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Wordiness
Excess words in communication waste space and time. Not only that, but they may also distort the message or make it difficult for the reader to understand. Get in the habit of streamlining your writing, making the sentences as concise as possible. If you use five words where three would do, delete the extra words or structure your sentences to avoid them. See if you can rewrite the sentences in the first column to make them less wordy. Check yourself agains the version in the second column.
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It was a three-hour period after the accident when the rescue squad that we knew was going to help us arrived. [21 words] |
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The rescue squad arrived three hours after the accident. [9 words] |
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It was decided that the church would organize a committee for the purpose of conducting a search for a new pastor. [21 words] |
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The church organized a committee to search for a new pastor. [11 words] |
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The additional words in the first column add no information. All they do is take up space. |
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Buzzwords and Fluffy Modifiers
Buzzwords such as aspect, element, factor, scope, situation, type, kind, forms, and so on sound important, but add no meaning to a sentence. They often signal a writer who has little or nothing to say, yet wishes to sound important. Likewise, modifiers such as absolutely, definitely, really, very, important, significant, current, major, and quite may add length to a sentence, but they seldom add meaning.
Word
The nature of the scheduling system is a very important matter that can definitely have a really significant impact on the morale aspect of an employee's attitude. Aspects of our current scheduling policy make it absolutely necessary that we undergo a significant change.
Revised
The scheduling system can affect employee morale. Our policy needs to be changed.
The following table lists a host of phrases that can be reduced to one or two words.
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Wordy |
Concise |
Wordy |
Concise |
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regardless of the fact that |
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