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10 Tips for Writing Clearly and Concisely

The basic rule for strong academic writing is to say everything relevant in as few words as possible. “Instant
prose” can come from being forced to write papers of a particular length or being told that a paragraph must
always contain exactly five sentences. This habit leads to the opposite of conciseness—wordiness in sentences
and redundancy in paragraphs, which can confuse the reader and cloud your ideas.
Basically, clarity is about choosing the right words, whereas conciseness is making sure you don’t use too many.

First Steps:
• Read each paragraph aloud and locate the topic sentence. Be sure that all sentences support the topic
sentence.
• Study sentences in your first draft to see what you can delete without losing meaning.

Replace Words and Phrases:

1. Delete weak intensifiers and qualifiers.
2. Delete redundant words and phrases.
3. Delete unnecessary “to be” verbs.
4. Change negative constructions into positive ones.
5. Follow “this”, “that”, “these”, or “those” with a noun.
6. Use specific nouns and phrases to be precise in meaning.

Revise Sentence Structure:

7. Keep your subjects and main verbs as close together as possible.
8. Watch for sentences and clauses beginning with “it is”, “this is”, or something similar.
9. Try to eliminate extra words wherever you can.
10. Replace wordy embedded questions with more specific noun or verb phrases.

Tips with Examples

Replace Words and Phrases:

1. Delete weak intensifiers and qualifiers; sentences are more forceful without them:

Wordy Clear & Concise

We found the proposal quite feasible. We found the proposal feasible.

The remark, though unkind, was entirely accurate. The remark, though unkind, was accurate.

The scene was extremely typical. The scene was typical.

That behavior is fairly unique for such an intelligent That behavior is unique for such an intelligent animal.
animal.

© The George Mason University Writing Center 2024

 The first line definitely establishes that the father had The first line establishes that the father had been
been drinking. drinking.

2. Delete redundant words and phrases:

Wordy Change Concise

Any student could randomly sit Delete “any” and “randomly”. Students could sit anywhere.
anywhere. (If they could sit “anywhere,”
seating was clearly “random.”)

3. Delete unnecessary “to be” verbs:

Wordy Change Clear & Concise

The scene is taking place at night, “is taking place” -> “takes place” The scene takes place at night, in
in front of the capitol building. Fewer words, more direct front of the capitol building.

Unnecessary “to be” verbs can clog up a sentence and be too indirect. Try to use verb phrases with only one
word.

The friar is knowledgeable that Juliet is alive. The friar knows that Juliet is alive.

There are two pine trees which are growing behind Two pine trees grow behind this house.
this house.

4. Change negative constructions into positive constructions:

Wordy Clear & Concise

Housing for married students is not unworthy of Housing for married students is worthy of consideration.
consideration.

5. Follow “this”, “that”, “these”, or “those” with a noun, or replace it with a clearer phrase.

Wordy Clear
This contributed to the lack of believability in the This duplicity contributed to the lack of believability in the
story. story.

6. Use specific nouns and phrases so that sentences are concrete in their conclusions instead of raising
more questions:

Wordy Change Clear & Concise

In both Orwell’s and Baldwin’s “feeling” (vague) -> Both Orwell and Baldwin trace the
essays, the feeling of white “consequences” (specific) consequences of white supremacy.
supremacy is very important. (This revision states its point
(This raises the questions: How is “is very important” (vague) -> “trace conclusively.)
it important? Why?) the consequences” (specific)

© The George Mason University Writing Center 2024

Revise Sentence Structure:
7. Keep your subject and main verb as close together as possible:

Wordy Change Clear & Concise

In Johnson (2014), the main More concise subject and main Researchers in Johnson (2014)
purpose of the researcher’s social verb measured SOCI 600 students’
experiment that observed college responses to certain stimuli in a
students who take SOCI 600 was Rearrange the sentence so that the social experiment.
to measure their responses to main verb follows the subject as
certain stimuli. closely as possible

8. Watch for sentences or clauses that begin with “it is”, “this is”, or something similar; these can often
be made more direct with strong subjects and verbs at the beginning:

Wordy Change Clear & Concise

The Book of Ruth was probably Join the two sentences, delete “it The Book of Ruth was probably
written in the fifth century B.C. It is” written in the fifth century B.C.,
was a time when women were when women were considered the
considered the property of men. property of men.
This is a quote from Black Elk’s Reduce the relative clause This quote from Black Elk’s
autobiography that discloses his “this is a quote... that discloses” -> autobiography discloses his
prophetic powers. “this quote... discloses” prophetic powers.
It is frequently considered that Make Hamlet the subject Hamlet is frequently considered
Hamlet is Shakespeare’s most Shakespeare’s most puzzling play.
puzzling play.

9. Try to eliminate extra words, especially at the beginning of sentences, and use specific subjects, verbs,
and objects:

Wordy Change Clear & Concise

However, it must be remembered Pare down wordy beginning Ruth’s marriage, however, will
that Ruth’s marriage could have provide security for Naomi.
positive effects on Naomi’s Place “Ruth’s marriage” directly at
situation. the beginning as a subject

Use a more direct verb and a

specific object
In high school, where I had the Pare down wordy beginning to one In high school, during three years
opportunity for three years of prepositional phrase on the student council, I saw
working with the student students’ enthusiasm destroyed by
government, I realized how Use more specific phrases insecure teachers and cynical
significantly a person’s enthusiasm administrators.
can be destroyed merely by the
attitudes of his superiors.

The economic situation of Anne Use specific nouns and verbs Anne Moody’s poverty also helped
Moody was also a crucial factor in form her character.
the formation of her character.

© The George Mason University Writing Center 2024

 Frequently, a chapter in a book Simplify, simplify, simplify A chapter’s title often reveals its
reveals to the reader the main thesis.
point that the author desires to
bring out during the course of the
chapter.

10. Replace embedded questions with clearer noun or verb phrases:

Wordy Change Clear & Concise

HIV-AIDS education should be Embedded question to noun HIV-AIDS education should be
focused on sexual education, but phrase focused on sexual education, but
the actual facts about what the the actual facts about the disease
disease is and how it affects and its effects are just as
people are just as important. important.
The extent of the conversation is Embedded question to verb phrase The extent of the conversation
what drives the plot. drives the plot.

Adapted from Barnet, Sylvan and Marcia Stubbs. Barnett and Stubbs Practical Guide to Writing. Boston and Toronto: Little,
Brown and Company, 1980.
Last updated 4/21/2020

© The George Mason University Writing Center 2024