find verbs in my essay

Verb Finder

How to use our verb finder.

Our verb finder tool is very simple to use.

To begin, enter text into the text-box above. The verb count above the text-box will automatically display the count as you type!

There is a gray box that shows all the verbs that were found in your text in a comma separated list.

Also, the character count is displayed below the text-box.

And to copy the text, click the green "Copy Text" button.

How to Use Verbs Effectively in Your Writing

The subject of this article indicated by its title may seem too simple to many readers. Most writers understand what verbs do and know that they're necessary to create valid sentences. Getting the most out of them, though, can be a bit more complicated.

Of all the basic parts of speech, verbs may have the most potential to add interest and impact to what you write. With that in mind, let's take a close look at what verbs are, how they work, how you can best use them to your advantage and why an online verb finder tool or verb detector can help your writing.

Verbs by Definition

The classic answer to the question of what a verb is, is simple: an "action word ." We use verbs to describe what the subject of or other object in a sentence does . While that's not wrong, it's more accurate to describe it as a "predicate" that provides information about the subject of a sentence or object of a clause.

In other words, a verb may convey something other than what we might comprehend as action.

In fact, there are eleven distinct types of verbs and each type plays a specific role. I'm not going to launch a crash course here, because it's not the purpose of this article.

If you feel your writing might benefit from the knowledge, I highly recommend doing some research via your favorite search engine. I will mention some specific verb types as they arise.

Using Verbs as Something Else

One important thing to know is that verbs can actually be used as adverbs, adjectives or even nouns when combined with "to":

"George is the person to ask if you have a computer question." ( adjective )

"She plays to win ." ( adverb )

" To forgive is divine." ( noun )

These combinations are known as "infinitive verbs." By the way, watch out for the "double tap." Spell Check won't always catch a typo like, "plays too win" but your readers probably will.

New Meaning

Combining verbs with prepositions can change the meaning of both. Here are a few well-known examples:

shut up shut down show off

These "phrasal verbs" are so commonly used in our writing and speech that we don't stop to consider the meanings of the separate words.

Linking Verbs

These verbs, as the name implies, only connect (link) an object to something about that object. Many common linking verbs aren't usually recognized as verbs, because they (and their derivatives) never describe action. (are, were, be, seem, etc.)

Despite their "lack of action," these words play an important role in building sentences and they'll be found in almost anything we read. You probably use them in your writing instinctively.

Action verbs may also be used as linking verbs, so the list of possibilities is a long one.

The Heart of the Matter

Now that we have just a few of those technical terms explained, let's get back to how the way you use verbs in what you write can affect a reader's comprehension, as well as the flow and tone of your piece. As with all other writing elements, the purpose of your writing will have some bearing on the verbs that you use and I'll touch on that as necessary.

Choosing the Right Verb

One of the nice things about the English language is we tend to have lots of synonyms to choose from. That often means we can find a verb that conveys just the right image to our prospective audience. Consider this sentence:

"Steve and Barbara danced around the ballroom floor."

It's a complete sentence and even includes a nice adverbial phrase to give it some depth. If we wanted to paint a nicer image of the dancing, we could add an adjective:

"Steve and Barbara danced elegantly around the ballroom floor."

Not bad, but what if we really want that image to impress? Let's grab one of those synonyms:

"Steve and Barbara glided around the ballroom floor."

Now, we know that the couple isn't gliding, unless there's a parasail involved and that's unlikely. Thanks to that word, however, our readers can now envision Steve and Barbara moving as if they're walking on air.

On the other hand, if they're drunk, they might "stagger" or "stumble." If they're a geriatric couple, they might "rattle." Okay, maybe that last one is a bit extreme, but you get the picture, and getting the picture is the point. Find a verb that projects the image you want.

Of course, if you were writing this sentence as part of something more technical, Not only would "danced" be adequate, but "around the ballroom floor" might even be unnecessary.

Note: When choosing synonyms, try to avoid vague matches or unusual words. If your reader has to look it up in the dictionary, you're not going to score any points.

Watch the Tense

It's important to match the tense of the verbs to your narrative. In our example above, it's clear that the dancing has already happened. If the story was being written from the present perspective, "dance" or "glide" would be the correct verbs to use.

Elementary? Yes, but switching tense is one of the most common mistakes editors encounter. In a story, it's jarring. In a technical piece, it can lead to misinterpretation.

Overuse of Verbs

Unlike adverbs and adjectives, verbs are critical to the structure of a sentence, so you'll need a lot of them when writing. That doesn't mean it's impossible to use too many. It's more common, however, to overuse verb types, rather than verbs in general.

Since it is possible to overuse them, a verb counter tool like this one can be helful in indentifying verbs to remove.

Verb phrases can be as tiresome as any other cliche. Too many infinitives can "bog down" the flow of an otherwise good narrative, especially when used as a noun. Any good writing mechanism starts to look like a gimmick if a reader encounters it too often.

It's All About the Reader

Whatever you're writing, keep your audience in mind. Your main goals should always be dynamics and readability. Verbs provide a good portion of the dynamics. How effectively you use them directly affects readability.

Thanks for using our verb finder in text tool!

We hope you enjoyed our online verb finder tool. It's a helpful tool in indentifying and counting verbs. Whether you need a verb finder in a sentence, or a verb finder in multiple pages of text, we have you covered.

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

Before you go, be sure to grab my FREE guide:

How to Write a Book: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Steps

Just tell me where to send it:

Great! 

Where should i send your free pdf.

© 2024 Verb Finder Tool

Free Verb Finder Tool for Students

Verbs are an essential part of speech in the English language, as they’re used to show what the subject is doing in a sentence. They refer to all actions, including those related to emotions and feelings. Still, verbs come in various forms and types, meaning they can perform different functions in a sentence or provide an alternative meaning. 

Unfortunately, the seemingly endless number of verbs and verb forms in the English language can pose a challenge to even the most advanced native speakers. With the help of our online verb finder tool, however, you can easily identify and fix common verb mistakes. Along with that, our verb finder helps detect grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors through an advanced algorithm, making it an all-rounded proofreading tool. Simply paste your text on the tool’s interface and let it handle the rest. 

Before we can learn how our verb finder highlighter works, let’s take a look at the different types of verbs.

Action Verb

These verb types are used to denote when a person is doing something or an action is happening. They can further be split into intransitive verbs and transitive verbs.

Intransitive verbs. These are action verbs that have no direct object. 

Transitive verbs. This verb category is always followed by a direct object.

Different Types of Verbs and Forms

There are three primary categories of verbs, and understanding each will help determine where to use them correctly. They include action verbs, modal verbs, and linking verbs.

Let’s take a closer look at each category and how they work in a sentence.

Auxiliary Verb

Also known as helping verbs, auxiliary verbs modify main verb actions in a sentence.

Example: John is (helping verb) narrating (main action verb) his life story.

Linking Verb

Linking verbs are used to connect subjects with nouns or adjectives in your sentences.

Example: My son is an economics major.

Different Verb Forms

Verbs can further be categorized into different verb forms. Basically, the verb form is the manner in which a verb is modified to suit the time and context of an action within a sentence. There are five primary verb forms in the English language including:

Root form of the verb

As the name suggests, the root form of a verb is the infinitive form of a word or phrase. When conjugated or paired with suffixes, the root form of a verb creates other forms of the verb

to cry– cry (root) to be – be (root) to come– come (root)

Third-person singular verb form

These verb forms are formed when the root form verb is paired with suffixes -s or -es. 

He cries – cry (root) He watches – watch (root) It shrinks – shrink (root)

Present participle verb form

These verb forms are created when the root form verb is paired with the suffix–ing. They can be used as past, present, and future continuous verb tenses. 

We’re going to the movies tonight. (go– going) They’ve been running for hours. (run – running)

Past and past participle verb forms

These verb forms are formed when the root word is paired with the suffix–ed, and can only be used as a past tense. 

We shopped throughout the weekend. (shop–shopped) The crates were stacked in the warehouse. (stack – stacked)

Verb-Related Errors That Our Verb Finder & Highlighter Can Help With

Identifying incorrect verb usage is one of the most challenging aspects of English writing, especially if you are a non-native English speaker. To make things easier for you, we have compiled a list of the most common verb errors that you need to avoid.

Subject-Verb Disagreement Errors

This error occurs when the subject of a sentence and its respective verb disagree in terms of plurality or singularity. The error can also occur when you overlook conjunctions joining two or more subject nouns. 

Examples:  

Incorrect: The house on the beach are too expensive.

Correct: The house on the beach is too expensive.

Incorrect: Either my dad or mum have the car keys.

Correct: Either my dad or mum has the car keys.

Our verb finder in a sentence online tool will crawl through texts, establish subject-verb disagreement errors, and suggest how to fix them.

Conjugation and Irregular Verbs Errors

Conjugation denotes how verbs are inflected based on the subject’s person, mood, number, or gender. In English writing, different verbs have different rules for conjugation. Some are regular and steady, while others are irregular and change form. 

Cook, cooks, cooked, cooking, etc.

Be, being, is, were, was, etc.

Our noun and verb finder will help identify all regular and irregular verbs in your texts and suggest how to correctly use them.

Compound Verbs and Parallelism Errors

This error occurs when you mix regular and irregular verb forms in your sentences, ultimately creating confusion.

Example: 

Incorrect: At that time, Mary had applied, but as yet not receive, the job she wanted.

Correct: At that time, Mary had applied, but as yet not received, the job she wanted.

Although the first sentence may sound correct, the “had applied” is in the past perfect tense, and so, the word “receive” should be in parallel tense. Luckily for you, our verb phrase finder can help you understand different verb tenses in your texts.

How Our Verb Finder Tool Online Works

Using our verb identifier to weed out verb mistakes in your writing is a simple process. Better yet, the verb detector is available as a Chrome Extension, allowing you to proofread your texts wherever you’re writing online. Simply follow these easy steps.

