Correct Way to Use “Discuss” – Avoid Saying “Discuss About”

Discuss works with a direct object. You simply say what you are talking about without adding extra words. Using about after it is unnecessary. Clear sentences help your ideas sound strong and correct. This rule makes writing and speaking easier to understand.

Always place the object right after discuss. For example, say “We will discuss plans” instead of adding about. Keeping sentences short and precise improves clarity. Following this simple rule builds confidence in speaking and writing English properly.

Other verbs like explain, mention, and describe follow the same pattern. They also take objects directly. Avoid adding unnecessary words to keep your language simple, professional, and accurate. This approach makes communication smooth and natural for everyone.

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The Meaning and Grammar of “Discuss”

Discuss is a verb that needs a direct object to make sense. It shows talking or sharing ideas about something. You do not add about after it. Using it correctly makes your sentences clear and helps others understand your message easily.

The structure is simple: place the object right after discuss. For example, “We discuss the plan” is correct. This rule also applies to formal writing, emails, or classroom talks. Correct usage improves confidence and makes your English sound natural and professional.

Discuss is a verb that takes a direct object, showing you talk or share ideas about something without adding about.
Place the object immediately after discuss to form clear and correct sentences.
Using discuss properly improves writing, speaking, and overall communication confidence.

Why “discuss” doesn’t need “about”

Discuss already includes the meaning of “talk about,” so adding about is unnecessary.
As a transitive verb, it requires a direct object, not a preposition.
Correct usage keeps sentences clear, concise, and professional in writing and speaking.

Why “Discuss About” Is Grammatically Incorrect

Adding about after discuss creates redundancy because the verb already implies it.
Grammar rules treat discuss as a transitive verb that needs a direct object only.
Using about weakens sentence clarity and sounds incorrect in formal writing and speech.

Examples that clarify

Correct sentences show how to use discuss properly. For example, say “We discuss strategy” or “She discussed her ideas.” Avoid adding about. Using the right structure makes speaking and writing simple, clear, and easy to follow for everyone.

Other examples include “They discussed the project” and “He discusses plans with the team.” Keeping sentences short and direct helps learners understand the rules. Correct usage strengthens communication and ensures your English sounds professional and confident in any situation.

Incorrect (with “about”)	Correct (without “about”)
Let’s discuss about the issue.	Let’s discuss the issue.
We discussed about strategy yesterday.	We discussed strategy yesterday.
She discussed about her concerns.	She discussed her concerns.

Understanding Transitive Verbs and Direct Objects

A transitive verb, like discuss, requires a direct object to complete its meaning.
The object comes immediately after the verb, showing what is being acted upon.
Correct use of transitive verbs ensures sentences are clear, complete, and grammatically accurate.

Other transitive verbs (and how they work)

Verb	Correct Use	Incorrect Use (with “about”)
explain	She explained the rules.	She explained about the rules.
mention	He mentioned the issue.	He mentioned about the issue.
describe	They described the scene.	They described about the scene.
debate	We debated the topic.	We debated about the topic. (Note: though debated about is more common, many style guides still prefer “debate the topic.”)

When “About” Is Correct (with Other Verbs)

Verbs like talk, think, worry, and learn need about to connect to their object.
Using about shows what the action refers to and completes the sentence meaning.
Correct placement of about makes sentences clear, natural, and easy to understand.

Other Common Mistakes: “Mention About,” “Explain About,” “Describe About”

Let’s list some recurring errors and why they’re wrong. Then you’ll see how to correct them.

Common mistaken phrases

Phrases like mention about, explain about, and describe about are often used incorrectly.
Adding about with these transitive verbs is unnecessary and redundant.
Avoiding these mistakes keeps sentences clear, concise, and grammatically correct.

Why they’re incorrect

Each of these verbs is transitive in the contexts where people use “about.” So using “about” duplicates the object relation.

Corrections and examples

Mistake	Better Version	Explanation
She explained about the issue.	She explained the issue.	“Explain” already acts on the object.
He mentioned about her suggestion.	He mentioned her suggestion.	“Mention” already takes a direct object.
They described about their work.	They described their work.	“Describe” needs the object directly.
We want to debate about this idea.	We want to debate this idea.	“Debate” is often treated like “discuss” – direct object works better in formal writing.

Alternatives and Natural Phrasings You Can Use

Since you can’t say “discuss about,” what should you say? Here are natural, grammatically clean alternatives – with nuance notes too.

Popular alternatives

Use talk about for casual and friendly conversations.
Use have a discussion about to emphasize the act of discussing.
Use speak on, debate, or go over for formal or review situations.

Choosing among them

Alternative	Tone / Use Case	Comment
discuss X	neutral / formal	Best for essays, reports, articles
talk about X	casual / conversational	Good for blogs, conversations
have a discussion about X	explanatory	Emphasizes the act of discussing
speak on X	formal, speeches	Useful in presentations
confer on X	formal meetings	Common in business/legal writing
debate X	argumentative	Emphasizes opposing views
touch on X	light mention	When you just skim a topic
go over X	review / explanation	For teaching or summarizing

Example conversions

❌ We want to discuss about holiday plans. → ✅ We want to discuss holiday plans.
❌ Let’s discuss about our options. → ✅ Let’s talk about our options.
❌ I’ll discuss about this issue tomorrow. → ✅ I’ll have a discussion about this issue tomorrow.

Real-Life Usage Examples and Mini Exercises

Seeing examples in context helps you internalize correct use.

Examples across contexts

In formal writing, discuss the proposal or discuss climate change for clear academic expression.
In business or emails, discuss the contract or discuss the report to communicate professionally.
In casual speech, talk about movies or go over weekend plans with friends naturally.

