diff --git a/lib/compatibility/2.4.nom b/lib/compatibility/2.4.nom
index 17a2df5..b28893a 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/2.4.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/2.4.nom
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ upgrade $tree to "2.4" as:
                             $new_lines, add $line
                     
                     ($line.stub == "* else"):
-                        $new_lines, add ("Action" tree with "else" $line.3)
+                        $new_lines, add (else `$line.3)
                     
                     else:
                         $conditions, add $line.2
@@ -44,9 +44,7 @@ upgrade $tree to "2.4" as:
                             ")
                         $conditions = []
             
-            return
-                "Action" tree with "when"
-                    "Block" tree from $tree.2.source with (unpack $new_lines)
+            return `(when `("Block" tree from $tree.2.source with (unpack $new_lines)))
         
         "if 1 is ?" "if 1 = ?":
             $values = []
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ upgrade $tree to "2.4" as:
                             $new_lines, add $line
                     
                     ($line.stub == "* else"):
-                        $new_lines, add ("Action" tree with "else" $line.3)
+                        $new_lines, add (else `$line.3)
                     
                     else:
                         $values, add $line.2
@@ -79,5 +77,7 @@ upgrade $tree to "2.4" as:
                         $values = []
             
             return
-                "Action" tree with "if" ($tree.2 upgraded) "is"
-                    "Block" tree from $tree.5.source with (unpack $new_lines)
+                `(
+                    if `($tree.2 upgraded) is
+                        `("Block" tree from $tree.5.source with (unpack $new_lines))
+                )
diff --git a/lib/compatibility/2.nom b/lib/compatibility/2.nom
index 2deeca2..4dc867d 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/2.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/2.nom
@@ -17,8 +17,7 @@ upgrade $tree to "2" as:
         unless ($false_body is "Block" syntax tree):
             $false_body = (=lua "Block(\$false_body.source, \$false_body)")
         
-        return
-            "Action" tree with "if" ($tree.2 upgraded) $true_body "else" $false_body
+        return `(if `($tree.2 upgraded) `$true_body else `$false_body)
     
     $need_blocks = [
         "if", "unless", "for 1 in", "for 1 = 2 in", "repeat while 1", "repeat 1 times"
diff --git a/lib/compatibility/4.8.10.nom b/lib/compatibility/4.8.10.nom
index 3ec7421..ee60a61 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/4.8.10.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/4.8.10.nom
@@ -13,12 +13,12 @@ upgrade action "local action" to "4.8.10" via
         if $spec.type is:
             "List":
                 if (#$spec == 1):
-                    return ("Action" tree with $spec.1 "means" $body)
+                    return `(`$spec.1 means `$body)
                 ..else:
-                    return ("Action" tree with $spec "all" "mean" $body)
+                    return `(`$spec all mean `$body)
             
             else:
-                return ("Action" tree with $spec "means" $body)
+                return `(`$spec means `$body)
 
 upgrade action "action" to "4.8.10" via
     for ($tree $end_version):
@@ -28,14 +28,14 @@ upgrade action "action" to "4.8.10" via
             if $spec.type is:
                 "List":
                     if (#$spec == 1):
-                        return ("Action" tree with "externally" $spec.1 "means" $body)
+                        return `(externally `$spec.1 means `$body)
                     ..else:
-                        return ("Action" tree with "externally" $spec "all" "mean" $body)
+                        return `(externally `$spec all mean `$body)
                 
                 else:
-                    return ("Action" tree with "externally" $spec "means" $body)
+                    return `(externally `$spec means `$body)
         ..else:
-            return ("Action" tree with $spec "'" "s" "meaning")
+            return `((`$spec)'s meaning)
 
 upgrade action "compile 1 to" to "4.8.10" via
     for ($tree $end_version):
@@ -44,12 +44,12 @@ upgrade action "compile 1 to" to "4.8.10" via
         if $spec.type is:
             "List":
                 if (#$spec == 1):
-                    return ("Action" tree with $spec.1 "compiles" "to" $body)
+                    return `(`$spec.1 compiles to `$body)
                 ..else:
-                    return ("Action" tree with $spec "all" "compile" "to" $body)
+                    return `(`$spec all compile to `$body)
             
             else:
-                return ("Action" tree with $spec "compiles" "to" $body)
+                return `(`$spec compiles to `$body)
 
