The "to be" verb sends my inner grammar alerts off; red lights flash behind my eyes whilst I grab my mind dictionary (which looks somewhat like an old card catalog from grade school), thumbing through for the most appropriate verb that expresses the offender's true thoughts, action, or account. Sometimes I find the word quickly, restating the villian's sentence as though I am reaffirming their statement with deep understanding. Ah, but the truth remains - I simply want to give them a better word. I want to replace their hideous "to be" verb with an illustrious, connotative word. This word should cut through the others. Sometimes I fail at my task and I simply take in the "to be" word, falling to the clutches of word boredom. My card catalog grows dusty; I join the ranks of societal thinking, choosing the simplest path between nouns.
I identified the source of my "to be" fixation. I helped edit my yearbook in high school and my English teachers beat the "to be" verb out of me some twenty years ago. Recently, my best friend and I discussed our Master's programs and the use of the "to be" verb during a trip to Disneyland. (Yes, we discuss these types of things while in line for "Astroblasters"). Ironically, I found that most of the APA references saturated their writing with this verb. Her thesis, near perfect, needed more "to be" verbs during the review. We understand. We really do understand. We just hate it.
Sometimes avoiding the "to be" verb seems impossible or yields writing that is passive. Screw passive and screw to be. I choose to search for better verbs - verbs that tempt the senses and invoke emotion. Dust off your mind dictionary and discover what you might write or say.
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