1. Direct, Precise, & Active Verbs
Nitya Shah & Mia Banks

2. Verbs
A verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence
Direct, precise, and active verbs energize writing
Ex: “The use of anabolic steroids lowers the levels of protective high-density lipoproteins, suppresses sperm production and raises the risk of heart attacks, strokes and liver disease.”
These verbs move the sentence forward with vigor and clarity and set a confident, straightforward tone

3. Direct Verbs Limit your use of forms of to be and other linking verbs
Ex: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been
You can change a form of to be that is followed by a predicate adjective or noun into an action verb

4. Direct Verbs
In the following example, the second sentence sports a stronger verb
“An article published in the March/April 2003 issue of ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal is a review of recent studies.”
“An article published in the March/April 2003 issue of ACSM’s Health and Fitness Journal reviews recent studies.”
The second sentence is thus more straightforward and direct

5. Direct Verbs More examples:
“It is a testament to a fundamental stability in American society.”
“It attests to a fundamental stability in American society.”
“My left arm was weak.”
“I was losing the strength in my left arm.”
“My arm is strong again.”
“I’ve recovered most of the strength in my arm.

6. Precise Verbs
It is important to select verbs that best convey your meaning
“As Emily walks on to the floor in her green-and- gold uniform, she looks for me.”
“As Emily bounces onto the floor in her green- and-gold uniform, her eyes scan the crowd to meet mine.”
Using precise verbs can help create imagery and clarify a sentence

7. Precise Verbs More examples:
“Now some may complain about my bringing a subject as unworthy as appearance into the pristine arena of sports.”
“Now some may grouse at my bringing a subject as unworthy as appearance into the pristine arena of sports.”
“He added sugar to his coffee.”
“He dumped sugar into his coffee.”

8. Active Verbs
In addition to choosing a verb that is direct and precise, use verbs in the active voice
Unless if you have a specific reason to use a passive voice
Ex: “Zio Pepe was among those who cheered when Joe DiMaggio returned to San Francisco after his first season with the New York Yankees and was carried along the wharf on the shoulders of the fishermen.”
Gay Talese likely uses a passive voice because he wanted he wanted DiMaggio to remain as the subject

9. Active vs. Passive Voice
When an action is performed upon the sentence subject, the sentence is passive, or indirect
Ex: The entrance exam was failed by one-third of the applicants.
Using a passive voice makes a sentence wordy and sometimes unclear
Ex: One-third of the applicants failed the entrance exam.
This sentence uses an active voice because the subject performs the action
This makes the sentence clearer

10. Active Verbs Strong writers stick with the active voice:
“In the forty-first game of 1941…DiMaggio tied an American League record that George Sisler had set in ”
If a passive voice had been used by Talese, the sentence would be wordy and hard to follow:
“In the forty-first game…an American League record that had been set by George Sisler in 1922 was tied by DiMaggio.”