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Conciseness-WPS Office

The document discusses strategies for writing concisely. It provides 13 strategies to eliminate unnecessary words from writing including: removing redundant word pairs; deleting unnecessary qualifiers; reducing prepositional phrases; eliminating unnecessary modifiers; replacing phrases with single words; changing negatives to affirmatives; avoiding passive voice; removing expletives; and eliminating meaningless announcements. Concise writing is more appealing, comprehensible, and time-efficient for the audience.

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M. Ahmad Raza
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200 views5 pages

Conciseness-WPS Office

The document discusses strategies for writing concisely. It provides 13 strategies to eliminate unnecessary words from writing including: removing redundant word pairs; deleting unnecessary qualifiers; reducing prepositional phrases; eliminating unnecessary modifiers; replacing phrases with single words; changing negatives to affirmatives; avoiding passive voice; removing expletives; and eliminating meaningless announcements. Concise writing is more appealing, comprehensible, and time-efficient for the audience.

Uploaded by

M. Ahmad Raza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Conciseness

Conciseness means wordiness, i.e, communicating what you want to convey in least
possible words without forgoing the other C’s of communication. Conciseness is a necessity
for effective communication. It is both time-saving as well as cost-saving.

Features

Concise communication has following features:

 It underlines and highlights the main message as it avoids using excessive and
needless words.
 Concise communication provides short and essential message in limited words to the
audience.
 Concise message is more appealing and comprehensible to the audience.
 Concise message is non-repetitive in nature.

Strategies for writing Concisely

1.Eliminate redundant pairs

When the first word in a pair has roughly the same meaning as the second, choose
one.Common examples of redundant pairs include: full and complete, each and every,
hopes and dreams, whole entire, first and foremost, true and accurate, always and forever.

Example:

For each and every book you purchase, you will receive a free bookmark.(wordy)

For every book you purchase, you will receive a free bookmark.(concise)

2. Delete unnecessary qualifiers

Often we use qualifiers that really aren’t necessary to express our meaning (such as “really”
in this sentence). By deleting unnecessary qualifiers, you can often eliminate one or two
words per sentence. Tweaks like this may not seem like much, but they can add up.

Common qualifiers include: actually, really, basically, probably, very, definitely, somewhat,
kind of, extremely, practically.

Example:

Because a great many of the words in this sentence are basically unnecessary, it would really
be a very good idea to edit somewhat for conciseness.(wordy)

Because many of the words in this sentence are unnecessary, we should edit it.(concise)

3. Identify and reduce prepositional phrases


Overuse of prepositional phrases (which begin with words like “in,” “for,” “at,” “on,”
“through,” and “over”) can make a sentence clunky and unclear. To locate this problem,
circle the prepositions in your draft and see whether you can eliminate any prepositional
phrases without losing your meaning. Sometimes the easiest way to revise a wordy
sentence is to ask yourself “What do I really mean here?” and then write a new sentence;
this approach can be more efficient than just tinkering with your existing sentence.

Example:

The reason for the failure of the basketball team of the University of North Carolina in the
Final Four game against the team from Kansas was that on that day and at that time, some
players were frequently unable to rebound the ball.(wordy)

UNC’s basketball team lost the Final Four game against Kansas because it could not
consistently rebound the ball.(concise)

4. Locate and delete unnecessary modifiers

Sometimes the meaning of a word or phrase implies its modifier, making the modifier
unnecessary.

Example:

Do not try to anticipate in advance those events that will completely revolutionize society.
(wordy)

In this example, “anticipate” already implies that something is in advance, and


“revolutionize” already implies that something will be completely changed.

Do not try to anticipate revolutionary events.(concise)

5. Replace a phrase with a word

Many commonly-used phrases can be replaced with single words. These phrases often crop
up in writing that requires a formal tone, but they detract from, rather than add to,
meaning.

“The reason for”, “due to the fact that”, “in light of the fact that”, “given the fact that”, and
“considering the fact that” can be replaced with because, since, or why.

