shorter and concise

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "shorter and concise" is not correct in English.
The correct expression would be "short and concise," as "concise" already implies brevity. Example: "Please make your report short and concise to ensure clarity."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He once imagined a time when his sophistication as an artist and storyteller would become so advanced and refined that his work would become effortlessly shorter and concise.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

It's also important to keep your job applications short and concise.

The Guardian

These are short and concise introductions that do not drag on for too long and bore the students.

The Guardian

Mr. Schmitt's advice to Mr. Suozzi was short and concise: "Make as many friends as you can".

The New York Times

His answers were short and concise (which is more than can be said for the lawmakers' often rambling questions).

The Economist

He couldn't wait to get to the end of a song, so he kept them short and concise and without flab, and we lost that without him.

The New York Times - Magazine

"Short and concise," he said of the acceptance speech he was planning for Friday night at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

The New York Times - Sports

But the two new pieces presented by Monte/Brown Dance on Tuesday night at the Joyce Theater were short and concise, allowing the audience to participate in the imaginative life of each work.

The New York Times - Arts

They are short and concise   b.

International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education

Its "stories" were short and concise, carrying the minimum information required to convey the simple message of a thing.

TechCrunch

To not expand the section too much, the discussion of the already published findings is kept short and concise.

The Journal of Mathematical Neuroscience

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for brevity, prioritize using "short and concise" over "shorter and concise" for grammatically correct and clear communication.

Common error

Be mindful of using redundant phrases. Since "concise" already implies being short, avoid adding comparative adjectives like "shorter". Instead, use "short and concise" or simply "concise" for a more streamlined and grammatically sound expression.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "shorter and concise" functions as a descriptive modifier, aiming to characterize something as brief and to the point. However, as Ludwig AI points out, it's considered grammatically incorrect due to redundancy, as "concise" already implies brevity.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

30%

News & Media

30%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

15%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "shorter and concise" aims to describe something brief and to the point, it's generally considered grammatically incorrect due to redundancy. Ludwig AI highlights that "concise" already implies brevity. A more appropriate and widely accepted alternative is "short and concise". When aiming for clarity and brevity, it's best to avoid redundant phrases and opt for grammatically sound expressions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

brief and concise

Swaps "shorter" for "brief", emphasizing succinctness.

short and succinct

Replaces "concise" with "succinct", highlighting brevity of expression.

brief and to the point

Emphasizes directness and lack of unnecessary detail.

short and clear

Focuses on both brevity and understandability.

succinct and clear

Highlights brevity and clarity in communication.

concise and clear

Focuses on eliminating unnecessary information for better clarity.

pithy and concise

Suggests brevity combined with meaningfulness.

compact and concise

Emphasizes the condensed nature of the information.

terse and concise

Highlights a brief and somewhat abrupt style.

abridged and concise

Suggests something has been shortened while remaining concise.

FAQs

Why is "shorter and concise" considered incorrect?

The phrase "shorter and concise" is often considered redundant because the word "concise" already implies brevity. Using "shorter" in conjunction with "concise" can be seen as unnecessarily repetitive. A better alternative is "short and concise".

What is a better alternative to "shorter and concise"?

A more grammatically sound alternative to "shorter and concise" is "short and concise". Other options include "brief and clear" or simply "concise", depending on the desired emphasis.

How can I ensure my writing is both brief and clear?

To ensure your writing is both brief and clear, focus on using precise language and avoiding unnecessary words. Opt for phrases like "short and concise" or "succinct and to the point". Before finalizing your text, review each sentence to eliminate any redundancy or ambiguity.

In what contexts is it most important to be brief and clear?

Being brief and clear is crucial in various contexts, especially in professional settings like reports, emails, and presentations. In academic writing, abstracts and summaries benefit from being "short and concise". Clarity and brevity are also essential in journalism and public speaking to effectively convey information to a broad audience.