This link has been bookmarked by 4 people . It was first bookmarked on 02 Nov 2006, by David Leal.
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07 Sep 10
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02 Nov 06
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Use a notebook or a computer file to keep a list of powerful verbs you stumble across in your reading – then work to incorporate them in your own writing. Watch particularly for offbeat and unusual uses of verbs.
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- Watch for the chance to use verbs that reflect sound – the baby gurgled; the girls shrieked.
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Whenever possible, try to replace “state of being” verbs — is, am, were, was, are, be, being, been – with action verbs. (Use the search key – control + F – then type in “is” or “was” and see how many times you can eliminate it.) For example: “Jerome was an A+ student” could become “Jerome earned straight As at school.”
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Strengthen your verbs by making them as specific as possible. Eat, for example, could also be nibble, devour and gobble, depending on what you want to convey. Likewise, sit could be slouch, spread out or recline.
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Good writing is not about adjectives. It’s about VERBS.
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Readers are looking for solid information from sources they can trust. But if your website is filled with adjectives, you’re going to sound like you’re selling all the time.
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When words are imprecise, you lose control over the meaning the reader takes in.
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2) Adjectives mean different things to different people.
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3) Adjectives sound too hype-y and sales-y.
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Many adjectives are a bit like the bubble-wrap you find surrounding cross-country courier envelopes – they hide and cushion rather than reveal.
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There are lots of difficulties with adjectives, but here are the three main ones…
1) Adjectives are imprecise. For words that are supposed to improve your writing, it’s awfully funny how vague adjectives can be.
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