Concise writing conveys ideas in the fewest words possible without sacrificing meaning. A concise style enhances readability, improves impact, and eliminates unnecessary words. For related ways to make writing more clear, check out our pages on clarity and plain language.
This page addresses the following areas of conciseness in writing:
- What is Conciseness in Writing?
- How Conciseness Affects Style
- Best Practices for Using Conciseness as a Stylistic Choice
- Eliminate Redundant Words and Phrases
- Avoid Filler Words and Empty Phrases
- Use Strong Verbs Instead of Wordy Phrasing
- Convert Long Clauses into Shorter Constructions
- Remove Unnecessary Qualifiers and Modifiers
- Prefer Active Voice Over Passive Voice
- Trim Excessive Explanations
- Edit Ruthlessly for Brevity
1. What is Conciseness in Writing?
Conciseness means expressing ideas in the most efficient way possible. It eliminates unnecessary words and focuses on the essential message.
Example of wordy writing:
Due to the fact that the meeting was scheduled at a later time than usual, many of the participants found themselves unable to attend.
Concise revision:
✅ Because the meeting was scheduled later, many participants couldn’t attend.
Concise writing is not just about cutting words—it’s about making every word count.
2. How Conciseness Affects Style
Concise writing improves clarity, readability, and engagement. A wordy style can make writing feel sluggish, while a concise style keeps it sharp and dynamic.
Effects of conciseness on writing style:
- Enhances readability: Readers grasp ideas faster.
- Improves impact: Every word carries weight.
- Reduces reader fatigue: Eliminates unnecessary effort in comprehension.
Example of verbose writing:
In light of the fact that the company was experiencing financial difficulties, the decision was made by the board of directors to implement budget cuts.
Concise revision:
✅ Because of financial difficulties, the board decided to cut the budget.
The second version delivers the same information with fewer words and greater impact.
3. Best Practices for Using Conciseness as a Stylistic Choice
Eliminate Redundant Words and Phrases
Many phrases contain built-in redundancy. Removing excess words makes sentences clearer.
Examples:
➡️ Absolutely essential → ✅ Essential
➡️ End result → ✅ Result
➡️ Past history → ✅ History
➡️ Advance planning → ✅ Planning
Redundant sentence:
She made a final decision at the end of the meeting.
Concise revision:
✅ She decided at the end of the meeting.
Avoid Filler Words and Empty Phrases
Some words add no value and only clutter sentences.
Examples:
➡️ In my opinion, I think that → ✅ I think
➡️ There is a possibility that → ✅ Possibly
➡️ The reason why is because → ✅ Because
Wordy sentence:
It is important to note that we must submit the report by Friday.
Concise revision:
✅ We must submit the report by Friday.
Use Strong Verbs Instead of Wordy Phrasing
Weak verbs require extra words to clarify meaning. Strong verbs make sentences more direct.
Examples:
➡️ Make a decision → ✅ Decide
➡️ Give an explanation → ✅ Explain
➡️ Take into consideration → ✅ Consider
➡️ Conduct an investigation → ✅ Investigate
Weak verb usage:
She is giving consideration to the proposal.
Concise revision:
✅ She is considering the proposal.
Convert Long Clauses into Shorter Constructions
Long clauses can often be simplified into more direct forms.
Wordy sentence:
The project, which was started in the early months of the year, has now been successfully completed.
Concise revision:
✅ The project, started early this year, is now complete.
Remove Unnecessary Qualifiers and Modifiers
Words like “very,” “really,” and “actually” often weaken sentences rather than strengthen them.
Examples:
➡️ Really important → ✅ Important
➡️ Very unique → ✅ Unique
➡️ Actually happened → ✅ Happened
Overqualified sentence:
She was very happy and really excited about the opportunity.
Concise revision:
✅ She was thrilled about the opportunity.
Prefer Active Voice Over Passive Voice
Active voice makes writing more direct and concise.
Passive voice (wordy):
The decision to approve the proposal was made by the committee.
Active voice (concise):
✅ The committee approved the proposal.
Trim Excessive Explanations
Unnecessary explanations slow down writing. Assume readers understand basic concepts.
Wordy sentence:
In order to ensure that the product functions as expected, the engineers ran multiple tests.
Concise revision:
✅ To ensure the product works, engineers ran multiple tests.
Edit Ruthlessly for Brevity
The final step to conciseness is thorough editing. Read through your writing with the goal of eliminating anything unnecessary.
Editing tips:
- Remove words that don’t add meaning.
- Combine sentences where possible.
- Read aloud to spot redundancy.
- Use tools like Hemingway Editor to highlight wordy phrasing.
*Content on this page was curated and edited by expert humans with the creative assistance of AI.