English Language Arts
Grade 7
15 min
Remove redundant words or phrases
Remove redundant words or phrases
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Identify instances of redundant words or phrases in sentences.
Distinguish between necessary repetition for emphasis and unnecessary redundancy.
Apply strategies to eliminate wordiness and improve conciseness in their writing.
Revise sentences to remove common tautologies and pleonasms.
Explain the impact of conciseness on clarity, impact, and reader engagement.
Edit their own writing and the writing of peers for redundant language.
Ever read a sentence and felt like it was saying the same thing twice? 🤔 Let's learn how to make our writing sharper and more powerful!
In this lesson, you'll discover how to spot and remove unnecessary words and phrases that clutter your writing. Learning this skill will make your sentences clearer, more impactful...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
RedundancyUsing more words than necessary to express an idea, often repeating information that is already clear or implied.The *final outcome* of the game was a surprise. (The word 'final' is redundant because an outcome is always final.)
ConcisenessThe quality of expressing much in few words; being brief and to the point without sacrificing clarity or meaning.Instead of 'She *is in the process of* writing a novel,' write 'She is writing a novel.'
TautologyA specific type of redundancy where the same idea is expressed twice using different words, often within the same phrase.A *free gift* (A gift is always free, so 'free' is redundant.)
PleonasmUsing more words than are required to express a meaning, often an unnecessary modifi...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Rule 1: Identify Paired Synonyms
Look for two words with very similar meanings used together in a phrase where one word makes the other unnecessary.
Many common redundant phrases pair synonyms. Choose the stronger or more common word and remove the other. Examples: 'past history' (history is always past), 'basic fundamentals' (fundamentals are basic).
Rule 2: Spot Obvious Qualifiers
Remove words that state the obvious or add no new, meaningful information to the word they modify.
If a word's meaning already includes the idea of the qualifier, the qualifier is redundant. Examples: 'true fact' (facts are true), 'empty void' (a void is empty), 'new innovation' (innovations are new).
Rule 3: Eliminate Repetitive Phrases...
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Challenging
Consider the sentence: "The reason why the project failed is due to the fact that we ran out of time." Why does this type of wordiness negatively impact reader engagement, according to the lesson's objectives?
A.It uses simple words, which advanced readers find boring.
B.It forces the reader to process unnecessary words, slowing them down and obscuring the main point.
C.It lacks descriptive adjectives, making the sentence less vivid.
D.It is grammatically incorrect, which confuses the reader.
Challenging
What is the most concise and direct revision of the sentence: "It is an unexpected surprise to see you here at this point in time."
A.It is a surprise to see you here now.
B.It is an unexpected surprise to see you here.
C.It is a surprise to see you at this point in time.
D.It is an unexpected thing to see you here now.
Challenging
Original sentence: "The astronaut ascended up into the space capsule." A student offers four revisions. Which revision is best and why?
A."The astronaut ascended into the space capsule." This is best because it removes the single redundant word "up."
B."The astronaut went up into the space capsule." This is best because "ascended" is a difficult word.
C."The astronaut climbed into the space capsule." This is best because it changes the meaning to be more specific.
D."The astronaut ascended upwards into the capsule." This is best because it adds more detail.
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