CONCISENESS

 

Just because a sentence or paragraph is long does not necessarily mean that it is wordy, nor does the fact that a sentence is short mean that it is necessarily concise. To write concisely means to eliminate words that are not necessary because they do not add anything to the meaning of a sentence.

Avoid Unnecessary Repetition

It is often important, and even necessary, to repeat main ideas and points when writing in order to keep the interest of the reader and to emphasize significant ideas. Repetition is also helpful in connecting a sentence with the one that precedes it for cohesion. Unnecessary repetition, on the other hand, wastes readers’ time and energy, causes writing to be needlessly wordy, and can irritate rather than aid readers. When the repetition of a word or phrase is clearly not needed, revise the sentence.

Avoid Redundancy

Being redundant in your writing means using words that could be left out without changing or losing any meaning. Saying that it is 67 degrees in temperature, for example, is redundant because we already know that when we use degrees we are talking about temperature. When you find redundant wording in your writing, revise it.

Avoid Empty Words and Phrases

Avoid using empty words and phrases, such as using there are or it is at the beginning of a sentence instead of starting with the subject of the sentence. When possible, reword the sentence so that the subject comes at the beginning. Other examples of empty words and phrases are using hedge words such as I believe, in my opinion, it appears, and so forth. It is generally best to simply leave out these phrases, as readers assume that you are sharing your own beliefs, opinions, and the like when you write.

Avoid Wordy Phrases and Sentences

In many cases, sentences can be strengthened by replacing wordy verb phrases with the verb alone. Such revisions help the sentence to be more direct and powerful.

Avoid Unnecessary Passive Voice

In passive sentences, the subject position is occupied not by the person or thing doing the acting, but rather by the receiver of the action. Sentences that use the passive voice are generally less direct and wordier than those that use active voice. For this reason, it is best to write in active voice when possible (and appropriate).

Avoid Unnecessarily Long Sentences

Sentences that are overly long are more difficult to read, especially if the subject matter is complex or if the vocabulary is unfamiliar to the reader. Sentences that are more than about 30 words long can often be divided into shorter sentences that are easier to digest.

Choose the Right Word

Writing concisely - and precisely - is primarily a result of careful word choice. When writing, favour precise, descriptive words over vague, less interesting ones. For example, try to avoid vague nouns such as type, thing, kind, and situation; vague adjectives such as nice, good, bad, and a lot; and vague adverbs such as really, very, and totally. Keep a good dictionary and thesaurus at hand for easy reference so that you can find the words that best express your meaning.

Use Specific Nouns

Specific nouns refer to a definite item, rather than a general class of things. Truck, for example, refers to a general class, while a Dump Truck is specific. Moreover, while abstract nouns refer to ideas such as peace, justice, and beauty, concrete nouns generally refer to tangible, physical objects, such as a house, the mountains, or a hummingbird. Specific, concrete nouns usually express ideas better than general, abstract ones can, so choose specific and concrete words whenever possible.

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