Dog Puppies

Common Redundant Expressions

By Y. L. D.

(Delete the parenthetical words.)

(a bolt of) lightning

(a distance of) ten yards

(a) myriad (of) sources

(absolute) guarantee

(absolutely) essential

(absolutely) sure

(actual) experience

add (an additional)

(advance) planning

(advance) reservations

(advance) warning

all meet (together)

alongside (of)

(already) existing

aluminum (metal)

(and) moreover

(as) for example

ask (a question)

(as to) whether

(as) yet

(at a) later (date)

(at) (about)

at (the) present (time)

at (12) noon

at (12) midnight

at some time (to come)

(awkward) predicament

(baby) boy was born

bald(-headed)

(basic) fundamentals

blend (together)

bouquet (of flowers)

(brief) moment

burn (down)

burn (up)

(but) however

(but) nevertheless

came (at a time) when

cancel (out)

(chief) protagonist

climb (up)

(close) proximity

(close) scrutiny

(cold) facts

collaborate (together)

combine (together)

commute (back and forth)

(complete) monopoly

(completely) destroyed

(completely) filled

consensus (of opinion)

continue (on)

(continue to) remain

(current) fad

(current) trend

(currently) being

dates (back)

(definite) decision

descend (down)

(different) kinds

(difficult) dilemma

(direct) confrontation

do (over) (again)

drop (down)

during (the course of)

dwindled (down)

each (and every)

earlier (in time)

either (and/or both)

(empty) space

(end) result

enter (in)

equal (to one another)

eradicate (completely)

(established) fact

estimated at (about)

estimated (roughly) at

(every) now and then

(exact) opposites

face (up to)

(false) pretenses

(fellow) classmates

few (in number)

filled (to capacity)

(finally) ended

(first) began

first (of all)

follow (after)

for (a period of) 10 days

(foreign) imports

forever (and ever)

(free) gift

(free) pass

(future) plans

gather (together)

(general) conclusion

(general) custom

(general) public

(glowing) ember

golden (wedding) anniversary

(grand) total

(guest) speaker

had done (previously)

(hard) facts

heat (up)

(hostile) antagonist

(hot) water heater

I (myself personally)

indicted (on a charge)

(integral) part

introduced (a new)

introduced (for the first time)

invited (guests)

(ir)regardless

is (now) pending

join (together)

(just) exactly

(just) recently

kneel (down)

last (of all)

lift (up)

(local) residents

look back (in retrospect)

lose (out)

(major) breakthrough

(mass) media

may (possibly)

mean it (sincerely)

(mental) telepathy

merged (together)

meshed (together)

(midway) between

might (possibly)

mix (together)

(mutual) cooperation

my (personal) opinion

(native) habitat

(natural) instinct

never (at any time)

never (before)

(new) beginning

(new) bride

(new) construction

(new) record

(new) recruit

no trespassing (allowed)

none (at all)

(null and) void

off (of)

(official) business

officiated (at the ceremony)

(old) adage

(old) cliché

(old) pioneer

(old) proverb

(one and the) same

(originally) created

over (and done with)

(over) exaggerate

over (with)

(pair of) twins

(partially) damaged

(partially) destroyed

(passing) fad

(past) experience

(past) history

(past) memories

(past) records

permeate (throughout)

penetrate (into)

(perfect) ideal

period (of time)

(personal) charm

(personal) friendship

(personal) opinion

(pitch) black

pizza (pie)

plan (ahead)

(possibly) might

postponed (until later)

(pre-)plan

(pre-)recorded

(present) incumbent

(private) industry

probed (into)

proceed (ahead)

protest (against)

protrude (out)

(rate of) speed

recur (again)

refer (back)

reflect (back)

repeat (again)

reply (back)

reported (to the effect) that

revert (back)

rose (to his feet)

(rough) rule of thumb

(rustic) (country)

(same) (identical)

(separate) entities

share (together)

since (the time when)

skipped (over)

soaked (to the skin)

(specific) example

spell out (in detail)

stacked (together)

start (out)

started (off) with

(still) persists

(still) remains

(suddenly) collapsed

(suddenly) exploded

sufficient (enough)

(sum) (total)

summer (season)

swoop (down)

(sworn) affidavits

talking (out loud)

(temporary) reprieve

(therapeutic) treatment

(thorough) investigation

together (at the same time)

(true) facts

2 a.m. (in the morning)

undergraduate (student)

(underground) subway

(unexpected) surprise

(unintentional) mistake

(usual) custom

(when and) if

whether (or not)

written (down)

(young) foal

(young) lad

The above collection is from a one-page, undated reprint titled Dog Puppies. The page heading is
DAY: ECONOMICS OF WRITING and the brief accompanying statement is:

This is a list of redundancies compiled from business and technical writing that have fallen victim to my red ink. The word or words in parentheses should be deleted.
-- Y. L. D.

Two internet references, Escoe/Bliss Communication and Debbie Campbell, identify the author as
Yvonne Lewis Day

The following are some of my favorites not included above.

(%) APR
AC (current)
(actual) facts
all (of)
(almost exactly)
(annual) anniversary (year)
ATM (machine)
cheap (price)
CNN (News)
cold (temperature)
(false) rumor
Fast (speed)

(head) honcho
high (rate of) speed
HIV (virus)
hot (temperature)
ISBN (number)
minestrone (soup)
(Mt.) Fujiyama
PIN (number)
rain (shower activity)
RAM (memory)
reason is (because)
Rio Grande (River)

Sahara (desert)
Sierra Nevada (mountains)
slow (speed)
small (size)
(the) hoi polloi
(the) La Brea (tar) pits
(un)loosen
UPC (code)
warmer (temperatures)
(year) 2000
young (age)

Note: The word Redundancy in the British sense means a kind of employment termination.

Also see: -- Banished Words, Brain Candy, Confusing Words, English Errors, Grammar LadyStraight Dope, TopSkills, Word Pirates

Revised: May 2, 2007