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Wasted Words and Phrases to Avoid

After you write a sentence, look it over and ask whether there are any words you can cut without impacting the meaning. If so, start cutting, because the shorter version is usually better. Avoid words and phrases that don't add meaning to a sentence.

Some words and phrases to avoid include:

• actual, actually
• all of (replace with "all")
• as it were
• as to whether (replace with "whether")
• as you know
• at the present moment in time (replace with "now")
• basically
• being that (replace with "since")
• completely
• essentially
• extremely
• in order to (replace with "to")
• in terms of
• irregardless (this is not a word; use "regardless" or "irrespective" instead)
• it can be seen that
• it has been indicated that
• it is anticipated that
• it is imperative that
• it is interesting that
• it is significant that
• it should be noted that
• it should be remembered that
• moreover
• necessitate (replace with "require")
• quite
• totally
• utilize, utilization (replace with "use")
• very
• with respect to (replace with "regarding" or "about"—thanks to Ron Hearn for this addition)

Here are a few more phrases to avoid, along with suggestions for improvement.

• Capable
  The phrase is capable of —ing can usually be changed to an active verb with can —.
• Equally as
  Something can be equally important, or it can be as important, but it cannot be equally as important.
• The fact that
  Usually unnecessary. You can often drop the fact and use only that alone. For example:
  
  • Instead of "I'm surprised by the fact that the report is incomplete."
  • Use "I'm surprised that the report is incomplete."
• On a — basis
  Usually unnecessary. For example, replace "on a daily basis" with "daily."
• So as to
  The word to alone works fine.