{"id":8175,"date":"2019-08-12T17:00:14","date_gmt":"2019-08-13T00:00:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/?p=8175"},"modified":"2019-08-13T04:54:12","modified_gmt":"2019-08-13T11:54:12","slug":"wordy-sentences-killing-your-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kibin.com\/essay-writing-blog\/wordy-sentences-killing-your-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Wordy Sentences Are Killing Your Writing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Teachers often assign essays that have to meet a minimum word, paragraph, or page count. Unfortunately, this often leads to a paper littered with wordy sentences. Instead of adding more context or evidence to your thesis, you end up with a lot of fluff.<\/span><\/p>\n

While the most important thing in your mind is meeting that word count, being too wordy can make your argument less impactful. Trust me\u2014I know. The first 4,000-word paper I wrote was wordy and redundant, earning me the only D I\u2019ve ever gotten on an essay. <\/span><\/p>\n

But I\u2019ve learned a lot in the 10 years since then, and now you get to benefit from that knowledge.<\/span><\/p>\n

Long Sentences vs. Wordy Sentences<\/span><\/h2>\n

Before we get into why and how to avoid wordiness, we should first look at what it actually is. I don\u2019t know if you\u2019ve noticed, but I write some pretty long sentences. Does that make them wordy? <\/span><\/p>\n

Not necessarily. In fact, long sentences are important\u2014as long as you vary the length<\/a> of your sentences. If you wrote a whole essay using nothing but short sentences, it would sound choppy. See this paragraph revamped as short sentences, for example:<\/span><\/p>\n

The original version was much better because it flowed better from one sentence to the next.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the other side of the spectrum, you can have short <\/span>and<\/span><\/i> wordy sentences. Wordiness isn\u2019t about length\u2014it\u2019s about content.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a look at these sentences:<\/span><\/p>\n

While both sentences are short, the first has too many unnecessary words. The second gets the same message across without losing any meaning or context. Many teachers, writers, and readers would say it even sounds stronger than the first.<\/span><\/p>\n

So what is wordiness? Simply put, it\u2019s filling your sentences with unnecessary words.<\/span><\/p>\n

Why Should You Avoid Wordy Sentences?<\/span><\/h2>\n

So you have a few unnecessary words in your sentences. What\u2019s the big deal?<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s true that you probably won\u2019t fail your paper just because you have some wordiness. But it can detract from the impact of your essay. And if there\u2019s <\/span>too much<\/span><\/i> wordiness, it makes it hard for your readers to find the important information you\u2019ve worked so hard to include.<\/span><\/p>\n

Concise language also makes you sound more confident as a writer. Take these two thesis statements<\/a>, for example:<\/span>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Do you see how much clearer and more assured the second sentence is? It cut out the weasel words and the mention of the writer, leaving only what\u2019s important. The intent is clear. <\/span><\/p>\n

That\u2019s <\/span><\/i>what you want in your own writing.<\/span><\/p>\n

How<\/span><\/i> to Avoid Wordy Sentences<\/span><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s one thing to understand why you should avoid wordiness, but you also need to know how. Don\u2019t worry\u2014I have you covered there too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take yourself out of the equation<\/h3>\n

What I\u2019m referring to here are those \u201cI believe,\u201d \u201cI think,\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m going to show\u201d statements. Unless you\u2019re writing a personal essay that specifically requests experiences from your own life, you shouldn\u2019t refer to yourself at all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Writing in the third person<\/span><\/a> not only cuts down on wordy sentences but also makes you sound more credible. It gives your voice more authority<\/a> too.<\/span><\/p>\n

Use stronger words<\/h3>\n

Adjectives and adverbs can be helpful. They often fill in specific details for your readers and give them a clear picture<\/a> of what you\u2019re describing. However, students and writers sometimes overuse adjectives and adverbs when they could have instead chosen a stronger noun or verb.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take a look at the following examples. You probably won\u2019t have these specific phrases in your essay, but it gives you a good idea of how you can use stronger words<\/a> to reduce wordiness.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n
    \n
  1. Walked leisurely \u2192 sauntered<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Very tall man \u2192 giant<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Shook violently \u2192 convulsed<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n

    Stronger nouns and verbs aren\u2019t always going to be at the tip of your tongue, so don\u2019t be afraid to use a thesaurus. Just be careful not to overuse it. After all, you don\u2019t want your readers to have to use a thesaurus just to get through your essay.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Cut out weasel words<\/h3>\n

    Weasel words<\/span><\/a> are words writers use that aren\u2019t necessary at all. They just seem to weasel their way into sentences without writers noticing. They\u2019re not always easy to spot because we tend to use them when we speak. But unless you\u2019re writing a very conversational piece, it\u2019s best to be on the lookout for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

    A quick search online will show you lots of weasel word lists, but here are some of the most common ones:<\/span><\/p>\n