Orwell said, “If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.” Here is how to find the fat:
- Look for weak words, like very, not, quite, character, nature, basis, community and so on. (For more see the article on weak words.) Many can simply be cut. Others require a rewrite, but since they are weak words to begin with, removing them will make your writing stronger.
- Look for long words – more than two syllables – and those ending in -ion. More fat. Rewriting without most of these will make your sentences shorter and more to the point.
- Avoid pleonasms – expressions like “free gift” or “minute detail” where one word adds nothing to the meaning. Every gift is free and every detail is minute, so why mention it? Some others:
Bad Better a total of six apples six apples brief summary summary close proximity proximity close scrutiny scrutiny each and every each end result result in the field of geometry geometry just the same the same more preferably preferably most especially especially most probably probably one and the same the same particular interest interest prior experience experience personally visit visit red in colour red repeat again repeat revert back revert safe haven haven track record record usual custom custom with a round figure round - Cut these:
all things considered
as a matter of fact
for all intents and purposes
for the most part
I think that
in a manner of speaking
in a very real sense
in my opinion
in the final analysis
the point I am trying to make is that
what I mean to say is that
which is
who is - Shorten these:
Bad Better at the present moment now he is a man who he in a slow manner slowly in spite of the fact that though owing to the fact that since the question as to whether whether the reason why is that because there is no doubt that no doubt this is a subject that this subject this point in time now used for fuel purposes used for fuel weather conditions weather - Avoid what Fowler called compound prepositions:
as to
in connection with
in order that
in order to
in relation to
in so far as
in that
in the case of
in the instance of
in the matter of
in the neighbourhood of
in the region of
inasmuch as
of the character of
of the nature of
of the order of
on the basis of
owing to
relative to
so far as
the fact that
with a view to
with reference to
with regard to
with respect to“The fact that” will often shorten to “that”.
- Look for unnecessary prepositions. These are especially common in American English:
Bad Better bought up bought cut back cut for free free freed up freed head up head meet with meet sent off sent sold off sold
In school we learned how to stretch our writing to reach the ten pages the teacher wanted. We have to unlearn that.
See also:
Abagond 
Great post!
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