words that don't belong
This is the specific four-word instruction Strunk and White give to writers regarding word count
Omit needless words
The needless word in the phrase "return back".
back
Strunk and White suggest cutting these types of words, like "really" or "very," which often dilute a statement's force.
adverbs
Replace the wordy phrase "due to the fact that" with this one-word conjunction.
Because
The unnecessary adjective in the phrase "past history".
past
Instead of writing "The reason why is that...", this single word makes the prose more direct.
because
In the phrase "absolutely essential," what word is a redundancy and should be cut.
absolutely
The redundant word in the sentence: "The students followed after the teacher."
after
The words "kind of" are often just filler and can be omitted entirely.
filler words
"At this point in time" can be effectively reduced to this single, simple word.
now
"A period of time" can be condensed to these two simple words.
a period or time
The wordy expression "The fact that" is described as especially debilitating and can usually be completely eliminated.
The fact that
The rule states vigorous writing is this; it makes every word count
concise
This common phrase about the start of a story contains a completely needless word: "The beginning of the story".
The beginning
Omit needless words to achieve this quality, making your writing lean and clean.
What is clarity