 upgrade action "parse 1 as" to "4.8.10" via
     for ($tree $end_version):
@@ -58,12 +58,12 @@ upgrade action "parse 1 as" to "4.8.10" via
         if $spec.type is:
             "List":
                 if (#$spec == 1):
-                    return ("Action" tree with $spec.1 "parses" "as" $body)
+                    return `(`$spec.1 parses as `$body)
                 ..else:
-                    return ("Action" tree with $spec "all" "parse" "as" $body)
+                    return `(`$spec all parse as `$body)
             
             else:
-                return ("Action" tree with $spec "parse" "as" $body)
+                return `(`$spec parse as `$body)
 
 upgrade action (compile as $) to "4.8.10" as (what $ compiles to)
-upgrade action (remove action $) to "4.8.10" as (($'s meaning) = (nil))
\ No newline at end of file
+upgrade action (remove action $) to "4.8.10" as (($'s meaning) = (nil))
diff --git a/lib/compatibility/4.9.nom b/lib/compatibility/4.9.nom
index 9371f8c..ddb6b9f 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/4.9.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/4.9.nom
@@ -10,4 +10,4 @@ upgrade action "if" to "4.9" via
     for ($tree $end_version):
         if (#$tree > 2):
             return $tree
-        return ("Action" tree with "when" $tree.2)
\ No newline at end of file
+        return `(when `$tree.2)
diff --git a/lib/compatibility/5.13.nom b/lib/compatibility/5.13.nom
index c2ab90e..3073fdf 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/5.13.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/5.13.nom
@@ -17,6 +17,6 @@ upgrade action "with" to "5.13" via
             when:
                 (($a.type == "DictEntry") and (#$a == 1)): $a = $a.1
                 (all of [$a.type == "DictEntry", #$a == 2]):
-                    $a = ("Action" tree with $a.1 "=" $a.2)
+                    $a = `(`$a.1 = `$a.2)
             $new_assignments.$i = $a
-        return ("Action" tree with "with" $new_assignments $body)
+        return `(with `$new_assignments `$body)
diff --git a/lib/compatibility/6.14.nom b/lib/compatibility/6.14.nom
index b809afd..0d6b8de 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/6.14.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/6.14.nom
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ upgrade action (assume $assumption or barf $err) to "6.14" as
     unless $assumption: fail $err
 
 upgrade action (barf $msg) to "6.14" as (fail $msg)
-upgrade action ("Action" tree with 1 "'" "s" "meaning").stub to "6.14" via
+upgrade action (`(1's meaning)).stub to "6.14" via
     $tree -> ("Var" tree from $tree.source with $tree.1)
 upgrade action (log base $b of $n) to "6.14" as (log $n base $b)
 upgrade action "use" to "6.14" via
@@ -36,4 +36,4 @@ upgrade action "use" to "6.14" via
         $path = $tree.2.1
         $path = ($path, with "%.nom$" -> "")
         $path = ($path, with "^lib/" -> "")
-        return ("Action" tree with "use" ("Text" tree from $tree.2.source with $path))
\ No newline at end of file
+        return `(use `("Text" tree from $tree.2.source with $path))
diff --git a/lib/compatibility/compatibility.nom b/lib/compatibility/compatibility.nom
index 5ae261f..83eb3cd 100644
--- a/lib/compatibility/compatibility.nom
+++ b/lib/compatibility/compatibility.nom
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ external:
     
     (upgrade action $actions to $version as $body) compiles to:
         if ($actions is "Action" syntax tree):
-            $actions = ("List" tree with $actions)
+            $actions = `[`$actions]
         $lua = (Lua "")
         for $action in $actions:
             $replacements = {}
diff --git a/lib/core/control_flow.nom b/lib/core/control_flow.nom
index 481507f..1329cc8 100644
--- a/lib/core/control_flow.nom
+++ b/lib/core/control_flow.nom
@@ -232,18 +232,18 @@ test:
     if ($body, contains `(do next)):
         $lua, add "\n        ::continue::"
     
-    if ($key and ($body, contains ("Action" tree with "do" "next" $key))):
-        $lua, add "\n        " (("Action" tree with "---" "next" $key "---") as lua)
+    if ($key and ($body, contains `(do next `$key))):
+        $lua, add "\n        " (`(---next `$key ---) as lua)
     
-    if ($body, contains ("Action" tree with "do" "next" $value)):
-        $lua, add "\n        " (("Action" tree with "---" "next" $value "---") as lua)
+    if ($body, contains `(do next `$value)):
+        $lua, add "\n        " (`(---next `$value ---) as lua)
     
