Exercises for Compressing Statements and Editing Unnecessary Words
Compress each of the statements below into one word
- at that time
- on one occasion
- a small number of
- in addition to
- went on to say
- in the near future
- any one of the two
- at the present time
- told his listeners that
- gives strength to
- once in a great while
- a large number of
- during the time that
- at regular intervals of time
- tendered his resignation
- taken to the jail and locked up
- ended his talk to the assembled audience with the following statement
- as long as (time, not space)
- not any one of the two
- was able to make his escape
- students who are regularly enrolled
- brought to a sudden halt
- completely destroyed by fire
- uniform in both size and shape
- united in holy matrimony
- in the same manner as
- the time at which
- made an investigation of
- is of the opinion that
- a great number of times
Edit all unnecessary words from the expressions below
- lift it up
- ways and means
- a free gift
- a near facsimile
- on Easter Sunday
- a complete monopoly
- raise up the aerial
- she definitely decided
- sent none at all
- was finally settled
- a pretty young debutant
- two complimentary passes
- was short in length
- if and when
- zoom up fast
- null and void
- a rich widow woman
- it first began
- a noon luncheon
- in close proximity
- its final completion
- made of cement
- the proved facts
- will start off soon
- a clever new innovation
- a canary bird
- whether or not
- came on Christmas day
- in a dying condition
- first of all
- he continued on
- his final conclusion
- had two twins
- the actual truth
- he personally believes
- caught a tuna fish
- it seemed to be
- June sales to level off
- a true fact
- 25 invited guests
- foundered and sank
- decided last of all
- held a temporary recess
- drop down abruptly
- in the meantime
- an old hound dog
- in court litigation
- finishing up soon
- a well-known old adage
- a personal friend
- consensus of opinion
- her past experiences
- its future prospects
- will repeat again
- our hopeful optimism
- found strangled to death
By Bobby Hawthorne
Former Director, Interscholastic League Press Conference
Please see that Bobby Hawthorne and the ILPC are appropriately credited.