- A student journalist wrote an article about a new rule allowing seniors to leave campus during lunch. The article included quotes from administrators, students who supported the change, and students who worried about traffic near the parking lot. To end the piece, the journalist reminded readers to check the school website for details. In the final sentence, she wrote that the policy would begin at this point in time on Monday.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: now
This question tests concision in temporal phrases, spotting overly elaborate time references. The underlined 'at this point in time' is verbose, using five words to say what one word can convey. Choice C, 'now,' is the most concise and clear substitute, maintaining the sentence's meaning. Choices A, B, and D are either equally wordy or slightly less direct. In time-related questions, replace phrases like 'at this point in time' with 'now' to achieve efficient expression without losing precision.
- In her science blog, Anika described how some desert plants store water in thick leaves. She interviewed a botanist who explained that the waxy coating on the leaves reduces evaporation during hot afternoons. Anika revised her draft to avoid repeating herself, but one phrase remained. The botanist said the plant's past history in drought-prone regions shaped its adaptations.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: history
This question tests recognition of redundant word pairs where one term already implies the other. The phrase 'past history' is redundant because 'history' by definition refers to past events—there's no such thing as future or present history. The correct answer (B) 'history' eliminates this redundancy while preserving the sentence's meaning. Choice C 'earlier past history' and choice D 'previously in the past' compound the redundancy by adding even more words that mean the same thing. When you see paired words in the underlined portion, check whether one word already contains the meaning of the other—common redundant pairs include 'past history,' 'future plans,' and 'true facts.'
- The restaurant's new chef is capable of preparing a wide variety of international dishes.
Answer: can prepare
This question tests your recognition of unnecessarily complex phrases that can be simplified without losing meaning. The phrase 'is capable of preparing' is wordy compared to the simple modal verb 'can prepare.' Choice C provides the most concise expression. Choices B and D use different wordy constructions that convey the same meaning less efficiently. When you encounter phrases involving capability or ability, consider whether a simple modal verb like 'can' works better.
- The scientist's research provided a breakthrough discovery that was new in the field.
Answer: a breakthrough discovery
This question tests elimination of redundant descriptive phrases where the qualification doesn't add meaningful information. The phrase 'a breakthrough discovery that was new' is redundant because breakthroughs are inherently new discoveries. Choice C eliminates this redundancy efficiently. Choices B and D maintain some redundant elements. When you see breakthrough, innovation, or discovery modified by 'new,' the modifier is typically redundant since these concepts inherently involve newness.
- For an oral-history project, a student interviewed her grandfather about his first job at a bookstore. He explained that he liked recommending novels because it let him talk with customers about their interests. The student wrote that he enjoyed the work due to the fact that it was social.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: because
This question tests wordy phrases that can be replaced with simple conjunctions. The underlined portion 'due to the fact that' is a classic example of unnecessary wordiness that can be replaced with the simple conjunction 'because.' Choice B provides this concise alternative, conveying the same causal relationship in one word instead of five. Choices C and D offer even wordier alternatives with 'on account of the fact that' and 'in view of the fact that,' which are equally redundant. In concision questions, phrases containing 'the fact that' can almost always be simplified - this is a reliable pattern to recognize on the test.
- The teacher reminded the class that the homework was due tomorrow by the end of the day.
Answer: due tomorrow
This item tests concision in time expressions, where a deadline should be stated once. 'Due tomorrow' already establishes the day the homework must be turned in, so the original 'due tomorrow by the end of the day' layers a second, overlapping time frame onto it. 'Due at the end of tomorrow' says the same thing in more words than the sentence needs, and 'due by tomorrow' quietly changes the meaning by making the deadline arrive before tomorrow rather than on it. The shortest version wins here precisely because it loses nothing. When choices stack two time markers on one event, keep the single marker that fixes the deadline and cut the one that only paraphrases it — and check that the shorter option hasn't shifted the meaning.
- The expert provided his own personal opinion on the subject.
Answer: his opinion
This question identifies redundancy in possessive expressions related to personal views. 'His own personal opinion' contains redundancy because 'his' already establishes ownership, making both 'own' and 'personal' unnecessary - opinions are inherently personal to the holder. Choice D 'his opinion' expresses the complete meaning concisely. Choices B and C maintain partial redundancy. When pronouns establish ownership, additional possessive words like 'own' or 'personal' typically become redundant.
