Reducing “Be” Verbs in Writing
Blinn College – Bryan Writing Center
Spring 2022
Reducing “Be” Verbs in Writing
Writers regularly require forms of the verb “be” (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been). Writers use
forms of “be” to
• Help main verbs communicate a sense of time. (was typing, will be typing, is typing)
• Link one idea to another (similar to an equal sign). (The water bottle is black.)
• Indicate passive voice when the subject receives the action. (was purchased, will be finished,
was hit, and will be spent)
However, we often tend to rely too heavily upon the “be” verb in our writing rather than choosing a
stronger main verb or rewriting the sentence in active voice. This can lead to vague, and even boring,
papers. Replacing the “be” verbs helps
• Increase the coherency of claims. (clearer or more understandable)
• Identify redundant sentences/information. (unnecessary repetition)
• Broaden vocabulary.
• Energize writing and speaking.
Where does one start? Follow the simple process below to help identify the “be” verb and find a
stronger way to replace it.
Step 1: Circle every “be” verb in the paper, or use MS Word’s “Find” feature to highlight them.
Step 2: Use the questions below to identify the function of the “be” verb.
A. Is “be” used along with an –ing verb form (example: is finishing)?
Helping verb. Most likely unavoidable because it is communicating a sense of time.
B. Is “be” used along with an –ed verb or another irregular verb in the past participle tense
(example: was finished or was hit)?
Helping verb. Passive voice. Try to change to active voice. See step 4.
C. Is “be” linking a subject to a description (example: Yesterday was fun.)?
Linking verb. Try to replace “be” with a stronger verb. See step 3.
Step 3: Replacing “be” with a stronger linking verb.
It is not always possible to replace “be”; when possible, try a stronger linking verb from the list
below. See the example below this list:
seem appear become grow remain stay
prove feel look smell sound taste
Example: The sunset was magnificent.
The sunset looked magnificent.
Step 4: Changing passive voice to active voice.
A “be verb + past participle” is passive voice (typically an -ed verb or other irregular past
participle). When using passive voice, it is easier to create confusing, awkward, or wordy
sentences. It takes more words to say what the writer means, and even then it is not always
clear what the writer is trying to say. So, when possible, always try to write in active voice.
Active voice: The subject performs the action. (The car hit the tree.)
Passive voice: The subject receives the action. (The tree was hit by the car.)
