Reducing Wordy Expressions
By: Sean Savoie
As discussed last week, business communication is more effective if it is concise. People who speak English as a second language and do business in English are often tempted to use high-level vocabulary words and longer, more complicated expressions. This is a mistake. The goal of business communication, as we will see in future articles, is to be as clear as possible. In addition to revising redundancies, business people should reduce wordy expressions that can clutter communication.
In the pairs of sentences below, noticed how a wordy expression is reduced to its main idea in a more simple form. In each case, the first sentence is wordy and the following sentence is more concise:
We will meet at a later date. We will meet later.
The workers are busy at the present time. The workers are busy now.
I invest for the purpose of profit. I invest for profit.
I have no alternative but to cancel the meeting. I must cancel the meeting.
In addition to your memo, I have read your essay, as well. I have read your essay and memo.
The schedule will change in order to meet deadlines. The schedule will change to meet deadlines.
I am writing in relation to your request. I am writing about your request.
The executives meet on a regular basis. The executives meet regularly.
We can speak at the conclusion of the meeting. We can speak after the meeting.
There is no information at this point in time. There is no information now.
I will pay by means of cash. I will pay in cash.
The payment will arrive on Tuesday due to the fact that Monday is a holiday. The payment will arrive on Tuesday because Monday is a holiday.
The price went up for the simple reason that gas is expensive. The price went up because gas is expensive.
We wrote to you in connection with your request. We wrote to you about your request.
We closed early in order to save money. We closed early to save money.
They sent the product in spite of the fact that payment was not received. They sent the product although payment was not received.
I will contact you in the near future. I will contact you soon.
In view of the fact that gas is expensive, the lights must be turned off. Because gas is expensive, the lights must be turned off.
The main office is located
in
It often happens that prices increase. Prices often increase.
The request on the part of your company was granted. The request by your company was granted.
That product line was discontinued owing to the fact that sales were low. That product line was discontinued because sales were low.
The fact is that they closed. They closed.
We have every order with the exception of your last order. We have every order except your last order.
The changes made in
the sentences above may seem small, but in a larger business communication
these differences add up.