Removing Redundancy — Remove redundancy to make a sentence...

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Why Concise Writing Matters

Have you ever read a sentence and thought, "Didn't they already say that?" That feeling is caused by redundancy — using extra words that repeat an idea already expressed. Writers and editors have fought against wordy, repetitive writing for centuries.

Clear, concise writing has always been valued. From ancient Roman speechmakers to modern journalists, people who communicate well know that every word should earn its place. On the SHSAT, you will see questions that ask you to fix sentences that contain unnecessary repetition.

~300 BC

Aristotle's Rhetoric

The Greek philosopher Aristotle taught that good communication means saying exactly what you mean — no more, no less.

1918

The Elements of Style

Professor William Strunk Jr. wrote Rule 17: "Omit needless words." This became one of the most famous writing rules in American education.

1946

Orwell's Six Rules

Writer George Orwell said, "If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." His essay shaped how schools teach writing.

Today

SHSAT Revising & Editing

Standardized tests like the SHSAT test your ability to spot and remove redundancy, rewarding students who write and revise with precision.

The big question is: how do you recognize when a sentence says the same thing twice? And once you spot the problem, how do you fix it? That is exactly what this lesson will teach you.

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Core Principles of Redundancy

Before you can fix redundancy, you need to understand what it actually looks like. Redundancy happens when two or more words in a sentence express the same meaning. The extra words do not add new information — they just repeat what is already there.

Same-Meaning Words

Two words that mean the same thing are placed together, like "free gift." A gift is already free, so the word "free" is redundant.

Overlapping Modifiers

An adjective or adverb repeats what the noun or verb already tells you. For example, "tall skyscraper" is redundant because a skyscraper is tall by definition.

Unnecessary Phrases

Wordy phrases add length but not meaning. "Due to the fact that" just means "because." Cutting these saves space and sounds better.

Repeated Ideas in Different Words

Sometimes a sentence restates an idea using new words. "She was happy and filled with joy" says the same thing twice — happy and filled with joy mean the same.

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Think of a sentence like a backpack for a day hike. You need water, a snack, and a map — but if you pack two identical water bottles, your bag is heavier for no reason. Redundant words are like that second water bottle: they weigh down your writing without adding anything new.

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Seeing Redundancy in Action

The diagram below shows a redundant sentence being trimmed down. Notice how the meaning stays exactly the same once the repeated words are removed.

The red boxes show two redundant phrases. "Cooperated" already means working together, and "finish" already means completing something. The green box shows the clean, revised sentence.

As you can see, the revised sentence is shorter but says the exact same thing. No meaning is lost. That is the goal: cut the extra words, keep the meaning.

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How Redundancy Sneaks into Writing

Redundancy often hides in common phrases we hear every day. Because we say these phrases out loud so often, they sound "normal" even though they contain extra words. Let's look at the main ways redundancy sneaks in.

Pattern 1 — Built-In Meaning

Some words already contain the meaning of the word placed next to them. The word "advance" means to move forward, so "advance forward" is redundant. The word "revert" means to go back, so "revert back" is redundant. You only need the one word that already carries the full meaning.

Pattern 2 — Wordy Phrases

Some phrases use five or six words when one or two would do. For example, "at this point in time" just means "now." The phrase "in order to" just means "to." On the SHSAT, replacing these wordy phrases with shorter versions is a common way to fix a sentence.

Pattern 3 — Double Descriptions

Sometimes a sentence describes the same quality twice using different words. "The tiny, small kitten" is a double description because "tiny" and "small" mean the same thing. You should pick the stronger word and delete the other.

Common redundant phrases and their concise replacements

Redundant Phrase	Why It's Redundant	Concise Version
past history	History is about the past	history
end result	A result comes at the end	result
repeat again	Repeat means to do again	repeat
each and every	Each and every mean the same	each or every
basic fundamentals	Fundamentals are basics	fundamentals
unexpected surprise	Surprises are unexpected	surprise

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Types of Redundancy on the SHSAT

On the SHSAT Revising and Editing section, redundancy questions usually appear in Part B. You will read a short passage and then answer a question about how to improve a specific sentence. Knowing the different types of redundancy helps you spot the problem faster.

This chart organizes the four main types of redundancy you will encounter. Each box shows a redundant example in monospace font and its concise fix in green.

A tautology (say: taw-TAH-luh-jee) places two words with the same meaning right next to each other. A pleonasm (say: PLEE-uh-nazm) adds a modifier that is already built into the word's definition. Wordy phrases use many words where one will do. A double statement restates the same idea in different words within the same sentence.

💡 SHSAT Tip

You do not need to memorize the names "tautology" or "pleonasm" for the SHSAT. What matters is that you can recognize when words repeat an idea and choose the answer that removes the repetition.

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Worked Example — SHSAT-Style Question

Let's walk through a question just like one you might see on the real test. Read the sentence and the four answer choices, then follow the steps.

