See also Emphasis or emphatic writing.
Use weak verbs sparingly if at all. While the term “weak verbs” often refers to the Old English conjugation system where these verbs formed their past tense with a dental suffix (-ed, -en) and past participle with a dental and vowel suffix (-ed, -en, -ung), in modern English it’s not technically accurate to classify verbs as “weak” or “strong.” All English verbs have regular or irregular past tense and past participle forms.
However, some verbs are considered less impactful or dynamic than others for a variety of reasons. Here are some common examples of verbs often perceived as less “powerful” in formal writing:
General Verbs:
- Be: (is, am, are, was, were, been) Can often be replaced with a more specific verb conveying action or state.
- Get: (get, gets, got, gotten) Often used as a filler or auxiliary verb, sometimes replaced with stronger alternatives.
- Do: (do, does, did, done) Similar to “get,” often a generic verb that could be replaced with more precise options.
- Have: (have, has, had, had) Can be overused and sometimes replaced with verbs signifying possession, obligation, or experience.
- Make: (make, makes, made, made) Similar to “have,” often used broadly and could be replaced with more specific verbs depending on the action.
- Go: (go, goes, went, gone) Often used for movement but can be replaced with specific verbs for different forms of motion.
- Come: (come, comes, came, come) Similar to “go,” can be replaced with more specific verbs for different types of arrival.
- Say: (say, says, said, said) Often used for communication but can be replaced with more nuanced verbs like “ask,” “declare,” “whisper,” etc.
- Think: (think, thinks, thought, thought) Often used for mental activity but can be replaced with more specific verbs like “consider,” “believe,” “ponder,” etc.
Modal Verbs:
- Can: (can, could) Indicates possibility or ability.
- May: (may, might) Similar to “can” but with a sense of permission or uncertainty.
- Must: (must, must have) Indicates obligation or necessity.
- Will: (will, would) Indicates future tense or intention.
- Should: (should, would) Indicates advice, suggestion, or expectation.
Stative Verbs:
- Appear: (appear, appears, appeared, appeared)
- Become: (become, becomes, became, become)
- Believe: (believe, believes, believed, believed)
- Belong: (belong, belongs, belonged, belonged)
- Contain: (contain, contains, contained, contained)
- Cost: (cost, costs, cost, cost)
- Depend: (depend, depends, depended, depended)
- Desire: (desire, desires, desired, desired)
- Exist: (exist, exists, existed, existed)
- Fit: (fit, fits, fit, fit)
Remember:
- This is not an exhaustive list, and the “weakness” of a verb is often subjective and context-dependent.
- Many of these verbs have strong synonyms that can be used depending on the desired level of formality and expressiveness.
- Choosing the right verb is about clarity, precision, and achieving the desired tone for your writing.