list of essay verbs

50 Verbs of Analysis for English Academic Essays

Note: this list is for advanced English learners (CEFR level B2 or above). All definitions are from the Cambridge Dictionary online . 

Definition: to have an influence on someone or something, or to cause a change in someone or something.

Example: Experts agree that coffee affects the body in ways we have not yet studied.

Definition: to increase the size or effect of something.

Example: It has been shown that this drug amplifies the side effects that were experienced by patients in previous trials.

Definition: to say that something is certainly true .

Example: Smith asserts that his findings are valid, despite criticism by colleagues.

Characterizes

Definition: Something that characterizes another thing is typical of it.

Example: His early paintings are characterized by a distinctive pattern of blue and yellow.

Definition: to say that something is true or is a fact , although you cannot prove it and other people might not believe it.

Example: Smith claims that the study is the first of its kind, and very different from the 2015 study he conducted.

Definition: to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation .

Example: The professor clarified her statement with a later, more detailed, statement.

Definition: t o collect information from different places and arrange it in a book , report , or list .

Example: After compiling the data, the scientists authored a ten-page paper on their study and its findings.

Definition: to judge or decide something after thinking carefully about it.

Example: Doctor Jensen concluded that the drug wasn’t working, so he switched his patient to a new medicine.

Definition: to prove that a belief or an opinion that was previously not completely certain is true .

Example: This new data confirms the hypothesis many researchers had.

Definition: to join or be joined with something else .

Example: By including the criticisms of two researchers, Smith connects two seemingly different theories and illustrates a trend with writers of the Romanticism period.

Differentiates

Definition: to show or find the difference between things that are compared .

Example: Smith differentiates between the two theories in paragraph 4 of the second part of the study.

Definition: to reduce or be reduced in s i ze or importance .

Example: The new findings do not diminish the findings of previous research; rather, it builds on it to present a more complicated theory about the effects of global warming.

Definition: to cause people to stop respecting someone or believing in an idea or person .

Example: The details about the improper research done by the institution discredits the institution’s newest research.

Definition: to show.

Example: Smith’s findings display the effects of global warming that have not yet been considered by other scientists.

Definition: to prove that something is not true .

Example: Scientists hope that this new research will disprove the myth that vaccines are harmful to children.

Distinguishes

Definition: to notice or understand the difference between two things, or to make one person or thing seem different from another.

Example: Our study seems similar to another one by Duke University: how can we distinguish ourselves and our research from this study?

Definition: to add more information to or explain something that you have said.

Example: In this new paper, Smith elaborates on theories she discussed in her 2012 book.

Definition:  to represent a quality or an idea exactly .

Example: Shakespeare embodies English theater, but few can understand the antiquated (old) form of English that is used in the plays.

Definition: to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have.

Example: Although the study emulates some of the scientific methods used in previous research, it also offers some inventive new research methods.

Definition: to improve the quality , amount , or strength of something.

Example: The pharmaceutical company is looking for ways to enhance the effectiveness of its current drug for depression.

Definition: to make something necessary , or to involve something.

Example: The scientist’s study entails several different stages, which are detailed in the report.

Definition: to consider one thing to be the same as or equal to another thing.

Example: Findings from both studies equate; therefore, we can conclude that they are both accurate.

Establishes

Definition: to discover or get proof of something.

Example: The award establishes the main causes of global warming.

Definition: to make someone remember something or feel an emotion .

Example: The artist’s painting evokes the work of some of the painters from the early 1800s.

Definition: to show something.

Example: Some of the research study participants exhibit similar symptoms while taking the medicine.

Facilitates

Definition: to make something possible or easier .

Example: The equipment that facilitates the study is expensive and of high-quality.

Definition: the main or central point of something, especially of attention or interest .

Example: The author focuses on World War II, which is an era she hasn’t written about before.

Foreshadows

Definition: to act as a warning or sign of a future event .

Example: The sick bird at the beginning of the novel foreshadows the illness the main character develops later in the book.

Definition: to develop all the details of a plan for doing something.

Example: Two teams of scientists formulated the research methods for the study.

Definition: to cause something to exist .

Example: The study’s findings have generated many questions about this new species of frog in South America.

Definition:   to attract attention to or emphasize something important .

Example: The author, Dr. Smith, highlights the need for further studies on the possible causes of cancer among farm workers.

Definition: to recognize a problem , need, fact , etc. and to show that it exists .

Example: Through this study, scientists were able to identify three of the main factors causing global warming.

Illustrates

Definition:   to show the meaning or truth of something more clearly , especially by giving examples .

Example: Dr. Robin’s study illustrates the need for more research on the effects of this experimental drug.

Definition: to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly .

Example: The study implies that there are many outside factors (other than diet and exercise) which determine a person’s tendency to gain weight.

Incorporates

Definition: to include something as part of something larger .

Example: Dr. Smith incorporates research findings from 15 other studies in her well-researched paper.

Definition: to show, point , or make clear in another way.

Example: Overall, the study indicates that there is no real danger (other than a lack of sleep) to drinking three cups of coffee per day.

Definition: to form an opinion or guess that something is true because of the information that you have.

Example: From this study about a new medicine, we can infer that it will work similarly to other drugs that are currently being sold.

Definition: to tell someone about parti c ular facts .

Example: Dr. Smith informs the reader that there are some issues with this study: the oddly rainy weather in 2017 made it difficult for them to record the movements of the birds they were studying.

Definition: to suggest , without being direct , that something unpleasant is true .

Example: In addition to the reported conclusions, the study insinuates that there are many hidden dangers to driving while texting.

Definition: to combine two or more things in order to become more effective .

Example: The study about the popularity of social media integrates Facebook and Instagram hashtag use.

Definition: to not have or not have enough of something that is needed or wanted .

Example: What the study lacks, I believe, is a clear outline of the future research that is needed.

Legitimizes

Definition: to make something legal or acceptable .

Example: Although the study legitimizes the existence of global warming, some will continue to think it is a hoax.

Definition: to make a problem bigger or more important .

Example: In conclusion, the scientists determined that the new pharmaceutical actually magnifies some of the symptoms of anxiety.

Definition: something that a copy can be based on because it is an extremely good example of its type .

Example: The study models a similar one from 1973, which needed to be redone with modern equipment.

Definition: to cause something to have no effect .

Example: This negates previous findings that say that sulphur in wine gives people headaches.

Definition: to not give enough c a re or attention to people or things that are your responsibility .

Example: The study neglects to mention another study in 2015 that had very different findings.

Definition: to make something difficult to discover and understand .

Example: The problems with the equipment obscures the study.

Definition: a description of the main facts about something.

Example: Before describing the research methods, the researchers outline the need for a study on the effects of anti-anxiety medication on children.

Definition:   to fail to notice or consider something or someone.

Example: I personally feel that the study overlooks something very important: the participants might have answered some of the questions incorrectly.

Definition: to happen at the same time as something else , or be similar or equal to something else .

Example: Although the study parallels the procedures of a 2010 study, it has very different findings.

Converse International School of Languages offers an English for Academic Purposes course for students interested in improving their academic English skills. Students may take this course, which is offered in the afternoon for 12 weeks, at both CISL San Diego and CISL San Francisco . EAP course graduates can go on to CISL’s Aca demic Year Abroad program, where students attend one semester at a California Community College. Through CISL’s University Pathway program, EAP graduates may also attend college or university at one of CISL’s Pathway Partners. See the list of 25+ partners on the CISL website . Contact CISL for more information.  

273 Strong Verbs That’ll Spice Up Your Writing

Do you ever wonder why a grammatically correct sentence you’ve written just lies there like a dead fish?

