17 verbs that cut the fat from your writing
Verbs are the powerhouse of your sentences; choose them wisely.
Consider the following sentences:
"The managing editor made a recommendation to use a new style guide."
"The managing editor recommended a new style guide."
In the first sentence, made is a weak verb used with the noun recommendation. But as the second sentence demonstrates, you can simplify and strengthen the sentence by using recommend as the verb.
Here are 17 examples of this coupling, along with the much stronger verb:
• make a decision > decide
• to be expanded > expand
• formulate an argument > argue
• raise an objection > object
• make restitution > resolve
• express resentment > resent
• arrive at a conclusion > conclude
• make a suggestion > suggest
• perform an analysis > analyze
• develop a plan > plan
• exercise conformity > conform
• undertake a development > develop
• find a solution > solve
• make a revision > revise
• provide clarification > clarify
• give encouragement > encourage
• cause a delay > delay
(Reprinted from http://www.prdaily.com/Main/Articles/11966.aspx)
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Comments
These are mostly good examples, but i disagree with a few of them:
To sit quietly in a chair, steaming and seething and resenting something, is a very different thing from actually expressing said resentment.
And formulating an argument is much safer and easier than actually arguing.
And finding a solution doesn't necessarily mean anything will be solved.
Anyone who has spent any length of time in a relationship knows these things :D