Eliminating Wordiness
Question
The committee made the decision to come to a conclusion to approve the proposal.
Answer choices
- concluded that they should approve
- decided to approve
- NO CHANGE
- made an approval decision regarding
B Correct answer: B) decided to approve
"Decided to approve" conveys the entire meaning in three words, with no loss of information. The original sentence triples the words for no benefit. On the ACT, when two options are both grammatical and convey the same meaning, the shorter wins.
The other options either introduce a grammatical error or change the intended meaning. The ACT consistently rewards the most concise, grammatically correct option.
Read the sentence with each option substituted in. The version that preserves meaning while obeying the underlying rule is the correct answer; on the ACT, that is almost always the shortest option that still works.
The underlying rule
The ACT consistently prefers the shortest grammatically correct option. Phrases like "made the decision to" and "come to a conclusion" are wordy synonyms for "decided."
Why each wrong answer is wrong
- A) concluded that they should approve: This option uses unnecessary words. The same meaning can be conveyed more concisely.
- C) NO CHANGE: This option uses unnecessary words. The same meaning can be conveyed more concisely.
- D) made an approval decision regarding: This option uses unnecessary words. The same meaning can be conveyed more concisely.
Study tip
When you see two answer choices that mean the same thing in different lengths, pick the shorter one. The ACT actively penalizes verbosity.
More Medium Style & Word Choice
- Removing Redundant WordsThe lecture began at exactly 9 a.m. in the morning on the first day of class.
- Idiomatic Word ChoiceThe new policy will have a significant affect on staffing decisions next quarter.
- Choosing the Most Precise WordThe hiking trail goes through dense forest before opening into a wide alpine meadow
- Maintaining Academic RegisterIn her recent paper, the geneticist got down to the question of how mutations accum
- Eliminating WordinessThe committee made the decision to come to a conclusion to approve the proposal.