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 thirty-eighth 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 Often in the Definitions

It’s time to slam the door closed on those pesky, annoying redundancies.

In most cases, you should recognize the superfluous words when you scrutinize the definitions.

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

Can You Find Every Redundant Word or Phrase?

1. Inflation has elevated up to 4.7%.
2. He wore an Italian tweed jacket imported in from Italy.
3. The wildfires are growing in size, and threatening multiple communities.
4. Overnight temperatures will dip down to below freezing.
5. I was confined to barracks for awhile and then released without prior warning.
6. The news media said that the group was planning an imminent attack in the near future.
7. After six weeks, the bones had knit themselves together, and the doctor removed the cast.
8. They spread the blanket out over the poison ivy.
9. Hot and scalding tears poured down his face.
10. She gasped and covered the box over again.

Suggested Edits

Edit #1:

Inflation has elevated up to 4.7%.

to elevate: lift (up); raise (up)

Alternate wording: Inflation has [crawled, crept, edged, rocketed, zoomed] up to 4.7%.

Note how the change in each verb dramatically transforms the meaning.

Edit #2:

He wore an Italian tweed jacket imported in from Italy.

to import: bring in from a foreign source

Alternate wording: He [flaunted, sported, showed off] an Italian tweed jacket from Italy.

Unless it’s important to mention that the person imported the jacket, from Italy could be removed.

Edit #3:

The wildfires are growing in size, and threatening multiple communities.

to grow: to increase in size

Alternate wording: The wildfires are [burgeoning, escalating, multiplying, spreading], and threatening multiple communities.

Edit #4:

Overnight temperatures will dip down to below freezing.

to dip: go down to a lower level

Alternate wording: Overnight temperatures will [drop to sub-zero, plummet, plunge, freeze flowerbeds].

Edit #5:

I was confined to barracks for awhile and then released without prior warning.

awhile: for a while; for a moment; for a time

warning: prior notice; advance notice

Alternate wording: I was confined to barracks for [give specific number of days, weeks, months, etc.] and then released without [an explanation, notice].

Too many people write for awhile, which is literally translated as for for a while.

Correct:

• for a while
• awhile

Incorrect:

• for awhile

Edit #6:

The news media said that the group was planning an imminent attack in the near future.

imminent: happening in the near future; about to happen

Alternate wording: The news media said that the [alliance, cabal, faction] was [organizing, plotting] an imminent attack.

If context is clear, instead of news media, many editors would recommend just media.

Edit #7:

After six weeks, the bones had knit themselves together, and the doctor removed the cast.

to knit: cause to grow together

Alternate wording: After six weeks, the bones had [fused, mended] themselves, and the doctor removed the cast.

Your editor might suggest the removal of themselves.

Edit #8:

They spread the blanket out over the poison ivy.

to spread: lay out; put out

Alternate wording: They spread the blanket [and covered, on top of, in order to cover] the poison ivy.

Edit #9:

Hot and sScalding tears poured down his face.

hot: scalding; blistering; broiling

Alternate wording: [A deluge, A flood, A stream] of tears poured down his face.

Or we could reduce the word count even more: Tears [flooded, streamed down, poured over] his face.

Edit #10:

She gasped and covered the box over again.

to cover: lay or spread something over; overlay; spread over

Alternate wording: She gasped and [re-covered, re-padlocked, re-sealed] the box.

Tip: re-cover means to cover again, and recover (without a hyphen) means to recuperate.

Master List of Redundancy Quizzes for Writers