What are Superfluous Expression with examples

What are Superfluous expressions?

‘Superfluous‘ means “more than what is needed“. Sometimes we use more than the required words in a sentence and unintentionally lose the charm of language. This error is called superfluous or redundant or verbose in formal writing.

Examples-

1. Latest updates: Updates are always latest.
2. Old history: History is always old.
3. I have received a free gift: we know gifts are always free

Let us see all about superfluous one by one.

🔷We must not use ‘not’ after the following words as the use of ‘not’ makes the sentences superfluous. The given words comprise ‘not’ in their meaning and hence the use of ‘not’ makes them superfluous.

Hardly, Scarcely, Seldom, Barely, Forbid, Deny, Until, Unless, Rarely, Prohibit, without, Lest.

Examples-

1. Unless you will not work hard, you will not succeed.

🔷We must not use ‘again’ after the following words as the use of ‘again’ makes the sentence superfluous. ‘Re’ means ‘again’.

Repeat, Recapitulate, Recall, Reborn, Rebuilt

Examples-

1. I recapitulated the lessons again before taking the exam.
2. It is needless to repeat again here the analysis given in that article.
3. The students requested the teacher to repeat the question again.

🔷We must not use ‘back’ after the following words as the use of ‘back’ makes the sentence superfluous. The meaning of the given words already comprises ‘back’

Return, Recede, Reimburse, Recall, Recast, Retreat

Examples-

1. Tonight she would return back his ring.
2. When he lent me some money, he asked me to return it back by the end of the month.
3. They might retreat back and leave the pickets.

🔷We must not use ‘more or most’ with the following adjectives as the use of ‘more’ or ‘most’ makes the sentence superfluous. The meaning of the following adjectives is complete in their real sense and hence cannot be used in comparative and superlative degrees.

Interior, Exterior, Ulterior, Major, Minor, Empty, Excellent, Circular, Extreme, Chief, Entire, Complete, Perfect, Final, Last, Unique, Universal, Round, Square, Triangular, Eternal, Everlasting, Ideal, Absolute, Impossible, Supreme.

Examples-

1. Corruption is a more universal problem.
2. There was something more unique about him.
3. Her face in the mirror was almost devoid of colour except for the eyes that looked large and more round.

🔷Two Comparative or two Superlative Degrees cannot come together as the sentence will become superfluous.

Examples-

1. He is more taller than his brother.
2. He is the most fastest athlete in our class.
3. Anastasia is more smarter than Daria.

Some of the most common Examples

✍Mutual agreement – wrong(✘)

• Even after many rounds of talks India and Pakistan could not reach at a mutual agreement on the issue of Kashmir(✘)

✍Agreement – right(✓)

• Even after many rounds of talks India and Pakistan could not reach at an agreement on the issue of Kashmir(✓)

✍Old memories- wrong(✘)

• She watched the old memories in his head. (✘)

✍Memories- right(✓)

• She watched the memories in his head. (✓)

✍Approach near-wrong (✘)

• The child approaches near him for the chocolate.(✘)

✍Approach- right(✓)

• The child approaches him for the chocolate. (✓)

✍Unintentional mistake – wrong(✘)

• Killing her would be an unintentional mistake, samuel. (✘)

✍Mistake- right(✓)

• Killing her would be a mistake, Samuel. (✓)

✍Unexpected surprise- wrong(✘)

• He gave me an unexpected surprise on my birthday(✘)

✍Surprise- right(✓)

• He gave me a surprise on my birthday. (✓)

✍Despite of – wrong(✘)

• Despite of her fear, she wrapped her arms around him. (✘)

✍Despite- right(✓)

• Despite her fear, she wrapped her arms around him. (✓)

✍Sufficient enough – wrong(✘)

• My father asked me if I had sufficient enough money to pay the fees. (✘)

✍Sufficient -right(✓)

• My father asked me if I had sufficient money to pay the fees. (✓)

✍New innovation- wrong(✘)

• These fields are about to explode with new innovations and advancements. (✘)

✍Innovation- right(✓)

• These fields are about to explode with new innovations and advancements. (✓)

✍Kindly requested -wrong(✘)

• All the students are requested to kindly submit their fees. (✘)

✍requested- right(✓)

• All the students are requested to submit their fees. (✓)

✍Two twins- wrong(✘)

• Daria shifted his attention to the two twins daniel and Maxim. (✘)

✍Twins- right(✓)

• Daria shifted his attention to the twins daniel and Maxim. (✓)