Copy-paste your text into the to be verb checker’s interface. 

Click the “Check” button and wait for the tool to conduct a thorough language check.

After a few seconds, the action verb finder will highlight all the verb errors and provide suggestions on how to fix them.

Accept the suggestions by clicking on the highlighted mistakes. 

Our weak verb finder also comes with a plagiarism checker, which you can use to catch accidental plagiarism in your texts.

Who Can Use Verb Checker

Our verb finder in a sentence is used by millions of users in a wide variety of writing contexts. Here are several types of users who can benefit from using this verb finder online tool for their writing and editing needs.

Teachers and students

Teachers can use the to be verbs checker to check mistakes in students’ texts, as well as offer advice on basic grammar rules. Students, on the other hand, can use the verbs finder to identify incorrect verb usage in their essays, theses, dissertations, reports, and college entrance applications.

Journalists, freelance writers and professional editors

The verb and noun finder can also be used to catch grammar-related errors in all forms of writing. Journalists, freelance writers, and professional editors can use the main verb finder to catch any grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in their articles, journals, publications, and manuscripts.

Business executives

The verbs checker saves business professionals time at work when composing emails or marketing reports. Still, it is compatible with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Outlook, and all online websites.

English language learners

The verb in sentence finder offers contextual mistake corrections and suggestions, allowing English language learners to use it as an interactive grammar guide.

Benefits of Using Our Verb Checker Online Free Tool

Our to be verb finder offers a lot of benefits for people who are constantly engaged in writing. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider using our online to be verbs finder.

Saves Time and Money

One of the most prominent benefits of using our verb tense checker is its time-saving aspect. Unlike the mentally taxing and time-consuming manual editing process, our tool allows you to identify and fix errors in your texts with a single click of a mouse. And if you can’t afford to hire a professional editor, the helping verb finder will do all the heavy lifting, all without spending a fortune.

Compared to the native Microsoft Word spell-check, the to be verb checker is much more robust and versatile. It leverages a sophisticated AI system, advanced ML technology, and computational linguistics to learn good writing patterns and offer contextual suggestions.

Unlike many similar tools that require you to pay, our verb finder in sentence online tool comes with a free-to-use version. With this version, you can check your texts for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, as well as identify accidental plagiarism.

Easy to Use

Using our verb tense finder requires no technical or professional skills. After visiting our website, paste your typed text on the tool’s interface, click check, and you are good to go. Alternatively, you can type on the verb checker or download it as a Chrome Extension.

24/7 Availability

The to be verbs checker is cloud-based, making it available anytime and from anywhere.

Tips on How To Identify Verbs in a Sentence Like a Pro

On top of helping you create complete and concise sentences, identifying verbs in your texts also gives you a deeper understanding of peripheral grammatical concepts like run-on sentences and sentence fragments. 

If you are facing difficulties in identifying verbs in your writing, here are a few keys that you can use.

Identify words that describe an action in a sentence

As earlier indicated, verbs are action words used to describe an action or a state of being. As such, the easiest way to identify verbs is to identify any action words in your sentences. 

For example: 

He ran to school.  Since “running” is an action, “ran” is the verb in the sentence.

Other action words include “think,” “drive,” “walk,” “play,” etc.

Master the different verb tenses

Verbs are the only English words that are modified or conjugated. Still, verb conjugations can change depending on your sentence’s tense. In English writing, the five verb tenses include infinitive, past, present, past participles, and present participles. 

Learning how to identify and differentiate between the different verb forms is critical in helping you locate verbs in your sentences.

Memorize the different tenses of “to be”

Of all irregular verbs, “to be” verbs are undoubtedly the most unique. Along with describing the condition of people, places, things, and ideas, they are the only verbs that have eight distinct forms namely “is,” “was,” “were,” “am,” “are,” “being,” and “been.” 

But even with all their complexities, “to be” verbs are some of the most used in English writing. By memorizing all of them, it becomes easy to avoid them in your sentences.

Use a verb checker online tool

Before handing in or publishing your work, you need to overcome several behind-the-scenes hurdles including researching, writing, and re-writing. But perhaps the most important (but often overlooked) part of the entire writing process is proofreading. No matter how well you think you’ve written your texts, proofreading will almost certainly catch a few subtle or glaring mistakes.

In hindsight, however, not everyone has the wherewithal to hire a professional proofreader. And even if you do, chances are you don’t have the luxury of waiting for the editor to manually comb through your texts. With our verb sentence finder, you can enjoy the best of both worlds by eliminating incorrect verb-usage in your texts, all with a single click of a mouse.

Struggling to Make Sure Your Texts Shine? Try Our Free Online Verb Checker to Check and Fix Verb Usage Inconsistencies, Spelling Errors, and Grammar Mistakes.

• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Policy

• Privacy Overview
• Strictly Necessary Cookies

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

If you disable this cookie, we will not be able to save your preferences. This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again.

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).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Submit Comment

Join over 450,000 readers who are saying YES to practice. You’ll also get a free copy of our eBook 14 Prompts :

Popular Resources

Book Writing Tips & Guides Creativity & Inspiration Tips Writing Prompts Grammar & Vocab Resources Best Book Writing Software ProWritingAid Review Writing Teacher Resources Publisher Rocket Review Scrivener Review Gifts for Writers

Books By Our Writers

You've got it! Just us where to send your guide.

Enter your email to get our free 10-step guide to becoming a writer.

You've got it! Just us where to send your book.

Enter your first name and email to get our free book, 14 Prompts.

Want to Get Published?

Enter your email to get our free interactive checklist to writing and publishing a book.

Powerful Verbs for Your Writing

Inventory Your Own Verbs for Powerful Writing

• Study Methods
• Homework Tips
• Learning Styles & Skills
• Time Management
• Private School
• College Admissions
• College Life
• Graduate School
• Business School
• Distance Learning
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

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?

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.  

verb finder

Guide to Using Powerful Verbs

The use of strong verbs is crucial in crafting compelling narratives and descriptions. As you embark on your writing journey, understanding how to select and use powerful verbs  will dramatically enhance the quality of your prose. This guide will explore the difference between strong and weak verbs, provide practical examples, and offer tips to refine your writing style. By the end of this guide, you'll be equipped to create more vivid and engaging content, drawing your readers deeper into your writing world.

Understanding the Power of Strong Verbs

Strong verbs are the backbone of descriptive and action-packed writing. They help you convey actions and states of being with precision and energy. Unlike weak verbs, which often require adverbs for clarity, strong verbs stand on their own, providing a clear and powerful picture of the action. When you use strong verbs, you allow your readers to visualize your narrative more vividly, making your writing more memorable and impactful. The right verb can turn an ordinary sentence into a striking piece of art.

Verbs to Avoid or Replace

Common weak verbs like 'walked' or 'said' can often be replaced with stronger alternatives to add more specificity and vigor to your writing. For example, 'strolled' or 'whispered' instantly create a stronger visual and convey more information about the action. It's not just about finding synonyms; it's about choosing verbs that add depth and emotion to your narrative. By being mindful of these choices, you can transform your writing from simple to sophisticated.

Strong Verbs Improve Your Writing

Integrating strong verbs into your writing is not just about enhancing style; it's about effective communication. Strong verbs give your writing a sense of authority and confidence. They help you to succinctly convey complex ideas and emotions, making your writing more engaging and easier to read. When you choose strong verbs, you take control of your narrative and guide your readers through your text with ease and precision.

Strong vs. Weak Verbs: Examples

To illustrate the difference between strong and weak verbs, consider these examples. Instead of saying 'she walks slowly,' say 'she meanders.' Replace 'he eats quickly' with 'he devours.' Each strong verb provides a clearer, more specific picture of the action, adding depth and texture to your writing. These examples demonstrate how switching out a weak verb for a stronger one can instantly elevate the quality of your sentence.

List of Powerful Verbs

Here's a list of powerful verbs to enhance your writing arsenal: illuminate, shatter, galvanize, meander, whisper, saunter, plummet, soar, captivate, and devastate. Each of these verbs carries a weight and specificity that weaker verbs lack. Experiment with these in your writing to see how they change the tone and impact of your sentences.

Dos and Don'ts of Using Strong Verbs

Do: Choose verbs that add specificity and energy to your writing. Be creative and experiment with different verbs to find the perfect fit. Don't: Overuse strong verbs to the point where they lose their impact or make your writing feel forced. Balance is key.

FAQs About Using Strong Verbs

Q: How can I identify weak verbs in my writing? A: Look for verbs that are generic or lack specificity, and consider if there are stronger alternatives that could add more detail or emotion. Q: Can strong verbs be overused? A: Yes, like any stylistic device, overuse of strong verbs can make your writing seem unnatural. Use them judiciously for maximum effect.

Final Thoughts on Using Powerful Verbs

Mastering the use of strong verbs is a key step in refining your writing style. By choosing verbs that are precise and evocative, you can transform your prose into a more vivid and engaging narrative. Remember, strong verbs are a tool to bring your writing to life. Use them to create a visual and emotional impact that resonates with your readers, making your writing unforgettable.

Useful Resources:  https://thewincolumn.ca/2022/06/23/essay-on-hockey-10-tips-to-write-a-top-notch-paper/

"To Be " Verb Finder & Highlighter

Update (November 9, 2022): This tool was updated. Please contact if there are any problems, change in functionalities, or additional feature requests: j e remy f @jfein.net.

Paste your essay below to identify passive language characterized by "to be" verbs in your writing. This tool also has an option to identify "the" in your writing, which can sound repetitive and amateur when overused.

Include "the"    

Tip: Highlight shortcut with [Enter] + [Control or Command]

ENGLISH GRAMMAR CHECK

Scribens checks the grammar of your texts and finds spelling mistakes.

