English Vocabulary Errors: Redundancies
Redundancies are unnecessary, repetitious words. They may appear before and after the main word. They make your communication longer, but not better. To improve your English, read through the list of common redundancies below and mark the ones you are familiar with. You may be surprised at how many you have been using! Omit (leave out) the repetitive word and start speaking and writing more clearly, accurately, and professionally. Some redundancies are completely wrong. Some are not wrong, but should only be used if you know why you are using them — for emphasis or differentiation.
Example of redundancy before the main word:
| Wrong | The final conclusion was to close the bakery. |
| Right | The conclusion was to close the bakery. |
Example of redundancy after the main word:
| Wrong | The companies merged together last year. |
| Right | The companies merged last year. |
5 MOST COMMON REDUNDANCIES:
| Wrong | reply back: They replied back yesterday. |
| Right | reply: They replied yesterday. |
| Wrong | repeat again: Could you repeat that again, please? |
| Right | repeat: Could you repeat that, please? |
| Wrong | return back: Raj returned back yesterday. |
| Right | return: Raj returned yesterday. |
| Wrong | cash money: Do you have any cash money? |
| Right | cash: Do you have any cash? |
| Wrong | very unique: Your dress is very unique! |
| Right | unique: Your dress is unique! |
COMMON REDUNDANCIES: Before the word
absolutely
- absolutely certain
- absolutely essential
- absolutely guaranteed
- absolutely necessary
- absolutely sure
advance
- advance planning
- advance preview
- advance reservation
- advance warning
completely
- completely annihilated
- completely destroyed
- completely eliminated
- completely filled
- completely finished
- completely surrounded
final
- final conclusion
- final decision
- final outcome
- final verdict
new
- new beginning
- new innovation
- new invention
past
- past experience
- past history
- past memories
- past records
still
- still continues
- still persists
- still remains
COMMON REDUNDANCIES: After the word
around
- circle around
- circulate around
back
- answer back
- repeat back
- reply back
- return back
- retreat back
- revert back
forward
- advance forward
- proceed forward
- progress forward
situation
- crisis situation
- emergency situation
together
- assemble together
- attach together
- cooperate together
- collaborate together
- connect together
- gather together
- integrate together
- join together
- meet together
- merge together
possibly
- could possibly
- may possibly
- might possibly
| MORE COMMON REDUNDANCIES |
|---|
| Wrong | Right |
|---|
| actual facts | facts |
| added bonus | bonus |
| all-time record | record |
| alternative choice | alternative |
| armed gunman | gunman |
| ask a question | ask |
| assemble together | assemble |
| at the present time | at present |
| bald-headed | bald |
| basic essentials | essentials |
| basic fundamentals | fundamentals |
| best ever | best |
| biography of his/ her life | biography |
| bouquet of flowers | bouquet |
| brief moment | moment |
| classify into groups | classify |
| compete with each other | compete |
| current trend | trend |
| depreciate in value | depreciate |
| desirable benefits | benefits |
| disappear from sight | disappear |
| end result | result |
| estimated at about | estmated at |
| exact same | same |
| face mask | mask |
| fall down | fall |
| fellow classmates | classmates |
| fellow colleagues | colleagues |
| first began | began |
| foreign imports | imports |
| free gift | gift |
| frozen ice | ice |
| future plans | plans |
| general public | public |
| grow in size | grow |
| hurry up | hurry |
| invited guests | guests |
| irregardless | regardless |
| joint collaboration | collaboration |
| kneel down | kneel |
| lag behind | lag |
| lift up | lift |
| natural instinct | instinct |
| never before | never |
| old proverb | proverb |
| pair of twins | twins |
| period of time | time |
| personal friend | friend |
| plan ahead | plan |
| plan in advance | plan |
| postpone till later | postpone |
| reason is because | reason is |
| reason is why | reason is |
| rise up | rise |
| round in shape | round |
| same identical | same or identical |
| serious danger | danger |
| small size | small |
| soft in texture | soft |
| sudden impulse | impulse |
| suddenly exploded | exploded |
| surrounded on all sides | surrounded |
| tall in height | tall |
| tiny bit | bit |
| true facts | facts |
| undergraduate student | undergraduate |
| unexpected surprise | surprise |
| usual custom | custom |
| warn in advance | warn |
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