ACT English: Wordiness and Redundancy on the ACT

Mastering conciseness is not just about writing well—it's about scoring high. On the ACT English test, the most grammatically correct answer can still be wrong if it's unnecessarily long or repetitive. The test evaluates your ability to recognize clear, direct, and effective writing, making wordiness and redundancy a frequent and decisive battleground for points.

The Core Principle: Concise and Clear

The governing rule for all ACT English questions is to choose the answer that is grammatically correct and clear in meaning while also being as concise as possible. This doesn't mean the shortest answer is always right; it must first be grammatically sound and must not change the intended meaning of the original sentence. However, when multiple choices are grammatically acceptable, the most concise one is almost always correct. Your job is to become a skilled editor, cutting away the fat without harming the muscle of the sentence's meaning.

Identifying and Eliminating Redundancy

Redundancy occurs when two words in a phrase express the same idea. One of the words is unnecessary because its meaning is already contained in the other. The ACT loves to hide these in answer choices, and recognizing them is a quick way to eliminate incorrect options.

• Example: "She circled around the building."
• Analysis: To "circle" inherently means to go around. The word "around" is redundant. The concise correction is "She circled the building."
• Common Redundant Pairs to Memorize:
• absolutely essential (if something is essential, it's absolute)
• advance planning (planning is done in advance)
• basic fundamentals (fundamentals are basic)
• consensus of opinion (a consensus is an opinion agreed upon)
• end result (a result is an end)
• free gift (gifts are free)
• future plans (plans are for the future)
• pair of twins (twins are a pair)
• past history (history is the past)
• sum total (a total is a sum)

On the test, if you see an answer choice containing a phrase like this, it is almost certainly incorrect.

Simplifying Wordy Constructions

Wordy constructions use several words when one or two would suffice. They often involve prepositional phrases or roundabout ways of stating a simple idea. Your task is to simplify without altering meaning.

• Example (Wordy): "The decision was made by the committee in the morning."
• Analysis: This passive, phrase-heavy construction is clunky. A more concise, active revision is: "The committee decided in the morning."
• Common Wordy Phrases and Their Concise Alternatives:
• at this point in time → now
• due to the fact that → because
• in order to → to
• in the event that → if
• on the subject of → about
• the manner in which → how
• is able to → can
• make an amendment to → amend

Look for answers that replace these bulky phrases with their simpler, direct equivalents.

Cutting Unnecessary Modifiers and Intensifiers

Unnecessary modifiers are adjectives or adverbs that add no meaningful information because the idea is already implied by the word they are modifying. Intensifiers (like "very," "really," "extremely") are often empty calories in a sentence—they add emphasis but rarely substance, and the ACT prefers stronger base verbs or adjectives instead.

• Example (Unnecessary Modifier): "He nodded his head in agreement."
• Analysis: What else would you nod? The modifier "his head" is unnecessary. "He nodded in agreement" is concise and clear.
• Example (Empty Intensifier): "The test was very difficult."
• Analysis: While not grammatically wrong, "very difficult" is weaker than a more precise adjective like "grueling" or "arduous." On the ACT, if an answer choice replaces a phrase like "very small" with "minute" or "tiny," the more precise single word is likely correct.

Always ask: Does this modifier change the meaning or just restate what's already obvious? If it's the latter, it can probably be cut.

The Strategic Approach to ACT Questions

When you encounter a question that seems to test conciseness, follow this process:

1. Read the underlined portion and the immediate context.
2. Identify the simplest, most direct way to express the idea. Mentally rephrase it.
3. Examine the answer choices. Immediately eliminate any that contain clear redundancies (e.g., "free gift") or are noticeably more convoluted than your mental paraphrase.
4. Check the surviving options for grammar and meaning. Ensure the concise choice doesn't create a grammatical error (like a fragment) or change the author's intended meaning.
5. Select the most concise, grammatically sound option.

Remember, "OMIT the underlined portion" is a legitimate answer choice. Often, the most concise correction is to delete unnecessary words entirely.

Common Pitfalls

Pitfall 1: Choosing "Sounds Right" Over "Is Concise."

• Mistake: A wordy or redundant option may sound formal or impressive, leading you to select it.
• Correction: Trust the rule, not your ear. The ACT consistently rewards brevity. If an option says the same thing with fewer words, it's likely correct.

Pitfall 2: Deleting Necessary Information.

• Mistake: Taking conciseness too far and choosing an option that is grammatically incomplete or removes key details from the original sentence.
• Correction: Preserving meaning is the non-negotiable first step. Conciseness is the tie-breaker between otherwise equal choices. Always ask, "Does this shorter version still say what the author meant to say?"

Pitfall 3: Overlooking Subtle Redundancy.

• Mistake: Missing common pairs like "consensus of opinion" because they are used frequently in everyday speech.
• Correction: Memorize the common redundant pairs listed earlier. Train your eye to see them as a single unit of error.

Pitfall 4: Ignoring the "OMIT" Choice.

• Mistake: Automatically skipping the "OMIT" option because you assume something must be wrong.
• Correction: Always evaluate "OMIT" seriously. If the sentence is grammatically complete and clearer without the underlined words, "OMIT" is the most concise answer possible.

Summary

• The most concise grammatically correct answer that preserves the sentence's meaning is the right choice on the ACT English test.
• Redundancy uses two words that mean the same thing (e.g., "past history"); eliminate the extra word.
• Wordy constructions use phrases where a single word would do (e.g., "due to the fact that" → "because"); simplify them.
• Unnecessary modifiers and empty intensifiers add no real information (e.g., "nodded his head," "very big"); cut or replace them with stronger words.
• Strategically eliminate answer choices containing known errors, and always consider the "OMIT" option as a legitimate path to maximum conciseness.