16b Cut empty or inflated phrases.

An empty word or phrase can be cut with little or no loss of meaning. Common examples are word groups that weaken the writer’s authority by apologizing or hedging: in my opinion, I think that, it seems that, and so on.

The example reads, (strikethrough) In my opinion, o(end strikethrough) (insert) O (end insert) ur current economic policy is misguided.

The text below reads, Readers understand that they are hearing the writer’s opinion.

Inflated phrases can be reduced to a word or two without loss of meaning.

The example reads, We are unable to provide funding (strikethrough) at this point in time (end strikethrough) (insert) now (end insert).

INFLATED	CONCISE
along the lines of	like
as a matter of fact	in fact
at the present time	now, currently
due to the fact that	because
for the purpose of	for
in order to	to
in spite of the fact that	although, though
in the event that	if