Where can I find a list of common padding words?
Solution 1:
Some context dependent words can be found in Tony1's How to improve your writing, section "Eliminating redundancy":
- relatively
- still (as in "While the journal had
relativelylow circulation numbers for its day, itstillinfluenced popular opinion and was feared by the conservative administration.")
Additive terms
- also
- in addition
- moreover
- furthermore
Temporal terms
- over the years
- currently
- now
- from time to time
- to this day
- future (as in "They planned their
futureresponse".)
Vague terms of size, number and proportion
- some ("The highway expands to four lanes as it passes
somebuilt-up areas of strip development") - a variety of
- a number of
- several
- a few
- many
- any ("The scheme does not remove
anygovernment-funded programs such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid") - all
Words for which the meaning is already conveyed in another word
- its own ("Each weapon has
its ownadvantages and disadvantages.") - in those instances ("
In those instanceswhen requests for assistance fall outside Tahirih's scope, staff members attempt to locate other consultants.") - subsequently
- who come
Words for which the meaning is easily recoverable from the context or from general knowledge
- Resulting ("The cigar smoker burns the dried leaves of the tobacco plant but does not inhale the
resultingsmoke")
See also Redundancy exercises: removing fluff from your writing.
Solution 2:
These, I believe are called "discourse markers". I can't find a list, but I can think of a list:
Like
Well,
Ok,
Actually,
So You know,
oh, By the way,
Anyway,
Yeah no,
I mean
Now
Then
Frankly,
Also,
Basically,
As a matter of fact
In fact,
Solution 3:
First to Know gives a list of "Five Words that Make You Sound Stupid," adding insult to injury on these pointless discourse markers. The article gives concise explanations of when it is actually appropriate to use these words.