Using Active Verbs
When composing, we often make lazy choices, especially when
choosing verbs. We feel enticed by generic all-purpose verbs
such as "deal with" or "show," which on the surface can sound
snappy and technical. However, the more these verbs are used in
a particular paper, the more meaningless they can become. Even
in journal articles, these verbs put in a shocking number of
appearances and return for many unsolicited encores. Yet these
words convey no analytical meaning at all and are barely
informational. Much to the reader’s frustration, "deal with" and
"show" are merely thinly disguised excuses for much more active
analytical verbs such as theorize, suggest, imply, propose. For
the reader, "Cheswick dealt with" or "Figure 4 shows" are far
less meaningful than "Cheswick hypothesized" or "Figure 4
represents." As always, you should choose exact words in favor
of nonspecific ones, especially when you can use an active verb.
Active verbs are especially meaningful as you describe work that
you or another author have completed or are in the process of
completing. As a rule, you should try to choose active verbs in
the following circumstances:
o
o
o
o
As you prepare a literature review, where your job is
to describe the work of others in concise, analytical
terms.
As you describe your own experimental work, where your
job is to efficiently describe jobs completed.
As you present a thesis or objective statement, where
your job is to forecast information that will follow
in the paper.
As you refer to figures, tables or equations, where
your job is to define the purpose of the figure,
table, or equation.
What follows is a substantial list of active verbs. Each of
these words is packed with individual, analytical meaning. When
using this list, be sure to choose the best verb for the
situation——verbs such as "construct," "challenge," and
"extrapolate" are completely different from each other, so you
must use them with meaningful care.
Active Verbs That Describe Work
yield
illustrate
illuminate
reveal
employ
mean
suggest
clarify
indicate
represent
prove
insist
propose
imply
assert
postulate consider
infer
state
extrapolate estimate
define
classify
invoke
analyze
compare
hypothesize synthesize
summarize disagree
generalize
narrate
evaluate
simplify
measure
note
predict
introduce
report
chalenge
delineate
depict
construe
interpret
provide
acknowledge distinguish inform
specify
restrict
determine detail
sum up
deduce
derive
present
organize
devise
construct evaluate
designate
point out
set forth
characterize guide
maintain
believe
speculate
investigate
assess
determine calculate
support
attribute
obtain
reiterate
argue
Using Verbs To Describe Phenomena
Which do you prefer: the phrase "to cut or split something into
two theoretically and essentially equal parts" or the simple
verb "bisect"? Which is easier to write and to read: the phrase
"unite into what is essentially one body" or the simple verb
"coalesce"? Your readers will be highly pleased with you if you
offer them lively, precise, direct, robust, vibrant, single-word
verbs, especially as you explain scientific phenomena.
Furthermore, your writing will be less wordy and more direct and
accurate. However, many writers are tempted in the other
direction. Trying to sound impressive, some would write "The
device is prone to the submission of one pulse every 12 seconds"
instead of the much simpler and more accurate "The device
transmits one pulse every 12 seconds." Always beware of
overcomplicating your verbs, and remember that their function is
to describe actively and efficiently.
Many verbs are used continually in one field but rarely in
another, so it is essential that you become familiar with those
verbs that are standard vocabulary in your field. The verb
"induce," which means "to produce an electric current or
magnetic effect by induction," should be standard vocabulary for
someone in physics or electrical engineering, while the verb
"sinter," which means "to weld without melting," should be
familiar and useful to those in metallurgy (it also doubles as a
noun in geology).
Plenty of meaningful single-word verbs are out there just
waiting for you to use them. One easy way to choose the best
verb is to consult the brief (and certainly not exhaustive) list
that follows to search for the kinds of active verbs that the
best writers choose. The verbs are organized randomly to stress
that they are not interchangeable nor to be used arbitrarily.
Even though the exact verb that you need to describe a
phenomenon may not be on this list, the verbs on the list do
suggest the kind of verbs that you should choose. Many students
keep this page open as they write a paper just to keep their
minds tuned-in to using single-word active verbs. For
efficiency, accuracy, and your own credibility as a scientist or
engineer, always aim for the best and simplest verb. If you are
unsure of a verb’s exact meaning, be sure to look it up.
Active Verbs That Describe Phenomena
discharge
overlie
surround
emanate radiate
scatter
exchange
separate
combine eliminate emit
transmit
carry
bombard
exert
exude
behave
exchange
absorb
converge
extend
constrain force
elongate
contract
trend
plunge
occur
fracture
slow
quicken
produce
bond
interlock fuse
traverse
join
dominate deposit
underlie
overlap
originate
isolate
invade
permeate evolve
divide
sinter
reclaim
restore
abandon contain
accrue
precede
influence
saturate
circulate
orient
forecast
distribute
allow
lag
terminate
activate
cease
record
form
transect
condense
enrich
invert
convert
alter
link
superimpose rotate
rupture
streamline appear
require
ascend
descend
collapse
superpose
crystallize bisect
coalesce
disperse
propel
disseminate cede
interact
continue mix
deteriorate migrate
encompass access
WRITING TIPS: Choose active, precise verbs
Janice L. Hewitt, Ph.D.