I sure have.

Your sentence might even be full of those adjectives and adverbs your teachers and loved ones so admired in your writing when you were a kid.

But still the sentence doesn’t work.

Something simple I learned from The Elements of Style years ago changed the way I write and added verve to my prose. The authors of that little bible of style said: “Write with nouns and verbs, not with adjectives and adverbs.”

Even Mark Twain was quoted, regarding adjectives: “When in doubt, strike it out.”

That’s not to say there’s no place for adjectives. I used three in the title and first paragraph of this post alone.

The point is that good writing is more about well-chosen nouns and strong verbs than it is about adjectives and adverbs, regardless what you were told as a kid.

There’s no quicker win for you and your manuscript than ferreting out and eliminating flabby verbs and replacing them with vibrant ones.

• How To Know Which Verbs Need Replacing

Your first hint is your own discomfort with a sentence. Odds are it features a snooze-inducing verb.

As you hone your ferocious self-editing skills, train yourself to exploit opportunities to replace a weak verb for a strong one .

At the end of this post I suggest a list of 273 vivid verbs you can experiment with to replace tired ones.

Want to download a copy of this strong verbs list to reference whenever you write? Click here. What constitutes a tired verb? Here’s what to look for:

• 3 Types of Verbs to Beware of in Your Prose

1. State-of-being verbs

These are passive as opposed to powerful:

Am I saying these should never appear in your writing? Of course not. You’ll find them in this piece. But when a sentence lies limp, you can bet it contains at least one of these. Determining when a state-of-being verb is the culprit creates a problem—and finding a better, more powerful verb to replace it— is what makes us writers. [Note how I replaced the state-of-being verbs in this paragraph.]

Resist the urge to consult a thesaurus for the most exotic verb you can find. I consult such references only for the normal word that carries power but refuses to come to mind.

I would suggest even that you consult my list of powerful verbs only after you have exhaust ed all efforts to come up with one on your own. You want Make your prose to be your own creation, not yours plus Roget or Webster or Jenkins. [See how easy they are to spot and fix?]

Impotent: The man was walking on the platform.

Powerful: The man strode along the platform.

Impotent: Jim is a lover of country living.

Powerful: Jim treasures country living.

Impotent: There are three things that make me feel the way I do…

Powerful: Three things convince me…

2. Verbs that rely on adverbs

Powerful verbs are strong enough to stand alone.

The fox ran quickly dashed through the forest.

She menacingly looked glared at her rival.

He secretly listened eavesdropped while they discussed their plans.

3. Verbs with -ing suffixes

Before: He was walking…

After: He walked…

Before: She was loving the idea of…

After: She loved the idea of…

Before: The family was starting to gather…

After: The family started to gather…

• The Strong Verbs List
• Disillusion
• Reverberate
• Revolutionize
• Supercharge
• Transfigure

Are You Making This #1 Amateur Writing Mistake?

Faith-Based Words and Phrases

What You and I Can Learn From Patricia Raybon

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• Features for Creative Writers
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• Grammar Guide

Power Verbs for Essays (With Examples)

The ProWritingAid Team

Adding power verbs to your academic paper will improve your reader’s experience and bring more impact to the arguments you make.

While the arguments themselves are the most important elements of any successful academic paper, the structure of those arguments and the language that is used influence how the paper is received.

Academic papers have strict formal rules, but as long as these are followed, there is still plenty of scope to make the key points of the paper stand out through effective use of language and more specifically, the effective use of power verbs.

Power verbs are verbs that indicate action and have a more positive and confident tone. Using them brings strength and confidence to the arguments you are making, while also bringing variation to your sentences and making your writing more interesting to the reader.

The best academic papers will use such verbs to support their arguments or concepts, so it is important that your paper contains at least three power verbs.

ProWritingAid will check your writing for power verbs and will notify you if you have less than three throughout your whole academic paper.

Power Verbs Boost Ideas

Examples of power verbs.

Academic papers of all disciplines are often filled with overlong and complicated sentences that are attempting to convey specific ideas and concepts. Active and powerful verbs are useful both to the reader and the author of the paper.

For the reader who is trying to tackle these ideas and concepts, the power verbs provide clarity and purpose. Compare the following sentences:

• This paper will say that there were two reasons for the start of the civil war.
• This paper asserts that there were two reasons for the start of the civil war.

Clearly the second sentence is more confident, direct, and authoritative because it has replaced the dull ‘says’ with ‘asserts.’ For the writer, the power verb expresses confidence in the idea being presented.

The following are examples of power verbs that are useful in academic writing, both for supporting an argument and for allowing you to vary the language you use.

Power Verbs for Analysis: appraise, define, diagnose, examine, explore, identify, interpret, investigate, observe.

Power Verbs to Introduce a Topic: investigate, outline, survey, question, feature.

Power Verbs to Agree with Existing Studies: indicate, suggest, confirm, corroborate, underline, identify, impart, maintain, substantiate, support, validate, acknowledge, affirm, assert.

Power Verbs to Disagree with Existing Studies: reject, disprove, debunk, question, challenge, invalidate, refute, deny, dismiss, disregard, object to, oppose.

Power Verbs to Infer: extract, approximate, surmise, deduce.

Power Verbs for Cause and Effect : impacts, compels, generates, incites, influences, initiates, prompts, stimulates, provokes, launches, introduces, advances.

Legal Power Verbs: sanctions, consents, endorses, disallows, outlaws, prohibits, precludes, protects, bans, licenses, authorizes.

Power Verbs that Say: convey, comment, state, establish, elaborate, identify, propose.

Power Verbs that Show: reveal, display, highlight, depict, portray, illustrate.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

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152 Analysis Verbs

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

Analysis verbs are helpful in demonstrating your higher-order thinking skills. They help you to show that you haven’t just understood what you read, but that you can also critique it.

Use analysis verbs as a way of demonstrating your mastery of a topic. But instead of simply using the same verb over and over again, try to mix up your use of analysis verbs to convey the most precise meaning you can in each context.

Below are over 150 examples of analysis verbs that you can use. Make sure you choose wisely for your situation.

Analysis Verbs List

• Articulates
• Casts Doubt
• Characterizes
• Contradicts
• Deconstructs
• Demonstrates
• Differentiates
• Distinguishes
• Embellishes
• Establishes
• Exaggerates
• Exemplifies
• Extrapolates
• Facilitates
• Foreshadows
• Hypothesizes
• Illustrates
• Incorporates
• Investigates
• Legitimizes
• Manipulates
• Misses the Point
• Particularizes
• Perpetuates
• Personifies
• Presupposes
• Problematizes
• Rationalizes
• Recapitulates
• Sensationalizes
• Strengthens
• Substantiates

Examples of Analysis Verbs in a Sentence

Advises – Johnson advises that students should finish their essays at least two weeks before due date.

Advocates – The writer advocates for one perspective over another.

Affects – The study affects how we perceive the data.

Alleges – The author alleges that earlier research was poorly conducted.

Alludes – In his speech, the student alludes to recent studies.

Amplifies – The new information amplifies the theory.

Argues – The professor argues that their position is more valid.

Articulates – The student articulates her ideas well.

Asserts – The article asserts that the data was valid.

Assesses – The teacher assesses that the students had poor understanding of the material.

Attributes – The article attributes the cause of the changes to the researcher’s intervention.

Bolsters – The new evidence bolsters the case.

Builds – The professor builds upon their previous arguments in their new book.

Casts Doubt – The study casts doubt on the previous research.

Certifies – The article certifies that the data is accurate.

Characterizes – The article characterizes the data as accurate.

Claims – The author claims that they have found new information.

Clarifies – The author clarifies what they mean in the second paragraph.

Collates – The study accurately collates the data.

Compares – The study compares their findings to previous findings.

Compels – The evidence compels the jury to find the defendant guilty.

Complies – The study complies with the requirements for methodological rigor.

Concedes – The author concedes that they were wrong.

Concludes – The study concludes that there is a correlation between sleep and grades.

Confirms – The new data confirms the theory.

Connects – The study connects the dots to generate new data.

Constructs – The professor constructs an argument.

Contradicts – The new evidence contradicts the old evidence.

Contrasts – The article contrasts the two perspectives.

Conveys – The author conveys their feelings about the subject matter.

Correlates – The study correlates the two datasets effectively.

Creates – The study creates a strong argument.

Criticizes – The article criticizes the government’s response to the crisis.

Critiques – The student critiques the article.

Deconstructs – The professor deconstructs the popular theory.

Deepens – The research deepens our understanding of the phenomenon.

Defends – The author defends their position.

Demonstrates – The experiment demonstrates that the data is accurate.

Denies – The author denies that the previous study is accurate.

Denotes – The study denotes that there is a link between the two datasets.

Derives – The student derives their conclusion from the data.

Develops – The author develops a new theory.

Deviates – The results deviate from what was expected.

Differentiates – The article differentiates between the two types of research.

Diminishes – The impact of the evidence diminishes over time.

Disagrees – The two scientists disagree about the results of the experiment.

Discards – The author discards the irrelevant evidence.

Discredits – The study discredits the old evidence.

Disproves – The new evidence disproves the theory.

Distinguishes – The article distinguishes between the two types of research.

Eclipses – The new evidence eclipses the old evidence.

Elaborates – The author elaborates on their point in the second paragraph.

Elevates – The writer elevates their position.

Elicits – The writer elicits a response from their readers.

Embellishes – The author embellishes the story with details.

Embodies – The book embodies the ideals of the movement.

Emphasizes – The author emphasizes their point with an example.

Encourages – The teacher encourages the students to think outside the box.

Enhances – The study enhances the strength of previous studies.

Equates – The article equates the two phenomena.

Establishes – The study establishes a connection between the two concepts.

Evaluates – The professor evaluates the students’ papers.

Evokes – The article evokes a feeling of frustration.

Exaggerates – The article exaggerates its findings.

Examines – The study examines the points in more depth than ever before.

Exemplifies – The student exemplifies their knowledge of the material.

Exhibits – The author exhibits a depth of knowledge around the topic.

Exonerates – The new evidence exonerates the accused.

Expands – The theory expands previous knowledge on the topic.

Exposes – The article exposes previously unknown information.

Extends – The research extends our understanding of the phenomenon.

Extrapolates – The scientist extrapolates from past trends to make predictions.

Facilitates – The author facilitates knowledge transfer through detailed writing.

Forecasts – The study forecasts future trends.

Foreshadows – The author foreshadows that new findings will come soon.

Formulates – The study formulates a hypothesis.

Frames – The article frames the issue in a new light.

Furnishes – The study furnishes evidence to support its claims.

Gauges – The scholar gauges people’s reactions through a new blog post on the topic.

Generates – The scholar generates a new theory by bringing together a range of different ideas.

Highlights – The article highlights the importance of the issues.

Hints – The article hints that there may be a link between the data.

Hypothesizes – The researcher hypothesizes that there is a link between two concepts.

Illustrates – The author illustrates their point with an example.

Imagines – The author imagines a future where their findings will change the world.

Imparts – The teacher imparts knowledge to her students.

Implies – The study implies that there is a link between the two concepts.

Incorporates – The author incorporates three new ideas in their new book.

Indicates – The study indicates that there is a link between the two concepts.

Infers – The reader infers from the data that there is a link between the two concepts.

Insinuates – The article insinuates that there is a problem with previous studies.

Integrates – The author integrates three ideas into one thesis very well.

Interprets – The author interprets previous studies in the wrong way.

Invents – The author invents a new way to look at the issue.

Investigates – The scholar investigates the issue.

Isolates – The study isolates a group of people to focus on.

Justifies – The study justifies its cost by pointing to the revolutionary findings.

Lambasts – The article lambasts the previous scholars’ inaction on the topic.

Lauds – The article lauds the efforts of the university to improve its work.

Legitimizes – The author legitimizes previous studies.

Limits – The study limits its focus to a specific group of people.

Magnifies – The article magnifies the effects of climate change.

Maintains – The author maintains that this is a worthwhile argument despite some critique.

Manipulates – The author manipulates the data in the study to meet their biases.

Misses the Point – The article misses the point of the issue.

Negates – The study negates the hypothesis that there is a link between social media and depression.

Neglects – The article neglects to mention the other side of the issue.

Obscures – The author obscures the fact that they don’t have much evidence to support their claims.

Omits – The article omits vital information about the issue.

Optimizes – The author optimizes their argument by structuring their paragraphs well.

Overlooks – The article overlooks the fact that there are other ways to look at the issue.

Draws Parallels – The article draws parallels between two previously unlinked concepts.

Particularizes – The article particularizes the issue.

Perpetuates – The article perpetuates false narratives.

Personifies – The article personifies the issue well.

Persuades – The article persuades the reader to take action.

Pivots – The author pivots from talking about the effects of the issue to talking about what we can do to solve it.

Points Out – The article points out that climate change is a global problem.

Predicts – The article predicts that the problem will get worse.

Prejudices – The study prejudices the results by only looking at one group of people.

Presupposes – The article presupposes that the reader knows a lot about the issue.

Probes – The author probes the issue with new questions.

Problematizes – The article problematizes the issue.

Promotes – The article promotes the idea that we need to take action.

Proposes – The article proposes a new way to look at the issue.

Proves – The article proves that the issue is real and happening.

Provokes – The article provokes the reader to think about the issue more deeply.

Queries – The article queries the validity of the issue.

Rationalizes – The company rationalizes its actions.

Recapitulates – The article recapitulates the main points of the issue but doesn’t add new data.

Refutes – The article refutes previous claims.

Reinforces – The article reinforces the idea that the issue is a big problem.

Reiterates – The article reiterates the main points on the issue.

Reveals – The study reveals that there is a link between two concepts.

Ridicules – The article ridicules the other scholar’s ideas.

Sensationalizes – The article sensationalizes the findings from their dataset to gain attention.

Simplifies – The article simplifies the issue too much.

Speculates – The article speculates on the future of the issue.

Strengthens – The article strengthens the reader’s understanding of the issue.

Substantiates – The article substantiates the idea that the issue is serious.

Supports – The article supports previous studies.

Underlines – The article underlines the importance of taking action on this issue.

Undermines – The article undermines the reader’s trust in previous research.

Unifies – The article unifies the different perspectives on the issue.

Urges – The article urges the reader to take action on the issue.

Validates – The study validates the link between the two concepts.

Verifies – The article verifies the claims made in the previous study.

Vilifies – The article vilifies its opponents.

Warns – The article warns that the effects will only get worse over time.

Weakens – The article weakens the reader’s understanding of the issue.

Withstands – The article withstands scrutiny.

Not all of the above analysis verbs will be perfect for every situation, but one of them will be perfect for you! Select a range of verbs for analysis when writing a critical review. Similarly, for people seeking analysis verbs for learning outcomes, try to select ones that perfectly capture what you want to see from your students.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 101 Class Group Name Ideas (for School Students)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 19 Top Cognitive Psychology Theories (Explained)
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 119 Bloom’s Taxonomy Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ All 6 Levels of Understanding (on Bloom’s Taxonomy)

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280+ Strong Verbs: 3 Tips to Strengthen Your Verbs in Writing 

by Joe Bunting | 0 comments

Strong verbs transform your writing from drab, monotonous, unclear, and amateurish to engaging, professional, and emotionally powerful.