Perfectly integrates with essential apps

Use Scribens anywhere you type

Avoid copy-pasting and keep the formatting of your original texts: Correct your texts on Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, forums, blogs, etc. Use Scribens as a seamless extension of Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, OpenOffice or LibreOffice.

Use our API to add Scribens to your website!

The advantages of SCRIBENS

A POWERFUL, FREE ENGLISH GRAMMAR CHECKER

Scribens corrects over 250 types of common grammar and spelling mistakes, including verbs, nouns, pronouns, prepositions, homonyms, punctuation, typography, and more.

Online corrections are included with explanations in order to help the user progress his or her English writing skills. Try our sample!

CORRECTS 10X MORE MISTAKES THAN MICROSOFT WORD

Scribens employs a sophisticated syntaxical recognition algorithm that detects even the most subtle errors in a text. In offering you an advanced correction software, Scribens allows you to significantly improve the quality of your writing.

Security and confidentiality

USEFUL WRITING AND STYLE TOOLS

Scribens detects stylistic elements such as repetitions, run-on sentences, redundancies, and more. It even suggests synonyms for every word. It also provides highly detailed statistics on your texts, such as word, sentence, and paragraph count as well as a readability indicator and more.

Scribens provides definitions, conjugations, and synonyms with an accompanying dictionary and thesaurus.

In 2023, 7 million people visited Scribens.com

- 1 million people regularly use Scribens' English grammar corrector at scribens.com -

SCRIBENS PREMIUM SHIFT UP A GEAR

FREE EDITION

Corrects ten times more errors than Microsoft Word

Explanations

Improve your English with grammar rules explained

DICTIONARIES

Definitions, conjugations, and synonyms

Detects repetitions, redundancies, and suggests synonyms

Premium Version

Integration in all your favorite applications

Text checker limited to 200,000 characters (approx. 50 pages)

Removal of ads across the entire site

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Verb Tenses in Academic Writing | Rules, Differences & Examples

Verb Tenses in Academic Writing | Rules, Differences & Examples

Published on September 22, 2014 by Shane Bryson . Revised on September 18, 2023.

Tense communicates an event’s location in time. The different tenses are identified by their associated verb forms. There are three main verb tenses: past ,  present , and  future .

In English, each of these tenses can take four main aspects:  simple ,  perfect ,  continuous  (also known as  progressive ), and  perfect continuous . The perfect aspect is formed using the verb  to have , while the continuous aspect is formed using the verb  to be .

In academic writing , the most commonly used tenses are the  present simple , the  past simple , and the  present perfect .

Table of contents

Tenses and their functions, when to use the present simple, when to use the past simple, when to use the present perfect, when to use other tenses.

The table below gives an overview of some of the basic functions of tenses and aspects. Tenses locate an event in time, while aspects communicate durations and relationships between events that happen at different times.

It can be difficult to pick the right verb tenses and use them consistently. If you struggle with verb tenses in your thesis or dissertation , you could consider using a thesis proofreading service .

Check for common mistakes

Use the best grammar checker available to check for common mistakes in your text.

Fix mistakes for free

The present simple is the most commonly used tense in academic writing, so if in doubt, this should be your default choice of tense. There are two main situations where you always need to use the present tense.

Describing facts, generalizations, and explanations

Facts that are always true do not need to be located in a specific time, so they are stated in the present simple. You might state these types of facts when giving background information in your introduction .

• The Eiffel tower  is in Paris.
• Light  travels faster than sound.

Similarly, theories and generalizations based on facts are expressed in the present simple.

• Average income differs by race and gender.
• Older people express less concern about the environment than younger people.

Explanations of terms, theories, and ideas should also be written in the present simple.

• Photosynthesis  refers to  the process by which plants  convert sunlight into chemical energy.
• According to Piketty (2013), inequality grows over time in capitalist economies.

Describing the content of a text

Things that happen within the space of a text should be treated similarly to facts and generalizations.

This applies to fictional narratives in books, films, plays, etc. Use the present simple to describe the events or actions that are your main focus; other tenses can be used to mark different times within the text itself.

• In the first novel, Harry learns he is a wizard and travels  to Hogwarts for the first time, finally escaping the constraints of the family that raised him.

The events in the first part of the sentence are the writer’s main focus, so they are described in the present tense. The second part uses the past tense to add extra information about something that happened prior to those events within the book.

When discussing and analyzing nonfiction, similarly, use the present simple to describe what the author does within the pages of the text ( argues , explains , demonstrates , etc).

• In The History of Sexuality , Foucault asserts that sexual identity is a modern invention.
• Paglia (1993) critiques Foucault’s theory.

This rule also applies when you are describing what you do in your own text. When summarizing the research in your abstract , describing your objectives, or giving an overview of the  dissertation structure in your introduction, the present simple is the best choice of tense.

• This research  aims  to synthesize the two theories.
• Chapter 3 explains  the methodology and discusses ethical issues.
• The paper  concludes with recommendations for further research.

The past simple should be used to describe completed actions and events, including steps in the research process and historical background information.

Reporting research steps

Whether you are referring to your own research or someone else’s, use the past simple to report specific steps in the research process that have been completed.

• Olden (2017) recruited 17 participants for the study.
• We transcribed and coded the interviews before analyzing the results.

The past simple is also the most appropriate choice for reporting the results of your research.

• All of the focus group participants agreed  that the new version  was an improvement.
• We  found a positive correlation between the variables, but it  was not as strong as we  hypothesized .

Describing historical events

Background information about events that took place in the past should also be described in the past simple tense.

• James Joyce  pioneered the modernist use of stream of consciousness.
• Donald Trump’s election in 2016  contradicted the predictions of commentators.

The present perfect is used mainly to describe past research that took place over an unspecified time period. You can also use it to create a connection between the findings of past research and your own work.

Summarizing previous work

When summarizing a whole body of research or describing the history of an ongoing debate, use the present perfect.

• Many researchers  have investigated the effects of poverty on health.
• Studies  have shown a link between cancer and red meat consumption.
• Identity politics has been a topic of heated debate since the 1960s.
• The problem of free will  has vexed philosophers for centuries.

Similarly, when mentioning research that took place over an unspecified time period in the past (as opposed to a specific step or outcome of that research), use the present perfect instead of the past tense.

• Green et al.  have conducted extensive research on the ecological effects of wolf reintroduction.

Emphasizing the present relevance of previous work

When describing the outcomes of past research with verbs like fi nd ,  discover or demonstrate , you can use either the past simple or the present perfect.

The present perfect is a good choice to emphasize the continuing relevance of a piece of research and its consequences for your own work. It  implies that the current research will build on, follow from, or respond to what previous researchers have done.

• Smith (2015) has found that younger drivers are involved in more traffic accidents than older drivers, but more research is required to make effective policy recommendations.
• As Monbiot (2013)  has shown , ecological change is closely linked to social and political processes.

Note, however, that the facts and generalizations that emerge from past research are reported in the present simple.

While the above are the most commonly used tenses in academic writing, there are many cases where you’ll use other tenses to make distinctions between times.

Future simple

The future simple is used for making predictions or stating intentions. You can use it in a research proposal  to describe what you intend to do.

It is also sometimes used for making predictions and stating hypotheses . Take care, though, to avoid making statements about the future that imply a high level of certainty. It’s often a better choice to use other verbs like  expect ,  predict,  and  assume to make more cautious statements.

• There  will be a strong positive correlation.
• We  expect  to find a strong positive correlation.
• H1  predicts a strong positive correlation.

Similarly, when discussing the future implications of your research, rather than making statements with will,  try to use other verbs or modal verbs that imply possibility ( can ,  could ,  may ,  might ).

• These findings  will influence  future approaches to the topic.
• These findings  could influence future approaches to the topic.

Present, past, and future continuous

The continuous aspect is not commonly used in academic writing. It tends to convey an informal tone, and in most cases, the present simple or present perfect is a better choice.

• Some scholars are suggesting that mainstream economic paradigms are no longer adequate.
• Some scholars suggest   that mainstream economic paradigms are no longer adequate.
• Some scholars have suggested   that mainstream economic paradigms are no longer adequate.

However, in certain types of academic writing, such as literary and historical studies, the continuous aspect might be used in narrative descriptions or accounts of past events. It is often useful for positioning events in relation to one another.

• While Harry is traveling to Hogwarts for the first time, he meets many of the characters who will become central to the narrative.
• The country was still recovering from the recession when Donald Trump was elected.

Past perfect

Similarly, the past perfect is not commonly used, except in disciplines that require making fine distinctions between different points in the past or different points in a narrative’s plot.

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

Bryson, S. (2023, September 18). Verb Tenses in Academic Writing | Rules, Differences & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved June 28, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/verbs/tenses/

Aarts, B. (2011).  Oxford modern English grammar . Oxford University Press.

Butterfield, J. (Ed.). (2015).  Fowler’s dictionary of modern English usage  (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Garner, B. A. (2016).  Garner’s modern English usage (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Is this article helpful?

Shane Bryson

Shane finished his master's degree in English literature in 2013 and has been working as a writing tutor and editor since 2009. He began proofreading and editing essays with Scribbr in early summer, 2014.

Other students also liked

Tense tendencies in academic texts, subject-verb agreement | examples, rules & use, parallel structure & parallelism | definition, use & examples, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

• Features for Creative Writers
• Features for Work
• Features for Higher Education
• Features for Teachers
• Features for Non-Native Speakers
• Learn Blog Grammar Guide Community Events FAQ
• Grammar Guide

Words to Use in an Essay: 300 Essay Words

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

Words to use in the essay introduction, words to use in the body of the essay, words to use in your essay conclusion, how to improve your essay writing vocabulary.

It’s not easy to write an academic essay .

