Phil Druker/Department of English/ University of Idaho

Nominalizations:
Phil Druker, UI, Department of English

Avoid nominalizations.

Use verbs (action words) instead of nouns (things) or adjectives (descriptive words):

·        Wrong:  Indirect predator control is the exclusion of predators through means such as…. (12 words)
Better:   Indirect predator control excludes predators through means such as.... (9 words)

·        Wrong: This is dependant on fire.  (5 words)
Better:  This depends on fire.  (4 words)

·        Wrong:  They did not give an explanation for the debacle. (9 words)
Better:  They did not explain the debacle. (6 words)

·        Wrong:  The increasing electrical output requires the addition of extra modules. (10 wds)
Better: The increasing electrical output requires adding extra modules. (8 words)

Also avoid wordiness.