Word Choice
you, your, yourself
“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” Chekhov
Show – Don’t Tell
- Use active rather than passive verbs.
Example:
passive verb: The trophy was clutched by Diana.
Active verb: Diana clutched the trophy.
- Avoid overusing the “to be” verbs (is, are was, were, am…) Also, avoid overusing would, could, or should. Often a better verb can be made from another word in the same sentence. (Notice how the word dancer is made into a verb in the example below.)
Example:
A “to be” verb: Carla is a good dancer.
A stronger verb: Carla dances beautifully.
- Use verbs that show rather than Tell
Example:
A verb that tells: James stepped on the tomato.
A verb that shows: James squashed the tomato.
- Whenever possible, use a verb which is strong enough to stand alone without the help of an adverb.
Verb and adverb: Sidney quickly read the assignment.
A single vivid verb: Sidney skimmed the assignment
Dead Word List
a lot
awesome
bad
big
cool
cute
end up
fine
get, got, gotten good, great
just
kind of
like
lots
nice
pretty
pretty much
should of
so fun
something
sort of
stuff
then
things
totally
very well
whole lotyou, your, yourself
Prepositions
about above across after against along among at before behind below beneath beside between beyond by down during
from in inside into near of off on onto
out outside over past since through throughout to
toward under underneath until
Muscle Verbs
blast
blaze
blur
brace
breeze
buzz
chafe
chase
cheat
chill
chip
chop
chuckle
clamp
clasp
claw
cleanse
click
clip
cloud
clutch
clutter
condense
contain
crawl
creak
crease
creep
cross
crouch
crowd
crunch
crush
cry
dart
devoured
rag
drain
drill
|
drip
drizzle
droop
drown
flinch
flip
float
flood
flow
expand
fight
flash
flatten
flaunt
flex
fret
frown
gaze
giggle
glance
glare
glide
glimpse
gobble
grasp
grind
gripe
groan
grumble
hum
lunge
lure
meander
nibble
nudge
ooze
persuade
plead
plot
rely
plunge
|
prevent
promise
scamper
scan
scold
scrape
scratch
scurry
scream
scrub
share
shield
shift
shoot
skimp
slump
smirk
snatch
sneak
sneer
sniff
snip
spin
spit
split
spray
stack
stare
sting
stoop
stretch
stroll
stun
swat
sweep
swipe
witch
trudge
twist
whine
whirl
|
Research Words
abolish coordinate indicate
accelerate decrease initiate
achieve define introduce
accomplish demonstrate liberate
acquire depict maintain
administer design organize
advance designate overcome
analyze develop permit
blame discriminate portray
claim eliminate propose
command establish prove
communicate examine provide
combine identify reinforce
contribute implement summarized
convince increase target
“I do not choose the right word. I get rid of the wrong one.”
A.E. Housman
Linking Verbs
am are be been
being could did do
does had has have
is may might must
shall should was were
will would
Adverbs
Adverbs tell how, when, where, and to what extent. Use adverbs sparingly in your writing. Always try to use a better verb or adjective before adding an adverb.
fully away today carefully
just rather rover gradually
late together not rapidly
now soon quite probably
often nearby never already
out here quickly very
so painstakingly easily then
too strangely fast suddenly
well finally here extremely
Substitutes for Get/Got
accomplish
achieve
acquire
approach
arrive
attain
become
capture
collect
comprehend
contract
convince
catch
earn
escape
find
grab
grasp
inherit
learn
locate
master
obtain
steal
succeed
reach
receive
remember
remove
rent
retrieve
understand
Substitutes for Said
added
admitted
announced
argued
babbled
bellowed
blurted
bragged
chuckled
claimed
complained
cried
dared
demanded
exclaimed
explained
gasped
groaned
hinted
informed
insisted
joked
laughed
mentioned
moaned
mumbled
murmured
muttered
pleaded
promised
questioned
ranted
replied
reported
responded
roared
screamed
shouted
sighed
smiled
snapped
sobbed
stated
swore
teased
vowed
warned
whined
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