One of the most important skills in writing is the ability to convey ideas clearly and concisely. Many writers unintentionally use extra words that don’t add value to their message. These unnecessary words can make sentences longer, harder to read, and less engaging.

Concise writing ensures that every word serves a purpose. It makes your content clearer, more impactful, and easier to understand. In this article, we’ll discuss five essential tips to avoid unnecessary words, how to remove redundant words, and strategies to improve writing clarity .

1. Identify and Remove Redundant Words

Redundant words are words or phrases that repeat an idea unnecessarily. They don’t add meaning and can be removed without changing the sentence’s intent.

Common Examples of Redundant Words:

  • "Absolutely necessary"→ “Necessary” already implies that something is essential, so “absolutely” is unnecessary.
  • "Past history"→ History always refers to the past, so “past” is redundant.
  • "End result"→ The result is the outcome, so just say “result.”
  • "Final conclusion"→ A conclusion is always final.

How to Remove Redundant Words:

  • Read each sentence carefully and identify words that repeat the same idea.
  • Remove extra modifiers like “really,” “very,” or “completely” unless they add emphasis.
  • Ask yourself, "Does this word change the meaning of the sentence?" If not, remove it.

By eliminating redundant words, you create more concise and powerful sentences.

2. Use Stronger Verbs Instead of Weak Phrases

Many writers use weak verbs combined with extra words when a single, stronger verb would be more effective.

Examples of Weak Phrases and Stronger Alternatives:

  • "Make a decision"→ “Decide”
  • "Give assistance"→ “Help”
  • "Take into consideration"→ “Consider”
  • "Have an impact on"→ “Affect”

How to Improve Writing Clarity with Strong Verbs:

  • Identify phrases that contain unnecessary helping verbs.
  • Replace them with a single, precise verb.
  • Read the sentence aloud—does it sound cleaner? If so, the change was effective.

Using strong verbs reduces word count while making sentences more direct and engaging.

3. Avoid Filler Words That Add No Value

Filler words don’t contribute meaning to a sentence but often sneak into writing out of habit.

Common Filler Words to Avoid:

  • Really
  • Actually
  • Basically
  • Very
  • Just
  • Kind of / Sort of
  • In order to (use “to” instead)

How to Reduce Unnecessary Words in Sentences:

  • Look for words that don’t change the meaning of a sentence.
  • Read the sentence without the filler word—if it still makes sense, leave it out.
  • Be intentional with word choices—avoid adding words just to make a sentence longer.

Example:

Before:“She was actually very excited to see her friend.”

After:“She was excited to see her friend.”

The revised sentence is clearer, shorter, and stronger.

4. Simplify Long Phrases

Writers sometimes use long, complicated phrases when a simple word would work just as well.

Examples of Simplifying Phrases:

  • "Due to the fact that" → “Because”
  • "In the event that" → “If”
  • "At this point in time" → “Now”
  • "A large number of" → “Many”

How to Write Concisely by Shortening Phrases:

  • Identify phrases that could be replaced with a single word.
  • Use plain language instead of wordy expressions.
  • Read your writing out loud—if a phrase sounds overly complicated, simplify it.

Shorter sentences improve readability and keep readers engaged.

5. Be Direct and Avoid Unnecessary Qualifiers

Qualifiers are words that weaken your statements instead of strengthening them. While they may seem useful, they often add vagueness instead of clarity.

Examples of Weak Qualifiers:

  • "I think that this is a good idea." → “This is a good idea.”
  • "It seems like he is interested." → “He is interested.”
  • "She kind of wants to help." → “She wants to help.”

How to Edit for Concise Writing:

  • Remove unnecessary qualifiers like “kind of,” “seems to,” or “I think.”
  • Be confident in your statements—avoid hedging unless necessary.
  • Make your writing more assertive by stating facts directly.

Stronger sentences improve credibility and make your message clearer.