Public Services and Procurement Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Institutional Links

 

Important notice

Writing Tips has been archived and won’t be updated before it is permanently deleted.

For the most up-to-date content, please consult Writing Tips Plus, which combines content from Writing Tips and The Canadian Style. And don’t forget to update your bookmarks!

Search Canada.ca
To begin your search, go to the alphabetical index below and click on the first letter of the word you are searching for.

absolutely essential

Redundancies are words that repeat information unnecessarily. Because essential already expresses an absolute idea, the modifier absolutely is redundant. For variety, use a synonym such as crucial, vital, necessary or important.

  • Redundant: It is absolutely essential that we finish the project this week.
  • Recommended: It is essential (or crucial or vital) that we finish the project this week.