“In the event that” and “under circumstances in which” can be replaced with if.”It is
necessary that” and “cannot be avoided” can be replaced with must or should.

“For the purpose of” can often be replaced with an infinitive verb (the “to ____” form of the
verb).

Example:
In the event that going out for the purpose of eating with them cannot be avoided, it is
necessary that we first go to the ATM, in light of the fact that I am out of cash.(wordy)

If we must go out to eat with them, we should first go to the ATM because I am out of
cash.(concise)

6. Identify negatives and change them to affirmatives

Expressing ideas in negative form means you must use an extra word; it also makes readers
work harder to figure out your meaning.

Example:

If you do not have more than five years of experience, do not call for an interview if you
have not already spoken to human resources.(wordy)

Applicants with more than five years of experience can bypass human resources and call for
an interview.(concise)

7. Passive voice

In an active sentence, the subject (the person or thing doing the action) comes first. In a
passive sentence, the order of the words is different-the object (the thing that is receiving
the action) comes first, and the subject appears at the end of the sentence or isn’t included
at all. To spot the passive voice, look at the main verb of each sentence-if there’s a form of
“be” (am, is, are, was, were) and a past tense verb (many end with -ed), the sentence may
be passive. The passive voice is not a grammatical error, and it can be useful, especially in
scientific writing. But writing in the passive voice often leads to using more words than
necessary. Passive sentences can also frustrate or confuse your readers, who must wait
patiently to find out who or what did the action of the sentence.

Example:

The 1780 constitution of Massachusetts was written by John Adams.(wordy)

In this passive construction, the meaning of the sentence is clear, but there are more words
than necessary. To make this sentence more concise, move the subject to the front and get
rid of the “to be” verb (in this case, “was”).

John Adams wrote the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution.(concise)

Example:

The letter was taken to the mailbox by Sally.(wordy)

Sally took the letter to the mailbox.(concise)

8. Expletive
Expletive are words or phrases that adds no meaning to a sentence. There are, There was,
There were, It is, It was are examples of Expletive words.

Example:

There are some people who think that writing is easy.(wordy)

Some people thinks writing is easy.(concise)

9. UNNECESSARY ANNOUNCEMENTS

Another common writing problem involves meaningless expressions such as “in my


opinion,” “it should be pointed out,” “I believe,” and “it is interesting to note that.” Such
phrases are a type of redundancy. They are unnecessary because if you are writing it, then
of course it’s your opinion. You don’t need to tell you reader what is already implied by the
fact that you are writing. Would you really write it if it weren’t interesting?

Examples

1. With much hesitance, I made my way to the dance floor. (Wordy)

Hesitantly, I made my way to the dance floor. (Concise)

2. The most current trends in the education industry can have a really significant impact on
the classroom approaches of teachers. (Wordy)

Educational trends can greatly impact teaching methods. (Concise)

3. At this point in time we should demonstrate, as has always been the case in the past,
much trust in the good judgment of the CEO. (Wordy)

Now, as always, we should trust the CEO. (Concise)

4. There was a bear that ate the trash in the neighbor’s yard. (Wordy)

A bear ate the trash in the neighbor’s yard. (Concise)

5. It is required that students complete the application. (Wordy)

Students must complete the application. ( Concise)

6. It is the governor who signs or vetoes bills.(Wordy)

The governor signs or vetoes bills.(Concise)

7. There are four rules that should be observed.(Wordy)

Four rules should be observed.(Concise)

8. There was a big explosion, which shook the windows and people ran into the street.
(Wordy)
A big explosion shook the windows, and people ran into the street.(Concise)

9. There is nothing better than chocolate.(Wordy)

Nothing is better than chocolate.(Concise)

10. In my humble opinion, television has become too violent.(Wordy)

Television has become people too violent. (Concise )

11. I would like to say that some professors are better than others. (Wordy)

Some professors are better than others.(Concise)

12. It is interesting that some bird species mate for life. (Wordy)

Some bird species mate for life.(Concise)

13. My father is not at home at the present time. (Wordy)

Now, My father is not at home.(Concise)

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