Clichés, redundancy and formal register
Experts and examiners penalise clichéd, bookish and padded writing (2014, 2025). Cutting it raises both the language and originality marks.
Rules with examples
Cut stock openers and clichés.
Remove redundant pairs and tautologies.
Formal register: no contractions, no 'we/you' addressing the reader, no slang or exclamation marks.
Prefer active voice when the actor matters.
Cut filler phrases.
Clichés, redundancy and formal register: exercises with answers
- Since time immemorial, man has faced challenges.
- In today's modern world, technology is everywhere.
- Pakistan imports more energy than it can afford, and every new power plant deepens the debt.
- It is a well-known fact that energy is important.
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Pakistan imports more energy than it can afford, and every new power plant deepens the debt. — Specific, claim-led, cliché-free.
- final outcome
- outcome
- result
- consequence
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final outcome — An outcome is already final.
- We gotta fix the economy ASAP!
- You must understand that this is a big problem.
- The economy requires urgent structural reform.
- Isn't it obvious that the economy is broken?
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The economy requires urgent structural reform. — Formal register, precise, no direct address.
- Because funds were limited, the project was delayed.
- Due to the fact of limited funds, the project was delayed.
- Because of the fact that funds were limited, the project got delayed.
- Owing to the fact that funds were limited, the project was delayed.
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Because funds were limited, the project was delayed. — 'Because' replaces 'due to the fact that'.
- Taxes were not collected.
- Mistakes were made.
- The FBR failed to collect taxes from large retailers.
- It was decided that taxes would not be collected.
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The FBR failed to collect taxes from large retailers. — Names the actor and makes the claim accountable.
Correct these sentences
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✓ Every citizen must cooperate to achieve this goal.
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✓ Pakistan's history is full of crises.
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✓ The issue is serious and growing.
Studied in Week 12 alongside Module 12: Feedback loop.
Frequently asked questions
Why should I avoid clichés in the CSS essay?
Examiners and subject experts flag clichéd, bookish writing as a sign of memorised content. Starting with a specific claim scores better.