Concise writing says what readers need with no unnecessary words, while keeping the context and qualifications that make the message accurate. It is not simply the shortest possible version. “We need your draft by Friday” is shorter than “Please send the draft by Friday so the group can review it before Monday’s meeting,” but the longer sentence explains why the deadline matters. Purdue’s guidance notes that active voice often makes sentences clearer and more concise, while also recognizing that passive voice can be useful when the actor is unknown or unimportant. [1]
Cut the lead-in, keep the request
Wordy: “I am writing to ask whether you would be able to send me the updated schedule.” Concise: “Could you send me the updated schedule?” The opening phrase announces the act of writing rather than advancing the request. Removing it brings the action forward.
The edit does not require stripping courtesy. “Could you” remains a polite request, and the object—“the updated schedule”—is specific. If the reader needs a reason or deadline, add it: “Could you send me the updated schedule by Tuesday so I can prepare the room list?” Concision keeps useful context and removes repetition.
Trade abstract nouns for verbs
Wordy: “The committee made a decision to postpone the reading.” Concise: “The committee postponed the reading.” The revision replaces “made a decision to postpone” with the action itself. Purdue’s clarity guidance recommends verbs over noun forms when that change makes the sentence clearer. [2]
Try the same edit with an invented workplace note: “We conducted a review of the captions and made corrections to the transcript.” becomes “We reviewed the captions and corrected the transcript.” Two direct verbs show what the team did. If the review and correction happened at different times or involved different people, keep that distinction instead of compressing it away.
Choose active voice when the actor matters
Wordy: “The room reservation was completed by Nia.” Concise: “Nia reserved the room.” The active version names the actor before the action. Purdue explains that active constructions often require fewer words and make the performer of an action clear. [1]
Passive voice can still be the better choice when the actor is unknown or not relevant: “The room was reserved for May 16.” If the purpose is simply to announce availability, the reservation matters more than who made it. The goal is not to erase every passive sentence; it is to choose the form that puts the relevant information in view.
Remove repetition, not useful qualification
Wordy: “At this point in time, we are currently waiting for the final room confirmation.” Concise: “We are waiting for final room confirmation.” “At this point in time” and “currently” repeat the idea of now. Removing them preserves the status.
But do not cut a qualification that changes meaning. “The group approved the date” is not equivalent to “The group approved the date, pending room confirmation.” A compact sentence can still carry a condition. Before deleting a phrase, ask whether it tells the reader who, when, why, or under what circumstances.
Practice with a reader’s next action
Take a draft and mark each phrase that repeats another phrase, delays the main verb, or names an idea without naming an action. Revise one sentence at a time. Then check whether the reader still knows the subject, action, object, timing, and any important exception.
For example, revise: “In order to make sure that all participants have access to the materials, we will be sending the reading list in advance of the event.” One concise option is: “We’ll send the reading list before the event so every participant can access it.” The rewrite removes a bulky lead-in while keeping the purpose. If access depends on a particular format or delivery method, state that too; brevity should not hide what someone needs to know.
