"Empty" words refer to Low Information Content (LIC) expressions such as these listed below; X signals words or phrases that you should drop entirely from your written communications.

Note how many of these phrases start (and end) with little connecting words such as: at, by, for, in, it, of, to, and with.

Actually (X)
A majority of (most, or specify number)
A number of (specify number, or, "many" or "several")
As a means of (for, to)
As necessary (X)
At the rate of (at)
At the same time as (while)
Bring to a conclusion (conclude)
By means of (by)
Communicate with (talk, telephone, write)
Connected together (connected)
Contact (talk to, telephone, write)
Due to the fact that (because)
During the time that (while)
End result (result)
Exhibit a tendency tend)
For a period of (for - with the time)
For this reason (because)
In the event that (if)
In the form of (as)
In the neighborhood of, in vicinity of (nearly, approximately, about)

Involves the use of (uses, employs)
Is designed to be (is, or use a concrete verb)
It can be seen that (delete, or "we see"/"they found")
It is considered desirable (delete, or "I want to")
In an area where (where)
In an effort to (to)
In close proximity to (close to, near)
In connection with (about)
In fact (X)
In order to (to)
In such a manner as to (to)
In terms of (for, in)
In the course of (during)
It will be necessary to ("I, we, they must")
In the direction of (toward)
 Of considerable magnitude (large)
On account of (because)
Prior to (before)
Subsequent to (after)
With the aid of (with)

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