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 ninth 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.

Can You Find Every Redundant Word or Phrase?

1. Several weeks of therapeutic treatment had no effect on her injuries.
2. His usual custom was to go jogging every morning before work.
3. She wrote down the details on a sticky note and put it on the fridge.
4. The window was small in size but large enough to squeeze through.
5. Sometimes the true facts are difficult to comprehend.
6. He smiled happily and drew her close in his arms.
7. Her empathetic personality evolved over time.
8. He whispered softly, his lips brushing her neck.
9. The boss shouted loudly, demanding that the perpetrator step forward. Now.
10. The collie leaped quickly over the fence and raced hurriedly toward the dog park.

Suggested Edits

Edit #1: Several weeks of therapeutic treatment had no effect on her injuries.

treatment: a therapeutic agent, therapy, or procedure in order to cure, prevent, ameliorate, or slow the progression of a medical condition; synonym: therapeutics

Since the definition of treatment already embraces the concept of therapy and therapeutics, therapeutic is redundant.

Alternate wording: Several weeks of [holistic therapy, massage therapy, physiotherapy, rest, ultrasound treatments] had no effect on her injuries.

Mention of specific treatment(s) evokes distinctive images in the reader’s mind.

Edit # 2: His usual custom was to go jogging every morning before work.

custom: a way of behaving or acting that is usual for a person, situation, group, or place

Once again, the definition speaks for itself.

Alternate wording: He [jogged, power walked, speed walked] every morning before work.

Edit #3: She wrote down the details on a sticky note and put it on the fridge.

write: set down in writing; make marks and symbols representing words or numbers in order to leave a message that can be read by others

The redundancy isn’t as clear in this example. Does the sentence make sense without down? Many people say write down, but the second word isn’t necessary.

Likewise for jot down.

Can you replace write down or jot down with scrawl? If so, you don’t need down in either phrase.

Alternate wording: She wrote [a grocery list, a to-do list, instructions, orders] on a sticky note and put it on the fridge.

Edit # 4: The window was small in size but large enough to squeeze through.

small: little in size; of a size that is less than usual

The phrase in size in the definition makes the redundancy apparent.

Alternate wording: The window was [narrow, tiny] but large enough to squeeze through.

Edit #5: Sometimes the true facts are difficult to comprehend.

facts: information that is true

The definition includes true.

Alternate wording: Sometimes the [evidence, proof, reality] is difficult to [accept, believe, understand].

Edit # 6: He smiled happily and drew her close in his arms.

smile: turn up the corners of one’s mouth to express happiness or amusement

Once again, the definition reveals the redundancy.

Alternate wording: He [beamed, grinned] and drew her close in his arms.

Edit # 7: Her empathetic personality evolved over time.

evolve: develop, usually from simple to more complex or advanced

If something evolves, it takes time to do so. The decades or centuries required for species to evolve is longer than that needed for a small-town business to evolve into a multi-national corporation, but both processes require time.

Alternate wording: Her empathetic personality was the result of personal tragedy.

Readers would want to know about that tragedy.

Edit # 8: He whispered softly, his lips brushing her neck.

whisper: speak softly, using one’s breath

Goosebumps?

Maybe the sentence would be more engaging if the whispered words were conveyed to readers.

Alternate wording: He whispered, his lips brushing her neck, [“I’m in Room 217.”, “I’m going to kill you.”, “Cute panties. Your skirt is tucked into the back of your waistband.”]

Edit # 9: The boss shouted loudly, demanding that the perpetrator step forward. Now.

shout: utter a loud cry; speak with a loud voice

Alternate wording: The boss [commanded, demanded, ordered] that the perpetrator step forward. Now.

Edit # 10: The collie leaped quickly over the fence and raced rapidly toward the dog park.

Is it possible to leap slowly? Maybe in a slow-motion playback.

race: move rapidly or at full speed

Strong verbs would make the sentence more engaging and remove the redundancies: The collie [hurdled, jumped] the fence and [bounded, charged, streaked] toward the dog park.

How Did You Do?

Master List of Redundancy Quizzes for Writers