Using too many words is called “wordiness”. It is boring and wastes your readers’ time. Clear writing that uses as few words as possible is also easier to understand. For example:
| Wordy | Concise |
| a sum total | a total |
| absolutely essential | essential |
| an example exists | there is an example |
| at the present time | now |
| completely unanimous | unanimous |
| for the purpose of | for; to |
| four different groups saw | four groups saw |
| has been previously found | has been found |
| in close proximity to | close to |
| my intention is | I intend |
| one and the same | the same |
| period of time | time |
| positioned very close to | close to |
| small in size | small |
| summarise briefly | summarise |
| the reason is because | because |
| there were several students who completed.. | several students completed |
| they were both alike | they were alike |
See also TURN NOUNS INTO VERBS.
Published on: Nov 25, 2022 at 12:00
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