Activity Title: “Trimming Wordiness: Writing Concisely”

Objective: The objective of this activity is to help students recognize and eliminate wordiness and formulaic phrases in their writing, thereby improving clarity and conciseness in their communication.

Materials:
1. Worksheets with sentences containing wordiness and formulaic phrases.
2. Markers or colored pens.

Instructions:

1. Introduction:
– Begin by discussing the importance of concise writing and its role in effective communication.
– Define wordiness and formulaic phrases, providing examples of each.

2. Identifying Wordiness and Formulaic Phrases:
– Distribute the worksheets with sentences containing wordiness and formulaic phrases.
– Instruct students to identify and underline the phrases in each sentence.

3. Eliminating Wordiness and Formulaic Phrases:
– After identifying the wordiness and formulaic phrases, ask students to rewrite the sentences in a more concise form.
– Encourage them to eliminate unnecessary words or phrases while retaining the original meaning.

4. Sharing and Discussion:
– Have students share their revised sentences with the class.

– Discuss the improvements and alternatives they came up with and why they chose those revisions.

– Emphasize the importance of clarity and how eliminating wordiness can enhance it.

-Discuss the impact of replacing formulaic phrases and how it can make writing more engaging and unique.

5. Application:
– Provide a short paragraph for students to work on, containing a mix of wordiness and formulaic phrases.
– Ask them to revise the paragraph to make it more concise and engaging.

6. Peer Review:
– Pair students up and have them exchange their revised paragraphs.
– Ask each pair to review and provide feedback on their partner’s work, focusing on wordiness and formulaic phrases.

7. Conclusion:
– Summarize the key points of the activity and discuss the importance of consistently applying these concepts in their writing.
– Encourage students to practice writing concisely in their assignments and essays.

This activity will help students become more aware of wordiness and formulaic phrases, enabling them to enhance the clarity and impact of their writing in various contexts.

Examples: