Core Philosophy: Every Word Must Earn Its Place
The GMAT rewards economy of expression. When two answer choices are grammatically and logically equivalent, the more concise one is correct. Redundancy errors occur when a sentence uses more words than necessary to express an idea — often by restating information already implied by another word.
However, concision is not the primary criterion — correctness is. A shorter sentence that changes the meaning or introduces a grammatical error is wrong. Concision breaks ties between otherwise equal choices.
Core Insight: Redundancy = saying the same thing twice. Look for tautologies, pleonasms, and verbose phrases that can be replaced by a single word.
Types of Redundancy
Saying the same thing twice in different words.
Multi-word phrases replaceable by a single word.
Expressing negation twice, creating logical confusion.
Restating what a noun or verb already implies.
Concision Strategy
Check correctness first, concision second
Never choose a shorter answer that changes meaning or introduces an error. Concision is a tiebreaker, not the primary criterion.
Ask: "Does removing this word change the meaning?"
If removing a word doesn't change what the sentence means, the word is likely redundant. If it does change the meaning, it's necessary.
Replace verbose phrases with single words
"Due to the fact that" → "because." "In spite of the fact that" → "although/though." These multi-word phrases are almost always redundant.
Watch for "-ing" clause alternatives
Sometimes a verbose clause can be replaced by a participial phrase: "which is responsible for managing" → "managing."
Worked Examples
10 Redundancy Traps
1. "The reason is because"
Always wrong on GMAT. Use "the reason is that."
2. "Both X and Y" with "also"
"Both X and also Y" — "also" is redundant with "both."
3. "Return back / revert back"
"Return" and "revert" already mean going back — "back" is redundant.
4. "Advance planning"
"Planning" is inherently forward-looking — "advance" adds nothing.
5. "Past history"
History is by definition past — "past" is redundant.
6. "Period of time" vs. "period"
"Period" already implies a span of time — "of time" is often redundant.
7. "Due to the fact that"
Replace with "because." Any 4-5 word phrase replaceable by one word is a target.
8. "In spite of the fact that"
Replace with "although" or "though."
9. "Equally as X"
"Equally" and "as" are redundant together. Use "equally X" or "as X as."
10. "Refer back / recall back"
"Refer" and "recall" already imply reverting to previous information.
Verbose Phrase Replacements
| Verbose Phrase | Concise Replacement | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| due to the fact that | because | Most common GMAT verbose phrase |
| in spite of the fact that | although / though | Concessive clause simplification |
| at this point in time | now / currently | Common in formal writing |
| in the event that | if | Conditional simplification |
| the reason is because | the reason is that | Always wrong on GMAT |
| prior to the time when | before | Temporal clause simplification |
10 GMAT-Style Practice Questions
Select your answer, then reveal the step-by-step explanation. Each question reflects real GMAT difficulty and format.
The merger between the two pharmaceutical companies was delayed due to the fact that regulators required additional safety studies. Which of the following is the most concise and correct version of the underlined portion?
The task force engaged in advance planning for the possibility of future disruptions to the supply chain. Which of the following is the most concise and correct revision?
The reason the software update was recalled is because it caused unexpected data loss in some operating environments. Which is correct?
The committee will return back its findings to the Board of Directors by the end of the fiscal quarter. Which revision is correct?
Both the lead researcher and her assistant also contributed equally and equally shared credit for the breakthrough discovery. Which is the most concise correct version?
In spite of the fact that initial projections were optimistic, actual revenue for the quarter fell 15% short of targets. Which is the most concise correct version of the underlined portion?
The new environmental regulation requires that all manufacturers must report their emissions on a monthly basis. Which revision is correct?
The chairman's statement was worded in such a way so as to avoid any possible controversy with potential investors. Which revision is most concise and correct?
Past historical records indicate that the region has experienced periodic flooding approximately every decade. Which is correct?
The firm decided to refer back to the original contract terms in order to resolve the dispute that had arisen between the two parties. Which revision is most concise and correct?
Key Takeaways
A shorter wrong answer is still wrong. Fix errors first, then eliminate redundancy.
Any multi-word phrase replaceable by one word is a target for elimination.
Always: "The reason is that" or just use "because" as a conjunction.
"Advance planning," "past history," "return back" — the second word is always redundant.