The goal of LFC and LESC documents is to communicate clearly and concisely. Extra, meaningless words are, well, extra and meaningless.
The Style and Reference Manual has a list of wordy phrases under "Writing Well,” and Word’s editor tool has a “clarity and conciseness” review built in. The function is particularly good at identifying passive voice and excessive wordiness.
Some examples:
Wordy: The legislation, which was enacted in 2005, would ...
Clean: The legislation, enacted in 2005, would ...
Wordy: In order to
Clean: To
Wordy: the reason why is that
Clean: because
Wordy: as yet
Clean: yet
Wordy: citizens of New Mexico
Clean: New Mexicans
These phrases are easy to pick out, but other wordiness pitfalls can be harder to spot.
Although not technically wrong, sentences beginning with there or it plus a form of “to be” – there is, there are, there were, it is, it was – steal importance from the real subject of the sentence. This phrasing is called “expletive construction,” with expletive in this sense meaning a word or phrase that fills a vacancy without adding to the sense. In other words, the construction steals importance from the subject and adds words without adding meaning.
Wordy: It is the governor who signs or vetoes bills.
Better: The governor signs or vetoes bills.
Wordy: There were four considerations used to assess the legislation.
Better (but passive voice): The legislation was assessed using four considerations.
Better (but you have to know the actor): Policymakers assessed the legislation using four considerations.
Wordy: There are too few reasons for the department to change.
Better: The department has few reasons to change.
Wordy: There are no impediments that appear to prevent caseworkers from being effective.
Better: No impediments appear to prevent caseworkers from being effective.
Wordy: There is also the option of doing nothing.
Better: Doing nothing is also an option.
Another harder-to-find way sentences get wordy is through the “nominalization,” which turns verbs into nouns and then forces the writer to find another verb. Nominalization slows down the sentence and add unnecessary words.
Wordy: The function of the department is the collection of accounts.
Better: The department collects accounts.
Wordy: The discussion of the committee focused on cost.
Better: The committee focused on cost.