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 thirtieth 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 flush away those needless redundancies.

In most cases, you should recognize the superfluous extra 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. He was caught red-handed selling military secrets to the enemy.
2. For a number of reasons, sales have flattened out.
3. She had never been more serious in her entire life.
4. They shared a mutual distrust of each other.
5. The elevator was filled to maximum capacity.
6. They raised up their voices in a rousing anthem.
7. The President will be giving a speech in about an hour from now.
8. His opinion waffled back and forth like a yo-yo on a perpetual string.
9. It was her first chance she had had to see him in person in more than three years.
10. He weaned himself off of chocolate first and then weaned himself off of booze.

Suggested Edits

Edit #1:

He was caught red-handed selling military secrets to the enemy.

red-handed: caught in or just after the act of doing something undesirable or illegal

Alternate wording: He was [arrested for, charged with, convicted of] [conspiracy, sedition, treason].

Edit #2:

For a number of reasons, sales have flattened out.

flatten: become flat

According to Collins Dictionary, flatten out means the same as flatten. If it means the same thing, why not flush the extra word down the toilet?

Alternate wording: Because of [the pandemic, the recession, poor quality control, supply chain issues] sales [decreased, dropped, slumped, suffered].

Edit #3:

She had never been more serious in her entire life.

life: the period during which a person or thing continues to exist, function, or remain valid

The use of never creates an absolute condition, and entire is entirely unnecessary. Many editors would suggest deletion of the last four words as well: She had never been more serious.

Alternate wording: She had never been more [committed, determined, earnest, resolute].

Edit #4:

They shared a mutual distrust of each other.

mutual: held in common of two or more parties

common: shared

Some editors would prefer They shared a mutual distrust.

Alternate wording: They [had doubts about, mistrusted, were suspicious of, were apprehensive of] each other.

Edit #5:

The elevator was filled to maximum capacity.

capacity: the maximum amount or quantity that something can contain

Alternate wording: The elevator was [crammed, crowded, overloaded, packed like sardines].

Edit #6:

They raised up their voices in a rousing anthem.

raise: lift up

anthem: a rousing or uplifting song of praise or happiness

Some editors would also delete rousing, but since anthems are sometimes chants or solemn hymns, I would tend to leave it.

Alternate wording: They [belted out, chanted, sang, warbled] [a rousing ditty, a melodic chorus, a song of joy, an off-tune version of “Happy Birthday”].

Edit #7:

The President will be giving a speech in about an hour from now.

from now: from this time

It’s awkward to insert the definition of from now:

The President will be giving a speech in about an hour from this time.

Of course we understand that the speech will be in about an hour from this time.

Alternate wording: The President will speak [about inflation, to the press, to survivors] after [the GDP update, his return to Washington, the FEMA report is released].

Edit #8:

His opinion waffled back and forth like a yo-yo on a perpetual string.

waffle: yo-yo; flip-flop; equivocate; vacillate

Although the sentence could be shortened to His opinion waffled, the image of a yo-yo on a perpetual string reinforces the person’s vacillation.

Alternate wording: His opinion [seesawed, shifted, veered] [from moment to moment, with every poll, as often as the wind changed direction].

Edit #9:

It was her first chance she had had to see him in person in more than three years.

Does the edited sentence convey the same meaning?

Why keep the extra words?

in person: physically; in the flesh; personally

Alternate wording: She hadn’t seen him since [their breakup, he left the country, she told him she was pregnant, he went to prison].

Edit #10:

He weaned himself off of chocolate first and then weaned himself off of booze.

wean: to detach oneself from dependence on a substance or habit

Once again, does the edited sentence convey the same meaning? Let’s flush the extra words down the toilet along with well … you know … the chocolates?

Alternate wording: He [abstained from, denied himself, gave up, renounced] [chocolate and booze, cigarettes and cigars, potato chips and ice cream, sex and television].

Master List of Redundancy Quizzes for Writers