Many students struggle to word their arguments in a logical and concise way.

To make matters worse, academic essays need to adhere to a certain level of formality, so we can’t always use the same word choices in essay writing that we would use in daily life.

If you’re struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay.

The introduction is one of the hardest parts of an essay to write.

You have only one chance to make a first impression, and you want to hook your reader. If the introduction isn’t effective, the reader might not even bother to read the rest of the essay.

That’s why it’s important to be thoughtful and deliberate with the words you choose at the beginning of your essay.

Many students use a quote in the introductory paragraph to establish credibility and set the tone for the rest of the essay.

When you’re referencing another author or speaker, try using some of these phrases:

To use the words of X

According to X

As X states

Example: To use the words of Hillary Clinton, “You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health.”

Near the end of the introduction, you should state the thesis to explain the central point of your paper.

If you’re not sure how to introduce your thesis, try using some of these phrases:

In this essay, I will…

The purpose of this essay…

This essay discusses…

In this paper, I put forward the claim that…

There are three main arguments for…

Example: In this essay, I will explain why dress codes in public schools are detrimental to students.

After you’ve stated your thesis, it’s time to start presenting the arguments you’ll use to back up that central idea.

When you’re introducing the first of a series of arguments, you can use the following words:

First and foremost

First of all

To begin with

Example: First , consider the effects that this new social security policy would have on low-income taxpayers.

All these words and phrases will help you create a more successful introduction and convince your audience to read on.

The body of your essay is where you’ll explain your core arguments and present your evidence.

It’s important to choose words and phrases for the body of your essay that will help the reader understand your position and convince them you’ve done your research.

Let’s look at some different types of words and phrases that you can use in the body of your essay, as well as some examples of what these words look like in a sentence.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transitioning from one argument to another is crucial for a good essay.

It’s important to guide your reader from one idea to the next so they don’t get lost or feel like you’re jumping around at random.

Transition phrases and linking words show your reader you’re about to move from one argument to the next, smoothing out their reading experience. They also make your writing look more professional.

The simplest transition involves moving from one idea to a separate one that supports the same overall argument. Try using these phrases when you want to introduce a second correlating idea:

Additionally

In addition

Furthermore

Another key thing to remember

In the same way

Correspondingly

Example: Additionally , public parks increase property value because home buyers prefer houses that are located close to green, open spaces.

Another type of transition involves restating. It’s often useful to restate complex ideas in simpler terms to help the reader digest them. When you’re restating an idea, you can use the following words:

In other words

To put it another way

That is to say

To put it more simply

Example: “The research showed that 53% of students surveyed expressed a mild or strong preference for more on-campus housing. In other words , over half the students wanted more dormitory options.”

Often, you’ll need to provide examples to illustrate your point more clearly for the reader. When you’re about to give an example of something you just said, you can use the following words:

For instance

To give an illustration of

To exemplify

To demonstrate

As evidence

Example: Humans have long tried to exert control over our natural environment. For instance , engineers reversed the Chicago River in 1900, causing it to permanently flow backward.

Sometimes, you’ll need to explain the impact or consequence of something you’ve just said.

When you’re drawing a conclusion from evidence you’ve presented, try using the following words:

As a result

Accordingly

As you can see

This suggests that

It follows that

It can be seen that

For this reason

For all of those reasons

Consequently

Example: “There wasn’t enough government funding to support the rest of the physics experiment. Thus , the team was forced to shut down their experiment in 1996.”

When introducing an idea that bolsters one you’ve already stated, or adds another important aspect to that same argument, you can use the following words:

What’s more

Not only…but also

Not to mention

To say nothing of

Another key point

Example: The volcanic eruption disrupted hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover , it impacted the local flora and fauna as well, causing nearly a hundred species to go extinct.

Often, you'll want to present two sides of the same argument. When you need to compare and contrast ideas, you can use the following words:

On the one hand / on the other hand

Alternatively

In contrast to

On the contrary

By contrast

In comparison

Example: On the one hand , the Black Death was undoubtedly a tragedy because it killed millions of Europeans. On the other hand , it created better living conditions for the peasants who survived.

Finally, when you’re introducing a new angle that contradicts your previous idea, you can use the following phrases:

Having said that

Differing from

In spite of

With this in mind

Provided that

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

Notwithstanding

Example: Shakespearean plays are classic works of literature that have stood the test of time. Having said that , I would argue that Shakespeare isn’t the most accessible form of literature to teach students in the twenty-first century.

Good essays include multiple types of logic. You can use a combination of the transitions above to create a strong, clear structure throughout the body of your essay.

Strong Verbs for Academic Writing

Verbs are especially important for writing clear essays. Often, you can convey a nuanced meaning simply by choosing the right verb.

You should use strong verbs that are precise and dynamic. Whenever possible, you should use an unambiguous verb, rather than a generic verb.

For example, alter and fluctuate are stronger verbs than change , because they give the reader more descriptive detail.

Here are some useful verbs that will help make your essay shine.

Verbs that show change:

Accommodate

Verbs that relate to causing or impacting something:

Verbs that show increase:

Verbs that show decrease:

Deteriorate

Verbs that relate to parts of a whole:

Comprises of

Is composed of

Constitutes

Encompasses

Incorporates

Verbs that show a negative stance:

Misconstrue

Verbs that show a positive stance:

Substantiate

Verbs that relate to drawing conclusions from evidence:

Corroborate

Demonstrate

Verbs that relate to thinking and analysis:

Contemplate

Hypothesize

Investigate

Verbs that relate to showing information in a visual format:

Useful Adjectives and Adverbs for Academic Essays

You should use adjectives and adverbs more sparingly than verbs when writing essays, since they sometimes add unnecessary fluff to sentences.

However, choosing the right adjectives and adverbs can help add detail and sophistication to your essay.

Sometimes you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is useful and should be taken seriously. Here are some adjectives that create positive emphasis:

Significant

Other times, you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is harmful or ineffective. Here are some adjectives that create a negative emphasis:

Controversial

Insignificant

Questionable

Unnecessary

Unrealistic

Finally, you might need to use an adverb to lend nuance to a sentence, or to express a specific degree of certainty. Here are some examples of adverbs that are often used in essays:

Comprehensively

Exhaustively

Extensively

Respectively

Surprisingly

Using these words will help you successfully convey the key points you want to express. Once you’ve nailed the body of your essay, it’s time to move on to the conclusion.

The conclusion of your paper is important for synthesizing the arguments you’ve laid out and restating your thesis.

In your concluding paragraph, try using some of these essay words:

In conclusion

To summarize

In a nutshell

Given the above

As described

All things considered

Example: In conclusion , it’s imperative that we take action to address climate change before we lose our coral reefs forever.

In addition to simply summarizing the key points from the body of your essay, you should also add some final takeaways. Give the reader your final opinion and a bit of a food for thought.

To place emphasis on a certain point or a key fact, use these essay words:

Unquestionably

Undoubtedly

Particularly

Importantly

Conclusively

It should be noted

On the whole

Example: Ada Lovelace is unquestionably a powerful role model for young girls around the world, and more of our public school curricula should include her as a historical figure.

These concluding phrases will help you finish writing your essay in a strong, confident way.

There are many useful essay words out there that we didn't include in this article, because they are specific to certain topics.

If you're writing about biology, for example, you will need to use different terminology than if you're writing about literature.

So how do you improve your vocabulary skills?

The vocabulary you use in your academic writing is a toolkit you can build up over time, as long as you take the time to learn new words.

One way to increase your vocabulary is by looking up words you don’t know when you’re reading.

Try reading more books and academic articles in the field you’re writing about and jotting down all the new words you find. You can use these words to bolster your own essays.

You can also consult a dictionary or a thesaurus. When you’re using a word you’re not confident about, researching its meaning and common synonyms can help you make sure it belongs in your essay.

Don't be afraid of using simpler words. Good essay writing boils down to choosing the best word to convey what you need to say, not the fanciest word possible.

Finally, you can use ProWritingAid’s synonym tool or essay checker to find more precise and sophisticated vocabulary. Click on weak words in your essay to find stronger alternatives.

There you have it: our compilation of the best words and phrases to use in your next essay . Good luck!

Good writing = better grades

ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of all your assignments.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

Get started with ProWritingAid

Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :

Make Your Writing Pop: An Essential List of Strong Verbs

Replace These Verbs in Your Writing

Change your verbs with “ing” suffixes, replace your adverbs with verbs, replace your state-of-being verbs, 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.

• Checkers Comparison
• How to Use Checker
• Ways to Check Faster
• Reasons to Use Checker

Verb Checker

Why you need a verb checker.

How much do you remember about verbs? Grammar rules state that every sentence must have a verb and that a verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or mode of being. There are three factors that every verb possesses:

• Tense: Tense indicates when the action that a verb expresses takes place. The three simple tenses are past, present, and future
• Aspect: The verbal aspect tells whether the action the verb describes occurs in a single block of time, continuously, or if it is repetitive. Verbal aspect will be simple, progressive, perfect, or perfect progressive.
• Mood: The verb mood tells whether the verb is stating a fact, a hypothetical situation, making a request or giving a command. In English grammar verbs have three main moods which are indicative, subjunctive and imperative.

Why the Proper Use of Verbs Is Important

These are just a few of the many reasons having good grammar skills is important

Use Our Free Verb Checker to Eliminate Grammatical Errors

Using our free verb checker helps eliminate mistakes and improves your grammar and writing skills!

Recent Posts

• Forms of the Verb You Have to Know to Write Correctly
• Check Your Grammar – Our Verb Tense Checker Professional Help
• Useful Phrasal Verbs Examples from Our Verb Checker Professional Service
• Tips and Tricks You Must Know about Irregular Verb Forms
• Verb Used Without Object Gives You Creeps? Solve Most Common 8 Verb-Related Troubles.