Choose active, precise verbs to invigorate your scientific or engineering
professional papers, thesis, and reports. Frequently those choices will help
you avoid unnecessary passive voice and excessive use of “is,” “are,” “was,”
“were,” “I,” or “we.”
For example:
Instead of saying
Write
“This work is a generalization of Smith’s earlier
algorithm”
“This work generalizes Smith’s earlier
algorithm.”
“This approach is an improvement on Smith’s
design,”
“This approach improves Smith’s design.”
Graduate students in science and engineering at Rice University generated
the following list of verbs. Read through them for choices that could help
make your own writing more precise and persuasive.
A
accelerate
accept
accomplish
account for
accumulate
achieve
acknowledge
acquire
activate
adapt
add
address
adjust
admit
affect
B
become
agree
aid
align
alleviate
allow
alter
amplify
analyze
answer
anticipate
appear
apply
appreciate
approach
approximate
argue
arise
ascertain
assert
assess
associate
assume
attain
attract
attribute
augment
avoid
begin
behave
believe
benefit
bound
branch
break
bring (together)
broaden
build
C
calculate
calibrate
capitalize
capture
cause
center
challenge
characterize
choose
claim
clarify
collect
combine
compare
compete
compile
complete
complicate
compress
compute
conceive
concentrate
conclude
concur
conduct
confine
conjecture
connect
consider
constitute
constrain
construct
continue
contradict
contrast
contribute
control
converge
convey
convince
coordinate
correct
correlate
corroborate
create
critique
crystallize
D
decide
declare
decode
decrease
deduce
defend
define
deflect
delineate
deliver
demonstrate
deny
depict
deploy
describe (for visuals, for equipment) disprove
design
dissociate
destroy
dissolve
detect
distinguish
determine
distribute
develop
diverge
deviate
dominate
differ
draw on (experience)
differentiate
drive
diffuse
duplicate
disagree
discard
discover
discuss
deposit
derive
dismiss
E
edit
effect (change)
elaborate
eliminate
emerge
emit
emphasize
employ
enable
encapsulate
encompass
end
engage
engender
enhance
enlarge
ensure
entail
equip
err
establish
estimate
evaluate
evaporate
evidence
evince
evolve
exacerbate
examine
except
F
fabricate
facilitate
fail
falsify
feature
finalize
find
fine tune
finish
fit
flow
focus
follow
forecast
form
formulate
fracture
fulfill
G-H
gain
galvanize
hamper
handle
exclude
exemplify
exhibit
expand
expect (NOT hope)
expel
experience
explain
exploit
explore
express
extend
extract
extrapolate
generalize
generate
give rise (to)
group
grow
guide
hypothesize
I
identify
ignore
illuminate
illustrate
imagine
immobilize
impair
implement
implicate
imply
improve
include
incorporate
increase
indicate
induce
infer
influence
initialize
initiate
input
inquire
instigate
integrate
interact (with)
interpret
intervene
introduce
invert
investigate
involve
isolate
J-L
justify
limit
localize
locate
loosen
lose
M-O
maintain
make
manifest
manipulate
maximize
mean
measure
necessitate
need
negate
note
nullify
obscure
observe
obtain
occur
offer (an opportunity)
omit
open up (opportunities)
meet (requirements)
merge
minimize
model
modernize
modify
monitor
operate
optimize
organize
outline
overcome
overstate
P-Q
perceive
perform
permeate
persist
pioneer
place
play (a role)
plot
point out
possess
precipitate
predict
prefer
prepare
present (evidence)
probe
proceed
produce
profit
promise
promote
propose
prove (only if true)
provide
purify
qualify
quantify
question
regulate
reject
relate
release
rely
remediate
remove
repair
repeat
replace
replicate
report
represent
reproduce
require
research
resemble
resolve
respond
result in
retrieve
reveal
review
revise
R
range
reach
realize
reciprocate
recognize
recommend
reconstruct
redefine
reduce
refer
reference
refine
reflect
refute
regard
S
sample
satisfy
search
seek (to understand)
select
send
separate
serve
shape
show
signal
signify
simplify
simulate
situate
solidify
solve
span
specify
stabilize
start
state
stem from
stimulate
structure
subject
submit
substantiate
succeed
suggest
summarize
support
suppress
surmise
survey
suspend
sustain
synthesize
underline
undermine
underscore
understand
understate
unify
update
use
utilize
validate
vary
verify
view
vindicate
visualize
T-V
tailor
taint
take place
target
terminate
test
testify
theorize
transform
translate
transmit
transport
treat
trigger
W-Z
withstand
yield