     $lua, add "\n    end"
-    if ($key and ($body, contains ("Action" tree with "stop" $key))):
-        $lua, add "\n    " (("Action" tree with "---" "stop" $key "---") as lua)
+    if ($key and ($body, contains `(stop `$key))):
+        $lua, add "\n    " (`(---stop `$key ---) as lua)
     
-    if ($body, contains ("Action" tree with "stop" $value)):
-        $lua, add "\n    " (("Action" tree with "---" "stop" $value "---") as lua)
+    if ($body, contains `(stop `$value)):
+        $lua, add "\n    " (`(---stop `$value ---) as lua)
     
     $lua, add "\nend -- for-loop"
     $lua, remove free vars
@@ -445,7 +445,7 @@ test:
     assume ((result of: return 99) == 99)
 
 ### Inline thunk:
-(result of $body) compiles to "\(("Action" tree with "->" $body) as lua)()"
+(result of $body) compiles to "\(`(-> `$body) as lua)()"
 test:
     $t = [1, [2, [[3], 4], 5, [[[6]]]]]
     $flat = []
@@ -474,11 +474,11 @@ test:
     if ($body, contains `(do next)):
         $lua, add "\n        ::continue::"
     
-    if ($body, contains ("Action" tree with "do" "next" $var)):
-        $lua, add "\n        \(("Action" tree with "---" "next" $var "---") as lua)"
+    if ($body, contains `(do next `$var)):
+        $lua, add "\n        \(`(---next `$var ---) as lua)"
     
     $lua, add "\n    end -- Recursive loop"
-    if ($body, contains ("Action" tree with "stop" $var)):
-        $lua, add "\n        \(("Action" tree with "---" "stop" $var "---") as lua)"
+    if ($body, contains `(stop `$var)):
+        $lua, add "\n        \(`(---stop `$var ---) as lua)"
     $lua, add "\nend -- Recursive scope"
     return $lua
diff --git a/lib/core/things.nom b/lib/core/things.nom
index e83f88d..e6d215a 100644
--- a/lib/core/things.nom
+++ b/lib/core/things.nom
@@ -121,4 +121,4 @@ external:
             ")
         
         $lua, add free vars [$class_id]
-        return $lua
\ No newline at end of file
+        return $lua
diff --git a/lib/shell/init.nom b/lib/shell/init.nom
index 13dc675..be72c9f 100644
--- a/lib/shell/init.nom
+++ b/lib/shell/init.nom
@@ -28,8 +28,5 @@ external:
                     "Command failure: Command `\($cmd)` was terminated by signal \$return"
     
     ### Attach callsite information for better error reporting
-    (=sh $cmd) compiles to
-        ("Action" tree with "at" ("Text" tree with "\($cmd.source)") "=" "sh" $cmd) as lua
-    
-    (sh> $cmd) compiles to
-        ("Action" tree with "at" ("Text" tree with "\($cmd.source)") "sh" ">" $cmd) as lua
\ No newline at end of file
+    (=sh $cmd) compiles to `(at `("Text" tree with "\($cmd.source)") =sh `$cmd)
+    (sh> $cmd) compiles to `(at `("Text" tree with "\($cmd.source)") sh> `$cmd)
diff --git a/lib/tools/find.nom b/lib/tools/find.nom
index 45a51e5..e3ef185 100755
--- a/lib/tools/find.nom
+++ b/lib/tools/find.nom
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ command line program with $args:
         
         for $ in (1 to #$patt):
             if ($patt.$ is syntax tree):
-                if ($patt.$ == ("Var" tree with "multi_wildcard")): return (yes)
+                if ($patt.$ == `$multi_wildcard): return (yes)
                 unless ($tree.$ matches $patt.$): return (no)
             ..else:
                 unless ($tree.$ == $patt.$): return (no)
@@ -99,4 +99,4 @@ command line program with $args:
         ..else:
             sort $results by $ -> $.line
             for $ in $results:
-                say $.text
\ No newline at end of file
+                say $.text
diff --git a/lib/tools/tutorial.nom b/lib/tools/tutorial.nom
index 0dda917..035443e 100755
--- a/lib/tools/tutorial.nom
+++ b/lib/tools/tutorial.nom
@@ -15,10 +15,10 @@ use "shell"
 ")
 
 [<your code here>, ???] all compile to
-    (
-        "Action" tree with "at" ("Text" tree with "\((this tree).source)") "fail"
+    `(
+        at `("Text" tree with "\((this tree).source)") fail
             `"Incomplete code: This needs to be filled in."
-    ) as lua
+    )
 
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~