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How to Change Linking Verbs to Regular Verbs

Vigorous and clear English prose contains active or "regular" as opposed to linking verbs. This is because active verbs allow you to express action, while linking verbs only allow you to express state of being. Consider the following two sentences:



He is an admirable man.

I admire this man.



The first sentence reads murkily. The reader may ask herself why the man is admirable, and who admires him. The wording of the second sentence, however manages both to convey the idea that the man is admirable and to make clear just who considers him so -- the writer.

Instructions

    • 1

      Find adjectives and replace them with their verb equivalents.

      The situation is laughable to him.

      becomes

      He laughs at the situation.

    • 2

      Avoid the constructions "there is/are" and "there was/were." This phrase merely conveys the fact that something exists, and it often fails to explain concisely what the something in question does. (See References 1)

      There are some in Washington opposed to the measure.

      becomes

      Some in Washington oppose the measure.

    • 3

      Use the imperative or command form of a verb to express urgency.

      We are ready to go.

      becomes

      Let us go.

    • 4

      Change instances of the passive voice to the active. In the active voice, the agent of the sentence, the thing or person performing some action, is also the sentence's subject.

      The book was read by him.

      becomes

      He read the book.

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