Redundant phrases use more than one word to communicate a single idea. Because of their wordiness, they tend to lessen the impact and clarity of the sentences in which they appear.
Below is a list of some commonly used redundant phrases. In formal writing, they should be replaced with the words enclosed in parentheses.
as to whether (whether)
biography of one‘s life (biography)
but nevertheless (nevertheless)
circle around (circle)
come to an end (end)
connect together (connect)
consensus of opinion (consensus)
eliminate altogether (eliminate)
entirely complete (complete)
join together (join)
just exactly (exactly) last of all (last)
may possibly (may)
never at any time (never)
reason why (reason)
shuttle back and forth (shuttle)
skirt around (skirt)
strangled to death (strangled)
Wordy Phrases
One of the most prevalent errors in word choice is using a wordy phrase when a single word would suffice. Too often, insecure writers mistakenly believe that extraneous words give their writing an air of authority; in fact, readers are far more likely to be annoyed than impressed by wordiness, particularly in business documents. Note the difference in the readability of the two sentences below.
At the present time, I am of the opinion that we have the ability to meet our quota in the near future. [22 words]
I now think we can meet our quota soon. [9 words]
At less than half the length of the first sentence, the second is far easier to read and understand.
The list below includes some of the most commonly used wordy phrases. Whenever possible, substitute the words in the parentheses for these phrases in your own writing.
