The verb is “patted,” and the noun that’s receiving this action is “my dog’s head,” which is the direct object of the action verb. Action verbs can also clarify articles and papers by indicating direct action.Īction verbs are split into two categories: transitive and intransitive verbs.Ī transitive verb is always followed by a noun that receives the action, called the direct object. When a person or thing is doing something, that’s an action verb.Īction verbs are the best ones to use in your writing to move your story forward and create tension. Action verbs (which can be transitive or intransitive).Familiarity with verb types will help you understand when to use each type and when to avoid a verb type.
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ProWritingAid automatically highlights your hidden verbs so you can change them with a click. Reading through your whole document to find these word endings takes time. Also, if you’ve used weak verbs like give, have, make, reach, and take, this could be a sign of a hidden verb. How can you spot hidden verbs? Look for words ending in -ment, -tion, -sion, and -ance. In the second sentence, the strong verb "decide" is changed into the weaker "make," diluting the meaning.
The first sentence is shorter and more direct. Many writers unintentionally hide their verbs by turning them into nouns accompanied by a weak verb. Using the right verb also increases readability for your audience because you don’t need to describe the action, lengthening the sentence. The right verb eliminates the need for adverbs because of specificity. Since every verb indicates action, your verb choice matters, depending on the type of writing.Ĭhoose a strong verb to make your writing direct and clear. Choose a strong verb to connect what you have to say with your reader. Because verbs denote action, they connote feeling to your reader.įor writing, your verb choice delivers a punch to your prose. However complex your sentence, the verb is the action. You may add subordinate clauses Jim grins at Sally when she fumbles the ball. You may want more in your sentence, like an object: Jim grins at Sally. Those two elements form a complete sentence: Jim grins. In grammar, the doer is the subject, and the action is the predicate (the part of the sentence containing the verb and describing the subject). Along with a noun, the verb is a critical component of a complete sentence. As a part of speech in grammar, a verb is the action in the sentence. A verb is a word that denotes action or a state of being.