In this quick writing tip, we’ll dive into choosing the perfect active verb to replace those weaker “to be” verbs. We’ll explore how to choose the right one while also highlighting the importance of understanding the nuance of the words you choose and how this can help you tell your stories with more intention.
Hello, Jane Cleland here. The question is, “I’m ready to revise. You say not to use the to be verb, to replace them with active verbs. How do I choose?”
To be verbs, a separate shortie, are in fact weaker than active verbs. Active verbs show people doing things as opposed to telling us something about the existence. But the question is a good one because there were so many options. How do you decide? You have to know what words mean. You have to use a thesaurus and then a dictionary until you really understand the nuance of language.
Take walk, for example. He walked across the room. That is a neutral comment and fine.
Walk is an active verb. But don’t use walk if you mean stomped across the room, or marched, or paraded across the room, or strut, amble, saunter, meander. These are all different verbs that indicate one foot in front of another, but the attitude changes everything.
So once again, it comes back to the question of what are you trying to express?
Once you know that, then find the word, the verb, that is as specific as possible, because our goal is to write unambiguously so that there’s only one way our readers can understand what we’re writing about, our intention. I know you can do it.
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