Are you guilty of using as many of these redundant expressions as I am?
False Patriot practicing, reyna7. tripod.com
Until I began looking at these expressions, I had no clue how many of them I had been speaking and writing. Once you look at the expression and explore what it really means, you will see that a redundant expression is just needless repetition. In spontaneous speech, redundancy is forgivable, but we need to cut it out of our writing unless it is one of a character’s traits.
After explaining why each expression is redundant, I will give you two sentences. The first will have the redundant expression; the second will not.
cacophony of sound – A cacophony is a harsh and meaningless mixture of sounds. It is not a harsh and meaningless mixture of anything but sounds.
A cacophony of sound filled the auditorium and made it impossible for the band to practice.
A cacophony filled the auditorium and made it impossible for the band to practice.
CAD software, www.archiexpo.com
CAD design – CAD stands for computer-aided design. So, if you say CAD design, you are really saying computer-aided design design. Is that something you really want to say? Do you want to be known for repeating yourself?
Marsha wants to study CAD design in college.
Marsha wants to study CAD in college.
came at a time when – The prepositional phrase “at a time” makes this expression redundant. “When” is a word that points at the time of occurrence.
The news came at a time when it was needed the most.
The news came when it was needed the most.
newspaper, pixabay
cancel out – When you cancel something, such as a newspaper subscription, you do away with it and it just disappears.
Please cancel out my membership in the club.
Please cancel my membership in the club.
careful scrutiny – Scrutiny is defined as a close and searching look. Whatever you are looking at in scrutiny is being looked at in minute detail. How much more careful can you be?
The detective examined the crime scene with careful scrutiny.
The detective examined the crime scene with scrutiny.
cash, wikipedia
cash money – Cash is money. Money is money. Why would you want to say both words when one is sufficient? I can understand that maybe a person would think that there is a need for it to be clear they are using cash and not a credit card (plastic money). In that instance, cash would suffice.
The newlyweds used cash money to pay for their new furniture.
The newlyweds used cash to pay for their new furniture.
cease and desist – Cease means to stop or discontinue. Desist means to stop or cease.
You need to cease and desist from cheating on your tests before you are caught.
You need to cease from cheating on your tests before you are caught.
Recommended Article: Redundant Expressions from Absolutely Certain to Advance Warning
