Eliminating Redundancy

Redundancy means that the writer needlessly repeats an idea. For example, it is redundant to speak of a beginner lacking experience. The word beginner itself implies a lack of experience. You can eliminate redundant words or phrases without changing the meaning of the sentence.

Here are some common redundancies:

REDUNDANT	CONCISE
refer back	refer
few in number	few
small-sized	small
grouped together	grouped
from their own personal viewpoint	from their viewpoint
end result	result
serious crisis	crisis
new initiatives	initiatives

• REDUNDANT: It is wise to plan ahead for unexpected problems.
• CONCISE: It is wise to plan for unexpected problems.

In this example, “plan ahead” is redundant. In what situation would you “plan behind”? “Unexpected problems” is acceptable because, while some problems are unexpected, others are readily anticipated.

Eliminating Redundancy Practice Set

Revise the following sentences to eliminate redundancy.

1. All of these problems have combined together to create a serious crisis.

2. That monument continues to remain a significant tourist attraction.