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 fortieth 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 hunt down and kill off those useless 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. They said they would be here in about 90 minutes’ time.
2. I don’t know the solution to the problem.
3. I myself personally didn’t oversee the investigation.
4. A new vista of never-before-seen opportunities opened up.
5. More than a week passed by before we were able to fully comprehend the ramifications of our actions.
6. Francois is currently still here, awaiting your decision.
7. The residents who lived there were all allowed to return to their homes.
8. The young girl cased out the store two days before she robbed it.
9. The ship vomited out its cargo of rotting fish.
10. They pooled their money together and bought a car.

Suggested Edits

Edit #1:

They said they would be here in about 90 minutes’ time.

time: a measure of seconds, minute, days, or longer periods of existence

Alternate wording: They [claimed, declared, implied, insisted] they would be here [as soon as they buried the bodies, before the cops arrived, three days before the aliens landed].

Edit #2:

I don’t know the solution to the problem.

solution: answer to a problem

Alternate wording: I [can only guess at, have no idea about] the [answer, resolution].

Or shorten it to two words: I’m [baffled, stumped, stymied].

Edit #3:

I myself personally didn’t oversee the investigation.

myself: I; me

Many editors would red-pencil personally as well.

Sometimes, especially in dialogue, I myself or I personally tells more of a story than the truncated version.

Alternate wording: I [had nothing to do with the fiasco, accept no responsibility for the debacle, had no involvement in the process].

Edit #4:

A new vista of never-before-seen opportunities opened up.

new: not existing before

You might prefer to nix vista and retain never-before-seen instead.

Most editors would also red-pencil up.

Alternate wording: A [fascinating, rare, unique] vista of [possibilities, probabilities, prospects] [appeared, emerged, materialized].

Edit #5:

More than a week passed by before we were able to fully comprehend the ramifications of our actions.

to pass: go by; elapse

Your editor might question the inclusion of fully as well.

Depending on context, ramifications of our actions could be shortened to ramifications.

Alternate wording: More than [seven shift changes, one revolution around the planet, seven moonrises] [elapsed, slipped by, sped by] before we [understood the effects of our inaction, appreciated the consequences of our initiatives, realized the complications of our measures].

Edit #6:

Francois is currently still here, awaiting your decision.

currently: still; presently; at present; now

Since is, the present tense of the verb to be, indicates that Francois is waiting — now — the sentence could be edited even further: Francois is awaiting your decision. Or drop the auxiliary verb: Francois awaits your decision.

Alternate wording: Francois [anticipates, expects, looks forward to] your [adjudication, appraisal, assessment, conclusions].

Edit #7:

The residents who lived there were all allowed to return to their homes.

resident: a person who lives in a particular place

Do you need all? If context allows, you could delete it as well.

Alternate wording: The [families, homeowners, landholders, occupants, tenants] were [authorized, cleared, encouraged, permitted] to [occupy their homes, re-enter the town, reclaim their residences, return to their dwellings].

Edit #8:

The young girl cased out the store two days before she robbed it.

to case: check out; reconnoiter

Alternate wording: The young girl [eyeballed, scrutinized, staked out, studied] the [bank, bookshop, boutique, computer store, liquor store] two days before she robbed it.

Edit #9:

The ship vomited out its cargo of rotting fish.

to vomit: spew out; belch out

Alternate wording: The ship [disgorged, regurgitated, surrendered] its cargo of [ammunition, exotic animals, hazardous waste, immigrants, stolen vehicles].

Edit #10:

They pooled their money together and bought a car.

to pool: put together; bring together

Alternate wording: They [amalgamated, combined, consolidated] their [assets, resources, cash] and bought [a used spaceship, a hover car, a two-seater plane].

Master List of Redundancy Quizzes for Writers