Which is all to say, if you're not using strong verbs in your writing, you're missing one of the most important stylistic techniques.

Why listen to Joe? I've been a professional writer for more than a decade, writing in various different formats and styles. I've written formal nonfiction books, descriptive novels, humorous memoir chapters, and conversational but informative online articles (like this one!).

In short, I earn a living in part by writing (and revising) using strong verbs selected for each type of writing I work on. I hope you find the tips on verbs below useful! And if you want to skip straight to the verb list below, click here to see over 200 strong verbs.

Hemingway clung to a writing rule that said, “Use vigorous English.” In fact, Hemingway was more likely to use verbs than any other part of speech, far more than typical writing, according to LitCharts :

But what are strong verbs? And how do you avoid weak ones?

In this post, you'll learn the three best techniques to find weak verbs in your writing and replace them with strong ones. We'll also look at a list of the strongest verbs for each type of writing, including the strongest verbs to use.

What are Strong Verbs?

Strong verbs, in a stylistic sense, are powerful verbs that are specific and vivid verbs. They are most often in active voice and communicate action precisely.

The Top 7 Strong Verbs

Here are the top 7 I found when I reviewed a couple of my favorite books. See if you agree and tell me in the comments.  

Think about the vivid and specific image each of these strong verbs conjures. Each one asserts precision.

It's true that writers will use descriptive verbs that best fit their character, story, and style, but it's interesting to note trends.

For example, Hemingway most often used verbs like: galloped, punched, lashed, and baited. Each of these verbs evokes a specific motion, as well as a tone. Consider how Hemingway's verbs stack up against weaker counterparts:

None of the weaker verbs are incorrect, but they don't pack the power of Hemingway's strong action verbs, especially for his story lines, characters, and style. These are verbs that are forward-moving and aggressive in tone. (Like his characters!)

Consider how those choices differ significantly than a few from Virginia Woolf's opening page of Mrs. Dalloway :

Notice how Woolf's choices create the vibrant, descriptive style that marks her experimental novel and its main character. Consider the difference between “perched” and “sat.” “Perched” suggests an image of a bird, balancing on a wire. Applied to people, it connotes an anxiousness or readiness to stand again. “Sat” is much less specific. 

The strongest verbs for your own writing will depend on a few things: your story, the main character,  the genre, and the style that is uniquely yours. How do you choose then? Let's look at three tips to edit out weak, boring verbs. 

How to Edit for Strong Verbs FAST

So how do you root out those weak verbs and revise them quickly? Here are a few tips. 

1. Search for Weak Verbs

All verbs can be strong if they're used in specific, detailed, and descriptive sentences.

The issue comes when verbs are overused, doing more work than they're intended for, watering down the writing. 

Here are some verbs that tend to weaken your writing:

Did you notice that most of these are “to be” verbs? That's because “to be” verbs are linking verbs or state of being verbs. Their purpose is to describe conditions.

For example, in the sentence “They are happy,” the verb “are” is used to describe the state of the subject. 

There's nothing particularly wrong with linking verbs. Writers who have a reputation for strong writing, like Ernest Hemingway or Cormac McCarthy, use linking verbs constantly.

The problem comes when you overuse them. Linking verbs tend to involve more telling  vs. showing .

Strong verbs, on the other hand, are usually action verbs, like whack, said, ran, lassoed, and spit (see more in the list below). 

The most important thing is to use the best verb for the context, while emphasizing specific, important details.

Take a look at the following example early into Hemingway's  For Whom the Bell Tolls :

The young man, who was studying the country, took his glasses from the pocket of his faded, khaki flannel shirt, wiped the lenses with a handkerchief, screwed the eyepieces around until the boards of the mill showed suddenly clearly and he saw the wooden bench beside the door; the huge pile of sawdust that rose behind the open shed where the circular saw was , and a stretch of the flume that brought the logs down from the mountainside on the other bank of the stream.

I've highlighted all the verbs. You can see here that Hemingway does use the word “was,” but most of the verbs are action verbs, wiped, took, screwed, saw, etc. The result of this single sentence is that the audience pictures the scene with perfect clarity.

Here's another example from Naomi Novick's Deadly Education:

He was only a few steps from my desk chair, still hunched panting over the bubbling purplish smear of the soul-eater that was now steadily oozing into the narrow cracks between the floor tiles, the better to spread all over my room. The fading incandescence on his hands was illuminating his face, not an extraordinary face or anything: he had a big beaky nose that would maybe be dramatic one day when the rest of his face caught up, but for now was just too large, and his forehead was dripping sweat and plastered with his silver-grey hair that he hadn’t cut for three weeks too long.

Vivid right? You can see that again, she incorporates weaker verbs (was, had) into her writing, but the majority are highly descriptive action verbs like hunched, illuminating, spread, plastered, and dripping.

Don't be afraid of linking verbs, state verbs, or helping verbs, but emphasize action words to make your writing more powerful.

2. Remove Adverbs and Replace the Verbs to Make Them Stronger

Adverbs add more detail and qualifications to verbs or adjectives. You can spot them because they usually end in “-ly,” like the word “usually” in this sentence, or frequently, readily, happily, etc.

Adverbs get a bad rap from writers.

“I believe the road to hell is paved with adverbs,” Stephen King said.

“Adverbs are dead to me. They cannot excite me,” said Mark Twain . 

“I was taught to distrust adjectives,” said Hemingway, “as I would later learn to distrust certain people in certain situations.”

Even Voltaire jumped in on the adverb dogpile, saying, “Adjectives are frequently the greatest enemy of the substantive.”

All of these writers, though, used adverbs when necessary. Still, the average writer uses them far more than they did.

Adverbs signal weak verbs. After all, why use two words, an adverb and a verb, when one strong verb can do.

Look at the following examples of adverbs with weak verbs replaced by stronger verbs:

• He ran quickly –> He sprinted
• She said loudly –> She shouted
• He ate hungrily –> He devoured his meal
• They talked quietly –> They whispered

Strive for simple, strong, clear language over padding your writing with  more  words. 

You don't need to completely remove adverbs from your writing. Hemingway himself used them frequently. But cultivating a healthy distrust of adverbs seems to be a sign of wisdom among writers.

3. Stop Hedging and “Eliminate Weasel Words”

Amazon's third tip for writing for employees is “Eliminate Weasel Words,” and that advice applies to verbs too.

Instead of “nearly all customers,” say, “89 percent of customers.”

Instead of “significantly better,” say, “a 43 percent improvement.”

Weasel words are a form of hedging.

Hedging allows you to avoid commitment by using qualifiers such as “probably,” “maybe,” “sometimes,” “often,” “nearly always,” “I think,” “It seems,” and so on.

Hedge words or phrases soften the impact of a statement or to reduce the level of commitment to the statement's accuracy.

By eliminating hedging, you're forced to strengthen all your language, including verbs.

What do you really think about something? Don't say, “I think.” Stand by it. A thing is or isn't. You don't  think  it is or believe it is. You stand by it.

If you write courageously with strength of opinion, your verbs grow stronger as well.

Beware the Thesaurus: Strong Verbs are Simple Verbs

I caveat this advice with the advice to beware thesauruses.

Strong writing is almost always simple writing. 

Writers who replace verbs like “was” and “get” with long, five-syllable verbs that mean the same thing as a simple, one-syllable verb don't actually communicate more clearly.

