Redundancy is the unnecessary repetition of an idea. For example, saying “a beginner lacking experience” is redundant. The word beginner implies lack of experience. You can eliminate redundant words or phrases without changing the meaning of the sentence. Watch out for words that add nothing to the sense of the sentence, because redundancy takes away from the clarity and conviction of a statement.
Here are some common redundancies:
Redundant Phrase | Concise Phrase |
---|---|
1. refer back | refer |
2. Few in number | few |
3. Small-sized | small |
4. Grouped together | grouped |
5. In my own personal opinion | in my opinion |
6. End result | result |
7. Serious crisis | crisis |
8. New initiatives | initiatives |
Redundancy often results from carelessness, but you can easily eliminate redundant elements when proofreading.
1. Exercise: Remove Redundancy
Proofread these sentences for redundancy.
1. Those who can follow directions are few in number.
ANSWER
Few people can follow directions.
2. She has deliberately chosen to change careers.
ANSWER
She has chosen to change careers.
3. Dialogue opens up many doors to compromise.
ANSWER
Dialogue opens many doors to compromise.
4. The ultimate conclusion is that environmental and economic concerns are intertwined.
ANSWER
The conclusion is that environmental and economic concerns are intertwined.