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Sep 23

Checking your reflexive pronouns yourself

Posted on Thursday, September 23, 2010 in Incorrect word usage, Misused words and expressions, Redundant word usage

The reflexive pronouns are:
myself
yourself
himself/herself/itself
ourselves
yourselves
themselves.

themself, ourself, theirselves, or hisself are not words

Never use a -self word in the same sentence as a reflexive pronoun.

You can read more details from Everything Language and Grammar here and here.

Mar 14

You would never say, "The reason is the reason."

Posted on Sunday, March 14, 2010 in Redundant word usage

Reason is because
because means for the reason that so don’t use it with reason

Reason is why
the reason is already the why so don’t use it with reason

For more information, visit because and why at Everything Language and Grammar.

Sep 15

One of these words is not absolutely essential

Posted on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 in Redundant word usage

Here are a few more redundant phrases that are used often.

essential, not absolutely essential [essential means necesssary]

same, not exactly the same [same means identical]

unite, not unite together [unite means to come together]

unique, not very unique [unique means one of a kind]

Sep 12

Why don't they ask for your future experience?

Posted on Saturday, September 12, 2009 in Redundant word usage

These are crazy redundant phrases that are used often.

experience, not past experience [all experience is in the past]

innovation, not new innovation [all innovations are new]

plans, not future plans [all plans are in the future]

Sep 2

Don't be needlessly wordy

Posted on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 in Redundant word usage

Don’t use more words than necessary. Here are a few examples of words that are often preceded by completely–which means fully, totally or utterly. These words are extremes and cannot be made more extreme so the use of completely is unnecessary.

annihilate means to reduce to nothing
destroy means to damage beyond use
eliminate means to destroy so that it no longer exists
ignorant means without knowledge
monopolize means to dominate something by excluding everyone else
surround means to enclose on all sides
unnecessary means not necessary