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Eliminating Repetition - Page 3 Redundant (duplicating unnecessary) words waste the reader's time. Below we show some common examples that many of us use without much thought. Have you found yourself using some of them? Following the redundant phrase we have added reasons why we call them redundant. We often use them in speaking but they should never be used in writing. |
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| 31. | never ever | Never means not even once, drop ever. |
| 32. | old antique | Antiques must be old to be antiques. Delete old. |
| 33. | one and only | If you have one thing, it is the only thing you have. |
| 34. | raining outside | If it's raining inside you have a leak. Delete outside. |
| 35. | safe haven | By definition a haven is safe. Delete safe. |
| 36. | same identical | An identical thing must be the same; delete one. |
| 37. | same exact | Both mean the same thing; delete one. |
| 38. | square in shape | If something is square then that is its shape. |
| 39. | strangle to death | A strangled person is dead; Delete death. |
| 40. | sum total | The sum is the total; delete one. |
| 41. | sudden impulse | An impulse is sudden, or it's not an impulse. |
| 42. | sworn affidavit | By definition, an affidavit is sworn. Delete sworn. |
| 43. | true fact | By definition a fact is true. Delete true. |
| 44. | unexpected surprise | It can be difficult for a surprise to be expected. |
| 45. | valuable asset | If it is an asset, it has value. Delete valuable |
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