Hack The Flab #1

Hack the flab from your writing or your readers might shout obscenities in your direction stop reading. Avoid the following 10 examples of flab:

1. About – Try not to use this term when you are approximating measurements. Use approximately or a range instead. Ex: About 20 people attended. Better: Approximately 20 people attended. (OR) Between fifteen and twenty people attended.
2. Absolutely essential – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need absolutely. Ex: Water is absolutely essential to this recipe. Better: Water is essential to this recipe.
3. Absolutely necessary – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need absolutely. Ex: Reading is absolutely necessary to write well. Better: Reading is necessary to write well.
4. Accuracy – Nominalization (Wordiness introduced when someone uses the noun equivalent of a verb or adjective). Use the verb or adjective form for more powerful sentences.  Ex: The accuracy of his report wasn’t great. Better: His report wasn’t accurate.
5. Actual facts – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need actual. Ex: Listen to the actual facts of the case. Better: Listen to the facts of the case.
6. Admit to – Flabby expression. Drop to. Ex: You should admit to stealing the coat. Better: You should admit stealing the coat.
7. Advance forward – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need forward. Ex: The army advanced forward. Better: The army advanced.
8. Advance planning – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need advance. Ex: The heist required advance planning. Better: The heist required planning.
9. Advance warning– Redundant Phrase. You don’t need advance. Ex: The storm hit with no advance warning. Better: The storm hit with no warning.
10. Add an additional – Redundant Phrase. You don’t need an additional. Add an additional meal to your daily diet. Better: Add a meal to our daily diet.