Cutting filler from your English: the words to delete on every draft

Compare your last email with a published essay you admire. The published one probably has shorter sentences. Not because the writer is talking down to you — because they’ve already done the editing pass you didn’t do.

This lesson is that pass.

The test for every word

You’re not aiming for telegraph style. You’re aiming for sentences where every word earns its place.

The most common fillers to delete

1. “Very” and “really”

These intensifiers are weak. Stronger writing uses a more precise word.

2. “That” — when it’s not needed

Many uses of “that” can be deleted.

• She said that she would call.
• The report that I wrote was approved.
• I think that we should leave.

Try reading the sentence aloud without “that”. If it still sounds natural, the “that” was filler.

3. “In order to”

Almost always replaceable with just “to”.

• Filler: We met in order to discuss the budget.
• Tighter: We met to discuss the budget.

4. “There is / there are”

These constructions delay the real subject. Rewriting often produces a sharper sentence.

5. “Just”

Often a softening word that adds nothing. Particularly common in emails (“I just wanted to follow up”). Delete it.

• Filler: I just wanted to follow up on the proposal.
• Tighter: I wanted to follow up on the proposal. Or simply: Following up on the proposal.

6. “Basically”, “essentially”, “actually”

These often add no meaning. Remove them on the first edit.

• Filler: The product is basically a digital notebook.
• Tighter: The product is a digital notebook.

7. “”

A meaningless filler. Cut it entirely.

8. “Going forward”

Almost always redundant.

• Filler: Going forward, we’ll need to update the policy.
• Tighter: We’ll need to update the policy.

Redundant phrases

These are phrases where one word already covers the meaning of the others.

Phrases that telegraph weakness

Some phrases sound polite but actually telegraph hesitation. In professional writing, they read as uncertain.

• “I think maybe…” → just “I think” or “Maybe”.
• “It seems like it might possibly be…” → “It might be” or “It is”.
• “I’m not sure, but I was just wondering if…” → “Could we…”
• “Sort of, kind of, somewhat…” stacked together — pick one.

One hedge is fine. Stacked hedges erode confidence.

The active voice rule

Passive voice creates wordy, weak sentences. Active voice forces you to name who did what.

Passive isn’t always wrong. Use it when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or you want to soften blame. Otherwise, prefer active.

The editing pass that finds them

After writing a draft, do one editing pass dedicated entirely to deletion. Don’t fix grammar, don’t improve word choice — just delete. Aim for 10% reduction.

Specific things to scan for:

• Every “that” — does it pass the read-aloud test?
• Every “very”, “really”, “basically” — delete or replace.
• Every “I think”, “I just”, “perhaps” — keep at most one per paragraph.
• Every passive construction — could it become active?
• Every “there is / there are” — could you start with the actual subject?

What to keep

Cutting filler doesn’t mean stripping all warmth. Keep:

• One hedge per paragraph if you’re being deliberately careful.
• Pleasantries that fit the relationship (“Thanks for your patience”).
• Words that add specific meaning, even if they look small (“only”, “yet”, “despite”).
• Personal pronouns where they make the sentence clearer (“I noticed…” beats “It was noticed…”).