How to Choose Verbs

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How to Choose Verbs

• Active and Passive Voice

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Active versus Passive

• Active Voice
• The subject of the sentence performs the verb
• Example The dog bit the boy
• Passive Voice
• The subject is acted upon
• Example The boy was bitten by the dog.

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Which is stronger Active or Passive?

• Active voice helps to create clear and direct
  sentences
• Passive voice adds unnecessary words to a sentence

4
Helping Verbs

• What are they?
• verbs thathelp the main verb in a sentence by
  extending the meaning of the verb.
• They add detail to how time is conveyed in a
  sentence. 
• Can create passive voice

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Example Helping Verbs
Approved List of Helping Verbs Approved List of Helping Verbs Approved List of Helping Verbs Approved List of Helping Verbs
to be to have to do Conditionals
amareiswaswerebebeingbeen havehashadhaving dodoesdiddoingdone couldshouldwouldcanshallwillmaymightmust
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To Be or Not to Be

• Be verbs
• They create boring reading
• Eliminating be verbs helps to create an active
  voice
• Replace them with stronger, action verbs

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Be Verbs
Be Verb Usage
Be
Is, Are, Am (present tense)
's 're 'm (used in contractions)
Was (past tense)
Were (past tense)
Been (past tense)
Being
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Practice

• A book club has been formed by the librarian.
• The balloons were delivered by a happy clown.
• Someone broke the shop window last night.
• The computer was fixed by Mr. Edmunds.
• Lucinda had planted those marigolds.
• The trees were being blown over by the wind.
• The street lights made long, scary shadows on the
  sidewalk.
• The swelling on Joes arm was caused by the bee
  sting.