DON'T HESITATE - TAKE ACTION . . . verbs in your story

 

Action Verbs

Action Verbs are “in-the-moment” words that move a story forward. As writers, we want our reader’s eyes to keep scanning the page, not to stop on a term, word or lack luster phrase.

Mark Twain was once quoted for saying: “When in doubt, strike it out.”

An Action Verb describes the action taking place in the story by using immediate words such as run, walk, do, smile, drive, jump.

Here’s an example of a passive word choice opposed to an action verb.

Before: She was running…

Action: She ran …

Before: She was talking about …

Action: She told…

 Before: The group was beginning to come toward the table…

Action: The group sat at the table … 

Here are some examples of Passive words versus Powerful terms:

Powerful                                                                  Passive

Is	Am
Does	Did
Are	Was
Be	Were
Being	Been
Should	Would
Have	Has
Can	Could
Must	Might

 

Here's a list of Action verbs (or strong, powerful, and descriptive words):

Charge

Shoot

Plunge

Hurl

Fling

Lob

Carve

Forge

Force

 

And, if you need more examples of stronger word choices:

INSTEAD OF:                                           USE THIS:

Increased                                                    Advanced

Helped                                                        Strengthened

Started                                                       Launched

Found                                                        Discovered

 

Last, but not least, here is a short list of strong action verbs to use in your writing:

Advance . . . your story

Advise

Alter

Amend

Amplify

Attack

Balloon

Bash

Batter

Beam

Blab

Blast

Bolt

Boost

Brood

Burst

Bust

Cackle

Capture

Catch

Charge

Chip

Clasp

Climb

Clutch

Collide

Command

Cower

Crash

Crave

Crush

Dangle

Dash

Demolish

Depart

Deposit

Detect

Deviate

Devour

Discover

Dismantle

Drag

Drain

Drip

Drop

Engage

Engulf

Enlarge

Ensnare

Erase

Expand

Explode

Explore

Expose

Extend

Extract

Fight

Fish

Fling

Fly

Frown

Fuse

Garble

Gaze

Glare

Gleam

Glisten

Glitter

Gobble

Govern

Grasp

Gravitate

Grip

Groan

Grope

Growl

Guide

Gush

Hack

Hail

Heighten

Hobble

Hover

Ignite

Illuminate

Inspect

Instruct

Impart

Jostle

Launch

Lead

Leap

Locate

Lurch

Lurk

Mimic

Moan

Multiply

Muse

Mushroom

Mystify

Notify

Obtain

Oppress

Order

Paint

Park

Peck

Peek

Peer

Pilot

Poison

Pop

Power

Prick

Probe

Prune

Recite

Recoil

Remove

Report

Retreat

Reveal

Reverberate

Revolve

Rip

Rise

Ruin

Rush

Rust

Saunter

Scamper

Scan

Scorch

Scrape

Scratch

Scrawl

Seize

Serve

Shatter

Shepherd

Shimmer

Shine

Shock

Shrivel

Sizzle

Skip

Skulk

Slash

Slide

Slink

Slip

Slump

Slurp

Smash

Snag

Snarl

Sneak

Soar

Stare

Starve

Steal

Steer

Storm

Strain

Stretch

Strip

Stroll

Struggle

Stumble

Surge

Survey

Swell

Swipe

Swoon

Tail

Tattle

Toddle

Transfigure

Transform

Travel

Treat

Trim

Trip

Trudge

Tussle

Untangle

Unveil

Usher

Veil

Wail

Weave

Wreck

Wrench

Wrest

Wrestle

Wring

Yank

Zap

Zing

Zip