Exercises for Advanced Legal Writing (Set A)

Primabelle S. Gobantes Atty. Mary Jde !antorias

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Exercises for Legal Writers ''(
Editing for Wordiness
I. Edit Wordy Expressions.
Exercise 2-1
Edit the following sentences for wordiness.
$. ' am )riting yo in regard to yor letter of Marc* +, $--..
/*is is my res0onse to yor letter last Marc* +, $--..
". Jo*n is a 0erson )*o scceeds at everyt*ing *e does.
Jo*n is sccessfl.
&. Mary left in an abr0t manner.
Mary left abr0tly.
.. 1)ing to t*e fact t*at *e )as ill, 2arry did not go to )or3.
2arry did not go to )or3 becase *e is ill.
+. Many 0eo0le *ere in t*e city of Loisville en4oy *orse racing.
Most 0eo0le in Loisville en4oy *orse racing.
5. Stdents se t*e library for researc* 0r0oses.
Stdents se t*e library to researc*.
6. S*e lives in t*e vicinity of !*icago.
S*e lives in !*icago.
7. 8e acted in a ss0icios manner.
8e acted ss0iciosly.
-. 'n t*e last fe) days, s*e recently decided to attend la) sc*ool.
S*e finally decided to attend la) sc*ool.
$#. 8e stdied abroad in 9rance.
8e stdied in 9rance.
Exercise 2-2
Edit the following sentences.
$. Jo*n is a 0erson )*o li3es to *ave fn.
Jo*n is fn%loving.
". 8e too3 an mbrella to )or3 de to t*e fact t*at it )as raining.
8e too3 an mbrella becase it )as raining.
&. 8er 0*one call )as in regard to t*e :avis case.
8er 0*one call )as abot t*e :avis case.
.. A bedroom is for slee0ing 0r0oses.
A bedroom is for slee0ing.
+. ;ancy 0ro0osed a nmber of soltions for Jac3<s roommate 0roblem.
;ancy 0ro0osed soltions to Jac3=s roommate 0roblem.
5. Jdy lives in t*e city of :ayton, )*ic* is in t*e state of 1*io.
Jdy lives in :ayton, 1*io.
6. 8e left t*e 0arty in an abr0t manner.
8e left t*e 0arty abr0tly.
7. 2ased on t*e fact t*at *e *ates 0asta, Larry didn<t 4oin s for dinner.
Larry didn=t 4oin s for dinner becase *e *ates 0asta.
-. 8e lives in t*e neig*bor*ood of t*e la) sc*ool.
8e lives near t*e la) sc*ool.
$#. 1)ing to t*e fact t*at several of t*e stdents failed t*e Pro0erty test,
Professor James gave a test for ma3e0 0r0oses.
Professor James gave a ma3e%0 test on Pro0erty becase many failed.
$$. /*e level of t*e )ater in t*e river is at flood stage.
/*e river=s )ater level is at flood stage.
$". /*e 0rinci0al cancelled sc*ool on accont of sno).
/*e 0rinci0al cancelled sc*ool becase of sno).
$&. A large 0ercentage of )omen s00ort t*e la).
A lot of )omen s00ort t*e la).
$.. 'n vie) of t*e fact t*at *e *ad been drafted, Martin )rote a )ill.
Martin )rote a )ill becase *e )as drafted.
$+. /*e bad economy *as *ad an im0act on *ome sales.
2ad economy affected *ome sales.
$5. /*e sc*ool )ill in t*e ftre add a 0rogram in *ealt* la).
A ne) *ealt* la) 0rogram )ill be added by t*e sc*ool.
$6. /*ose 3inds of teenagers fre>ently smo3e 0ot.
/*ose teenagers often smo3e 0ot.
$7. All my friends came to my 0arty )it* t*e exce0tion of Peggy.
All bt Peggy came to my 0arty.
$-. /*e level of )ages remained steady last year.
/*ere )as no )age increase last year.
"#. 1r la)yers sggested a variety of soltions.
1r la)yers 0resented varied soltions.
II. Eliminate Unnecessary Repetitions.
Exercise 2-3
Eliminate the unnecessary repetitions in the following sentences.
$. /*e )eat*er *ere in Loisville is beatifl.
