How does proofreading reduce redundancy?

Redundancy in writing is the unnecessary repetition or duplication of words, phrases, sentences, ideas, information, etc. – in other words, anything that may be removed without a loss in meaning or significance.

Now, we must remember that redundancy in writing is not always a bad thing. It is used quite effectively in literary writing to add emphasis, for rhetorical effect, to aid in the rhythm of sentences in order to make them easier to read. However, most forms of writing, particularly business writing, need to avoid redundancies to keep the document clean and succinct. This is because superfluous words can not only distract the reader, but also complicate the meaning of the writing. Words and information that only add unnecessary length simply make the writing longer and contribute next to nothing to the quality.

So, how can we avoid these mistakes? The easiest method is to make sure we proofread our writing at every stage. Proofreading can help in highlighting many common redundancies that we tend to overlook while writing. It also helps us keep the main theme/topic of our writing in mind and check if the idea has been conveyed in the draft, from start to finish.

Here are 5 ways in which proofreading your writing can help remove those pesky redundancies. 

You can either read the blog below or play the video. If you’d like to learn more about proofreading, do enroll in our BEST SELLING course on Udemy: Practical Tips on Proofreading Effectively.

1. Proofreading Draws attention to detail

We have all had days where we’ve written without paying attention to what we’re typing out. As a result, we’ve used redundant phrases (“revert back”, “repeat again”, “close proximity”, etc.) without even realizing it. Since many of these phrases are commonly used in everyday language, it is akin to muscle memory to unconsciously use them in our writing. This is where proofreading helps. It forces us to read through iterations of the same document while paying attention to each word, thus helping us pick out these redundances and removing them from the document.

2. Picks out double negatives

We have all fallen on the sword of the double negative, often without realizing it. There are, of course, instances where the double negative can be used to highlight certain ideas or for irony. Apart from those instances, it is advisable to avoid double negatives since they only make things confusing. Proofreading our writing can bring these double negatives to light. Not only will their removal shorten the sentence, but also make the meaning clearer.

a woman proofreading

3. Removes unnecessary emphasis

There are times when we feel the need to emphasize on certain points while writing. To do this, we turn towards redundant expressions since they are structured in a manner that appears to add power or weight to our sentence. Take advertising, for example. How many “added bonuses” and “free gifts” have we been bombarded with? A proofreader helps us get rid of these superfluous expressions, leaving behind a document that still manages to get the point across.

4. Improves flow and conciseness

There are times when we end up writing sentences that are too wordy (often to hit our word count targets!) Now, this is not to state that lengthy sentences can never be used (because they absolutely can), but it can take away from the point the sentence was trying to convey in the first place. According to William Strunk and E.B. White, writers should strive to put statements in the positive form since readers prefer to be told what is, as opposed to what is not. So, writing “She was late” is more effective than writing “She was not on time.” These are subtle alterations, but make a big difference to our writing, and are meant to be picked up during the proofreading process.

5. Prevents overuse of adverbs

While adverbs aren’t always a bad thing, they can often become the source of shocking redundancies (“shouted loudly”, “raced hurriedly”, “whispered softly”), which is why writers need to pay careful attention while using them. This is where proofreading steps in. A closer examination of the document can help us understand if there are an inordinate amount of “ly” adverbs, and then take the steps necessary to remove them or replace them with a stronger verb.

We hope these proofreading online tips will help you improve your writing. For more tips on proofreading, do enroll in our course Practical Tips on Proofreading Effectively on Udemy.