5 - D-2019 - X1-32
ANSWER KEY
PLEONASM* EXERCISE
In the following exercise you will be presented with some sentences
containing redundant words. You have to select which words are unnecessary.
* Pleonasm = the use of more words than are necessary to convey meaning
(e.g. see with one's eyes), either as a fault of style or for emphasis
CLOSELY RELATED TERMS: Redundancy / Verbosity / Verbiage / Superfluity /
Wordiness
1. Tim and Paul decided to return again for a second time to
the old ancient house.
a) again
b) ancient or old
c) decided
d) for a second time
2. It is usually his custom to visit the houses of the affluent
rich.
a) custom
b) usually
c) affluent or rich
d) visit
3. The group wanted to climb up to the very summit at the
top of the mountain.
a) climb
b) up
c) at the top of the mountain
d) very
4. Thanks to their joint collaboration the archeologists found
the handwritten manuscript in the destroyed ruins of the
monastery.
a) archaeologists
b) joint
c) handwritten
d) destroyed
5. The missiles are able to hit their intended targets
accurately with precise precision.
a) intended
b) missiles
c) precise
d) accurately
Copy and paste the redundant word or words
(Questions 6 – 10) in these sentences into the box
below each sentence.
6. The amount of money available was not sufficient enough.
enough
Pattern: adjective + enough (Post-positioning of enough)
CF enough + noun
7. The missile attack was an unexpected surprise.
unexpected
8. The blue vase was completely and totally unique.
completely / totally
9. The wall was marred by a small, tiny speck of paint.
small / tiny
10. Last Thursday, The Chief of Police deviated from his
regular, usual routine.
regular / usual
ANSWERS-CUM-EXPLANATIONS
1d
2 c (Choose either affluent or rich.)
3c
4 b [ ‘collaboration’]
5c
6 The correct answer is: enough / 'Enough' is redundant here
as it is a repeat of 'sufficient'
SHORT NOTE
REDUNDANCY
In English usage, redundancy is usually defined as the use of two or more
words that say the same thing, but we also use the term to refer to any
expression in which a modifier’s meaning is contained in the word it
modifies (e.g., early beginnings / merge together). Think of redundancies
as word overflows.
7 The correct answer is: unexpected / A surprise is always
unexpected.
8 The correct answer is: completely / totally / An absolute
adjective, unique does NOT take an intensifying adverb.
SHORT NOTE
Absolute Adjectives (or non-gradable adjectives) express ideas that
cannot be graded. They do not have comparative or superlative forms.
There are very few non-gradable adjectives, some of which are: absolute,
impossible, principal, adequate, inevitable, sufficient, complete, main,
unanimous, unavoidable, entire, minor, fatal, unique, final, universal, ideal,
whole, preferable, dead
9 The correct answer is: small, tiny / Specks are always
small and, for that matter, tiny. / CONCISION, however,
would require only ‘paint’.
SHORT NOTE
CONCISION
(alternatively brevity, laconicism, terseness, or conciseness) is the
cutting out of unnecessary words while conveying an idea. It aims to
enhance communication by eliminating redundancy without omitting
important information.
10 The correct answer is: regular, usual / A routine is always
regular and usual.
