What Are Redundancies?

These nuisances are superfluous words or phrases also known as pleonasms. Rather than augment writing, they slow action scenes and increase word count — without adding constructive details.

About the Quiz

This quiz, the first in its series, offers ten sentences containing redundancies, and ten suggested solutions.

They are edited examples from books, news media, television shows, and overheard conversations.

The Answers Are in the Definitions

It’s time to shed a light on a few unnecessary redundancies.

In most cases, you should recognize the superfluous words when you scrutinize the definitions provided with each edit.

And maybe your muse will find story ideas among the changes and suggestions.

Can You Find Every Redundant Word or Phrase?

1. The man was walking as a pedestrian on the sidewalk.
2. They are both meeting in front of the bank.
3. I assure you, a pandemic will happen again in the future.
4. We are fellow colleagues at Acme Investments, Inc.
5. The doctor doesn’t know exactly when it will happen.
6. You’re looking at a live shot right now on Main Street.
7. It wasn’t strictly true, but he persuaded people to believe it.
8. The repairman came and sat down beside Sheila on the sofa.
9. She couldn’t face up to the truth, and in the end, it killed her.
10. Spock’s actions were perfectly logical and predictable.

Suggested Edits

Edit #1: The man was walking as a pedestrian on the sidewalk.

pedestrian: a person walking or traveling on foot

Since the man was walking, as a pedestrian restates what readers already know.

Edit #2: They are both meeting in front of the bank.

If you’ve done your job right, they have already been identified as two people. Therefore, both is an unnecessary word.

Edit #3: I assure you, a pandemic will happen again in the future.

again: once more; another time

If a pandemic will happen again, it must be in the future. It couldn’t be in the past.

Edit #4: We are fellow colleagues at Acme Investments, Inc.

colleague: a fellow worker or associate

Since the definition of colleague already includes fellow, the strikeout removes another redundant word.

Edit #5: The doctor doesn’t know exactly when it will happen.

Why is there a need for exactly? It’s an unnecessary adverb that adds nothing to the meaning of the sentence.

Edit #6: You’re looking at a live shot right now on Main Street.

live shot: a broadcast news shot relayed to the public as events occur

Since the events are in real time, of course they’re right now. Delete the phrase.

Edit #7: It wasn’t strictly true, but he persuaded people to believe it.

Strictly is another unnecessary adverb. Something is either true or false. A statement that isn’t true is a lie. Period.

Perhaps you could refer to the untruth as a white lie, a fib, an exaggeration, or a fabrication.

Edit #8: The repairman came and sat down beside Sheila on the sofa.

Came and is unnecessary staging. Readers should already know that the repairman is in the same room as Sheila. Unless he trips or experiences another interruption on the way to the sofa, a simple sat down tells the story.

sit: to rest on one’s buttocks

Although sit down is an oft-used phrasal verb, you can omit down without changing the meaning of this sentence.

Edit #9: She couldn’t face up to the truth, and in the end, it killed her.

face: confront or accept a situation

Would anyone confront up to or accept up to a situation?

in the end: ultimately, eventually, finally

In the end is an unnecessary adverbial phrase that you can usually slash from your WIP.

Edit #10: Spock’s actions were perfectly logical and predictable.

logical: rational; sensible

predictable: expected; probable

Logical and predictable are examples of non-gradable adjectives. Perfectly adds nothing to the sentence.

How Did You Do?

Master List of Redundancy Quizzes for Writers