Shortening and expanding: what changes
Changing length is different from rewording. Shortening removes what the reader does not need. Expanding adds what the reader might need to follow the idea, such as an explanation or a transition. In both cases the meaning stays the same.
| Mode | Typical effect | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Shorten | Roughly 30 to 50 percent shorter: repetition and filler removed, clauses merged | Wordy sentences, word limits, summaries of your own text |
| Expand | Roughly 50 to 100 percent longer: explanation, transitions and context added | Thin drafts, short answers, notes that need developing |
These percentages are targets in the tool's instructions, not guarantees. The actual length depends on how much there is to cut or develop, so check the word count of the result.
What Expand will not do
Expand is told to add explanation and plausible context drawn from what you wrote and never to invent facts, figures, quotes or sources. If your text says "sales rose", it may explain what that implies, but it will not add a percentage. Even so, read the result and delete any sentence that says more than you know to be true. Do not use expansion to pad an assignment with empty words: a longer text is only better if every sentence earns its place.
Shorten without losing the point
- Put the main idea first, then keep only the details the reader needs.
- Remove openers like "it is important to note that" and "due to the fact that".
- Replace phrases with single words: "in order to" becomes "to".
- Keep names, dates and numbers exactly as they were.
For a true summary of a long text, with bullet points or one sentence, use the Summarizer. For clearer structure rather than length, use the Sentence Rewriter, and for new wording at the same length, use the Paraphrasing Tool, which also has its own Shorten and Expand modes.
Limits
Each run takes up to 6,000 characters, roughly 900 English words. Longer documents should be resized section by section. As with any AI output, check technical terms, names and numbers.