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 Quiz #2

This quiz, the second 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 toss away those 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 dull clippers were no use whatsoever to him.
2. She looked at the huge to-do list and shrugged her shoulders.
3. It’s beyond the capability of any single one company to manufacture enough vaccine.
4. He shocked his boss because his approach was so unique.
5. Everyone was warned to be quiet for the duration of time the lecture lasted.
6. She tried to referee the argument and calm down his anger.
7. They helped one another out.
8. The end result is that nobody showed up at the party.
9. He went to the ATM machine and withdrew $200.
10. The current advice right now is to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

Suggested Edits

Edit #1: The dull clippers were no use whatsoever to him.

whatsoever: at all (sometimes used for emphasis)

Whatsoever is an unnecessary adverb. If something is no use, it’s useless. Period.

useless: unusable, inoperable

Useless, unusable, and inoperable are non-gradable adjectives.

Edit #2: She looked at the huge to-do list and shrugged her shoulders.

shrug: to raise one’s shoulders slightly and then lower them

Since the definition of shrug already incorporates shoulders, there’s no need to say someone shrugs them. What else would a person shrug? feet? knees?

However, if your character has unusual shoulders, you could get away with phrasing such as She shrugged her [dainty, deformed, massive, stiff, strong] shoulders. A better approach would be to describe the shoulders before mentioning the shrug.

Edit #3: It’s beyond the capability of any single one company to manufacture enough vaccine.

any: one of whatever kind

single: one (as compared to many)

one: a single unit

Each of the three words preceding company embraces the same meaning.

Edit #4: He shocked his boss because his approach was so unique.

unique: unlike anything else

Unique is another non-gradable adjective. If the approach is unlike anything else, so is an unnecessary modifier.

Edit #5: Everyone was warned to be quiet for the duration of time the lecture lasted.

duration: the time during which something continues or lasts

Do I need to explain this one?

Edit #6: She tried to referee the argument and calm down his anger.

calm: to soothe, pacify, placate

Would you ever say soothe down his anger, pacify down his anger, or placate down his anger?

Edit #7: They helped one another out.

help: to assist, aid

Out is unnecessary and might cause readers to envision a character helping someone out of an elevator or a vehicle.

Edit #8: The end result is that nobody showed up at the party.

result: consequence, outcome

end: the final part of something

If a result is the outcome or consequence of something, of course it would be the end of it as well.

Edit #9: He went to the ATM machine and withdrew $200.

ATM: automated teller machine

The original phrase is literally interpreted as automated teller machine machine. No need for the second machine.

Edit #10: The current advice right now is to wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

current: occurring or existing now

Current already embodies now, and right is an unnecessary adverb.

How Did You Do?

Master List of Redundancy Quizzes for Writers