Testimonial

Copyright © 2024 Verb Checker - All Rights Reserved Sitemap

Cookies are used on this website to improve your user experience

• Essay Check
• Chicago Style
• APA Citation Examples
• MLA Citation Examples
• Chicago Style Citation Examples
• Writing Tips
• Plagiarism Guide
• Grammar Rules
• Student Life
• Create Account

How to Incorporate Action Verbs Into Your Writing

Has a teacher ever told you to use more variety in your writing? You probably wracked your brain for a way to do this. Should you add more synonyms? Maybe you need more sentence structure variation? In fact, one great solution is to use more action verbs ! Action verbs can make your writing more interesting and flow better. Let’s look at how to incorporate them into your writing.

Step up your writing game with the BibMe Plus grammar and plagiarism checker . It can help you spot potential mistakes before your teacher does. In addition, read our grammar guides to learn about adjectives that start with a , what is a conjunction , a determiner definition , and many other grammar topics.

Defining the Term

Before undertaking the task of incorporating action verbs into your writing, it’s important to understand what “action verbs” are in the first place: an action verb is a verb that specifically expresses action (such as jump, run, grab, blink ), as opposed to other types of verbs, like linking or helping verbs . According to Merriam-Webster, a linking verb is “a word or expression (such as a form of be , become , feel , or seem ) that links a subject with its predicate.” A helping verb is “a verb (as am , may , or will ) that is used with another verb to express person, number, mood, or tense.”

Therefore action verbs are verbs that help create a visual of a subject performing an action in your reader’s mind. Action verb examples include jump, search, nurture , and so on.

Make a Word Bank

Before sitting down to write your first draft, it can be helpful to write up a word bank of different action verbs. This word bank can be a tool to draw on as you write so that you incorporate more action verbs into your writing from the get-go. Your word bank could contain both common and lesser-known verbs to give you a variety. Use a thesaurus if you get stuck.

A word bank of action verbs could be set up in two columns like this:

Double check that the verbs on your list are indeed action verbs so that you don’t accidentally use linking or helping verbs when you don’t want to.

Look at Tone

When selecting action verbs to use, consider the type of composition you’re writing. This will dictate both your tone in the piece and how you select action verbs. For example, if you are writing a formal research paper , you might employ less commonly used vocabulary words like gravitate or deliberate to help create a formal or academic tone. A word bank of verbs suitable to your tone (more sophisticated ones for a formal/academic tone, more common ones for an informal tone) might be helpful.

Tip: If you have a vocabulary textbook left over from recent years in school, you might look there to identify action verbs at the level of vocabulary your tone dictates.

Insert Verbs During Revision

Before sitting down to revise your use of action verbs in the first draft, take a moment to plan out the revision as a whole. When revising, be certain to consider your organization of logic or events, word choice (like action verbs!), and proofreading.

To insert verbs during revision, focus on the wording step of revision (such as how you phrased each sentence and paragraph). Wording contributes to tone and how the reader perceives what you’re saying. If you have written a persuasive essay, for instance, you want to consider use of action verbs in relation to the argument, such as using verbs unique to each type of rhetorical strategy.

For logos aspects of your essay (appealing to logic), look for action verbs that accompany hard facts like investigate or inspect . For aspects of an essay that appeal to emotions (pathos), make sure appropriate action verbs are attached, such as undergo or believe . The same concept applies to setting up your credibility with the reader (ethos), where you want to use action verbs that display your level of education and intelligence.

Ultimately, during this revision of wording, you want to look for places where you could have used an action verb but didn’t, or could have used a stronger one. No matter what type of writing you are doing, from an essay to a creative piece, you want to display your grasp of language in a way that is unique to your style of writing.

Tip : Reading out loud is helpful for all aspects of revision, such as locating awkward passages that can be ironed out with stronger, more direct wording. This is a great way to find areas where more action verbs might be placed.

Use a Thesaurus

Don’t forget that you can use a thesaurus during revision! One strategy for working action verbs into your writing is to read over your work and replace verbs that were repeated a lot, or are helping or linking verbs (like seem or become ).

Example : If you tend to use the linking verb “to be” repeatedly (verbs like is , was , were , are , etc.), you might want to do a word search and replace some instances with action verbs.

Look at this sentence:

The birds were happy to fly to the next telephone line.

Try replacing “were” like this:

The birds swooped happily over to the next telephone line.

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re looking to have more variety on first drafts or searching for places to slip more creative action verbs into a revision, knowing what an action verb is and how to use one is important. Happy writing and revising!

Cite the sources in your next paper with BibMe.org! Choose APA format , MLA format , Chicago style format , or any one of our thousands of citation styles.

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

Dr. Karen Palmer

When revising your paper, one thing to look for is your verb use. Using wimpy verbs can make your writing appear uninteresting and lackluster. However, using strong verbs livens up your writing and keeps readers interested. In each of the sections below, we identify some ideas for strengthening your verbs. You can use the Find feature in Word to search for each of these types of weak verbs and determine how you might make revisions that will make your writing more interesting.

Video licensed Creative Commons license.

Avoid “State of Being” Verbs

Read through your paper and look for any forms of the verbs be, do, and have.

am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been

do, does, did, doing, done

have, has, had, having

These are verbs that reflect a state of being, rather than action. To spice up your writing, try to change at least some of those ‘state of being’ verbs to more active options. =

He had a lot of clothes.

His clothes overflowed his closets.

Notice that when we eliminate the state of being verb, the sentence gets much more interesting!

Avoid Verbs Followed by an Adverb

Look for any places in your writing where a verb is followed by an adverb.

She walked slowly.

He ate quickly.

Replace these pairs of verbs and adverbs with a stronger verb that conveys the feeling of the adverb. 

She dragged her feet.

He gulped his food.

Use Active Voice

Two sentences can generally say the same thing but leave an entirely different impression based on the verb choices. For example, which of the following sentences gives you the most vivid mental picture?

A bald eagle was overhead and now is low in the sky near me.

A bald eagle soared overhead and then dove low, seemingly coming right at me.

Even though the passive voice might include an action verb, the strength of the action verb is lessened by the structure of the sentence. Also, the passive voice tends to create unnecessary wordiness.

Read the following sentences and think of a way to reword each using an action verb in active voice.

1. Original: The zebras were fed by the zoo workers. (eight words)

2. Original: Water was spewed in the air by the elephant. (nine words)

3. Original: The home of the hippopotamus was cleaned up and made tidy by Hank the Hippo Man. (sixteen words)

When to Use Passive Voice

Sometimes passive voice actually is the best option. The point is to only use passive voice when you consciously decide to do so. There are several different situations where the passive voice is more useful than the active voice.

• When you don’t know who did the action:  The paper had been moved.
• When you want to hide who did the action:  The window had been broken.
• When you want to emphasize the person or thing the action was done to (or the person or thing that performed the action is not important): Caroline was hurt when Kent broke up with her. or The park was flooded all week.
• When you do not want to place credit, responsibility, or blame: A mistake was made in the investigation that resulted in the wrong person being on trial.
• When you want to maintain the impression of objectivity: It was noted that only first graders chose to eat the fruit.
• A subject that can’t actually  do  anything:  Caroline was hurt when she fell into the trees.
• When you want to avoid using a gendered construction and pluralizing is not an option: If the password is forgotten by the user, a security question will be asked.

However, some instructors and/or disciplines prefer that the passive voice not be used. This could be due to requirements for writing in that discipline, or it could be a way for an instructor to be sure students don’t overuse the passive voice. Overuse of the passive voice makes writing dull, so be sure you are using it appropriately.

Avoid “There is/There are/It is” Constructions

You might have developed a tendency to use another rather dull and unimaginative form of passive voice, by starting sentences with “there is,” “there are,” “there were,” “it is,” or “it was.” Read each of the following examples of this kind of passive voice construction . In your head, think of a way to reword the sentence to make it more interesting by using an action verb.

Look through your paper and circle any sentence that begin with “There is” or “There are” or “It is.” These sentence openings can make your writing seem dull and repetitive. Try removing “There is” or “There are” to make your sentences more interesting.

It is interesting to study literature.

vs The study of literature interests me.

As a rule, try to express yourself with action verbs instead of forms of the verb “to be.” Sometimes it is fine to use forms of the verb “to be,” such as “is” or “are,” but it is easy to overuse them (as in this sentence—twice). Overuse of such verbs results in dull writing.

Read each of the following sentences and note the use of the verb “to be.” In your head, think of a way to reword the sentence to make it more interesting by using an action verb. Then look at how each revision uses one or more action verbs .

Original: A photo was snapped, the tiger was upset, and Elizabeth was on the ground.

Revision: Elizabeth innocently snapped the photo and the lion let out a roar that sent Elizabeth scrambling backward until she fell down.

1. Original: A giraffe’s neck is long and thin, but it is as much as five hundred pounds in weight.

2. Original: An elephant is able to drink eighty gallons of water and is likely to eat one thousand pounds of vegetation in a day.

3. Original: There are thousands of butterflies in the Butterfly House.

4. Original: There were four giraffes eating leaves from the trees.

Attributions

• “Choosing Appropriate Verb Tenses”, section 15.2 from the book Writers’ Handbook (v. 1.0). For details on it (including licensing), click here .
• The Passive versus Active Voice Dilemma. Authored by: Joe Schall. Provided by: The Pennsylvania State University. Located at:  https://www.e-education.psu.edu/styleforstudents/c1_p11.html . License:  CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Content adapted from “ Writing in Active Voice and Uses of Passive Voice ” licensed under CC BY NC SA 3.0 . 

