Do you repeat yourself? Do you say the same thing over and over again? Tautological phrases repeat what has already been said using different words (which defines the second sentence of this paragraph). Eliminating tautological phrases can strengthen your writing.
According to Wikipedia, tautology is considered a fault of style and was defined by Henry Watson Fowler (1858-1933) in A Dictionary of Modern English Usage (1926), a style guide to British English usage, pronunciation and writing.
Delete the following phrases to strengthen your writing:
Free gift
Planning ahead
ATM machine (the M stands for machine, so if we write ATM machine, we are actually writing Automatic Teller Machine machine)
Unsolved mystery
Honest truth
Complete opposite
6 a.m. in the morning
End result
True fact
Fall down
Unconfirmed rumor
Short summary
New Innovation
What tautological phrases do you use in your writing, or see in the writings of others?
Write soon,
Mary
Hi Mary,
ReplyDeleteInteresting topic and list. Right now I can't think of any, except for maybe "right now."
Donna
TELLDATE- DADTERA- POPPINDA giving it on REDPATH- HEATU- ORGEUN- PEQUE.
ReplyDeleteNow I am going to be on the lookout for these. Thanks for making me aware of this.
ReplyDelete