Repetitive and redundant words and phrases

When you don't need them, when you do, and especially, when you don't

A lot of professional documents include too many repetitive words and phrases. Repetition isn’t always a bad thing, but it can make our documents wordier than they need to be. Wordiness in turn makes it harder for someone to scan and take in what they need to be able to do their job, whether it involves advising others, making a decision, or remembering your expert advice. In business writing, particularly if a document is complex or technical, you need to be concise and clear. Repetition – and redundancies – can get in the way.