Cut repetition before evidence
Writers often repeat a point in the topic sentence, middle of the paragraph and concluding sentence. Keep the clearest version and remove the duplicates before cutting examples that actually support the claim.
Remove throat-clearing phrases
Phrases such as “It is important to note that” or “The fact of the matter is that” delay the real point. Starting with the claim directly often saves words and improves clarity at the same time.
Combine related sentences
Two sentences expressing one cause-and-effect relationship can often be combined. This reduces repetition and makes the logical connection explicit. Do not combine unrelated ideas just to reduce the sentence count.
Protect necessary evidence
A shorter paper that no longer supports its claims is weaker, not better. Keep the source, example or data that makes a paragraph persuasive unless another piece of evidence already performs the same job.
Cut with a distributed target
If you need to remove 200 words, try cutting around 40–50 from several sections rather than attacking only the introduction. A distributed reduction usually preserves the structure and balance.
Cut at the phrase level last
Begin with whole ideas that are repeated or unnecessary. Then remove redundant sentences. Only after those larger cuts should you spend time compressing individual phrases. This order saves more words with less risk of making the prose cramped or unnatural.
Related resources
Reviewed: October 2026. CurioLift explanations are educational; when a school, instructor or required style guide uses different rules, those rules take priority.