Cut empty or inflated phrases - Tighten wordy sentences - Clarity

Rules for writers, Tenth edition - Diana Hacker, Nancy Sommers 2021

Cut empty or inflated phrases
Tighten wordy sentences
Clarity

An empty phrase can be cut with little or no loss of meaning. Common examples are word groups that weaken the writer’s authority by apologizing or hedging: in my opinion, I think that, it seems that, and so on.

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Inflated phrases can be reduced to a word or two without loss of meaning.

INFLATED

CONCISE

along the lines of

like

as a matter of fact

in fact

at this point in time

now (or currently)

due to the fact that

because

for the purpose of

for

in order to

to

in spite of the fact that

although (or though)

in the event that

if