Concision
Writing concisely means using just enough words to say what you mean.
How to revise
There are six principles to write concisely.
Delete meaningless words
Some examples:
- kind of
- actually
- particular
- really
- certain
- various
- virtually
- individual
- basically
- generally
- given
- practically
Delete doubled words
Doubled words began when writers paired a French or Latin word with an English word to sound smarter. Just pick one:
- hope and desire -> hope
- each and every -> each
- any and all -> all
Delete what readers can infer
Redundant modifiers
When the meaning of the word is implied by its modifier:
- future plans
- free gift
- basic fundamentals
Redundant categories
When the word implies its general category:
- period of time -> period
- blue in color -> blue
- rough in appearance -> rough
- large in size -> large
- in a confused state -> confused
You might have to change an adjective into an adverb:
- He gave a quick answer. -> He answered quickly.
Or change an adjective into a noun:
- He began another vocational endeavor. -> Be began another vocation.
Replace a phrase with a word
Examples:
- the reason for -> why
- concerning the manner -> about
Replace negatives with affirmatives
Some words are implicitly negative. Do not pair these with not:
- Verbs
- preclude
- prevent
- lack
- fail
- doubt
- reject
- avoid
- deny
- refuse
- exclude
- contradict
- prohibit
- bar
- Prepositions
- without
- against
- lacking
- but for
- except
- Conjunctions
- unless
- except when
Negatives require more words and more mental work:
- not the same -> different
- not include -> omit
- not often -> rarely
Do not combine negative words with passive verbs and nominalizations:
- There should be no confusion for the user without extra steps, unless the time does not exceed five minutes.
- Do not confuse the user with extra steps, unless it takes longer than five minutes.
Delete adjectives and adverbs
Always try to delete every adverb and adjective before a noun, then restore only those that the readers need to understand the passage.
Hedges
Hedges qualify your certainty. Don’t hedge too much. Some common hedges:
- Adverbs
- usually
- often
- sometimes
- almost
- virtually
- possibly
- allegedly
- arguably
- perhaps
- apparently
- in some ways
- to a certain extent
- somewhat
- in some/certain respects
- Adjectives
- most
- many
- some
- a certain number of
- Verbs
- may
- might
- can
- could
- seem
- tend
- appear
- suggest
- indicate
Intensifiers
Intensifiers increase your certainty. Don’t use intensifiers excessively—state your claims moderately.
Some examples of intensifiers:
- Adverbs
- very
- pretty
- quite
- rather
- clearly
- obviously
- undoubtedly
- certainly
- of course
- indeed
- inevitably
- invariably
- always
- literally
- Adjectives
- key
- central
- crucial
- basic
- fundamental
- major
- principal
- essential
- Verbs
- show
- prove
- establish
- as you can see
- it is clear that
- There may always be TV programming to appeal to lowest interests.
- We might need to dispense with the standard approach to plea bargaining because hardened criminals might avoid their just punishment and plea bargaining encourages disrespect to the judicial system.
- Depending on one’s position, education might be a more important source of social values than the family.