To prepare for this article, I studied the verb use in the first chapters of several books by my favorite authors, including Ernest Hemingway's  For Whom the Bell Tolls  and Naomi Novik's Deadly Education.

Hemingway has a bigger reputation as a stylist and a “great” writer, but I found that Novik's verb choice was just as strong and even slightly more varied. 

Hemingway tended to use simpler, shorter verbs, though, often repeating verbs, whereas Novik's verbs were longer and often more varied.

I love both of these writers, but if you're measuring strength, simplicity will most often win.

In dialogue this is especially important . Writers sometimes try to find every synonym for the word, “said” to describe the exact timber and attitude of how a character is speaking.

This becomes a distraction from the dialogue itself. In dialogue, the words spoken should speak for themselves, not whatever synonym the writer has looked up for “said.” 

Writers should use simple speaker tags like “said” and “asked” as a rule, only varying that occasionally when the situation warrants it.

270+ Strong Verbs List

We've argued strong verbs are detailed, descriptive, action verbs, and below, I list over 200 strong verbs to make your writing better.

I compiled this list directly from the first chapters of some of my favorite books, already mentioned previously,  For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway,  Deadly Education  by Naomi Novik, and The Undoing Project   by Michael Lewis.

This is a necessarily simplified list, taken only from the first chapters of those books.  There are thousands of strong verbs, usually action verbs, but these are a good start.

I've also sorted them alphabetically and put them into present tense.

• Collaborate
• Intellectualize

The Best Way to Learn to Use Strong Verbs

The above tips will help get you started using strong verbs, but the best way to learn how to grow as a writer with your verbs is through reading.

But not just reading, studying the work of your favorite writers carefully and then trying to emulate it, especially in the genre you write in.

As Cormac McCarthy, who passed away recently, said, “The unfortunate truth is that books are made from books.”

If you want to grow as a writer, start with the books you love. Then adapt your style from there.

Which tip will help you use more strong verbs in your writing today? Let me know in the comments.  

Choose one of the following three practice exercises:

1. Study the verb use in the first chapter of one of your favorite books. Write down all of the verbs the author uses. Roughly what percentage are action verbs versus linking verbs? What else do you notice about their verb choice?

2. Free write for fifteen minutes using only action verbs and avoiding all “to be” verbs and adverbs.

3. Edit a piece that you've written, replacing the majority of linking verbs with action verbs and adverbs with stronger verbs.

Share your practice in the Pro Practice Workshop here , and give feedback to a few other writers. 

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

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Active verbs for discussing ideas.

This handout is available for download in PDF format .

Active verbs are important components of any academic writing! Just as in other forms of writing, they work as engines, driving the action of your sentences in many potentially vivid, clear, and colorful ways.

Instead of opting for bland, unspecific expressions ("says," "writes about," "believes," "states") consider using more vivid or nuanced verbs such as "argues," "insists," "explains," "emphasizes," "challenges," "agrees," etc. The list below offers dozens of such verbs that will help you communicate your ideas and the ideas of others more clearly, expressively, and powerfully.

• "mentions," unless you mean "refer to something briefly and without going into detail."*
• "notion" as a synonym for "idea" implies "impulsive," "whimsical," not well considered.*

Adapted from a list by Cinthia Gannett by Doug Kirshen and Robert B. Cochran, Brandeis University Writing Program, 2020.

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120 Most Important Academic Verbs in English

By: Author English Study Online

Posted on Last updated: November 1, 2023

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List of Popular Academic Verbs for Writing! A verb is a kind of word (part of speech) that tells about an action or a state. This post illustrates the most important academic words that you could use to improve your writing.

Academic Verbs List

Here is the list of verbs used in academic writing:

Table of Contents

• Participate
• Demonstrate
• Communicate

Academic Verbs List | Infographic

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Make Your Writing Pop: An Essential List of Strong Verbs

Strong verbs are an important part of any piece of writing. They can make your sentences more vivid and engaging, allowing your readers to visualize the scene in their minds. Strong verbs also help add a sense of action and movement to your writing, making it more exciting and interesting. They can also help to make your writing more concise and direct, helping to get your point across quickly and effectively.

Replace These Verbs in Your Writing

Change your verbs with “ing” suffixes.

Before: I was running to the store. After: I sprinted to the store or I ran to the store.

Before: She was walking home. After: She strolled home or she walked home.

Replace Your Adverbs With Verbs

Replace Your Adverbs With Verbs is an important writing tool to help make your writing more vivid and engaging. It’s a great way to make your sentences more concise and effective by swapping out adverbs for verbs. This can help your writing stand out from the crowd and make it more memorable.

A quick way to do this while editing is simply to search for “ly” and replace some of the words with more vivid verbs.

Replace Your State-of-Being Verbs

Be en, Had, Do, Does, Did, Can, Are, Could, Am, Is, Will, Would, Should, May, Have, Has, M ight, Mus,t Sh all, Would, Was

List of 300 Strong Verbs

You might also be interested in learning all about how to make your own tongue twisters .

About The Author

Related posts, what is anthimeria in writing examples, definitions, and how to create them, what is synthetic parallelism in writing examples, definitions, and how to create them, what is an anaphora in writing examples, definitions, and how to create them, leave a comment cancel reply.

Powerful Verbs for Your Writing

Inventory Your Own Verbs for Powerful Writing

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Verbs are action words, right? We all remember that from elementary school. Verbs describe the action that is taking place.

But verbs don't have to surrender all the fun and emotional power to adjectives —the words that traditionally paint the pictures in our heads. As a matter of fact, the most powerful writers use verbs quite effectively to illustrate their writing.

Review Your Verbs

After you complete a draft of your paper, it might be a good idea to conduct a verb inventory. Just read over your draft and underline all your verbs. Do you see repetition? Are you bored?

Verbs like said, walked, looked, and thought can be replaced with more descriptive words like mumbled, sauntered, eyeballed, and pondered . Here are a few more suggestions:

• severed (with his eyes)

Get Creative With Verbs

One way to make verbs more interesting is to invent them from other word forms. Sounds illegal, doesn't it? But it's not like you're printing dollar bills in your basement.

One type of noun that works well is animal types, since some animals have very strong characteristics. Skunks, for instance, have a reputation for being stinky or spoiling the air.

Do the following statements evoke powerful images?

• He skunked the party up with his cologne... She snaked the hallways... She wormed her way out of the class...

Jobs as Verbs

Another noun type that works well is names of occupations. We often use doctor as a verb, as in the following sentence:

• She doctored the paper until it was perfect.

Doesn't that evoke the image of a woman hovering over a piece of writing, tools in hand, crafting and nurturing the paper to perfection? What other occupations could paint such a clear scene? How about police ?

• Mrs. Parsons policed her garden until it was completely pest free.

You can get very creative with unusual verbs:

• bubble-wrapped the insult (to suggest that the insult was surrounded by "softer" words)
• tabled your idea

But you do have to use colorful verbs tactfully. Use good judgment and don't overdo the creativity. Language is like clothing--too much color can be just plain odd.

List of Power Verbs

• How to Use Verbs Effectively in Your Research Paper
• Jive, Jibe, and Gibe: How to Choose the Right Word
• The Italian Past Participle
• 4 Stories About the Generation Gap
• An English Grammar Guide to Using Adjectives Correctly
• Verb of Perception
• Using the Spanish 'No'
• What Are Verbs, and How Are They Used in Spanish?
• How to Conjugate "Inclure" (to Include) in French
• How To Know When to Use the Familiar Forms of ‘You’ in Spanish
• Using Spanish Past Participles: They’re Both Verbs and Adjectives
• What Is Lèse-Majesté?
• Definition and Examples of Dysphemisms in English
• 24 Confusing Spanish Words and How to Use Them Correctly
• What Is an Indefinite Pronoun?
• Principles of Translation: How Do You Decide Which Word To Use?

