PRUNING THE REDUNDANT
Avoid saying the same thing twice.

Many uneducated citizens who have never attended school continue to vote for better schools.

Redundant phrases are bad habits just waiting to take control of your writing. Beware. The following list is taken from The Little, Brown Handbook by H. Ramsay Fowler and Jane E. Aaron, & Kay Limburg. 6th ed. HarperCollins: New York. 1995. (By permission of Addison-Wesley Educational Publishers Inc.) The unnecessary words are in italics.

biography of her life	habitual custom
circle around	important (basic) essentials
consensus of opinion	puzzling in nature
cooperate together	repeat again
final completion	return again
frank and honest exchange	square/round/rectangular in shape
the future to come	surrounding circumstances

REDUCING CLAUSES TO PHRASES, PHRASES TO SINGLE WORDS
Be alert for clauses or phrases that can be pared to simpler, shorter constructions. The "which clause" can often be shortened to a simple adjective. (Be careful, however, not to lose some needed emphasis by over-pruning; the word "which," which is sometimes unnecessary [like in this sentence] is not evil.)

Smith College, which was founded in 1871, is the premier all-women's college in the United States.
Founded in 1871, Smith College is the premier all women's college in the United States.

Citizens who knew what was going on voted him out of office.
Knowledgeable citizens voted him out of office.

Recommending that a student copy from another student's paper is not something he would recommend.
He wouldn't recommend that a student copy from another student's paper. (Or "He would never tell a student to copy . . . .")

Phrases, too, can sometimes be trimmed, sometimes to a single word.

Unencumbered by a sense of responsibility, Jasion left his wife with forty-nine kids and a can of beans.
Jasion irresponsibly left his wife with forty-nine kids and a can of beans. (Or leave out the word altogether and let the act speak for itself.)

INTENSIFIERS THAT DON'T INTENSIFY
Avoid using words such as really, very, quite, extremely, severely when they are not necessary. It is probably enough to say that the salary increase is inadequate. Does saying that it is severely inadequate introduce anything more than a tone of hysteria? These words shouldn't be banished from your vocabulary, but they will be used to best effect when used sparingly.

AVOID EXPLETIVE CONSTRUCTIONS
This sounds like something a politican has to learn to avoid, but, no, an expletive construction is a common device that often robs a sentence of energy before it gets a chance to get off the ground. Expletive constructions begin with there is/are or it is.

There are twenty-five students who have already expressed a desire to attend the program next summer. It is they and their parents who stand to gain the most by the government grant.
Twenty-five students have already expressed a desire to attend the program next summer. They and their parents stand to gain the most by the government grant.

It is recommended that students see their counselors before registration.
Students should see their counselors before registration.

AVOID THE PASSIVE VOICE
Sentences can get bogged down with the passive voice, a construction in which the actor does not act but is acted upon.

PHRASES YOU CAN OMIT
Be on the lookout for phrases that sound important but add little or nothing to the meaning of a sentence. Such phrases put a reader on guard that the writer is indulging in nonsense; worse, they put a reader to sleep.

Many but not all of these unnecessary phrases have been taken from Quick Access: Reference for Writers by Lynn Quitman Troyka. Simon & Schuster: New York. 1995. The examples, however, are our own. No political inferences should be drawn from these examples; they are merely models of form.

all things considered	All things considered, Connecticut's woodlands are in better shape now than ever before. All things considered, Connecticut's woodlands are in better shape now than ever before.
as a matter of fact	As a matter of fact, there are more woodlands in Connecticut now than there were in 1898. as a matter of fact, There are more woodlands in Connecticut now than there were in 1898.
as far as I'm concerned	As far as I'm concerned, there is no need for further protection of woodlands. As far as I'm concerned, there There is no need for further protection of woodlands.
at the present time	This is because there are fewer farmers at the present time. This is because there are fewer farmers now.
because of the fact that	Woodlands have grown in area because of the fact that farmers have abandoned their fields. Woodlands have grown in area because farmers have abandoned their fields.
by means of	Major forest areas are coming back by means of natural processes. Major forest areas are coming back through natural processes. (or naturally)
by virtue of the fact that	Our woodlands are coming back by virtue of the fact that our economy has shifted its emphasis. Our woodlands are coming back by virtue of the fact that because our economy has shifted its emphasis.
due to the fact that	Due to the fact that their habitats are being restored, forest creatures are also re-establishing their population bases. Due to the fact that Because their habitats are being restored, forest creatures are also re-establishing their population bases.
exists	The fear that exists among many people that we are losing our woodlands is uncalled for. The fear that exists among many people that we are losing our woodlands is uncalled for.
for all intents and purposes	The era in which we must aggressively defend our woodlands has, for all intents and purposes, passed. The era in which we must aggressively defend our woodlands has, for all intents and purposes, passed.
for the most part	For the most part, people's suspicions are based on a misunderstanding of the facts. For the most part, pPeople's suspicions are based on a misunderstanding of the facts.
for the purpose of	Many woodlands, in fact, have been purchased for the purpose of creating public parks. Many woodlands, in fact, have been purchased for the purpose of creating as public parks.
have a tendency to	This policy has a tendency to isolate some communities. This policy has a tendency tends to isolate some communities.
in a manner of speaking	The policy has, in a manner of speaking, begun to Balkanize the more rural parts of our state. The policy has, in a manner of speaking, begun to Balkanize the more rural parts of our state.
in a very real sense	In a very real sense, this policy works to the detriment of those it is supposed to help. In a very real sense, this This policy works to the detriment of those it is supposed to help.
in my opinion	In my opinion, this wasteful policy ought to be revoked. In my opinion, thisThis wasteful policy ought to be revoked.
in the case of	In the case of this particular policy, citizens of northeast Connecticut became very upset. Citizens of northeast Connecticut became very upset about his policy.
in the final analysis	In the final analysis, the state would have been better off without such a policy. In the final analysis, the The state would have been better off without such a policy.
in the event that	In the event that enough people protest, it will probably be revoked. If enough people protest, it will probably be revoked.
in the nature of	Something in the nature of a repeal may soon take place. Something in the nature oflike a repeal may soon take place.
in the process of	Legislators are already in the process of reviewing the statues. Legislators are already in the process of reviewing the statues.
it seems that	It seems that they can't wait to get rid of this one. It seems that they They can't wait to get rid of this one.
manner	They have monitored the activities of conservationists in a cautious manner. They have cautiously monitored the activities of conservationists.
the point I am trying to make	The point I am trying to make is that sometimes public policy doesn't accomplish what it set out to achieve. The point I am trying to make is that someSometimes public policy doesn't accomplish what it set out to achieve.
type of	Legislators need to be more careful of the type of policy they propose. Legislators need to be more careful of the type of policy they propose.
what I mean to say is	What I mean to say is that well intentioned lawmakers sometimes make fools of themselves. What I mean to say is that well Well intentioned lawmakers sometimes make fools of themselves.