Question:

Choose the best revision of the following wordy sentence.

It seems that the library board will meet tomorrow, as a matter of fact.

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Strip out phrases that add no real information, such as "it seems that" and "as a matter of fact", and see what plain sentence is left.
Updated On: Jul 13, 2026
  • As a matter of fact, the library board will meet tomorrow.
  • In fact, the library board will meet tomorrow.
  • It is apparent that the library board will meet tomorrow.
  • The library board will meet tomorrow.
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The Correct Option is D

Solution and Explanation

The original sentence carries two filler phrases that do not add any information: "It seems that", which suggests the speaker is unsure, and "as a matter of fact", which suggests the speaker is completely certain. These two phrases actually contradict each other, and both can be removed without losing the one fact the sentence is meant to state, that the library board will meet tomorrow.

  1. Option 1: Keeps "As a matter of fact" at the front. This filler phrase is still unnecessary weight on a plain statement of fact.
  2. Option 2: Keeps "In fact", a shorter filler, but it is still an unneeded phrase in front of a simple factual sentence.
  3. Option 3: Replaces the fillers with "It is apparent that", which is just another wordy hedge and does not fix the real problem.
  4. Option 4: States the fact directly: "The library board will meet tomorrow." Nothing is missing, and there is no leftover filler phrase.

Since the goal is to remove wordiness while keeping the same information, the plain, direct sentence in option 4 is the best revision.

Let's summarize:

  • "It seems that" and "as a matter of fact" are filler phrases that add no real information and even work against each other here.
  • A wordy-sentence question is best solved by removing every phrase that does not change the meaning.
  • The shortest sentence that keeps the full meaning is usually the correct revision.

The correct choice is option 4, "The library board will meet tomorrow."

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