Get rid of these phrases in English if you don't want to sound silly and pompous
Be careful what you say or type at work - it can backfire. Dozens of grammar experts have revealed what worries them most when talking to employees and reading emails or private messages from them. Most common complaint? All “garbage” words and phrases. What are these words and how can they be replaced, the publication said CNBC.
Too many of us fill our conversations with useless, awkward, and pretentious words and phrases, especially those that have repetitive meanings. In some cases, they are not technically incorrect, but it is always better—and safer—to err on the side of caution and adhere to standard business communication practices.
1 AM in the morning
AM is short for ante meridiem, which means "before noon," so if you use the full phrase, you're effectively saying "3 p.m. before noon." Just say 3 AM (or other time). It's the same with PM.
2. Absolutely essential
One of the dictionary definitions of essential is absolutely essential, which means “absolutely, absolutely necessary.” Obviously, the modifier is absolutely not important at all.
Avoid using this phrase unless it is casual conversation and you are using it to emphasize the need for something.
3. Actual fact
Fact is what is known as truth, and actual means “what actually exists.” So real fact pretty much just means "actual fact." It's better to just use fact.
4. At this point in time / at the present point in time
Most linguists complain about these phrases. Why not just say now. It's much shorter.
5. Depreciate in value (depreciated in value)
By itself, depreciate means "cost reduction". There is no need to add an extra word value to it.
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6. Eliminate completely / eliminate entirely
Eliminate means "completely eliminate". You cannot partially exclude something, so you do not need to specify how much you are eliminating.
7. Combine together / join together
Combine means "to combine or mix two or more things." You don't need together as it is already implied. It's the same with join.
8. End result / final outcome
The result is something at the end. You don't need to distinguish it from the initial result or the average result, since such things do not exist.
The same idea with final outcome: result means how something turns out; this is already final without adding the word final.
9. Estimated at about
When you evaluate something, you are roughly calculating. And why add about?
10. Exact same
If something is the same as something else, there is no difference between them. You can say nearly the same, but exact same means just the same. Although some guides and dictionaries say this is okay, and this phrase is used to emphasize that something is literally the same, repetition still remains and is best avoided.
11. Favorable approval
The approval is always positive, so no adjective is needed here. And, of course, if it's not favorable, then it's disapproval, not unfavorable approval.
12. Feel badly
For some reason, a lot of people think that adding -ly to bad sounds better, so they say I feel badly instead of I feel bad. But it's not right. You don't say I feel greatly.
The only time you should say you feel bad is if you touch something physically and you don't like it.
13.General consensus of opinion
Consensus is a generally accepted opinion. So the general consensus of opinion is wrong. Consensus itself conveys the essence, and more succinctly.
14. In close proximity
Here's another redundancy in action. Synonym for proximity is closeness. So in close proximity gives proximity overload. Even though this phrase has become so widely used, it is best to simply say close.
15. In my opinion (in my opinion)
When you share your point of view or opinion, readers already understand that it is your opinion. There is no need to use this tired phrase - unless, of course, you are opposing your opinion with others. If you really need to make this clear, choose the simpler option I think...
16. In the final analysis (ultimately)
This phrase sounds pompous and slang. Instead of four words, use only one: Finally.
17. In the process of
If you are doing something, it means that you have started something and continue to do something. But this is a clumsy, often unnecessary phrase that is usually used in confusing sentences.
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18. Most unique
It appears frequently on irritant lists. Unique means "unlike anything else." Thus, there can be no gradation of uniqueness.
19. Past history / past memories / past records
All those words without the past already refer to the past, so you don't need to clarify - unless you're writing a science fiction novel and refer to future and past history through time travel.
20. Postpone until later
Of course, if you are going to put something off, you are going to do it for later. What are you going to do otherwise, to postpone for an earlier time? Always exclude until later from this phrase.
21. The reason being / the reason why
It sounds wordy and pretentious. The office was empty at noon, the reason being that everyone was at lunch. Why not say because instead?
22. Summarize briefly
To summarize means to give a brief overview or statement, therefore summarize briefly means to give a summary in a nutshell. Don't use brief and briefly.
23. Situation
It's a modern trend that many hate: adding the word "situation" to describe any event. For example, Be prepared for a strong wind situation. Why can't you just say strong wind?
24. Wise (wise)
This is another example of adding something unnecessary. People add the suffix -wise to words to make them more significant. But that might sound pretty ridiculous. In other words, you will actually sound much worse grammatically if you add this unnecessary suffix.
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