The RoughWriter's Guide Copyright © 2020 by Dr. Karen Palmer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Writing Jobz

• Copywriters wanted
• Online editors wanted
• Jobs for proofreaders
• Jobs for book writers
• Content writing jobs
• Homework writing jobs
• History writers wanted
• Law writing jobs
• Philosophy writer job
• Looking for psychology writers
• Business writers wanted
• Health writing jobs
• Remote writing jobs
• Master writing jobs
• Jobs for creative writers
• Entry level writing jobs
• Technical writing jobs
• Blog writing jobs
• Medical writing jobs
• Science writing jobs
• Jobs for comedy writers
• Sports writing jobs
• Writing jobs about traveling
• Academic writing jobs
• Ghostwriting jobs
• Writing about video games
• Part-time writing jobs
• Curriculum writing jobs
• Essay writing jobs
• Grant writing jobs
• Art writing jobs
• Education writing jobs
• Write essays for money

Our blog was created for aspiring freelance writers who want to know more about becoming an excellent freelance professional. Tips, solutions and free ideas to spice up your writing.

Essay Verbs – Learn To Compose Great Essays With Us!

You can always make your essay be interesting to the reader by incorporating the best use of essay verbs. The best way to make your essay compelling to your reader is by correctly using verbs in it. You should always strive to write in the active voice rather than in the passive voice.

By writing in the active voice and using essay verbs correctly, you sound specific. It is better to use active verbs while writing your essay as this helps to make your writing more clear and engaging. Using strong thesis verbs helps to enhance your vocabulary and thus make you come out as an authority.

Using the active voice in your essay makes your sentences to be shorter and precise. Always avoid writing in the passive voice as it makes your writing difficult to read. It is also a recipe for grammar mistakes. It is important for you to know that verbs are action words. This is why the verbs that you select must always represent a specified action.

How To Use Verbs In Your Essay To Make It Amazing

The type of verbs that you use in your essay is usually dependent on the type of essay you are writing. Every discipline usually has a specific tone featuring verbs that appear frequently. Take for instance disciplines likes science, history, or literature. These usually have certain verbs that appear frequently in them.

After creating the first draft of your essay, you should take a look at your essay verbs. Find out if they are power verbs for essays or if they are weak. You can then edit it using strong verbs for essays to make your final draft convincing

Subclasses Of Verbs And How You Can Use Them

To help you get in the knack of things, here is a sneak peep at some subclasses of verbs that can enhance your essay:

Auxiliary and Lexical verbs

Also known as helping verbs, they determine the tense or mood of another verb in a given phrase.

Example in sentence: ‘Jacob will fight John tonight in the WBC match.’

Here, the verb ‘will’ helps the verb ‘fight’ by giving the explanation about the action that is going to take place in future. You can use this type of verb in persuasive type of essays.

There are primary auxiliaries that take the form of: be, have, and do. Then there are modal auxiliaries that include; could, can, may, must, will, should, and would.

Any verb that exists in the English language that is not an auxiliary verb is known as a lexical verb. Lexical verbs are also known as main or full verbs. They usually convey the real meaning of the subject without depending on another verb. You can use lexical verbs as powerful verbs for writing an analytical essay.

Dynamic and stative verbs

This is a verb that indicates a process, action, or feeling.

Example in sentence: ‘I am running on the road.’

‘Running’ here indicates the action.

Stative verbs on their part describe the state, condition or situation of something. Examples of stative verbs include; know, be, have, seem, own, like, etc. Stative verbs can be used as strong thesis verbs in an argumentative essay for instance.

Example in sentence: ‘I own a brand new car.’

‘Own’ shows the state of owning the car.

Regular and irregular verbs

A regular verb which is also referred to as a weak verb usually forms it past tense when ‘-d’ or ‘-ed’ and in some cases ‘-t’ is added to its base form.

Example in sentence: ‘He finish ed the work.’

Notice ‘ed’ at the end of the verb finish makes it a past tense.

A strong verb also referred to as a strong verb will not form the past tense when ‘-d’, or ‘-ed’ is added.

Example in sentence:

Michael ate his food in the morning.

Transitive and intransitive verbs

A verb that is transitive is usually followed by a direct object.

Example in sentence: ‘Angie sells newspapers.’ In contrast, a verb that is intransitive does not take a direct object: ‘She sat on the chair calmly.’

While writing your essay, you have to remain open to the fact that the distinction between transitive and intransitive verb is usually tricky. This is because many essay verbs usually carry both transitive and intransitive functions.

Finite and nonfinite verbs

A verb that is finite expresses tense and may occur as stand alone in a main clause.

Example: ‘He walked to the riverbank.’

A nonfinite verb also referred to as participle or infinitive, does not show a difference in tense and may occur on its own but only in a dependent clause or phrase.

‘As she walked home, she saw Mark.’

Essay Verbs – Now You Know Everything About Them

Of course the examples given above do not cover all the strong verbs for essays. However, they serve a basic guide of action verbs for essays that you can follow to create a compelling essay. There are verbs known as causative verbs which show that something or person makes something to occur. You can use these types of verb for instance to as your thesis verbs to help enhance your argument in the essay.

You now have a basic idea of some powerful verbs that you can use to improve your essay writing. This should help you to be able to create some the best essays regardless of whether they are persuasive, argumentative or analytical.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

© 2013-2024 WritingJobz.com. All Rights Reserved.

Get science-backed answers as you write with Paperpal's Research feature

Are You Using the Right Verbs in Your Research Paper?

Most researchers are focused on ensuring that their work not only gets the attention it deserves but is also published in leading international journals. However, this is a challenging task, given that journals often reject papers due to issues with language even if the research presented was groundbreaking. Writing an academic research paper is not just about conducting and reporting one’s work – the language one uses plays a significant role in how the research paper is received.

Academic writing needs to be formal and precise and researchers must possess the requisite language skills and knowledge about the correct words to use in scientific writing. This is a skill that early career researchers must acquire and perfect over time. Consistent writing will help you gain the experience you require to create error-free, submission ready research manuscripts. You will for example, learn that one proven way to make your manuscript more compelling is by using strong verbs for essays.

This article provides a brief overview of the different types of verbs to use in research papers. It also offers interesting insights into how verbs can be used effectively in academic writing.

What is a verb?

Let us first understand what a verb is. Verbs are words that convey an action, occurrence, or state of being. Given that most manuscripts contain explanations and descriptions of processes and methodologies, it is important to understand and choose the right kind of action verbs to be in for maximum impact. 

Types of verbs

Broadly, verbs can be categorized into three different types.

• Action verbs – Action verbs verbs communicate precise actions
• Auxiliary verbs – Auxiliary verbs display the tense of the verb used. Sometimes referred to as helping verbs, they reveal if the verb is positive or negative
• Modal verbs – Modal verbs are auxiliary verbs that denote abilities

When using verbs in academic writing, it is very important for early career researchers and authors to ensure that colloquial or informal verbs should not make their way into their academic writing.  Adhering to a formal structure of language with appropriate verbs is essential to maintaining the right tone and to accurately convey the author’s thoughts. For example, the use of action verbs in research objectives or strong verbs for thesis statements goes a long way in making the manuscript more impactful.

Usage of verbs

Researchers and authors must be careful in their selection of verbs to convey the proposed meaning. It is important to understand the context in which the verbs are to be used, and the way the language must be structured. Let us look at some examples of how verbs are used in academic writing.

If researchers want to present an analysis of the work that has been done, then verbs like analyze, appraise, define, diagnose, explore, identify, investigate, or observe may be a used effectively. Attest, confirm, contend, demonstrate, document, indicate or reveal are some verbs researchers can use when they discuss the findings of their research. When trying to convey that a researcher has taken a specific stand of their research findings, they can use words such as like , comment, convey, elaborate, establish, identify, or propose.

Phrasal verbs

It is important for early career researchers and authors to learn how to avoid phrasal verbs in academic writing. Phrasal verbs are words that we use to convey what we think or speak about, see, or experience. These kinds of phrasal verbs tend to be informal and out of place in an academic setting. Some common phrasal verbs and their alternative single verb that may be used are: Find out ( discover ), Looked at ( discovered ), Put into ( contribute ). However, phrasal verbs like carried out, consists of, discussed by, based on, or subjected to may be used while writing research articles or papers.

Contractions and abbreviations

Another aspect that early career researchers and authors must be mindful of when writing their manuscript is to avoid the use of contractions and abbreviations like “isn’t”, “won’t” or “don’t” as they have an informal flavor that is typically not accepted as formal writing. Academic writing demands that the expanded forms of these abbreviations must be used – so ‘is not,’ ‘will not,’ and ‘do not,’ are the correct versions to be used.

It is also highly recommended that researchers check the American or British style guides to make sure that the verbs they are using align with them.

Paperpal is a comprehensive AI writing toolkit that helps students and researchers achieve 2x the writing in half the time. It leverages 21+ years of STM experience and insights from millions of research articles to provide in-depth academic writing, language editing, and submission readiness support to help you write better, faster.  

Get accurate academic translations, rewriting support, grammar checks, vocabulary suggestions, and generative AI assistance that delivers human precision at machine speed. Try for free or upgrade to Paperpal Prime starting at US$19 a month to access premium features, including consistency, plagiarism, and 30+ submission readiness checks to help you succeed.  

Experience the future of academic writing – Sign up to Paperpal and start writing for free!  

Related Reads:

• How and When to Use Active or Passive Voice in Research Papers
• What is the Oxford Comma and When Do You Use It? 
• What is an Imperative Sentence?
• Defence vs. Defense: Let Us End the Confusion

Research Paper Writing: A 15-Point Academic Writing Checklist

Believe or beleive: how to remember the right spelling, you may also like, how to structure an essay, mla works cited page: format, template & examples, powerful academic phrases to improve your essay writing , academic editing: how to self-edit academic text with..., how to use ai to enhance your college..., how to use paperpal to generate emails &..., word choice problems: how to use the right..., how to paraphrase research papers effectively, 4 types of transition words for research papers , paraphrasing in academic writing: answering top author queries.

