The subject of the sentence receives the action
in passive voice, generally resulting in extra
words.
• Change passive voice phrases to active voice
expressions.
• Let the subject perform the action.
 AVOID PASSIVE VOICE

• The door was opened by the butler, who

politely invited me in.
 AVOID PASSIVE VOICE

Better:
The butler opened the door and politely
invited me in.
 AVOID PASSIVE VOICE

• Lunch was eaten by me.

 AVOID PASSIVE VOICE

Better:
• I ate lunch.