##  [Less is More: Eliminating “on a… basis”](/favourite-articles/less-is-more-eliminating-on-a-basis)

##  Avertissement

Ce contenu est offert en anglais seulement.

Heather Matsune
(*Language Update*, Volume 5, Number 4, 2008, page 23)

English is full of words that let us express our ideas, experiences and emotions, and this is a great luxury. However, it’s important to keep word play, wordiness and witticisms to a minimum when communicating with a broad readership. Writing simply and directly helps ensure that readers at any literacy level can quickly and easily understand what you’re telling them.

## Fewer words

Sometimes all you have to do to make a sentence more simple and direct is delete words. For instance, when you have *on an* \[adjective\] *basis* phrases, you can often reduce the entire phrase to a single adverb or adjective.

| Problem phrase | Wordy sentence | Concise sentence |
|---|---|---|
| on a daily (hourly, nightly, weekly, monthly, yearly, etc.) basis | Back up your files *on a daily basis*. (8 words) | Back up your files *daily*. (5 words)   OR   Back up your files *every day*. (6 words) |
| on an ongoing basis | Inspectors monitor compliance with safety regulations *on an ongoing basis*. (10 words) | Inspectors *continually* monitor compliance with safety regulations. (7 words) |
| on a regular basis | Exercising *on a regular basis* reduces stress. (7 words) | *Regular* exercise reduces stress. (4 words) |

Here are some other phrases that you can reduce to one adverb or adjective:

| Problem phrase | Wordy sentence | Concise sentence |
|---|---|---|
| from time to time (on a few occasions, once in a while, on certain occasions, etc.) | Meeting rooms get double-booked *from time to time*. (9 words) | Meeting rooms get double-booked *occasionally*. (6 words) |
| over and done with | The holidays are *over and done with*, and I hope you are all well rested. (15 words) | The holidays are *over*, and I hope you are all well rested. (12 words) |
| time after time (time and again, over and over, it is often the case that, etc.) | *Time after time*, volunteers pitch in to preserve community green spaces. (11 words) | Volunteers *frequently* pitch in to preserve community green spaces. (9 words) |
| fully and completely (completely and utterly, wholly and completely, etc.) | Please fill out the forms   *fully and completely*. (8 words) | Please fill out the forms *completely*. (6 words) |
| worthy of note (worthy of consideration, etc.) | The candidate’s attitude and work ethic are *worthy of note*. (10 words) | The candidate’s attitude and work ethic are *noteworthy*. (8 words) |

## Clearer words

Another way to improve sentences containing *on an* \[adjective\] *basis* phrases is to substitute concrete details for an abstract or complex adjective. You may end up with more words in your sentence, but being specific will prevent confusion.

| Problem phrase | Wordy sentence | Concise sentence |
|---|---|---|
| on a quarterly basis | The committee meets *on a quarterly basis*. | The committee meets *every three months*.   OR   The committee meets in *February, May, August and November*. |
| on a timely basis | Send us your feedback about the workshop *on a timely basis*. | Send us your feedback about the workshop *by 5 p.m. on Wednesday, January 7, 2009*. |
| on a voluntary basis | Producers indicate, *on a voluntary basis*, whether a product is derived from biotechnology. | Producers *may* indicate whether a product is derived from biotechnology.   OR   Producers *do not have* to indicate whether a product is derived from biotechnology. |

Watch for *on a… basis* in your writing. You might be surprised by how often wordy and abstract phrases turn up. Fortunately, they’re usually easy to simplify and clarify. If you make the effort, writing concisely and clearly will become habit.

##  Avis de droit d’auteur pour l’outil Favourite Articles

© Sa Majesté le Roi du chef du Canada, représenté par le ou la ministre des Services publics et de l’Approvisionnement
Un outil créé et mis en ligne par le Bureau de la traduction, Services publics et Approvisionnement Canada

## Rechercher par thèmes connexes

Vous voulez en apprendre davantage sur un thème abordé dans cette page? Cliquez sur un lien ci-dessous pour voir toutes les pages du Portail linguistique du Canada portant sur le thème choisi. Les résultats de recherche s’afficheront dans le [Navigateur linguistique](/fr/navigateur-navigator).

- [Clear communication](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A459#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)
- [Concise writing](/fr/navigateur-navigator?search_api_fulltext=-&field_writing_tools=All&sort_by=views&f%5B0%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A459&f%5B1%5D=navigateur_navigator_english_theme%3A460#navigateur-navigator-resultats-results)

## Liens connexes

- [Favourite Articles](/fr/favourite-articles/index-fra) (page d’accueil)
- [Outils d’aide à la rédaction](/fr/outils-tools/index-fra)
- [Navigateur linguistique](/fr/navigateur-navigator) (permet de trouver rapidement des conseils linguistiques)
- [TERMIUM Plus®](http://www.btb.termiumplus.gc.ca/tpv2alpha/alpha-fra.html?lang=fra)
- [Communiquer avec le Portail linguistique du Canada](/fr/apropos-about-fra#a8)