English Vocabulary Errors: Redundancies

Redundancies are unnecessary, repetitious words. They may appear before and after the main word. They make your communication longer, but not better. To improve your English, read through the list of common redundancies below and mark the ones you are familiar with. You may be surprised at how many you have been using! Omit (leave out) the repetitive word and start speaking and writing more clearly, accurately, and professionally. Some redundancies are completely wrong. Some are not wrong, but should only be used if you know why you are using them — for emphasis or differentiation.

Example of redundancy before the main word:

Wrong	The final conclusion was to close the bakery.
Right	The conclusion was to close the bakery.

Example of redundancy after the main word:

Wrong	The companies merged together last year.
Right	The companies merged last year.

5 MOST COMMON REDUNDANCIES:

Wrong	reply back: They replied back yesterday.
Right	reply: They replied yesterday.

Wrong	repeat again: Could you repeat that again, please?
Right	repeat: Could you repeat that, please?

Wrong	return back: Raj returned back yesterday.
Right	return: Raj returned yesterday.

Wrong	cash money: Do you have any cash money?
Right	cash: Do you have any cash?

Wrong	very unique: Your dress is very unique!
Right	unique: Your dress is unique!

COMMON REDUNDANCIES: Before the word

absolutely

absolutely certain
absolutely essential
absolutely guaranteed
absolutely necessary
absolutely sure

advance

advance planning
advance preview
advance reservation
advance warning

completely

completely annihilated
completely destroyed
completely eliminated
completely filled
completely finished
completely surrounded

final

final conclusion
final decision
final outcome
final verdict

new

new beginning
new innovation
new invention

past

past experience
past history
past memories
past records

still

still continues
still persists
still remains

COMMON REDUNDANCIES: After the word

around

circle around
circulate around

back

answer back
repeat back
reply back
return back
retreat back
revert back

forward

advance forward
proceed forward
progress forward

situation

crisis situation
emergency situation

together

assemble together
attach together
cooperate together
collaborate together
connect together
gather together
integrate together
join together
meet together
merge together

possibly

could possibly
may possibly
might possibly

MORE COMMON REDUNDANCIES
Wrong	Right
actual facts	facts
added bonus	bonus
all-time record	record
alternative choice	alternative
armed gunman	gunman
ask a question	ask
assemble together	assemble
at the present time	at present
bald-headed	bald
basic essentials	essentials
basic fundamentals	fundamentals
best ever	best
biography of his/ her life	biography
bouquet of flowers	bouquet
brief moment	moment
classify into groups	classify
compete with each other	compete
current trend	trend
depreciate in value	depreciate
desirable benefits	benefits
disappear from sight	disappear
end result	result
estimated at about	estmated at
exact same	same
face mask	mask
fall down	fall
fellow classmates	classmates
fellow colleagues	colleagues
first began	began
foreign imports	imports
free gift	gift
frozen ice	ice
future plans	plans
general public	public
grow in size	grow
hurry up	hurry
invited guests	guests
irregardless	regardless
joint collaboration	collaboration
kneel down	kneel
lag behind	lag
lift up	lift
natural instinct	instinct
never before	never
old proverb	proverb
pair of twins	twins
period of time	time
personal friend	friend
plan ahead	plan
plan in advance	plan
postpone till later	postpone
reason is because	reason is
reason is why	reason is
rise up	rise
round in shape	round
same identical	same or identical
serious danger	danger
small size	small
soft in texture	soft
sudden impulse	impulse
suddenly exploded	exploded
surrounded on all sides	surrounded
tall in height	tall
tiny bit	bit
true facts	facts
undergraduate student	undergraduate
unexpected surprise	surprise
usual custom	custom
warn in advance	warn