KIS (Keep it Simple) :Brevity

The SAT always prefers a sentence that expresses intended ideas most clearly and succinctly.

Therefore, Beware of Redundancy, Wordiness & passive voice!

Wordiness:

Eg: Past Experience reveals that AIDS patients rarely ever exhibit the exact same symptoms.

Experience reveals that AIDS patients rarely exhibit the same symptoms.

 Redundancy:

Redundancy is unacceptable. Never use two synonyms to describe something when you can

use only one word.

Eg 1: Waldorf Astoria is one of the most prominent and well-known restaurants in New York City.

  1. No change
  2. Prominently well known
  3. Prominent and being well know
  4. Prominent

Passive Structures:

Passive structures are wrong. Because they are wordy.

Active: J.Milton wrote “Paradise lost”

Passive: “Paradise lost” was written by J.Milton

Eg2: During the gulf war in 1991,a group as SAS commandos were led on a dangerous mission by Col-Hamilton

1.No Change

2.A group of SAS commandos were being led on a dangerous mission by Col-Hamilton

3.Col-Hamilton led a group of SAS commandos on dangerous mission

4.A dangerous mission that Col-Hamilton led a group of SAS commandos on

Option 3 is a active voice, short & correct