Are your verbs pulling their weight? Or are they letting your writing down?
It’s easy to fall into the lazy verb habit.
How many times have you ‘addressed’ an issue, ‘actioned’ an item or ‘improved’ something?
Yawning yet?
Rather than sending your readers to sleep with dreary verbs, grab their attention with get-up-and-go verbs.
Not only are precise verbs more meaningful, they also spice up your writing.
And it usually only takes a moment to come up with a more lively alternative.
Compare these…
We ‘addressed’ that problem.
Try: fixed, tackled, resolved.
We ‘improved’ our website.
Try: revamped, modernised, overhauled.
The statistics ‘show’ an increase.
Try: reveal, confirm, emphasise.
The article ‘deals with’ lazy verbs.
Try: zeros in on, busts, exposes.
So, next time you need to add extra shine to your writing, remember a little verb bling goes a long way.
| Cinden Lester has more than 25 years’ experience as a professional writer, editor and communications specialist. She worked as a broadcast journalist, in private sector marketing and public relations, and in government communications before establishing her own Canberra-based communications consultancy in 2000.
Contact Cinden if you’d like help with your writing. |
