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April 2006: Using Verbs

For the last couple of times, we have been talking about description. And when you think of description, what part of speech do you automatically think of? Adjectives, right? And adverbs, too, of course. But there is another part of speech that is as important in description as adjectives and adverbs, often more important. It is strong, carefully chosen verbs.

Let’s start with an example in which the verb is neither strong nor carefully chosen: He came into the room. What kind of a picture do you get? Any at all?

You could say, He walked into the room. That’s a little better. At least we know how he moved . . . in an ordinary walk.

But what if you said, He stomped into the room? Does that give you more of a picture. This boy—whoever he is—must be angry to be stomping.

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