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Redundant phrase replacements
Guide to concise writing
Try using these simpler, concise alternatives to redundant phrases. Also see Using appropriate words in the County's Plain-language writing guide.
Avoid these ... |
Try these instead ... |
|---|---|
| absolutely complete | complete |
| absolutely essential | essential |
| absolute necessity | necessity |
| actual experience, past experience | experience |
| added bonus | bonus |
| advance notice, advance planning, advance warning | notice, planning, warning |
| advance reservations | reservations |
| already exist | drop already |
| and also | use either and or also but not both |
| are in receipt of | have, have received, received |
| arrived at the conclusion | assumed, closed, decided, ended, finished, inferred, settled |
| ask the question | ask |
| assembled together | assembled |
| at about | about or at |
| ATM machine | ATM |
| at the earliest possible date | as soon as, as soon as possible, soon (or be specific) |
| basic fundamental | basic, fundamental |
| before in the past | before or in the past |
| brief in duration | brief |
|
Style Home Concise Writing Home | Words | Phrases | Redundancies |
|
| capital city, Capitol building | capital, Capitol |
| CD-ROM disk | CD-ROM |
| city of (Bellevue, Renton, etc.) | Drop city of [but may be used to refer to city government] |
| clearly evident | obvious |
| close proximity | close, near |
| collaborate together | collaborate |
| (blue, green, red ... in) color | blue, green, red ... |
| completely demolished, completely destroyed | demolished, destroyed |
| completely opposite | opposite |
| completely surrounded | surrounded |
| complete monopoly | monopoly |
| connect together | connect |
| consensus of opinion, general consensus | agreement, consensus |
| continue on | continue |
| contributing factor | cause, factor, reason |
| controversial issue | issue |
| cooperate together | cooperate (or replace with simpler help) |
| costs a total of, costs the sum of | costs |
| current status | status |
| doctorate degree | doctorate |
|
Style Home Concise Writing Home | Words | Phrases | Redundancies |
|
| each and every | each or every (not both) |
| enclosed herewith please find, enclosed herein | enclosed is, here is, here are, I enclose, with this |
| end result | result |
| estimated at about | about or estimated at |
| exactly identical | identical |
| fair and equitable | fair or equitable |
| few in number | few |
| filled to capacity | filled, full |
| final outcome | outcome |
| first and foremost | first, chief, main |
| first began, first created | began, created |
| foreign imports | imports |
| free gift | free or gift |
| future plans | plans |
| general consensus (of opinion) | agreement, consensus |
| general public | public, citizens |
| group together | group |
| HIV virus | HIV |
| honest truth | truth |
|
Style Home Concise Writing Home | Words | Phrases | Redundancies |
|
| if and when | either if or when |
| I wish to take this opportunity to thank you | thank you |
| join together, link together | join, link |
| made a statement saying | said, stated |
| merge together, mingle together, mix together | merge, mingle, mix |
| month of January, month of June ... | January, June ... |
| more and more | often |
| mutual advantage of both | mutual advantage |
| Back to top Style Home Concise Writing Home | Words | Phrases | Redundancies |
|
| new breakthrough | breakthrough |
| new development | development |
| none at all | none |
| over and over | again, repeatedly |
| overexaggerate | exaggerate |
| past experience, past history | experience, history, past |
| period of time | either period or time |
| pair of twins | twins |
| pause for a moment | pause |
| point in time | either now or today |
| postpone until later | postpone |
| pre-existing, prerecorded | existing, recorded |
| protrude out | protrude |
|
Style Home Concise Writing Home | Words | Phrases | Redundancies |
|
| refer (repay, return, revert) back | Drop back |
| repeat again | repeat |
| (the) reason is because, the reason why | reasons, (the) reason is, because |
| re-elected for another term | re-elected |
| regress back | regress |
| rise up | rise |
| same identical | same |
| small in size | small |
| square in shape | square |
| still continues to | continues to |
| still remains | remains |
| storm event | storm |
| sum total | total |
| surrounded on all sides | surrounded |
|
Style Home Concise Writing Home | Words | Phrases | Redundancies |
|
| temporary loan | loan |
| throughout the entire | throughout |
| time period | time, period |
| totally demolished, totally destroyed | demolished, destroyed |
| total number | total or number |
| true fact | fact |
| 12 midnight, 12 noon | midnight, noon |
| unite together | unite |
| unless or until | either unless or until |
| usual habit | habit |
| visible to the eye | visible |