- A community center offered a free workshop on basic sewing skills. Participants practiced threading needles, sewing buttons, and hemming pants. The instructor emphasized that even small repairs can extend the life of clothing. She encouraged everyone to completely finish the sample hem before moving on to the next step.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: finish
This question tests redundant adverbs that repeat the meaning already contained in the verb. The underlined portion 'completely finish' is redundant because 'finish' already means to complete something entirely - you can't partially finish something. Choice C eliminates this redundancy by using only 'finish,' which fully conveys the intended meaning. Choice B 'finish completely' maintains the same redundancy, while D 'entirely and completely finish' makes it even worse with two redundant adverbs. In concision questions, watch for adverbs that merely repeat what the verb already implies, such as 'completely finish,' 'totally eliminate,' or 'entirely eradicate.'
- A coach introduced a new warm-up routine before practice. Players started with light jogging, then moved into dynamic stretches like leg swings and arm circles. The coach explained that these movements increase blood flow and prepare muscles for quick changes in direction. The routine was designed in order to reduce injuries during drills.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: designed to
This question focuses on eliminating unnecessary words from prepositional phrases expressing purpose. The phrase 'designed in order to' contains redundant words because 'designed to' already clearly expresses purpose. The correct choice is 'designed to,' which is concise and clear. Choices C and D add even more unnecessary words to the phrase. When expressing purpose, simple constructions like 'to [verb]' or 'designed to' are usually preferable to longer alternatives like 'in order to' or 'for the purpose of.'
- The new software update will enable users to have the ability to customize their interface more easily.
Answer: enable users to
This question targets phrases that redundantly express the same concept twice. The phrase 'enable users to have the ability to' is redundant because 'enable' already means to give someone the ability to do something. Choice D eliminates this redundancy by using just 'enable users to.' Choices B and C reduce some wordiness but don't eliminate the core redundancy as effectively. Watch for constructions where a verb already contains the meaning expressed by a following noun phrase.
- Nico wrote a short article about the school garden for the student website. He described how volunteers built raised beds, installed a rain barrel, and labeled each row with painted signs. To help readers picture the space, he included a map showing where herbs grow near the entrance. In one sentence, he wrote that the garden is small in size but productive.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: small
This question tests redundancy, the habit of restating a category that an adjective already contains. 'Small' by itself already tells you the garden's size, so the single word 'small' says everything the sentence needs and is the clearest, most concise option. Keeping the original 'small in size' tacks on a category label that adds nothing, and 'limited in terms of its overall size' and 'not large in its size' pile on even more words while saying the same thing less directly. Notice that the longer versions are not ungrammatical, just wasteful, which is exactly the trap in concision questions. When every option is grammatical and they differ mainly in length, pick the shortest one that still carries the full meaning.
- The CEO announced plans to advance forward with the merger.
Answer: advance
This question tests recognition of directional redundancy in verbs of movement. 'Advance forward' is redundant because 'advance' inherently means to move forward or make progress. Choice C 'advance' eliminates the redundant directional word while maintaining complete meaning. Choice B maintains some redundancy with 'move forward,' and choice D creates the same redundancy as the original. Verbs like 'advance,' 'retreat,' 'ascend,' and 'descend' already contain directional meaning, making additional directional words unnecessary.
- The report outlined various different methods for reducing costs.
Answer: various methods
This question tests recognition of redundant adjective pairs that express essentially the same concept. The phrase 'various different methods' is redundant because 'various' and 'different' convey similar ideas about diversity or variety. Choice B eliminates this redundancy with just 'various methods.' Choices C and D maintain some form of the redundancy. When you see adjectives that overlap in meaning, choose the most appropriate single term.
- The report was surprisingly unexpected by the team.
Answer: unexpected
This question identifies contradictory redundancy where two adjectives express conflicting concepts. 'Surprisingly unexpected' is problematic because if something is surprising, it's inherently unexpected, and if it's unexpected, it's naturally surprising. Choice D 'unexpected' provides clear meaning without redundancy. The combination creates logical confusion rather than emphasis. When adjectives express essentially the same concept or naturally imply each other, using both creates redundancy.
