One of the most common traps writers fall into is using passive verbs. Passive verbs can weaken the impact of your writing, and make it feel distant and less engaging. When you replace them with active verbs, it is a small but powerful step toward making your manuscript more dynamic and professional.
What are passive verbs?
Passive verbs shift the focus away from the action in a sentence. For example, saying “The letter was written by Jane” is passive. A stronger, active version would be “Jane wrote the letter.” This change brings clarity and action to your writing, keeping readers engaged.
Why avoid passive verbs?
Passive verbs slow down the narrative and reduce the immediacy of your writing. They make it harder for readers to visualize the action. Active verbs, on the other hand, create a more vivid and engaging experience.
How to spot and fix passive verbs
- Use the ‘By Zombies’ test: If you can add “by zombies” at the end of your sentence and it still makes sense, it’s a passive sentence. For example, “The car was driven by zombies” is passive, whereas “Zombies drove the car” is active.
- Replace passive verbs with stronger alternatives: Instead of “The hat was worn at a jaunty angle,” write “He wore the hat at a jaunty angle.” This shift makes the sentence more direct and engaging.
In your next round of edits, watch out for passive verbs. Replace them with active, vibrant verbs to create stronger, more captivating writing.
**This is based on the workshop “Skillful self-editing: The fastest route to publication” presented by Angela Hunt. You can watch the full workshop on-demand for free.**
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