Choose Active, Precise Verbs

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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 Back to Top	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
B
become begin behave believe benefit bound branch break bring (together) broaden build Back to Top
C
calculate calibrate capitalize capture cause center challenge characterize choose claim clarify collect combine compare compete compile Back to Top	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 deposit derive Back to Top	describe (for visuals, for equipment) design destroy detect determine develop deviate differ differentiate diffuse disagree discard discover discuss dismiss	disprove dissociate dissolve distinguish distribute diverge dominate draw on (experience) drive duplicate
E
edit effect (change) elaborate eliminate emerge emit emphasize employ enable encapsulate encompass end engage engender enhance Back to Top	enlarge ensure entail equip err establish estimate evaluate evaporate evidence evince evolve exacerbate examine except	exclude exemplify exhibit expand expect (NOT hope) expel experience explain exploit explore express extend extract extrapolate
F
fabricate facilitate fail falsify feature finalize find fine tune finish fit flow focus follow forecast form Back to Top	formulate fracture fulfill
G-H
gain galvanize generalize generate give rise (to) group grow guide Back to Top	hamper handle hypothesize
I
identify ignore illuminate illustrate imagine immobilize impair implement implicate imply improve include incorporate increase indicate Back to Top	induce infer influence initialize initiate input inquire instigate integrate interact (with) interpret intervene introduce invert	investigate involve isolate
J-L
justify Back to Top	limit localize locate loosen lose
M-O
maintain make manifest manipulate maximize mean measure meet (requirements) merge minimize model modernize modify monitor Back to Top	necessitate need negate note nullify	obscure observe obtain occur offer (an opportunity) omit open up (opportunities) 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) Back to Top	probe proceed produce profit promise promote propose prove (only if true) provide purify	qualify quantify question
R
range reach realize reciprocate recognize recommend reconstruct redefine reduce refer reference refine reflect refute regard Back to Top	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
S
sample satisfy search seek (to understand) select send separate serve shape show signal signify simplify simulate situate Back to Top	solidify solve span specify stabilize start state stem from stimulate structure subject submit substantiate succeed suggest	summarize support suppress surmise survey suspend sustain synthesize
T-V
tailor taint take place target terminate test testify theorize transform translate transmit transport treat trigger Back to Top	underline undermine underscore understand understate unify update use utilize	validate vary verify view vindicate visualize
W-Z
withstand Back to Top	yield