Avoid Using Too Many Words

Posted: January 31, 2014

Often, even the most seasoned writers use too many words when writing. When writing professionally, this trap needs to be avoided. Get the point across, without repeating yourself.

Often, even the most seasoned writers use too many words when writing. When writing professionally, this trap needs to be avoided. Get the point across, without repeating yourself.

Meave Maddox, editor at Daily Writing Tips, shares how you can avoid using too many words.

For Free and Other Pleonastic Expressions

pleonasm: The use of more words in a sentence or clause than are necessary to express the meaning

Pleonastic expressions are common in conversation. We all use turns of phrase in which we repeat ourselves: “the books were few in number,” “We made advance dinner reservations,” “I know with positive certainty.”

few: adjective. amounting to a small number.
reservation: noun. an act of engaging a seat, room, place, ticket, vehicle, etc., in advance;
positive: adjective. expressed without qualification; certain.

In casual conversation, speakers may be forgiven these verbal tics, but advertisers and journalists can be expected to aim to minimize redundancy in their copy.

Read the entire article For Free and Other Pleonastic Expressions on Daily Writing Tips.