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

Irregular Yo verbs graphic organizer with practice (Present tense)

Subject: Languages

Age range: 14 - 16

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

30 June 2024

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Irregular Yo verbs graphic organizer with practice

*Students will create their own organizer and practice with the verbs.

For each infinitive, write the yo conjugation using the word bank. Then, write the remaining present tense conjugations.

11 infinitives included: hacer, poner, caer, salir, venir, tener, oir, valer, traer, saber, conocer

• A template is provided to write the verb conjugations.

Complete each blank with the correct conjugation from the word bank.

Word bank: sé / hago / oigo / conozco / salgo / tengo / vale / pongo / vengo / caigo/ traigo

Yo ______________ mi tarea por la tarde.

Yo _______________ a Luis.

As an added bonus, on the last page there is a section with irregular present tense verbs: Ser, Estar, Ir, Dar, Ver

Part 1: Complete the verb table using the word bank (All 6 persons included)

Part 2: Complete each blank with the correct conjugation from the word bank.

Word bank: estoy / veo / voy / soy / doy

• Yo ______________ la tele por la noche.

Answer key is included on pages 5-8. This practice can be used for classwork, homework, note taking, study guide, quiz / test, entry or exit slip.

Tes paid licence How can I reuse this?

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

Find anything you save across the site in your account

Hayek, the Accidental Freudian

By Corey Robin

In November, 1977, on a still-sticky evening along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast, the Austrian economist and philosopher Friedrich Hayek boarded a flight bound for Chile and settled into his seat in first class. He was headed to the Valparaíso Business School, where he was scheduled to receive an honorary degree. Upon arrival in Santiago, the Nobel laureate was greeted at the airport by the dean of the business school, Carlos Cáceres. They drove toward the Pacific Coast, stopping for a bite to eat in the city of Casablanca, which had a restaurant known for its chicken stew. After their meal, they steered north to Viña del Mar, a seaside resort city in Valparaíso, where Hayek would take long walks on the beach, pausing now and then to study the stones in the sand.

To the casual observer, it seemed like a typical autumnal recessional, the sort of trip that illustrious scholars enjoy at the end of their careers. This one had a wintrier purpose. In addition to being a fan of Hayek, Cáceres sat on a special board of advisers to the military dictator Augusto Pinochet , who had overthrown Chile’s democratically elected Socialist leader, Salvador Allende , in a violent coup four years earlier. Cáceres would go on to serve as Pinochet’s central banker, finance minister, and interior minister. He helped design the country’s 1980 constitution, which nested a neoliberal economy in the spikes of an authoritarian state. Like many of his market-minded colleagues in the regime, Cáceres wanted the world to see the dictatorship—steeped in kidnapping, torture, and murder—as he saw it: on the road to freedom. A visit from Hayek, an internationally renowned theorist of capitalism and liberty, might help.

If Hayek had any qualms about his role, he did not express them. To the contrary: after a personal meeting with Pinochet, the philosopher told reporters that he had explained to the tyrant that “unlimited democracy does not work.” Pinochet “listened carefully” and asked Hayek to send his writing on the topic. Hayek had his secretary mail a chapter from his forthcoming book, the third volume of “ Law, Legislation and Liberty, ” which included a discussion of emergency rule. After commending the dictatorship for not “being obsessed with popular commitments or political expectations of any kind,” Hayek reported to the media that “the direction of the Chilean economy is very good,” and “an example for the world.” The regime, Cáceres later told Hayek, welcomed his words.

In the following years, Hayek continued to defend the regime, describing its leaders as “educated, reasonable, and insightful men” and Pinochet as “an honorable general.” To a doubting public, Hayek explained that dictators can cleanse democracies of their “impurities.” He reassured critics that he had “not been able to find a single person even in much maligned Chile who did not agree that personal freedom was much greater under Pinochet than it had been under Allende.” It was one of the rare instances when his perception of the country matched reality; as a respondent pointed out, “such absolute unanimity only exists when those who disagree have been imprisoned, expelled, terrified into silence, or destroyed.”

Hayek made his voyage to Santiago more than a quarter century after the years covered in “ Hayek: A Life ,” the first half of Bruce Caldwell and Hansjoerg Klausinger’s projected two-volume biography. The trip is naturally not discussed in this volume, which ends in 1950, yet it is embedded in virtually every sentence of Hayek’s developing thought and being. Decades before he set foot on Chilean soil, Hayek envisioned economic freedom as a form of élite domination. His economy required no intervention of an authoritarian state to be coercive and unfree. It was already coercive and unfree, by design. The question we’re left with, at the end of 1950, is not how Hayek, theorist of liberty, could have come to the aid of Pinochet but, given his theory of the economy, how could he not?

Friedrich August Edler von Hayek was born on May 8, 1899, in his parents’ apartment in Vienna. Two miles away, Sigmund Freud was putting the finishing touches on “ The Interpretation of Dreams .” “ Fin-de-siècle Vienna ” invokes a century-straddling city whose violent metamorphosis, from the crown jewel of the Austro-Hungarian Empire to the capital of the Austrian Republic, released into the world a distinctive swirl of psychoanalysis and logical positivism, fascism and atonal music. Though often omitted from the city’s syllabus, Hayek’s writings are among its lasting texts.

His family story reads like a novel by Joseph Roth or Thomas Mann. Hayek’s paternal great-great-grandfather, a textile manufacturer in Moravia, was ennobled at the end of the eighteenth century; his son squandered his wealth in the course of the nineteenth. Hayek’s maternal great-grandfather was knighted for service to the Emperor at the siege of Arad. Both sides of the family were beneficiaries of a century’s creative accounting that, by the collapse of the Empire in 1918, had bestowed a “von” upon eight thousand members of the bourgeoisie. Though the Republic abolished the use of titles in 1919, Hayek continued to use his until 1945, when it became a liability in his arguments with the left.

A high-minded liberalism is often attributed to these branches of the Austrian bourgeoisie, but fascist and proto-fascist ornaments adorn the Hayek family tree. His grandfather ran for political office, twice, as a follower of Karl Lueger, whom Adolf Hitler claimed as an inspiration. Hayek’s father helped found a racially restrictive association of physicians to oppose the increasing number of Jews in the medical profession. His mother pored over “Mein Kampf” and welcomed the Anschluss. His brother Heinz, who had moved to Germany for a job in 1929, joined the S.A. in 1933 and the Nazi Party in 1938, for reasons of conviction and career, then underwent a de-Nazification trial after the war.

Whatever hold Hayek’s family had upon him in his youth, it loosened during the First World War. While serving at the Italian front, he briefly fell under the spell of the writings of the German Jewish industrialist Walther Rathenau. Upon returning home, Hayek enrolled at the University of Vienna, where he studied with the author of the Austrian constitution, Hans Kelsen, a Jewish social democrat. When capitalism became his passion and economics his profession, Hayek helped found a discussion group of students and faculty, most of them Jewish or of Jewish descent. Exposed “to the best type of Jewish intelligentsia . . . who proved to be far ahead of me in literary education and general precociousness,” Hayek planted his flag of free markets in the field of enlightenment and cosmopolitanism.

Its perimeter extended only so far. In 1923, he travelled to the United States, believing that an “acquaintance” with the country was “indispensable for an economist.” Already primed by Oswald Spengler ’s “ The Decline of the West ,” which he read in 1920, Hayek was appalled by what he saw. The culture was lowbrow, its tastes crass and banal. The women were “horrible . . . walking paint pots.” New York City was crowded and noisy. Americans cared too much about money. Good living required inordinate wealth. Like a socialist who can’t abide the working class, Hayek couldn’t bear the reality of commercial civilization. He chose enchantment instead.

The task of psychoanalysis, Freud wrote in 1917, is “to prove to the ego that it is not even master in its own house, but must content itself with scanty information of what is going on unconsciously in its mind.” Despite his animus toward Freud, whom he called “probably . . . the greatest destroyer of culture,” Hayek launched a similar strike at the “economic man” of mainstream analysis. Against the idea of the “quasi-omniscient individual” who operates in a “perfect market in which everybody knows everything,” Hayek created what he would later call an “anti-rationalistic” approach to economics and social life.

Before 1937, Hayek, by his own account, was a conventional thinker. He had joined the London School of Economics in 1931, where he hewed to the conservative maxims of Austrian economics. He argued for tight money and the gold standard, supported wage cuts and austerity, and tried to assemble a theory of prices and the business cycle from pieces he had been collecting since his dissertation days in Vienna. With his articles “Economics and Knowledge” (1937) and “The Use of Knowledge in Society” (1945), Hayek broke free of these strictures and started his “own way of thinking.” It was “the most exciting moment” of his career, generating a “feeling of sudden illumination, sudden enlightenment.”

Hayek believed that what we see in the economy, what we can know, is limited and constrained. We know small facts: how to jiggle the handle of a machine in our office; who’s available on the weekend to fix that part that always breaks just so; which supplier will replace it when it’s beyond repair. If we, or a limited group of us, were alone in the world with those facts, like Robinson Crusoe on his island, we might know the whole of the economy. But we’re not. We share the economy with a great many others, scattered across the globe. We can’t know their infinitesimal facts any more than they can know ours. Straitened by time and place, each of us possesses only a “special knowledge of circumstances of the fleeting moment not known to others.”

These fragments of economic knowledge are often unconscious; we can’t render them as propositions or in words. A skilled manager can inspire his employees to do excellent work without being able to explain what he did to inspire them.

But if all this knowledge is local and unique, if much of it is unspoken and inferred, how do we produce and consume on a global scale? How does my knowledge get registered by buyers and sellers thousands of miles away? And if the facts of my economic situation change, as they invariably do, how do those buyers and sellers learn of those changes and respond in kind?

