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WRITING FOR THE PROFESSIONS
WEEK 4 STYLE EXERCISES
NOMINALISATION (HIDDEN VERBS) + MORE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE
VOICE
Williams’ Principle 3:
Use verbs to name the subjects’ or characters’ important
actions.
Readers will think your writing is dense if you use a lot of
abstract nouns,especially those derived from verbs and adjectives.
In what he refers to as hisfirst ‘principle of clarity’, Williams
!""#, $%& says that 'a sentence seems clearwhen its important
actions are in verbs.(
)any thoughts can be e*pressed either with verbs such as
'recommend(& orwith nouns linked to weak verbs such as 'make a
recommendation(&. +hoosingthe verb rather than the noun usually
produces a more concise, emphatic
sentence. noun derived from a verb is called a
nominali-ation.
ast week we looked at the impact of changing verbs from their
passive formvoice& into the active. In the sentences
below, change the nominali-ations toverbs. In some of the
e*ercises, the actions being referred to were
actuallye*pressed as nouns, not verbs. /hese are called
nominalizations or hiddenverbs.
EXAMPLE: ook at how sentences e*press their action. In
0& actions in bol&are not verbs +1I/I234&, they are
nouns.
0& 5ur l!"# of data 1R3637/34 $%!l&!'o of 87
actions in targeting funds to
areas most $$ of !***'!"$.In !& on the other hand, the
actions are almost all verbs.
!&. 9ecause we +:34 data, we could not 368/3 whether the 87
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attempt = description = increase =
believe = discuss = intelligent =
careful = emphasise = suggest =
clear = evaluate = thorough =
comparison = e*amine =
E$,"*$ .: Rewrite these sentences by converting the hidden
verbs (in bold )bac into stronger verb !orms. "he !irst
one is done !or you.
0. /he board "!/$ 'o '0$ ,$!l1!'o that it needed to improve
its image.
REVISION: /he board ,$!l1$ that it needed to improve
its image.
!. 2o, now, do you *'! !2,$$/$' with me, then>( the
governor asked the
legislature.
$. I "!/$ 'o '0$ ,$!l1!'o that the ?und’s performance * !
,$3l$"'o of the
ma*imum sales charge of @A.
B. We 0!%$ '0$ $$"'!'o that the global economy will
continue to /!#$ !
,$"o%$,5.
@. /here * ! o**bl'5 of board ,$6$"'o of the wearing
of 'colorful casuals.(
C. Waldo &$,'oo# ! *$!,"0 for the hidden profit.
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