Grammar Quiz Pt. 2! removing wordiness and redundancy

Which of the following phrases is redundant?

• "Advance planning"

• "Careful planning"

• "Effective planning"

• "Strategic planning"

Which word in the phrase "absolutely essential" is unnecessary?

• absolutely

• essential

• both are necessary

• neither is necessary

Which of the following sentences contains a wordy expression?

• She left the room quickly.

• She exited the room in a hasty manner.

• She ran out of the room.

• She hurried out.

Answer explanation

The sentence 'She exited the room in a hasty manner.' is wordy because it uses more complex phrasing instead of simpler alternatives like 'She left quickly.' or 'She hurried out.'.

Which phrase is the most concise way to say "at this point in time"?

Concise: giving a lot of information clearly and in a few words.

• At this point in time

• At the present time

• Now

• At this current moment

Answer explanation

The phrase 'Now' is the most concise option, as it conveys the same meaning as 'at this point in time' using fewer words. The other choices are longer and less efficient in communication.

Choose the sentence that eliminates unnecessary words.

• Due to the fact that it was raining, we stayed inside.

• Because it was raining, we stayed inside.

• Owing to the fact that it was raining, we stayed inside.

• On account of the rain, we stayed inside.

Answer explanation

The correct choice, 'Because it was raining, we stayed inside,' is concise and eliminates unnecessary phrases like 'due to the fact that' and 'owing to the fact that,' making it clearer and more direct.

Which sentence does NOT contain redundancy?

• The reason is because he was late.

• He returned back to the classroom.

• She repeated the same thing again.

• She left early.

Answer explanation

The sentence 'She left early.' is clear and concise, containing no redundant phrases. In contrast, the other options include unnecessary words that repeat the same idea.

Revise the following sentence to remove wordiness:

"In the event that you are unable to attend, please let me know."

• If you are unable to attend, please let me know.

• In the event that you can't attend, please let me know.

• If you are not able to attend, please let me know.

• Should you be unable to attend, please let me know.

Answer explanation

The correct choice, "If you are unable to attend, please let me know," effectively removes unnecessary words while maintaining clarity. It simplifies the phrase without losing meaning.

Which revision best eliminates redundancy in the sentence:

"Each and every student must submit their own individual project"?

• Each student must submit their own project.

• Every student must submit their individual project.

• Each and every student must submit their project.

• Each student must submit their individual project.

Answer explanation

The correct choice, 'Each student must submit their own project,' eliminates redundancy by removing 'and every' and 'individual,' which are unnecessary. It conveys the same meaning more concisely.

Select the best revision for clarity and conciseness:

"The reason why the meeting was postponed was because of the fact that the manager was sick."

• The meeting was postponed because the manager was sick.

• The meeting was postponed due to the fact that the manager was sick.

• The reason the meeting was postponed was because the manager was sick.

• The meeting was postponed as a result of the manager being sick.

Answer explanation

The best revision is "The meeting was postponed because the manager was sick." This option is clear and concise, eliminating unnecessary phrases like "the reason why" and "due to the fact that."

The sentence below is an example of a...

"The energetic pre-school teacher asked the students to circle around the room."

• Correct Sentence

• Nonrestrictive Element

• Wordy Sentence

• Redundant Sentence

Answer explanation

The sentence is considered redundant because the phrase 'circle around' is repetitive; 'circle' already implies movement around something. Thus, the correct choice is 'Redundant Sentence'.