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

Simplify the structure
Tighten wordy sentences
Clarity

Simplifying sentences and using stronger verbs can make writing more direct.

The colorless verbs is, are, was, and were often generate excess words.

The expletive constructions there is and there are (or there was and there were) can also lead to wordy sentences. The same is true of expletive constructions beginning with it.