- In a lab report, Elena described measuring plant growth under two different light bulbs. She wrote that she watered both plants the same amount and rotated their positions to reduce the effect of drafts from a nearby vent. Her results showed that the plant under the full-spectrum bulb grew 2 centimeters more after two weeks. Elena wrote, "I rotated the plants daily to help ensure the comparison was fair." Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: to ensure
This question tests wordy infinitive phrases. The phrase 'to help ensure' contains an unnecessary helping verb - 'to ensure' alone expresses the complete meaning of making certain something happens. Choice B ('to ensure') is correct because it maintains the intended meaning more directly. Choices C and D add even more unnecessary words to express the same simple concept. When infinitive phrases include words like 'help,' 'try,' or 'attempt' before another verb, consider whether the helping verb adds necessary meaning or just wordiness.
- While researching local history, Priya visited a small museum that preserved artifacts from the town's first railroad station. A guide explained how the station once served as a meeting point for farmers bringing produce to market. Priya later wrote, "The exhibit included old, antique lanterns used by conductors." Which choice best maintains the sentence's clarity and precision?
Answer: antique
This question tests redundancy with synonyms. The phrase 'old, antique' uses two words that mean essentially the same thing - antique items are by definition old. Choice B ('antique') is correct because 'antique' alone conveys both age and historical value, making 'old' redundant. Choice C compounds the redundancy, while Choice D uses two similar adjectives that overlap in meaning. When you see multiple adjectives describing the same quality, check whether one word encompasses the full meaning.
- When Mr. Ortiz introduced the class novel, he asked students to keep a reading journal. Each entry needed a brief summary, a favorite line, and a question for discussion. He told students to write honestly, even if they disliked a character's choices. In his instructions, he added that journals should be turned in on a weekly basis so he could respond with comments.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: weekly
This question tests clarity and concision in describing frequency. The underlined 'on a weekly basis' is somewhat wordy, as 'weekly' alone conveys the same regularity without the extra phrasing. Options C and D, such as 'each and every week' and 'in weeks that occur one after another,' add unnecessary emphasis and length, making them less concise. The correct choice, B, uses 'weekly,' which is succinct and maintains the meaning. When evaluating frequency expressions, opt for adverbs like 'weekly' over prepositional phrases unless additional clarity is needed.
- The new exhibit features a variety of different artworks from around the world.
Answer: a variety of
This question identifies redundancy between a noun and its modifier that express the same concept. 'A variety of different' is redundant because 'variety' already implies differences or diversity among items. Choice C 'a variety of' eliminates the redundant 'different' while maintaining clear meaning. Choice D 'different' alone would be too vague without 'variety.' When nouns like 'variety,' 'assortment,' or 'range' already imply diversity, adjectives like 'different' or 'various' become redundant.
- For a cooking club meeting, Jamal demonstrated how to make a simple tomato sauce. He explained that simmering the sauce longer concentrates flavor, but he also warned that the heat should stay low to prevent scorching. After tasting the final result, several members asked for the recipe. Jamal said the sauce tasted best when served hot and warm over pasta.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: warm
This question tests redundant adjective pairs that express the same temperature concept. The phrase 'hot and warm' is redundant because both words describe elevated temperature—using both adds no additional information. The correct answer (B) 'warm' eliminates redundancy while maintaining appropriate meaning (warm is likely more accurate for serving temperature than hot). Choice C 'hot in temperature' redundantly specifies what 'hot' already means, while choice D 'heated and warmed up' uses two verbs to express the same state. When adjectives are paired with 'and,' check whether they express different qualities or merely repeat the same idea with different intensity.
- At the library's monthly book swap, patrons bring in used books and exchange them for new-to-them titles. The librarian keeps a list of genres that are in high demand so she can encourage donors to contribute those books. This month, mystery novels disappeared quickly, while cookbooks remained on the table. In an email recap, the librarian thanked donors for their past history of generosity.
Which choice is the clearest and most concise?
Answer: history of generosity
This question tests redundancy in descriptive phrases, specifically where words overlap in meaning. The underlined 'past history of generosity' is redundant because 'history' inherently refers to the past, making 'past' unnecessary. Choice C, 'history of generosity,' eliminates the redundancy while keeping the phrase clear and direct. Choices A, B, and D either retain or rearrange the redundant elements without improving concision. Remember, in redundancy questions, check for words like 'past' that are implied by nouns such as 'history' to streamline your writing.
