Why Less Is Often More in English

Imagine you’re telling your friend:

“Please repeat it again one more time.”

It sounds polite, but did you know it’s actually redundant?
In English, clarity and precision make your speech and writing stronger. Redundancy means using more words than necessary, which can make your sentences sound wordy, awkward, or repetitive.

By learning to spot and remove redundancy, you’ll make your English clearer, more natural, and more professional. In language, just like in design or art, sometimes less really is more! 🌱✨

🧩 Detailed Explanation: What is Redundancy?

Redundancy is when words repeat an idea unnecessarily, without adding new meaning.
It often happens because we want to sound formal, polite, or emphasize something — but instead, we end up saying the same thing twice.

✅ Common Types of Redundancy:

1️⃣ Repeating the same meaning:

• “Free gift” → all gifts are free, so just say “gift.”

• “Past history” → history is already about the past, so just say “history.”

• “Advance planning” → planning is always done in advance, so just say “planning.”

2️⃣ Using unnecessary modifiers:

• “Absolutely essential” → just say “essential.”

• “Completely finished” → just say “finished.”

• “Close proximity” → just say “proximity.”

3️⃣ Doubling verbs or adverbs:

• “Return back” → just say “return.”

• “Repeat again” → just say “repeat.”

📝 Why do people use redundant expressions?

✅ Habit or speaking quickly
✅ Wanting to sound formal or polite
✅ Trying to emphasize an idea

But in good writing and speaking, it’s better to keep it clear and simple.

✏ How to avoid redundancy?

• Check if words repeat the same idea.

• Ask yourself: Does removing this word change the meaning?

• Read aloud: sometimes redundancy is easier to hear.

🌟 Summary:

• Redundancy = unnecessary repetition.

• It makes English wordy and less clear.

• Remove extra words to make sentences precise and natural.

📝 10 Multiple-choice Quiz (Redundancy)