Daily Writing Tip, Oct 8, 2026
Hidden verbs are wordy substitutes for verbs. They are usually considered poor form. I.E. carry out a review --> review
— http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/wordsuggestions/hiddenverbs.cfm
Hidden verbs are wordy substitutes for verbs. They are usually considered poor form. I.E. carry out a review --> review
— http://www.plainlanguage.gov/howto/wordsuggestions/hiddenverbs.cfm
Hidden verbs bury the action inside a noun, which forces you to prop it up with a weaker, more generic verb — "conduct," "perform," "make," "carry out." The reader has to do extra work to find the real meaning, and the sentence gains length without gaining clarity. Pulling the verb back out shortens the distance between subject and action, so the sentence moves instead of sitting there.
Take "we will make an announcement regarding the schedule change." Unpacked, that's just "we will announce the schedule change" — same meaning, fewer words, and the sentence finally has some energy.
The caution: not every noun phrase is hiding a verb, and some carry real nuance. "Give consideration to" isn't identical to "consider" in tone or weight, and forcing every sentence into its leanest form can flatten writing that needed a little room to breathe.
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