Good descriptive writing also employs the use of strong, specific verbs. Central in choosing verbs is -- as
always -- the avoidance of the verb ‘to be.’ To say a thing ‘is,’ or ‘was,’ is not nearly as active -- and
therefore specific -- as choosing a sharper verb. Consider these two versions of the same sentence:
The sunlight was on the propane tank.
The sunlight stretched over the propane tank.
Clearly the second sentence is more interesting; here the sunlight becomes active. In the first sentence,
there’s nothing interesting about the sun’s presence -- it’s simply there. Here are a few more examples of
active verbs in action (taken from writing teacher Natalie Goldberg):
The fiddles boiled the air with their music.
The lilacs sliced the sky into purple.
Her husband’s snores sawed her sleep in half.
A good rule of thumb is that the more unexpected the verb (as in ‘boiled’ in describing how fiddles sound,
or ‘sliced’ in describing flowers), the more specific and memorable a sentence will be.
However, it’s also important to remember that active verbs can’t be used in every sentence; and sometimes,
more general verbs like ‘run,’ ‘see,’ ‘go,’ ‘said,’ etc., are exactly what you need in a given sentence. The
goal, as a writer, is to make your choice a conscious one -- choose the verb you want, not the verb that
comes to you most easily. Push yourself to use specific, active verbs whenever possible, and to choose your
verbs (and all your words) carefully and deliberately all the time.
Example: "We had a really nice dinner" could become, "We enjoyed a tasty meal"
always -- the avoidance of the verb ‘to be.’ To say a thing ‘is,’ or ‘was,’ is not nearly as active -- and
therefore specific -- as choosing a sharper verb. Consider these two versions of the same sentence:
The sunlight was on the propane tank.
The sunlight stretched over the propane tank.
Clearly the second sentence is more interesting; here the sunlight becomes active. In the first sentence,
there’s nothing interesting about the sun’s presence -- it’s simply there. Here are a few more examples of
active verbs in action (taken from writing teacher Natalie Goldberg):
The fiddles boiled the air with their music.
The lilacs sliced the sky into purple.
Her husband’s snores sawed her sleep in half.
A good rule of thumb is that the more unexpected the verb (as in ‘boiled’ in describing how fiddles sound,
or ‘sliced’ in describing flowers), the more specific and memorable a sentence will be.
However, it’s also important to remember that active verbs can’t be used in every sentence; and sometimes,
more general verbs like ‘run,’ ‘see,’ ‘go,’ ‘said,’ etc., are exactly what you need in a given sentence. The
goal, as a writer, is to make your choice a conscious one -- choose the verb you want, not the verb that
comes to you most easily. Push yourself to use specific, active verbs whenever possible, and to choose your
verbs (and all your words) carefully and deliberately all the time.
Example: "We had a really nice dinner" could become, "We enjoyed a tasty meal"
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