For Hayek, the answer lay in the movement of prices. Imagine the global market in lithium, which is crucial to batteries. One day, the price of lithium increases. Maybe demand has gone up: an affordable electric car has rolled off the assembly line, or an efficient energy grid has come online. Maybe supply has come down: a vein of ore in Australia has been thoroughly mined, or workers at a salt flat in Chile have gone on strike. The source of the scarcity is irrelevant to us. Not only does it not matter, Hayek says, “it is significant that it does not matter.” All we know and need to know is the facts of our economic situation. The higher price of lithium raises the price of a new cell phone, so I hold off on upgrading my phone. When the price of lithium goes back down—the Chilean workers settle with management or suppliers find a new source in Australia—I get my phone.

Hayek marvelled at this concert of unknowingness. Like a psychoanalytic symptom, prices condense and communicate fragments of knowledge that are obscure to the conscious mind. The movement of prices effects a change in our “dispositions”—what we want, how much of it we want, what and how much we’re willing to give up to get it—again, without our knowing why, or that we even had such a disposition in the first place. Hayek called this a sort of “social mind”—though, unlike the Freudian mind, he thought it must remain inaccessible. We are all prisoners of a knowledge that allows us to move in dimly lit corridors, bumping into one another, our weight shifting ever so slightly as we try to keep moving in line.

Hayek’s market seems to conjure a wondrous democracy of unreason. No one has comprehensive vision; we coöperate without supervision or sight. But it also invites a question: Where does something like innovation come from? It can’t be from the masses or the majority, the wageworkers whose horizons are limited. Conforming to their values would probably “mean the stagnation, if not the decay, of civilization.” For innovation to occur, he wrote, a few “must lead, and the rest must follow.”

It turns out that knowledge is distributed unequally across Hayek’s market. “Only from an advanced position does the next range of desires and possibilities become visible,” he wrote. A few men, of discrete outline and distinctive purpose, occupy that position, imposing themselves on the many. “The selection of new goals” is made by an élite “long before the majority can strive for them.” There is much unreason but little democracy. There is also little freedom. Hayek cares a great deal about freedom, but he believes that it, too, does its most important work in exclusive quarters. “The freedom that will be used by only one man in a million,” he wrote, “may be more important to society and more beneficial to the majority than any freedom that we all use.”

Hayek’s contortions—his attempts to preserve commitments both to freedom and to élitism—are most evident in his concept of coercion. Coercion, Hayek tells us in the first chapter of “ The Constitution of Liberty ,” his magnum opus on free societies, is “such control of the environment or circumstances of a person by another that, in order to avoid greater evil, he is forced to act not according to a coherent plan of his own but to serve the ends of another.” By way of example, let’s say an investor pulls his money out of a company that I work for, forcing me to lose my job. Thanks to my salary and benefits, I’d taken out a mortgage, started a family, and enrolled my children in school. I had a plan and a purpose for my life. Because of that investor, both are now threatened. His actions have rendered “the alternatives before me . . . distressingly few and uncertain.” Because of him, I may be “impelled” by the threat of starvation “to accept a distasteful job at a very low wage,” which leaves me “ ‘at the mercy’ of the only man willing to employ me.” Even so, Hayek insists that I have not been coerced.

How can that be? Hayek suddenly introduces a new element to his analysis, which is scarcely mentioned in that opening chapter on freedom. “So long as the intent of the act that harms me is not to make me serve another person’s ends,” he writes, “its effect on my freedom is not different from that of any natural calamity.” The investor didn’t seek to harm me, to make me give up my plans and purposes, in the service of his ends. He just happened to harm me in the service of his ends. He’s like a monster wave. Monster waves aren’t coercive; they’re simply telling us to take our surfboard elsewhere.

Hayek’s is an economy in which a few can act, with all the power of nature, while the rest of us are acted upon. That domination is directly derived from his vision of the economy and his conception of freedom. It is a commitment obscured by Hayek’s readers, not only his right-wing defenders but also his left-wing critics. The latter tend to focus on other sources of domination or unfreedom: the cruel and carceral state that enforces Hayek’s neoliberal order; the remote global institutions that put that order beyond the reach of democratic citizens; the patriarchal family that offers tutorials in submission to the market; and the construction of the enterprising self that is so emblematic of contemporary capitalism.

Persuasive as these readings are, they don’t quite capture that moment of élite domination in the Hayekian market, when the “innovations” of a seeing and knowing few have “forced a new manner of living” on the unseeing and unknowing many, whose function is neither to invest nor amass but to yield, not to the economy or the state but to their superior. It was a moment that Hayek came to know all too well in his personal life.

The great trial of Hayek’s life was his twenty-four-year marriage to Helena (Hella) Fritsch, much of which he spent trying to get out of. Caldwell and Klausinger devote the last three chapters of their biography to the divorce—and for good reason, even if they can’t see it. In Hayek’s anguished bid to end his marriage, we find, just as Freud would have anticipated, the private pathology of the public philosophy, the knowledge problem in practice. That we should discover those pathologies in a marriage is less remarkable than it might seem. From the treatises of antiquity to the novels of Jane Austen to the economics of Thomas Piketty , writers of all sorts have understood the overlap between unions of soul and contracts of need.

Before Hella, there was Lenerl—Helene Bitterlich, a distant cousin whom Hayek fell in love with after the First World War, and who shared his feelings. Sexually inexperienced and hopeless around women, Hayek didn’t make a move. Eventually, another man did, and Lenerl accepted his proposal. Hayek began seeing Hella, and they married in 1926. Within a decade, he confessed to Hella that he had married her on the rebound from Lenerl. He secretly arranged to be with Lenerl at a future point and asked Hella for a divorce. She refused the divorce and any further discussion of it.

After the Second World War, Hayek resumed his efforts. Because he intended to support Hella and their children after the divorce, he resolved to get a higher-paying job in America. For two years, he crisscrossed the Atlantic, sometimes without telling Hella the purpose of his trips. By 1948, he had an offer from the University of Chicago. When he disclosed his plan to Hella, she again refused to grant him a divorce. He had his attorney scour the country’s various divorce laws, including Reno’s. Hella, too, spoke with a lawyer, who made clear that Hayek could not divorce her without her consent.

That Hayek and Hella should have found themselves in the marital equivalent of a Hayekian market—uncertain about each other’s plans, ignorant of each other’s moves, captive to each other’s tacit knowledge—did not give him perspective or pause. Instead, he did what victims, and left-wing critics, of the market often do. In a letter to Hella, he insisted on the objective facts of the situation and asserted the rationality and right of his position. He forgot the first rule of Hayekian economics, that all data is subjective. Hella told him that if he left her, she would have a nervous breakdown, forcing him to return to take care of their children. Then she resumed her silence.

Hayek tried a different tack, drawn from another page of his economic writing. In “The Meaning of Competition,” Hayek had taken issue with the economist George Stigler’s claim that “economic relationships are never perfectly competitive if they involve any personal relationships between economic units.” Hayek countered that the corollary of imperfect knowledge in a competitive market is the trust that we must invest in other individuals, who supply us with goods and services. We depend on our personal connections—and connections to those connections—to send us to the best doctor, restaurant, or hotel. Personal networks, and the reputations that move along them, make markets work and give market actors a competitive edge.

Seeking to alter the terms of his contest with Hella, Hayek leveraged his power and connections to get a better vantage, to see further than Hella and to make the world work for him. He knew he couldn’t take the job at Chicago without resolving his divorce, but he couldn’t put Chicago off indefinitely. With his network of academic friends and private donors, he secured a temporary appointment at the university for the winter quarter of 1950. That bought him time. It also involved considerable subterfuge, toward his wife, friends, and colleagues and supervisors at the London School of Economics, who were led to believe that he would return to Britain.

To get a divorce in America, Hayek needed to establish residence in a state other than Illinois, which had restrictive divorce laws. There could be no whiff of his using the state simply to get the divorce; he’d have to get a job there and give up his appointment at L.S.E. He secured a temporary post at the University of Arkansas for the spring quarter of 1950. He arranged for his mother to move to London, if necessary, to help take care of the children and make sure Hella made no sudden moves.

“The choreography was precise,” Caldwell and Klausinger write. In the course of two days in February, while he was in America, Hayek resigned from L.S.E. and informed Hella that he was leaving her. If she wanted him to support her and the children, she had to grant him the divorce. On the advice of a lawyer, Hayek gathered more evidence of their incompatibility. He hired a handwriting expert from Vienna, who determined, from letters written by Hella and Hayek, that she was “remote from the facts of life” and he “prevails in life and knows how to master it.” In July, they were divorced. A month later, he was married to Lenerl.

The story has a final Hayekian twist. Responding to the Labour government’s drastic devaluation of the pound, Hella’s attorneys had wisely stipulated that Hayek’s alimony payments be set out in dollars. Hayek agreed, though not without sniffing that her lawyers “were interested solely in their fees.” Hayek’s L.S.E. colleague, the economist Lionel Robbins, tussled with him over whether he had got a raw deal. Robbins, once Hayek’s best friend, had sided with Hella during the divorce and become one of her close advisers. He dismissed Hayek’s complaints: “Your conception of justice is very different from mine.” ♦

New Yorker Favorites

Summer in the city in the days before air-conditioning .

My childhood in a cult .

How Apollo 13 got lost on its way to the moon— then made it back .

Notes from the Comma Queen: “who” or “whom”?

The surreal case of a  C.I.A. hacker’s revenge .

Fiction by Edward P. Jones: “Bad Neighbors”

Support The New Yorker’s award-winning journalism. Subscribe today .

By signing up, you agree to our User Agreement and Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

By Merve Emre

By Daniel Immerwahr

By Eyal Press

By Rivka Galchen