1. Eliminating Wordiness
“[Y]ou can think of your draft as a puzzle; to solve it, you have to find and eliminate the superfluities that obscure your meaning. The object is to delete as many words as possible without sacrificing substance or nuance.” Claire Kehrwald Cook

2. Avoid “Be” Verbs am are is was were being been
“Be” verbs are considered actionless verbs and should be changed to active verbs when appropriate.

3. Avoid “Be” Verbs
The boring textbook was being read by the students.
change to
The students read the boring textbook .

4. Avoid “Be” Verbs
It is better to become a nurse instead of a teacher.
change to
Nursing pays better than teaching does.

5. WARNING!!! Sometimes you should use “be” verbs. I am 21 years old.
Or if the agent—the one performing the action—is unknown, you may use the passive voice.
The walls had been defaced by graffiti.

6. Active vs. Passive Verbs
In academic writing (with the exception of scientific writing) active sentences are preferred over passive ones.

7. Active vs. Passive Verbs
In sentences written in the active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb.
Roseanne wrote the paper.

8. Active vs. Passive Verbs
In sentences written in the passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb.
The paper was written by Roseanne.

9. Active vs. Passive
Passive: The Old Man and the Sea was written by Hemingway.
change to
Active: Hemingway wrote The Old Man and the Sea.

10. Active vs. Passive
Passive: It is believed by some critics that Psycho is Hitchcock’s greatest film.
change to
Active: Some critics believe that Psycho is Hitchcock’s greatest film.

11. WARNING!
At times, it may be appropriate to write in the passive voice. The passive voice is preferred in scientific papers.
Experiments have been conducted to test the safety of generic pharmaceuticals.
English and Humanities papers, however, are written in the active voice.
Dr. Harker conducted experiments to test the safety of generic pharmaceuticals.

12. Condense Phrases into Single Words
The employee with ambition got the promotion.
change to
The ambitious employee got the promotion.

13. Condense Phrases into Single Words
Rob decided to retake the class at a later date in time.
change to
Rob decided to retake the class later.

14. All these phrases can be condensed into one word.
the reason for
for the reason that
due to the fact that
in light of the fact that
considering the fact that
this is why
= because, since, why

15. All these phrases can be condensed into one word.
on the occasion of
in a situation in which
under circumstances in which
= when

16. All these phrases can be condensed into one word.
it is crucial that
it is necessary that
there is a need for
it is important that
cannot be avoided
= must, should

17. All these phrases can be condensed into one word.
= may, might, could
it is possible that
there is a chance that
it could happen that
the possibility exists for

18. Avoid Repetitive Wording
end result
past experience
share in common
small in size
= end
= past
= share
= small

19. Avoid Repetitive Wording
made a discovery
made an attempt
made an accusation
made an appearance
made a decision
= discovered
= attempted
= accused
= appeared
= decided

20. Avoid Repetitive Wording
I thought in my head
I thought to myself
In my mind, I think
In my opinion, I think
= I thought
= I think

21. Review Avoid “be” verbs: am, are, is, was, were, being, been.
Use active rather than passive verbs.
Condense phrases into single words.
Omit repetitive wording.

22. Eliminating Wordiness
Eliminate wordiness in the editing stage of the writing process.
With practice you will automatically eliminate wordiness as you draft your papers.