ELIMINATING DEAD VERBSStronger Diction, Stronger Papers!

What are dead verbs?• Dead verbs are less expressive and often result in wordy

sentences.

• They include “to be” words• be, is, are, was, were, been, being

• And “have” words• Have, having, had, has, have been

• I’m adding “can,” “get,” and “feel”

The Difference

Dead Verbs

After many attempts to “revive” downtown Greensboro, it finally appears to be happening. Streets that were once empty after dark are now bustling with activity – or at least they are showing signs of life. There are now clubs and bars lining Elm Street and the surrounding area, and they are full of twenty- and thirty- somethings. A slightly older crowd has been lured downtown by new art galleries, and live performances are now offered at two theaters. There are a few fine restaurants that have before- and after-theater specials. There is also a new park in the middle of town that has live concerts on a regular basis. Some lunch- hour performances are held there, and many downtown workers have been attracted to them. Young families are also discovering downtown, thanks in large part to the Children’s Museum that has been open for a few years and the baseball stadium, which is brand new and which has a playground that is loved by kids.

Fewer Dead Verbs

After many attempts to “revive” downtown Greensboro, it finally appears to be happening. Streets that once stood empty after dark now bustle with activity – or at least show signs of life. Clubs and bars full of twenty- and thirty- somethings line Elm Street and the surrounding area. New art galleries and two theaters offering live performances have lured a slightly older crowd downtown, where they can find before- or after-theater specials at a few fine restaurants. A new park in the middle of town hosts live concerts on a regular basis, including some lunch-hour performances that attract many downtown workers. Young families are also discovering downtown, thanks in large part to the Children’s Museum that opened a few years ago and the brand new baseball stadium with a playground that kids love.

Consider:

Strong verbs show instead of tell.

• I had an argument with my brother.• I argued with my brother.

• She is always early to class.• She always arrives early to class.

• The senator is careful to only visit corporations with low carbon footprints.

• The senator visits only corporations with low carbon footprints.

Getting Rid of Dead Verbs

1. Underline any dead verbs.

2. Look for a noun or adjective that you can convert to a strong verb.

3. Rewrite the sentence.

• John is the manager of the produce department.

• John manages the produce department.

• John is the manager of the produce department.

Active vs. Passive Verbs

Passive

• Passive voice sentences have an absent subject (or a subject stated later in the sentence).

• She was adopted by two loving parents.

• Customers should be seated no more than ten minutes after their arrival.

Active

• Active voice clarifies the subject completing the action.

• Two loving parents adopted her.

• The host should seat customers no more than ten minutes after they arrive.

Other Techniques1. Use your imagination to substitute more interesting words.

• He has many admirers. He attracts many admirers.

2. Avoid starting sentences with “There are” or “There is”• There is a cat pawing the fire grate. A cat paws the fire grate.

3. Use present tense (swims) rather than present progressive tense (is swimming), unless you need to show that an action is continuing.

• Exception: “She is learning piano.”• Streets are now bustling with activity. Streets now bustle with

activity.

4. Place adjectives before nouns, instead of in “which is/are” clauses

• Her brother, who is friendly, saved the cat.• Her friendly brother saved the cat.

Fix it!

He was a strong king.

Fix it!

William Shakespeare is recognized as one of the greatest playwrights of all time.

Fix it!

She was responsible to managing fourteen full-time employees.

Fix it!

I am the teacher of Honors English I, AP Language and Composition, and Honors British Literature.

Fix it!

Walt Disney was the initiator of a mass movement in family entertainment.

Fix it!

In the distance there is a great eruption on the water, as a killer whale jumps above the surface.