Here's a breakdown of common "deadwood" culprits:
Redundant Words:
* "In order to": Simply use "to."
* "At this point in time": Use "now" or "currently."
* "Due to the fact that": Use "because" or "since."
* "The reason why is that": Use "because."
* "Very unique": "Unique" implies one-of-a-kind, so "very" is redundant.
Empty Phrases:
* "It is important to note that": Simply state the important point.
* "In my opinion": It's assumed the writing is your opinion unless otherwise stated.
* "As you know": Don't assume your reader knows what you're talking about.
* "Needless to say": If it's needless to say, don't say it!
* "For all intents and purposes": Simply use "essentially" or "in effect."
Unnecessary Modifiers:
* "Actually": Use only if clarifying a misunderstanding.
* "Basically": Use only if you're simplifying a complex idea.
* "Really": Use only for emphasis, and sparingly.
Examples:
* Original: "In order to complete the project, we need to work together."
* Revised: "To complete the project, we need to work together."
* Original: "The reason why the project failed is that there wasn't enough funding."
* Revised: "The project failed because there wasn't enough funding."
Removing deadwood makes your writing concise, clear, and impactful. It helps your readers grasp the meaning of your message quickly and easily.