5 Practical Tips to Revise Sentences and Reduce Wordiness

Contents

1. Identify Redundancies

2. Use Active Voice

3. Trim Filler Words

4. Use Simple Words

5. Consolidate Ideas

Ever found yourself reading a sentence and wondering, "This is too long, which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness?" If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. Many of us struggle with trimming down our sentences, making our writing clearer and more concise. But fear not, here are five practical tips that will help you revise sentences and reduce wordiness, making your writing more reader-friendly.

1. Identify Redundancies

Redundancies are a common trap that we can easily fall into. They bloat our sentences and make it harder for readers to understand our main points. But how do you spot and eliminate them? Let's dive in!

Spot Repeated Ideas

Repeated ideas are a major contributor to wordiness. They're often disguised as synonyms or restatements. For example, if you say "advance planning," you're repeating the idea of planning. "Advance" is redundant because planning, by its nature, is done in advance. To spot such redundancies, read each sentence carefully and ask yourself if any words are repeating the same idea. If they are, pick one and delete the other.

Eliminate Needless Repetition

Another type of redundancy is needless repetition. This happens when we unnecessarily repeat words, phrases, or information. For instance, "In my opinion, I think..." The phrase "I think" is unnecessary because "In my opinion" already expresses your thoughts. To reduce wordiness, be conscious of such repetitions and remove the superfluous parts. Your sentences will become more streamlined as a result.

Use Precise Terminology

Using precise terminology is an effective way to avoid redundancies. Instead of using several words to describe something, use a specific term. For instance, instead of saying "a device for drying hair," say "hairdryer." This not only makes your sentence shorter but also clearer. Remember, precision in language leads to brevity and clarity in writing. So, the next time you're wondering "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness," look for opportunities to use precise terminology.

2. Use Active Voice

Another practical way to reduce wordiness and improve your writing is by using the active voice. But what is active voice, and how can it help you revise your sentences? Let's find out!

Recognize Passive Voice

Before we can transition to active voice, we need to recognize the passive voice. Passive voice happens when the subject of the sentence is acted upon by the verb. For example, "The cake was eaten by the children." Here, the cake (subject) is being acted upon by the children (verb). Passive voice often leads to longer, more complicated sentences. So, if you're asking "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness," look for sentences in passive voice.

Transform Passive into Active

Once you've spotted the passive voice, it's time to transform it into active voice. In active voice, the subject performs the action. Using the previous example, we can revise the sentence to: "The children ate the cake." Here, the children (subject) are performing the action (eating the cake). As you can see, using active voice makes your sentences more direct and concise.

Practice with Exercises

As with any skill, practice makes perfect. There are many resources available — books, websites, writing workshops — that offer exercises to help you practice identifying and converting passive voice to active voice. And remember, the more you practice, the better you'll get at spotting passive voice and revising sentences to make them more concise and clear. Before you know it, you'll be a whiz at figuring out "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness."

3. Trim Filler Words

Now that we've tackled the passive voice, let's move on to another common culprit of wordiness: filler words. Just like unnecessary packaging in a box, filler words take up space without adding any real value, making them prime candidates when you're wondering "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness".

Identify Common Fillers

First things first. You've got to spot these space invaders before you can get rid of them. Common filler words include "actually", "basically", "seriously" and phrases like "in order to", "due to the fact that". When overused, they can quickly turn a snappy sentence into a lengthy ramble.

Remove Unnecessary Words

Once you've identified filler words in your sentences, the next step is to trim them. This doesn't mean you need to eliminate them altogether. Sometimes, these words can add flavor or emphasis. But most of the time, they just add bulk. So, take a hard look at your sentence and ask yourself, "Is this word necessary?" If not, chop it out. Your sentence will be stronger without it.

Keep the Essence of the Sentence

While you're on a trimming spree, remember that your goal is to reduce wordiness, not to strip your sentence bare. It's like pruning a plant — you want to remove the excess to let the important parts shine. Make sure your sentence still conveys its original meaning and maintains its flow after you've removed the filler words. With practice, you'll get a feel for which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness while still keeping its essence intact.

4. Use Simple Words

Now that we've trimmed the filler words, let's address the use of complex words and jargon. It's easy to fall into the trap of using big words to sound smart. But remember, clear and effective communication always wins. So, when you're pondering "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness", consider replacing complex words with simpler ones.

Avoid Jargon and Complex Terminology

Every industry has its own jargon. While these terms may be familiar to insiders, they can be confusing to anyone outside the field. Similarly, complex terminology can make your sentence hard to read. The rule of thumb? If a middle schooler can't understand your sentence, it's probably too complex. So next time you're writing, trade "utilize" for "use", "commence" for "start", and keep the jargon to a minimum.

Replace Complex Words

Replacing complex words with simpler ones is one of the quickest ways to make your sentence more readable. Not sure where to start? Try using a thesaurus or a plain language glossary. Keep in mind that the goal is not to dumb down your writing, but to make it accessible and enjoyable for a broader audience. After all, why say "ameliorate" when you can say "improve"?

Retain Clarity in Writing

While using simple words can reduce wordiness, you also want to ensure your sentence retains its clarity. This means that the simpler word must accurately convey the same meaning as the more complex one. It's all about finding balance — reducing wordiness without sacrificing clarity. This skill, like many others, improves with practice. So why not start now? Take a look at your latest piece of writing and ask yourself, "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness?"

5. Consolidate Ideas

Finally, let's talk about consolidating ideas. When you're revising your sentences, you might find that you've expressed the same idea in multiple ways. This can often lead to wordiness. So, how do you know which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness? The answer lies in effectively grouping related ideas and using a concise sentence structure. Let's get into the details.

Grouping related ideas is a bit like organizing your closet. You wouldn't scatter your shirts, pants, and socks all over the place, would you? Just like clothes, related ideas belong together. Instead of scattering them throughout your writing, try to group them in a logical way. This will not only reduce wordiness but also make your writing more coherent and easier to follow.

Use Concise Sentence Structure

Once you've grouped your ideas, it's time to put them into sentences. But not just any sentences. Concise sentences. This doesn't mean every sentence should be short. Rather, each sentence should be as long as it needs to be and no longer. Avoid adding unnecessary details or repeating information. Remember, every word should serve a purpose. If it doesn't, it's just taking up space.

Maintain Flow in Writing

Last but not least, let's discuss flow. Even the most concise, well-organized writing can feel choppy if it lacks flow. So, how do you maintain flow while reducing wordiness? One way is through the use of transitions. These can be single words like "however" or "therefore", or they can be phrases like "on the other hand" or "for instance". Using transitions effectively can guide your reader from one idea to the next, making your writing feel more like a pleasant journey than a bumpy ride.

There you have it—five practical tips to revise sentences and reduce wordiness. Remember, practice makes perfect. So why not take a look at your latest piece of writing and ask yourself, "which sentence should be revised to reduce wordiness?" You might be surprised by what you find!

If you enjoyed our blog post "5 Practical Tips to Revise Sentences and Reduce Wordiness" and want to put your newly-acquired skills to the test, don't miss the '10 Minute Poetry Challenge: THINK LESS, WRITE MORE!' workshop by Alieu Drammeh. This engaging challenge will help you hone your writing skills by encouraging you to think less and write more, making your poetry and prose more concise and impactful.