List of Reporting Verbs in Academic Writing

200 reporting verbs for students and academics.

• Albert Einstein agrees that...
• Albert Einstein and Arthur Patschke agree that...

Just for fun, we've added game of hangman, which selects a verb from this list as the secret word. Reporting verbs (also known as "verbs of attribution") are an essential aspect of academic writing, as they allow writers to clearly attribute ideas and information to their original sources. In academic writing, it is important to properly credit the sources of any ideas, facts, or data that are not the writer's own. Reporting verbs are verbs that indicate who said or wrote the information being presented, such as "argued," "claimed," "explained," "stated," or "suggested."

Sortable, Editable, and Printable List

Learn with Hangman!

• Guess the hidden "reporting verb" by choosing one letter at a time.
• If you guess a letter in the hidden word, then all is good.
• If you guess a letter that is not in the hidden wrod, then the hangman starts to build the gallows.
• If the gallows are completed, you lose.

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Strong Verbs Cheat Sheet: A Word List for Writers

Ambiguous Verbs Dilute Writing

Which of these sentences prompts a more powerful image?

He walked to the door.

He plodded to the door.

The second example shows us a character who might be tired, lonely, or depressed. One verb paints a powerful picture.

Some sources insist that writers should show — almost to the exclusion of tell. A frequent consequence of this approach is word bloat . However, well-chosen verbs deliver precise meanings. They invigorate narrative without increasing word count.

Harness Strong Verbs and Their Diverse Nuances

The child was under her guardian’s care.

This statement offers a basic fact but no details that might further the story.

Review the following three revisions. Each one replaces was with a stronger alternative:

The child thrived under her guardian’s care.

This child is healthy. We intuit a caring guardian who probably feeds the girl well and attends to her physical and emotional needs.

The child endured under her guardian’s care.

The second child might be alive in spite of her guardian’s care. Perhaps he abuses her physically or emotionally.

The child subsisted under her guardian’s care.

The third child survives, albeit at a minimal level. Perhaps the guardian doesn’t provide a healthy diet or a clean environment.

Let’s Evaluate Another Scenario

Alyssa walked toward the table while she looked at the grandfather clock next to the china cabinet. The clock chimed midnight. She pulled out her phone and touched the screen. Three hours. Henry had been gone for three hours.

Here, we see a woman who is waiting for Henry. However, we don’t know whether she’s worried or angry . Let’s change the underlined verbs:

Alyssa trudged toward the table while she stared at the grandfather clock next to the china cabinet. The clock chimed midnight. She dragged out her phone and fondled the screen. Three hours. Henry had been gone for three hours.

The strong verbs show an Alyssa who seems worried, perhaps even depressed. She fondles the screen of her phone. Maybe her screensaver is a photo of Henry.

Alyssa stomped toward the table while she glared at the grandfather clock next to the china cabinet. The clock chimed midnight. She jerked out her phone and jabbed the screen. Three hours. Henry had been gone for three hours.

Do you have any doubt that this Alyssa is angry?

A Final Set of Examples

Sparks appeared in the hallway, and smoke blew into the coffee room. Trent went to the fire alarm and pulled the handle. He listened . No sound from the alarm. He moved toward the emergency exit.

In view of the circumstances, Trent seems illogically nonchalant.

Sparks erupted in the hallway, and smoke billowed into the coffee room. Trent raced to the fire alarm and wrenched the handle. He concentrated . No sound from the alarm. He inched toward the emergency exit.

This Trent acts suitably anxious, but he exhibits care while he moves through the smoke toward the emergency exit.

The Cheat Sheet

The following list contains several common verbs, along with suggested alternatives.

appear: emerge, erupt, expand, flash into view, materialize, pop up, solidify, spread out, surface, take shape, unfold, unfurl, unwrap

be: bloom, blossom, endure, exist, flourish, last, live, manage, persevere, persist, prevail, remain, stay, subsist, survive, thrive

begin: activate, commence, create, initiate, launch, originate [Do you need begin, start, or their relatives? Writing is usually stronger without them.]

believe: accept, admit, affirm, conjecture, hope, hypothesize, imagine, postulate, presume, speculate, surmise, suspect, trust

blow: billow, blast, curl, drift, eddy, flow, flutter, fly, gasp, glide, gust, puff, roar, sail, scud, sough, storm, surge, swell, undulate, waft, whirl

break: crush, decimate, demolish, destroy, disintegrate, flatten, fracture, fragment, raze, shatter, smash, snap, splinter, split

bring: bear, carry, cart, drag, draggle, ferry, fetch, forward, haul, heave, heft, lug, relay, schlep, send, shuttle, tow, transport

close: bang shut, bar, block, blockade, bolt, bung, cork, fasten, latch, lock, obstruct, plug, seal, secure, slam, squeeze shut, stopper

come: advance, approach, arrive, draw near, drive, enter, fly, near, proceed, reach, show up, slip in, sneak, travel, turn up

cry: bawl, bellow, bleat, blubber, howl, keen, mewl, moan, snivel, scream, sob, squall, squeal, wail, weep, whimper, whine, yelp

disappear: atomize, crumble, disband, disperse, dissipate, dissolve, evaporate, fade away, fizzle out, melt away, scatter, vaporize

do: accomplish, achieve, attempt, complete, consummate, enact, execute, fulfill, implement, perform, shoulder, undertake

eat: bolt, chomp, consume, devour, dine, gobble, gnaw at, gorge, guzzle, ingest, inhale, munch, nibble, pick at, scarf, wolf down

feel (1): appreciate, bear, encounter, endure, experience, face, tolerate, stand, suffer, suspect, undergo, weather, withstand

feel (2): brush, caress, finger, fondle, grope, knead, manipulate, massage, palpate, pat, paw, poke, press, prod, rub, stroke, tap

get: annex, acquire, appropriate, attain, capture, clear, collect, earn, gain, gather, gross, land, procure, purchase, score, secure, steal, win

give: award, bequeath, bestow, confer, contribute, deliver, donate, grant, lend, offer, present, proffer, turn over, volunteer, vouchsafe

go: abscond, bolt, escape, exit, flee, fly, hightail it, journey, retire, retreat, sally, scram, set out, split, travel, vamoose, withdraw

have: boast, brandish, conserve, control, display, enjoy, flaunt, hoard, husband, keep, maintain, own, possess, preserve, retain

help: abet, aid, alleviate, assist, augment, back, bolster, comfort, encourage, improve, relieve, rescue, sanction, succor, support

hold: capture, clasp, clench, cling, clutch, cuddle, embrace, enfold, envelop, grapple, grasp, grip, hug, pinch, seize, snatch, squeeze

jump: bob, bobble, bounce, bound, caper, cavort, clear, frisk, hop, hurdle, jolt, jounce, leap, leapfrog, rocket, romp, skip, spring, vault

know: appreciate, comprehend, fathom, follow, grasp, identify, perceive, realize, recollect, recognize, register, twig, understand

let: accept, acquiesce, allow, approve, authorize, consent, empower, enable, facilitate, license, okay, permit, sanction, suffer, tolerate

like: admire, adore, adulate, cherish, dote, enjoy, esteem, honor, idolize, relish, respect, revere, savor, treasure, venerate, worship

listen: earwig, concentrate, eavesdrop, focus on, heed, monitor, overhear, pay attention, perk the ears, snoop, spy, take note

look: eye, examine, gape, gawk, gaze, glance, glare, goggle, inspect, ogle, peek, peer, rubberneck, scrutinize, stare, study, survey

