Page 20 - English Grammar and Composition-Student Textbook short

and phrases can be meaningful in the appropriate context, they are often used as "filler" and can easily be
eliminated.

Here's a list of some words and phrases that can often be pruned away to make sentences clearer:

• kind of
• sort of
• type of
• really
• basically
• for all intents and purposes
• definitely
• actually
• generally
• individual
• specific
• particular

Wordy: Any particular type of dessert is fine with me.
(9 words)
Concise: Any dessert is fine with me.
(6 words)

Wordy: Balancing the budget by Friday is an impossibility without some kind of extra help.
(14 words)
Concise: Balancing the budget by Friday is impossible without extra help.
(10 words)

Wordy: For all intents and purposes, success in college classes generally depends on certain factors that are really
more about organization and lack of procrastination than intelligence.
(26 words)
Concise: Success in college depends more upon organization and action than intelligence.
(11 words)

Wordy: Basically, success in ministry sort of depends on each individual student’s reliance upon the Lord’s specific
plan for his life.
(20 words)
Concise: Success in ministry depends on the student’s reliance upon the Lord.
(11 words)

Wordy: Actually, we will definitely be going to Lusaka on 10 June at 13:00.
(13 words)
Concise: We are going to Lusaka on 10 June at 13:00.
(10 words)

Omit repetitive wording.

Watch for phrases or longer passages that repeat words with similar meanings. Words that don't build on the
content of sentences or paragraphs are rarely necessary.
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