AVOID TAUTOLOGY

Writers need to constantly alert to prevent against using tautologies in their work. That is needless repetition, the use of two words when one will do (e.g., "tiny little puppies".) Here are a few examples:

absolutely conclusive



agricultural crops


awkward dilemma


close proximity


complete monopoly


completely full


divisive quarrel


end result


entirely absent


exact counterpart


future plan


general public


grateful thanks


hired mercenary


irreducible minimum


lonely hermit


lifeless corpse


meaningless gibberish


mutual cooperation


new record


old adage


organic life


original founder


patently obvious


personal friend


personal opinion


pragmatic realist


present incumbent


sworn affidavit


true facts


ultimate outcome


violent explosion