4. Redundancy
• The board members did not want to repeat the debate again, so they
had a frank and honest discussion during which they identified some
basic essential ideas.
• The board members did not want to repeat the debate, so they had a
frank discussion during which they identified some basic ideas.
5. Repetition
• The quarterback passed the football, but the lineman raised his
meaty hand and batted the football away.
• The quarterback passed the football, but the lineman raised his
meaty hand and batted it away.
6. Empty Phrases
• Because of the fact because
• Due to the fact that because
• In order to to
• It is necessary that must
7. Empty Phrases
• By virtue of the fact that at the current time we do not have sufficient
funding, the skateboard park will not be built.
• Because currently we do not have sufficient funding, the skateboard
park will not be built.
8. Nominalizations
• Nouns made from adjectives or verbs
• Analyze Analysis
• Solve Solution
• Conclude Conclusion
• Demonstrate Demonstration
9. Nominalizations
• During the strike, the accumulation of garbage carried on for fifteen
days.
• During the strike, garbage accumulated for fifteen days.
10. Weak Verbs
To be To get To occur
To make To go To use
To do To have
11. Weak Verbs
• The budget proposal before the legislature is to do with tax cuts and
massive reductions in public-sector spending.
• The budget proposal before the legislature recommends tax cuts and
massive reductions in public-sector spending.
13. It is / There is
• There is a picture of Pierre Trudeau playing baseball that shows the
energy he brought to the prime minister’s office.
• A picture of Pierre Trudeau playing baseball shows the energy he
brought to the prime minister’s office.
14. Passive Voice
• The actor is missing or takes on a passive role in the sentence.
15. Passive Voice
• It is advised by the board that we go forward with the deposition.
• The board advises that we go forward with the deposition.