Mini exercises (try these yourself)

Rewrite: They discussed about their new project. → Correct version: They discussed their new project.
Rewrite: She explained about the rules clearly. → Correct version: She explained the rules clearly.
Rewrite: We need to discuss about budget cuts soon. → Correct version: We need to discuss budget cuts soon.

Etymology & Usage Evolution of “Discuss”

Discuss comes from Latin discutere, meaning “to shake apart or examine carefully.”
Over time, it evolved to mean “examine or talk about thoroughly” in English.
Modern usage drops about, as the verb already conveys the action of talking or examining.

Style Tip: Choosing Between “Discuss,” “Talk About,” and “Debate”

Each phrase has its own connotation. Pick wisely based on tone, audience, and purpose.

Nuance comparison

Discuss is formal and works well for school, reports, or meetings. Talk about is casual and friendly for conversations. Debate shows disagreement or opposite views. Using the right word makes your sentences clear and helps others understand your ideas easily.

Choosing the correct verb depends on the situation. For example, you can discuss plans in class, talk about games with friends, or debate ideas in a group. Using these words correctly makes your English sound natural, confident, and easy for everyone to follow.

Phrase	Formality	Implied tone	Suggested use
discuss X	medium to high	neutral / analytical	academic writing, reports
talk about X	low to medium	informal, friendly	blogs, conversation, casual writing
debate X	medium to high	confrontational, argumentative	opinion essays, panels

“Discussion On” vs. “Discussion Of” vs. “Discussion About”

This is tricky territory, but here’s how to navigate those subtly different prepositional pairs.

How they differ

Discussion of is formal and commonly used in academic writing.
Discussion on is slightly less formal and often appears in talks or media.
Discussion about is natural in casual conversation and informal writing.

Examples in context

In school, you can discuss the homework with your teacher or classmates. In work or emails, it is correct to discuss the report or discuss the meeting schedule. Clear examples help students use sentences properly and communicate confidently.

For casual talks, you can talk about games or go over weekend plans with friends. Using these examples shows how verbs change depending on the situation. Correct usage makes your English simple, easy to understand, and professional in speaking and writing.

In a journal, a discussion of the findings provides clear academic context.
At a seminar, a discussion on mental health engages the audience professionally.
In a blog, a discussion about remote work fits casual and conversational writing.

Advanced Notes for Curious Learners

For readers who want deeper grammar connections, here are a few related points:

Possessive Nouns & Object Ownership

You can say discuss the company’s strategy to show ownership clearly.
Alternatively, discuss the strategy of the company also works correctly.
Avoid adding about, as the possessive or “of” structure already links the object properly.

Commas with Nonrestrictive Clauses

When a sentence has extra information that is not essential, use commas to separate it. For example, “We will discuss the plan, which the team prepared last week, tomorrow.” This keeps sentences clear and easy to read for everyone.

Nonessential details should not confuse the main idea. Placing commas correctly helps learners write smoothly and speak clearly. Following this rule improves writing and ensures your sentences stay organized, professional, and simple for any reader or listener.

Verb Forms That Pair with “Discuss”

Use discuss with a direct object in simple and future tenses, e.g., We discuss new ideas tomorrow.
In continuous forms, say We are discussing proposals next week without adding about.
Correct verb forms ensure sentences stay clear, professional, and easy to understand.

Clearing Up Common Doubts

In standard English, never use discuss about. Always place the object directly after discuss. Correct usage improves speaking and writing. This simple rule helps learners avoid mistakes and makes communication clear, professional, and easy to understand in any situation.

Other verbs like mention, explain, and describe also take objects directly. Avoid adding unnecessary words. Following this pattern strengthens sentences, ensures proper grammar, and helps students build confidence while using English in school, emails, or conversations.

Never use discuss about; place the object directly after discuss for correct sentences.
Verbs like mention, explain, and describe also take objects directly without about.
Following this pattern improves clarity, professionalism, and confidence in both writing and speaking.

Summary: Your One Simple Rule to Remember

Always use discuss with a direct object. Do not add about after it. For example, say “We discuss the project.” This simple rule makes writing and speaking clear, correct, and easy to understand for learners at any level.

For variety, use alternatives like talk about, have a discussion about, or speak on. These expressions work in different situations. Following these patterns helps students communicate confidently and keeps sentences simple, professional, and easy for everyone to read or listen to.

Practical Takeaways

Always use discuss with a direct object and avoid adding about.
Use alternatives like talk about, have a discussion about, or speak on for variety.
Following these rules keeps sentences clear, professional, and easy to understand in all contexts.

Conclusion

Using discuss correctly makes English clear and professional. Always place the object directly after the verb and avoid adding about. Following this simple rule improves speaking, writing, and confidence, helping learners communicate ideas in a correct and organized way.

Other verbs like mention, explain, and describe also take objects directly. Avoid extra words to keep sentences simple and strong. Practicing these rules builds good habits, making English easy to use and ensuring your communication sounds natural, confident, and correct in any situation.

FAQs

When to use discuss and discuss about?

Use discuss with a direct object. Avoid discuss about as it is redundant and grammatically incorrect in both writing and speaking.

Is discussing about grammatically correct?

No, discussing about is incorrect. Always use discussing followed directly by the object, for example, discussing plans or discussing ideas.

What is the meaning of “discuss about”?

Discuss about is a wrong form. The intended meaning is simply to talk about a topic or idea, but about should be removed.

Is it better to say “discuss” or “talk about”?

Use discuss in formal or professional settings. Use talk about for casual or friendly conversations. Both are correct depending on context.

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