move: advance, budge, climb, creep, edge, gallivant, inch, progress, reposition, shift, sidle, slide, slink, slip, slither, stir, tiptoe, travel

occur: arise, befall, betide, chance, coalesce, crop up, crystalize, ensue, eventuate, manifest, supervene, surface, transpire

pull: drag, draw, extract, haul, jerk, lug, mine, pluck, schlep, seize, snatch, tow, trawl, troll, tug, tweak, twist, withdraw, wrench, yank

put: arrange, deposit, drop, dump, lay, leave, lodge, organize, park, place, plant, plonk, plunk, position, push, release, stash, wedge

run: bolt, charge, dart, dash, gallop, hurtle, jog, lope, race, rush, scamper, scurry, scoot, shoot, speed, sprint, tear, trot, zip, zoom

see: detect, differentiate, discover, distinguish, glimpse, identify, notice, observe, perceive, recognize, sight, spot, view, witness

shake: agitate, churn, convulse, jiggle, joggle, jostle, judder, quake, quiver, rock, seethe, shudder, sway, tremble, vibrate, wobble

sit: alight, collapse into, drop into, fall into, flop, hang, loll, lounge, park, perch, recline, rest, roost, settle, slump into, sprawl, straddle

smile: beam, brighten, dimple, flash the teeth, glow, grin, leer, light up, radiate delight, simper, smirk, sneer, snigger, sparkle, twinkle

speak: articulate, chat, chatter, converse, enunciate, gossip, mumble, murmur, natter, orate, parley, proclaim, verbalize, vocalize, whisper

stand (1): abide, bear, brook, countenance, endure, live through, suffer through, stomach, survive, tolerate, undergo, weather

stand (2): arise, bob up, get to one’s feet, get up, jump out of one’s seat, jump up, leap up, push out of one’s seat, rise, rise up, spring up

stand (3): peacock, pose, position oneself, posture, seesaw, shift from foot to foot, strike a pose, sway, teeter, teeter-totter, wobble

take: carry, cart, conduct, convey, deliver, escort, ferry, guide, marshal, shepherd, shoulder, steer, tote, transfer, transport, usher

talk: argue, blather, burble, confer, converse, debate, deliberate, discuss, lecture, maunder, prate, splutter, sputter, stammer, stutter

tell: announce, apprise, assert, avow, chronicle, claim, declare, describe, disclose, divulge, maintain, narrate, proclaim, report, reveal

think: conceive, concoct, contemplate, deliberate, dream, envisage, imagine, invent, meditate, muse, ponder, reflect, visualize, weigh

touch: caress, elbow, finger, fondle, graze, handle, jab, jostle, manhandle, mess, pat, scrape, scratch, shove, stroke, tap, tousle

turn: circle, gyrate, gyre, pirouette, pivot, reel, revolve, rotate, spin, spiral, swivel, twirl, twist, twizzle, wheel, whip around, whirl

understand: absorb, believe, cognize, comprehend, conclude, decipher, fathom, grasp, interpret, make out, make sense of, unravel

use: apply, channel, deploy, employ, establish, exercise, exploit, harness, maneuver, manipulate, practice, ply, utilize, wield

walk: amble, dance, drift, march, meander, parade, patrol, plod, promenade, saunter, slog, stomp, stroll, trek, tromp, trudge, wander

watch: eyeball, follow, guard, inspect, observe, police, protect, safeguard, scan, scrutinize, stalk, study, surveil, survey, track, view

work: aspire, drudge, endeavor, exert oneself, fight, grind, labor, slog, skivvy, strain, strive, struggle, sweat, toil, travail, wrestle

Ready for a Few Verb Aerobics?

Replace the underlined words with stronger choices.

With a scowl on her face , Endora put her arms across her chest and looked at Samantha. “You haven’t looked like that since your father won the Mr. Universe Pageant two centuries ago. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing.” Samantha smiled . “Darrin just received a promotion, and we’re going to the Bahamas to celebrate.”

“Goodie. I can babysit while you’re gone.”

“Sorry, Mom. The kids are going with us.”

A thunderclap sounded . The house shook . Endora looked at her daughter. “They’re what?”

Suggested solution

Endora crossed her arms and scowled at Samantha. “You haven’t looked like that since your father won the Mr. Universe Pageant two centuries ago. What’s up?”

“Oh, nothing.” Samantha grinned . “Darrin just received a promotion, and we’re going to the Bahamas to celebrate.”

A thunderclap boomed . The house juddered . Endora glared at her daughter. “They’re what?”

Notes: Put her arms across her chest becomes crossed her arms . Dialogue remains as is to seem realistic, including Samantha’s repetition of going . The short sentences in the final paragraph speed the action and amplify the tension.

What’s that noise? Angela turned around. She listened .

Maximus appeared in the mist. She moved toward him — close, closer. She touched his arm. He spoke so quietly she couldn’t understand his words.

Puzzled, she looked into his eyes . He looked back with opaque amber orbs.

She shook .

What’s that noise? Angela whipped around. She concentrated .

Maximus materialized in the mist. She inched toward him — close, closer — and caressed his arm. He mumbled so quietly she couldn’t decipher his words.

Puzzled, she peered into his eyes. He stared back with opaque amber orbs.

She trembled .

Notes: Each verb in the suggested solution was selected from the cheat sheet.

Timmy put his tooth under his pillow and smiled at Mummy. “When will the Tooth Fairy come?”

She touched his forehead. “Not until you’re asleep. When she hears you snoring, she’ll sneak in. You’ll never see her, because she makes herself invisible.”

He closed his eyes and made a snoring noise .

Mummy touched his hair. “Nuh-uh. She’s too smart to fall for that.”

“Awwww. But I want to see her.”

Timmy stashed his tooth under his pillow and beamed at Mummy. “When will the Tooth Fairy come?”

She stroked his forehead. “Not until you’re asleep. When she hears you snoring, she’ll sneak in. You’ll never see her, because she makes herself invisible.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and faked a snore .

Mummy tousled his hair. “Nuh-uh. She’s too smart to fall for that.”

Notes: Once again, dialogue is untouched. The replacements are straightforward.

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8 thoughts on “ Strong Verbs Cheat Sheet: A Word List for Writers ”

Very thoughtful and practical- I support your efforts.

Thanks, John.

I always enjoy your worthsmithing, Kathy, and this is one of your best. I’ll be sharing it with my writing critique group. Thanks! Lakota

Thanks, Lakota!

And thanks again for your advice on how writers can increase productivity and perseverance .

Thank you posting. I love it. Sounds strange I have aphasia a language disorder I got after having strokes. Did not take up writing before strokes wanted to. But now here I am and your message make purrrr fect sense. May I show my speech therapist? Copy it out and show her? blessings

Sure, Donna. Feel free to share. Do you find that your symptoms are improving with time and therapy?

Love your posts Kathy. Thank you. 🙂

Thanks for reading and sharing them, Debby!

Academic Writing - Education & CCSC students: Verbs

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Reporting Verbs

Expand your vocabulary of reporting verbs

There are many verbs available apart from stated  or reported  when writing literature reviews. Consider employing verbs from the lists below.

RMIT Study and Learning Centre. Retrieved 2019, from  www.rmit.edu.au

Tentative reporting verbs

hypothesise

Neutral reporting verbs

Strong reporting verbs

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 229 common english verbs with examples.

General Education

Verbs are one of the eight main parts of speech, and we can't form sentences without them. A verb explains the action of a sentence, but that’s just one part of what verbs do.

