Redundant Words

The careful writer needs to be on the lookout for redundant words and phrases—unnecessary modifiers whose sense is already implied in the sentence or word they modify. We use redundant words and phrases because we are not as conscious as we should be of what our English words mean. The writer who describes a bombed building as "completely destroyed" or refers to threatening elements that are "entirely eliminated" is adding unnecessary modifying words (adverbs). Something that is destroyed, by definition, is completely ruined; and if someone or something is eliminated, it is removed entirely. New innovations, basic fundamentals, free gifts, true facts, past history, proceed ahead, circle around, collect together—each of these word pairs says the same thing twice. Eliminate redundant words and phrases wherever you find them.