Some words and phrases can usually be omitted without affecting meaning, and omitting them often improves the readability of a sentence.
- as already stated
- in other words
- it goes without saying
- it is important (interesting) to note
- it may be said that
- it stands to reason that
- it was found that
- it was demonstrated that
- needless to say
- take steps to
- the fact that
- the field of
- to be sure
Quite, very, and rather are often overused and misused and can be deleted in many instances. Avoid roundabout and wordy expressions.
| AVOID | BETTER |
| In terms of An increased (decreased) number of As the result of During the time that At this (that) point in time In close proximity to In regard to, with regard to The majority of Produce an inhibitory effect on Commented to the effect that Draws to a close file a lawsuit against Have an effect (impact) on In the vicinity of In those areas where Carry out Look after, take care of Fall off | In, of, for More (fewer) Because of While Now (then) Near About, regarding Most Inhibit Said, stated Sue Affect Near Where Perform, conduct Watch, care for Decline, decrease |
Back-formations. Back-formation is the creation of a new word in the mistaken belief that it was the source of an existing word. Many back-formations are verbs, some of them derived from abstract nouns (ambulate from ambulation, diagnose from diagnosis, dialyze from dialysis) and others from agent nouns, real or supposed (beg from beggar, peddle from peddler, scavenge from scavenger). These examples of back-formations have achieved acceptance; however, many of those pertaining to medical jargon have not, including adhese, cyanose, defervesce, diurese, lyse, necroes, pex (from orchidopexy), plege (from cardioplegia), and torse. Medical jargon also includes many deviant singular forms of nouns derived by back-formation from plural forms (comedone from comedones, plural of comedo; fomite from fomites, plural of fomes) or supposed plural forms (bicep, forcep, pubis). Back-formations not recorded in dictionaries should be avoided in formal technical writing.
- Back-formation: The patient was diuresed.
- Preferred: The patient was given diuretics (or underwent diuresis).
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