If you use too many words to convey your ideas, you will confuse your readers. This unnecessary language is referred to as wordiness or redundancy.
Reading words and combining their meanings with other words takes time and energy. The more words, the more likely it is that readers will forget or alter the meanings of words presented early in the sentence so that the later words are misinterpreted. Using many words also creates boredom and reduces the reader's interest in finishing the reading.
Writers often overlook wordy phrases and expressions because they are often used in speech. In writing, though, they should be avoided since they add extra words without extra meaning. Here is Part 1 (A-F) of an A-Z list of some common wordy phrases that you can shorten:
| REDUNDANT PHRASES |
SHORTENED VERSION |
| above-numbered policy | your policy; this policy |
| absolutely complete | complete (using both words is redundant) |
| according to our records | we find |
| acknowledging your | (avoid using at the beginning of message) |
| answering your | (avoid using at the beginning of message) |
| agreeable and satisfactory | (use only one to avoid redundancy) |
| a large number of | (be specific) |
| allow me to express | (just say it) |
| along the lines of | like |
| anxious and eager | (avoid) "I look forward to. . . " |
| anywheres | (no such word) |
| are of the opinion that | believe |
| as a matter of fact | (avoid) |
| as in the above | (be specific) |
| as per | acknowledge |
| as per your request | as you requested |
| as yet | still |
| at a later date | later (be more specific) |
| at all times | always |
| at an early date | (be more specific) |
| attached find; attached hereto | The attached brochure. . . (adj) |
| at the present time | now; at present; presently |
| at which time | when |
| beg to remain | (avoid) |
| claim | asserted; stated |
| consensus of opinion | consensus (entire phrase is redundant) |
| costs the sum of | costs |
| courteous and polite | (use only one word) |
| despite the fact that | though, although |
| due to the fact that | since; because |
| duly | (avoid) |
| during the time that | while |
| during the year of 1991 | during 1991 |
| during this period of time | meanwhile; during this time |
| each and every one of use | each of us; everyone; all of us; |
| enclosed herewith | (use Ienclosed as an adjective) |
| esteemed | (avoid) |
| exactly identical | identical |
| feel free to | please. . . |
| first and foremost | (use just one word, not both) |
| first of all | first |
| for the month of May | for May |
| for the period of a year | for one year |
| for the purpose of | to; for |
| for the purpose of learning | to learn |
| for the reason that | since; because |
| full and complete | (use just one word, not both) |