|
Don't Repeat Over
Again
Any Redundancies
The following is a list of redundancies compiled from business and
technical writing. The prefix, word, or words in parentheses should be
deleted.
(absolute)
guarantee
(absolutely) essential
(absolutely) sure
(actual) experience
add (an additional)
(advance) planning
(advance) reservations
(advance) warning
all meet (together)
alongside (of)
(already) existing
(and) moreover
(as) for example
ask (a question)
(as to) whether
(as) yet
(at a) later (date)
at (the) present (time)
at some time (to come)
(basic) fundamentals
blend (together)
(but) (however)
(but) nevertheless
came (at a time) when
cancel (out)
(close) proximity
(close) scrutiny
collaborate (together)
combine (together)
commute (back and forth)
(completely) destroyed
consensus (of opinion)
continue (on)
costs (the sum of)
(current) trend
(definite) decision
descend (down)
do (over) (again)
each (and every)
first (of all)
for (a period of) 10 days |
for
(the period of) a year
(foreign) imports
(future) plans
(general) public
golden (wedding) anniversary
(grand) total
I (myself personally)
in (the year of) 2002
in (the city of) Seattle
in (the state of) Maine
(ir) regardless
join (together)
(local) residents
look back (in retrospect)
merged (together)
mix (together)
my (personal) opinion
myriad (of) solutions
(native) habitat
new (beginning)
off (of)
(official) business
(old) adage
over (and done with)
(pair of) twins
(past) history
plan (ahead)
postponed (until later)
proceed (ahead)
protest (against)
recur (again)
refer (back)
reflect (back)
repeat (again)
reply (back)
revert (back)
(same) (identical)
sufficient (enough)
(sum) (total)
together (at the same time)
undergraduate (student)
|
Avoiding
Affectation - Sounding "Natural"
| Revise |
It
is the policy of the company to provide the proper telephonic
apparatus to enable each employee to conduct the interoffice and
intra-business communication necessary to discharge his or her
responsibilities; however, it is contrary to company practice to
permit telephones to be utilized for personal employee
communication. |
| |
|
| To |
Your
telephone is provided for company business; do not use it for
personal calls. |
Been There, Done That -
Avoiding Clichés
| Change |
Arguably,
our new computer system will have a positive impact on the
company as a whole. It will keep us
abreast of the times and make our competition green
with envy. The committee deserves a pat
on the back for its Herculean efforts
in convincing management that it was the thing
to do. I'm sure that their uniting
efforts will not go unrewarded. |
| |
|
| To |
Our
new computer system will have a positive impact throughout the
company. It will keep our operations up to date and make our
competition envious. The committee deserves credit for its efforts
in convincing management of the need for the computer. I'm sure that
the value of its efforts will be recognized. |
Using Punctuation
to Create Clarity
Can you punctuate these sentences correctly? Call
the UWF Grammar Hotline (850/474-2129) for the answers.
Whenever you can come to my office to discuss
this proposal.
This company has never printed comic books, fantasy novels were always our
principal publication.
I have always admired Mr. Workhorse for a number of years he was my
supervisor.
|
|
Aids
to Conciseness
Never use a long word when a diminutive
one will do
Use words for phrases.
| a
large number |
many,
some, or a specific number |
| as
a whole |
entire |
| along
the lines |
like,
similar to |
| am
(are, is) in a position |
can |
| are
of the opinion that |
believe |
| at
an early date |
soon
(or give a specific date) |
| at
all times |
always |
| at
the present time |
now |
| at
a time when |
when |
| conduct
an investigation |
investigate |
| due
to the fact that |
because |
| effect
an improvement |
improve |
| give
assistance to |
aid,
help, or assist |
| give
consideration to |
consider |
| have
a preference for |
prefer |
| have
(hold) a discussion |
discuss |
| I
would appreciate it if |
please |
| in
the event that |
if |
| in
order to |
to |
| in
view of the fact that |
because,
since |
| is
applicable |
applies |
| make
an inspection |
inspect |
| make
a study of |
study |
| prior
to |
before |
| with
reference to |
about,
concerning, relating |
Plurals
You May Not Know
| SINGULAR |
PLURAL |
| curriculum |
curricula/curriculums |
| memorandum |
memorandums/memoranda |
| datum |
data |
| medium |
media |
| criterion |
criteria |
| thesis |
theses |
| diagnosis |
diagnoses |
| crisis |
crises |
| parenthesis
) |
parentheses
( ) (pair) |
| index |
indexes/indices |
| appendix |
appendixes/appendices |
| analysis |
analyses |
| stimulus |
stimuli |
| phenomenon |
phenomena |
| syllabus |
syllabuses/syllabi |
| opus |
opera |
| alumnus
- male graduate |
alumni |
| alumna
- female graduate |
alumnae |
THE WRITING LABORATORY
(51/157)
UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA
(850) 474-2029 (Paper Reading)
(850) 474-2129 (Grammar Hotline)
(850) 474-2229 (Lab Assistants)
Fax: (850) 857-6305
e-mail: writelab@uwf.edu
Internet: www.uwf.edu/writelab
MAMIE WEBB HIXON, DIRECTOR
The Write Advice is a publication of the University
of West Florida's Writing
Laboratory.
| Publisher
and Editor: |
Mamie
Webb Hixon |
| Assistant
Editors: |
Jessica
Marsh |
| Typographer: |
Marian
Grimball, Heather Stadelhofer, and B.J. Davis |
| Online
Conversion: |
Chris
Bui |
|