1. Needless to say . . .
People use this phrase when they think what they’re going to say is already understood. But it’s never a good idea to assume your readers already understand something.
This phrase serves no purpose in writing. If something doesn’t need to be said, then why are you saying it?
If you want to express an idea in writing—express it. Directly say what you want to say.
Your readers want information. So there’s no need to use wordy, idiomatic phrases to make your point. (See this post about filling space with meaningless words.)
You’ll irritate your editor by using this phrase—especially if you use it repeatedly. But most important, you’ll irritate your readers.
2. It goes without saying . . .
People use this phrase when they think what they’re going to say is obvious. But it’s not a good idea to assume what is obvious to your readers.
Look at this example:
It was a beautiful day, and I had free time. So, needless to say, I went for a walk. It goes without saying that I enjoyed my walk.
If you take out the two wordy phrases, you’re left with the same meaning. And you do need to say that you went for a walk, or your readers will not be able to guess that that’s what you did. You also need to say that you enjoyed your walk, or your readers will not know.
You may be thinking, “But I’m certain my readers are familiar with my topic, and they’ll understand.”
- Don’t assume what your readers already know.
- Don’t give your readers extra words to read when you can be concise.
- Don’t risk confusing a reader whose native language isn’t English.
When you’re writing, remember this: If something doesn’t need to be said, don’t say it.
Keep your writing strong—use these phrases only when speaking.
