Hack The Flab #8
Posted: April 12, 2011 Filed under: Hack The Flab Leave a commentHack the flab from your writing or your readers might shout obscenities in your direction stop reading. Avoid the following 10 examples of flab:
- Comparison – Nominalization (Wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: He made a comparison with apples and oranges. Better: He compared apples with oranges.
- Compete against each other – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need against each other. Ex: They compete against each other. Better: They compete.
- Compete with each other – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need with each other. Ex: They compete with each other. Better: They compete.
- Completely Destroyed – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: Joe completely destroyed his room. Better: Joe destroyed his room.
- Completely eliminate – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: You must completely eliminate your foes. Better: You must eliminate your foes.
- Completely engulfed – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: Flames completely engulfed the house. Better: Flames engulfed the house.
- Completely filled – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need completely. Ex: He completely filled his cup. Better: He filled his cup.
- Conclusion – Nominalization (Wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences. Ex: His conclusion was she loved poetry. Better: He concluded she loved poetry.
- Connect together – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need together. Ex: Connect together the two wires. Better: Connect the two wires.
- Could – Authority Alert. If you believe something is true, don’t say, “It could do something,” say, “It will or would do something.” Ex. Following these tips could make you rich. Better: Following these tips will make you rich.