/*e )eat*er in Loisville is beatifl.
". Eac* and every 0erson s*old attend *is lectres.
Everybody s*old attend *is lectres.
&. 8er 0ainting )as beatifl in a00earance.
8er 0ainting )as beatifl.
.. 8is 0resentation )as e>ally as good as Jo*n<s.
8is 0resentation is as good as Jo*n=s.
+. S*e is s*orter in *eig*t t*an *er sister.
S*e is s*orter t*an *er sister.
5. /*e car )as ble in color.
/*e car )as ble.
6. ' 0ersonally *ave never been to Ero0e.
' *ave never been to Ero0e.
7. /*e )eat*er )ill 0robably contine to remain cold.
/*e )eat*er )ill 0robably remain cold.
-. /*e 0rofessor allo)ed *im to reta3e t*e test again.
/*e 0rofessor allo)ed *im to reta3e t*e test.
$#. /*e s0acecraft )as oval in s*a0e.
/*e s0acecraft )as oval.
Exercise 2-
Eliminate the unnecessary words or phrases in the following sentences.
Primabelle S. Gobantes
"#$#% ##"" !d"anced #egal Writing
"
$. Mar3 li3es eig*teent*%centry msic and nineteent*%centry msic.
Mar3 li3es eig*teent* and nineteent*%centry msic.
". Ssan<s *air )as blac3? Mary<s *air )as blonde.
Ssan<s *air )as blac3 )*ile Mary<s blonde.
&. @o )ill scceed by )or3ing *ard, by living frgally, and by caring abot
ot*ers.
@o )ill scceed by )or3ing *ard, living frgally, and caring abot ot*ers.
.. Jo*n li3es *is classes dring t*ird 0eriod and fift* 0eriod.
Jo*n li3es *is t*ird fift* 0eriod classes.
+. Aevin li3ed Anne becase s*e )as smart, becase s*e )as 3ind, and
becase s*e )as 0olite.
Aevin li3ed Anne becase s*e )as smart, 3ind, and 0olite.
5. Jim *ad five dollars, Jac3 *ad for dollars, and Jill *ad six dollars.
Jim *ad five dollars, Jac3 *ad for, and Jill *ad six.
6. Sally *ad a yello) s0orts car, and Joe *ad a red s0orts car.
Sally *ad a yello) s0orts car, and Joe *ad red.
7. @o cannot go to t*e 0arty ntil yo do yor *ome)or3 and ntil yo clean 0
yor room.
@o cannot go to t*e 0arty ntil yo do yor *ome)or3 clean yor room.
-. /*e class acce0ts c*ildren )*o are five%years old, six%years old, or seven%
years old.
/*e class acce0ts c*ildren )*o are five to seven years old.
$#. A stdent can com0lete t*e degree in t*ree years, in for years, or in five
years.
A stdent can com0lete t*e degree in t*ree, for years, or five years.
Exercise 2-$
Eliminate wordy there or it clauses from the following sentences.
$. 't is obvios t*at Jo*n )ill )in t*e com0etition.
Jo*n obviosly )ill )in t*e com0etition.
". /*ere are many )ays to train a dog.
/*ere are many )ays to train a dog.
&. /*ere are six sb4ects t*e 0rofessor mig*t test s on.
/*e 0rofessor mig*t test s on six sb4ects.
.. /*ere are five stdents nominated for t*e sc*olars*i0.
9ive stdents )ere nominated for t*e sc*olars*i0.
+. 't is 0robable t*at it )ill sno) tonig*t.
't )ill 0robably sno) tonig*t.
5. 't is cold in t*is room.
't is cold in t*is room.
6. /*ere are at least five )omen )*o can )in t*e com0etition.
At least five )omen can )in t*e com0etition.
7. Jo*n told me it is a good boo3.
Jo*n told me it is a good boo3.
-. 't is 0robable t*at t*e Giants )ill )in t*e S0er 2o)l.
/*e Giants )ill 0robably )in t*e S0er 2o)l.
$#. /*ere are too many 0eo0le 0ac3ed into t*e concert *all.
/oo many 0eo0le 0ac3ed into t*e concert *all.
Primabelle S. Gobantes
"#$#% ##"" !d"anced #egal Writing
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