Beyond a shadow of a doubt is a wordy and overworked expression. To make your writing more effective, replace this expression with an adverb such as undoubtedly, certainly, definitely, indisputably or truly.
- Wordy: Beyond a shadow of a doubt, we will have to increase our funding.
- Concise: We will undoubtedly (or certainly) have to increase our funding.
- Wordy: That was, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the most exciting trip I’ve ever taken.
- Concise: That was definitely (or truly) the most exciting trip I’ve ever taken.
- Wordy: I can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the defendant is telling the truth.
- Concise: I can prove indisputably that the defendant is telling the truth.
Copyright notice for Writing Tips Plus
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, represented by the Minister of Public Services and Procurement
A tool created and made available online by the Translation Bureau, Public Services and Procurement Canada
Search by related themes
Want to learn more about a theme discussed on this page? Click on a link below to see all the pages on the Language Portal of Canada that relate to the theme you selected. The search results will be displayed in Language Navigator.
Related links
- Writing Tips Plus (home page)
- Writing tools
- Language Navigator (for fast access to language tips)
- TERMIUM Plus®