Question posted in my Personal Messages box by melvinhate, Forum member (June 7, 2015):
Hi, sir. Can we consider “in line with this” in writing an ineffectual phrase? Thank you.
My reply to melvinhate:
No, I don’t think the correlative phrase “in line with this” can be considered an ineffectual phrase. To call something "ineffectual" is to say that it doesn’t produce the proper or intended effect. On the contrary, “in line with this” effectively says what it means, that the subject being described is in conformance to, similar to, or at the same level as something, as in “The increase in prices of consumer goods is in line with the current inflation level.” The problem with “in line with this,” however, is that it sounds a tad too formal and officious; when used too often in personal letters or private conversations, it can make the writer or speaker sound stiff and overbearing.
Personally, I try my best to avoid using “in line with” whether in an official or personal capacity. I use plainer equivalents like “follows,” “is based on,” “according to,” and “corresponds to,” as in “The increase in prices of consumer goods follows the current inflation level” or “The increase in prices of consumer goods corresponds to the current inflation level,” whichever is the best fit for the intended sense. The point is, when you want to sound pleasant instead of bossy, it’s better to avoid officious correlatives like “in line with this.”