📝 Sample Question

Which edit should be made to improve the sentence? "The autobiography of her life story was published in 2019 and quickly became a bestseller." (A) Change "autobiography of her life story" to "autobiography" (B) Change "published" to "printed and published" (C) Change "quickly became" to "quickly and rapidly became" (D) Change "bestseller" to "best-selling bestseller"

Step-by-Step Solution

Step 1 — Read the original sentence carefullyLook for any word or phrase that repeats a meaning already expressed elsewhere in the sentence. "Autobiography" means a book someone writes about their own life. "Of her life story" restates that same idea.

Step 2 — Test each answer choiceChoice (A) removes "of her life story," leaving "autobiography." This cuts the redundancy. Choices (B), (C), and (D) all add more redundancy — "printed and published," "quickly and rapidly," and "best-selling bestseller" all repeat ideas.

Step 3 — Confirm the revised sentence makes senseRead the revised sentence aloud: "The autobiography was published in 2019 and quickly became a bestseller." It is shorter, clearer, and keeps the full meaning.

Answer: (A) — Change "autobiography of her life story" to "autobiography."

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Tricky Cases — Repetition That Is NOT Redundancy

Not all repetition is bad! Sometimes writers repeat a word or phrase on purpose to add emphasis, rhythm, or new information. It is important to tell the difference between purposeful repetition and wasteful redundancy.

Not all repetition is redundancy — context matters.

Situation	Example	Redundant?
Emphasis through repetition	"Never, never, never give up."	No — The repetition adds emotion.
Adding new information	"She ran fast — faster than anyone on the team."	No — The second part adds a comparison.
Synonym adds nothing	"The room was empty and vacant."	Yes — Empty and vacant mean the same.
Built-in meaning	"She returned back to her seat."	Yes — Return already means go back.
Clarification for the reader	"The CEO, who is the head of the company, spoke."	Maybe — Okay if the reader needs the definition.

✦ KEY TAKEAWAY

Imagine you are packing a lunchbox. Putting in two sandwiches with the exact same filling is redundant — one is enough. But packing a sandwich and an apple is not redundant because each item adds something different. On the SHSAT, only remove words when they truly add zero new meaning.

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From Redundancy to Advanced Revision Skills

Removing redundancy is just one part of the bigger skill of revision (improving writing after a first draft). As you move into high school, you will learn more advanced ways to make your writing clear and powerful.

How SHSAT revision skills grow into advanced writing skills

Skill	What You Learn Now (SHSAT)	What Comes Next (High School & Beyond)
Removing redundancy	Cut repeated words and phrases	Tighten entire paragraphs for a specific word count or audience
Sentence combining	Join short, choppy sentences	Use varied sentence structures (complex, compound-complex) for style
Word choice	Pick the more precise word	Adjust tone and register (formal vs. informal) for different audiences
Organization	Move or delete a sentence for clarity	Restructure entire essays for argument strength and logical flow

Mastering redundancy removal now gives you a strong foundation. Every time you revise a sentence to be more concise, you are training yourself to think like a professional editor. That skill will help you in essays, reports, and standardized tests for years to come.

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Practice Problems

Try these five problems on your own. Each one gets a little harder. After you give your answer, check the explanation to see how you did.

PROBLEM 1 — CONCEPTUAL

Which phrase is redundant? (A) bright sunshine (B) dark clouds (C) loud thunder (D) heavy rain

PROBLEM 2 — BASIC CALCULATION

Revise the following sentence to remove the redundancy: "The two twins shared a birthday celebration together every year."

PROBLEM 3 — INTERMEDIATE

Which revision best improves this sentence by removing redundancy? "In my personal opinion, I think that the school cafeteria should offer more healthy food options." (A) In my opinion, the school cafeteria should offer more healthy food options. (B) I personally think that the school cafeteria should offer more healthy food options. (C) In my personal opinion, I believe that the school cafeteria should offer healthier options. (D) The school cafeteria should offer more healthy food options.

PROBLEM 4 — APPLIED

Read the passage below. Then choose which sentence contains redundancy and how to fix it. (1) The city council met on Tuesday to discuss the new park. (2) They decided to postpone the project until a later date. (3) Several residents expressed concern about the cost. (4) The meeting ended at 9 p.m. (A) Sentence 1: Change "met on Tuesday" to "met." (B) Sentence 2: Change "postpone the project until a later date" to "postpone the project." (C) Sentence 3: Change "expressed concern" to "were concerned and worried." (D) Sentence 4: Change "ended at 9 p.m." to "ended and concluded at 9 p.m."

PROBLEM 5 — CRITICAL THINKING

A student writes: "The reason the experiment failed is because the chemicals were mixed in the wrong order." A classmate says the phrase "the reason … is because" is redundant. Do you agree? Explain your thinking and provide a revised sentence.

SUMMARY

Lesson Summary

Redundancy occurs when a sentence uses extra words that repeat a meaning already expressed. The four main types are tautology (synonyms side by side), pleonasm (a modifier built into the word), wordy phrases (many words replacing one), and double statements (the same idea restated in different words).

To fix redundancy on the SHSAT, ask: "If I remove this word, does the sentence still mean the same thing?" If yes, cut it. Remember that not all repetition is redundancy — repetition for emphasis or new information is fine. The correct SHSAT answer will always make the sentence shorter and clearer without changing its meaning.