NCO Primary Leadership Subjects
Rule 4: Keep Sentences Short, Continued
This is an example of a smothered verb in a sentence.
Example:
Smothered verb
Example:
SMOTHERED: The Commanding Officer will conduct a barracks inspection.
(Inspection is the act of inspecting.)
VERB FORM: The Commanding Officer will inspect the barracks. (Inspect is
the action that will occur.)
Smothered verbs often lengthen sentences by requiring one or more prepositions
Avoid
(e.g., as, at, by, for, in, of, on, to, up, with) to connect to other words in the sentence.
smothered
verbs
Example:
VERB FORM: Coordinate the plan with the adjutant. (The sentence requires only
the single preposition with to connect the nouns plan and adjutant.)
SMOTHERED: Prepare the plan in coordination with the adjutant. (The smothered
verb requires the prepositions in and with to connect the nouns.)
Don't use words or phrases that needlessly repeat the main idea.
Avoid needless
repetition
Example:
REPETITIOUS: His duties and responsibilities..., Please review and
comment..., The importance and significance of...
CLEAR:
His duties..., Please comment..., The significance of..
Avoid using sentence stretchers like "It is," "there is," "there are," "that," "which,"
Sentence
and "in order to."
stretchers
Continued on next page
3-14
Writing Mechanics and Composition
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