Use this guide to familiarize yourself with the types of verbs and what they do, and peruse this list of nearly 300 common verbs. There are over 1000 possible verbs you can use in the English language, and I’m sure you’ll recall using some verbs on these lists more than others. This verbs list includes example sentences to help you expand your vocabulary and gain a better understanding of verb words and what they do.

What Is a Verb?

A verb is a word used to describe an action, state, or occurrence and forming the main part of a predicate of a sentence. Remember, a predicate is the part of a sentence or clause containing a verb that says something about the subject. All sentences must have a verb , though a sentence doesn't have to have all eight parts of speech. Verb words dictate the action that's taking place, so they're necessary for a sentence to make sense. 

Types of Verbs and Verb Examples

There are three types of verbs: action verbs, linking verbs, and helping verbs . Action verbs are verbs that express action or possession. Action verbs can be transitive or intransitive. Transitive verb words always have a noun that receives the action of the verb, known as a direct object. They can sometimes also have an indirect object, which is a noun or phrase that occurs in addition to a direct object. Below are verb definitions and verb examples in a sentence.

Transitive verb example: I washed the dishes yesterday. The verb is washed, and the direct object is dishes, since they’re the noun being acted upon.

Transitive verb example 2: Send her the book. The verb is send, and the direct object is book; the indirect object is her. Intransitive verbs do not address an object or an indirect object. It has a modifier, but not an object.

Intransitive verb example: I went outside to enjoy the fresh air. The intransitive verb is went. There is not a direct object that is received by went. Some verbs are always intransitive, like go, lie, sneeze, sit, die, and arrive. Others like eat, can be either intransitive or transitive.

Linking verbs connect the subject of a sentence to a noun or adjective that describes it.

Linking verb example: This oatmeal tastes bland. In this sentence, oatmeal is the noun/subject, and bland is the adjective. Tastes is the linking verb that connects them.

Linking verb example 2: All the kittens are adorable. The subject is kittens, and the adjective is adorable. The linking verb is are.

Helping verbs are used before action or linking verbs to convey additional information. The main verb with an accompanying helping verb is called a verb phrase.

Helping verb example: The kids will help with the new puppy. In this sentence, kids is the subject, help is the main (action) verb, and will is the helping verb.

These verb examples lists contain just some of the most commonly used verbs in the English language. There are so many more verbs you can use, and you can utilize a Thesaurus to find words with similar meanings. All of the examples on this verbs list are given in present tense, but the examples may be in past or present tense.

The list is separated into action, helping, and linking verbs . You may notice that some words like am, appear, was etc. can act as multiple types of verbs. When you see verbs that are on multiple lists, refer to the descriptions of the types of verbs above, and notice how the words differ in meaning in the examples. 

Action Verbs

Linking Verbs

Helping Verbs

As you can see from this list, there are a ton of verbs you can use to form sentences and to strengthen your speech and writing. Making sure you have a multitude of verb examples in your vocabulary will make it easier to identify parts of speech, and will ensure that your writing is specific, concise, and non-repetitive. Make sure you consider what type of verb you’re using, even when you don’t think you have to pay attention to it. Verbs are all around us, and especially after reading this list, you’ll start seeing them everywhere.

What's Next?

If you're looking for more teaching tools, check out these awesome games to learn English and alphabet games.

Love teaching the parts of speech and thinking about a teaching career? Read about how to get a teaching degree , and about getting an early childhood education degree .

Carrie holds a Bachelors in Writing, Literature, and Publishing from Emerson College, and is currently pursuing an MFA. She worked in book publishing for several years, and believes that books can open up new worlds. She loves reading, the outdoors, and learning about new things.

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Explore different ways of referring to literature and foregrounding your voice.

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Reporting verbs help you introduce the ideas or words of others as paraphrase or quotation from scholarly literature. Always accompanied by a reference, they indicate where you’re drawing on other people’s work to build your own argument. They also indicate  your stance  (agree, disagree, etc) on the scholarship you’re describing, highlighting your critical contribution. There are lots of reporting verbs to choose from and, depending on the context, they might be used to convey more than one stance, so you’ll notice that some appear in more than one category. 

The following reporting verbs have been organised according to the critical stances they signal.

Neutral description of what the text says

Reporting verbs.

• Observes 
• Describes 
• Discusses 
• Reports 
• Outlines 
• Remarks 
• States 
• Goes on to say that 
• Quotes that 
• Mentions 
• Articulates 
• Writes  
• Relates  
• Conveys 

Abrams mentions that culture shock has “long been misunderstood as a primarily psychological phenomenon” (34)  

Chakrabarty outlines the four stages of mitosis (72-3)

Acceptance as uncontested fact, having critiqued it

• Recognises 
• Clarifies 
• Acknowledges 
• Concedes 
• Accepts 
• Refutes 
• Uncovers 
• Admits 
• Demonstrates 
• Highlights 
• Illuminates 
• Supports  
• Concludes 
• Elucidates 
• Reveals 
• Verifies  

Abrams refutes the idea that culture shock is a “primarily psychological phenomenon” (34)

Chakrabarty demonstrates that mitosis actually occurs over five stages (73)

Recognition that this is one perspective on or interpretation of an issue or conclusion, and others might be possible

• Argues 
• Reasons 
• Maintains 
• Contends 
• Hypothesises 
• Proposes 
• Theorises  
• Feels 
• Considers 
• Asserts 
• Disputes 
• Advocates 
• Opines  
• Thinks  
• Implies  
• Posits 

Abrams contends that culture shock is socially produced (38)

Chakrabarty hypothesises that metaphase is a more complex process than previously thought (77)

Agreement with that perspective, interpretation or conclusion

• Shows 
• Illustrates  
• Points out 
• Proves 
• Finds 
• Explains 
• Agrees 
• Confirms 
• Identifies 
• Evidences  
• Attests  

Abrams points out that culture shock is a “stress response mechanism” (34)

Chakrabarty proves that mitosis is irreversible, once triggered (80)

Disagreement with that perspective, interpretation or conclusion

• Believes 
• Claims 
• Justifies 
• Insists  
• Assumes  
• Alleges 
• Denies 
• Speculates  
• Disregards 
• Supposes  
• Conjectures  
• Surmises 

Abrams’ analysis disregards the neurochemical factors that contribute to culture shock (36)

Chakrabarty speculates that “metaphase is the most important stage of mitosis” (78)

Slight reservations held - probably true but being cautious

Reporting verb.

• Notes 
• Suggests 
• Challenges 
• Critiques  
• Emphasises 
• Declares 
• Indicates 
• Comments 
• Upholds  

Abrams asserts that theories of culture shock have moved away from psychological explanations.

Chakrabarty emphasises the role of metaphase within mitosis (78)

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500+ English Verbs List (V1 V2 V3 Verb Forms) + PDF

Explore the world of verbs with our comprehensive list of over 500 English verbs in their V1, V2 and V3 forms. Whether you’re learning English or just want to expand your vocabulary, this comprehensive resource is here to help. Dive in and discover the different ways these verbs are used, and improve your language skills with this valuable collection.

Here you can learn V1, V2, V3 verb forms of most commonly used English verbs. Regular and irregular verbs are given together in this list.

You can also download V1, V2, V3 forms PDF here . Let’s go on this verb adventure together!

20 common English verbs as an example:

Check Also: Common English Verbs Forms (v1,v2,v3,v4,v5)+ PDF English Irregular Verbs List (Free PDF) 2000+ Common Phrasal Verbs List From A-Z (Free PDF)

Verbs List 1

Verbs List 2

Verbs List 3

Verbs List 4

Verb Forms PDF v1 v2 v3

  1000 English Verb Forms PDF – download

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