A List of Strong Verbs for Academic Writing: Examples and Exercises

Key Takeaways:

  • Weak constructions such as nominalizations, excessive passive voice, and “there is/there are” openers dilute academic writing and hide the real action of a sentence.
  • Replacing weak verbs with strong, precise verbs improves clarity, cuts word count by 10-20%, and strengthens the authority of a claim.
  • A simple 5-step revision process can help writers spot and fix weak verbs in any draft, from a thesis chapter to a journal manuscript.
  • Professional editing services like Editage’s English editing service can catch weak constructions that self-editing often misses.

Contents

Glossary of Key Terms

Term Definition
Nominalization Turning a verb or adjective into a noun, for example changing “analyze” into “analysis,” which often weakens the sentence.
Passive voice A sentence structure in which the subject receives the action instead of performing it, such as “the data were collected” instead of “we collected the data.”
Strong verb A precise, active verb that names a specific action, such as “demonstrates” or “reveals,” instead of a vague verb like “is” or “shows.”
Expletive construction An opening phrase such as “there is” or “it is” that delays the true subject and verb of a sentence.
Verb phrase A group of words built around a main verb, for example “conducted an investigation of” instead of the single verb “investigated.”
Hedging Cautious language, such as “may suggest” or “could indicate,” used to qualify a claim in academic writing.

What Are Weak Verb Constructions in Academic Writing?

Weak verb constructions are phrases that bury the main action of a sentence inside a noun, an auxiliary verb, or an empty opener. They make writing longer, vaguer, and harder to follow.

Common types include:

  • Nominalizations, such as “conduct an examination of” instead of “examine.”
  • Overused passive voice, such as “it was found that” instead of “we found.”
  • Expletive openers, such as “there is a need to consider” instead of “we must consider.”
  • Weak linking verbs, such as “is,” “was,” and “seems” used where a specific action verb would work better.

Why Do Strong Verbs Matter in Academic Writing?

Strong verbs matter because they make a claim direct, credible, and easy to evaluate. A reviewer scanning a manuscript can grasp the contribution faster when verbs carry clear meaning rather than sitting buried in a noun phrase.

Journals and dissertation committees consistently flag vague, wordy sentences during review. Strong verbs also reduce word count, which matters when a journal enforces a strict limit of 3,000-4,000 words for a research article.

Benefits of using strong verbs include:

  • Sharper, more confident claims that are easier for reviewers to assess.
  • Shorter sentences, since a single strong verb often replaces a 3-5 word phrase.
  • Better flow between ideas, since strong verbs signal the relationship between concepts (contrasts, causes, supports).

Common Weak Constructions and Their Strong Alternatives

The table below lists frequent weak patterns in theses, dissertations, and journal manuscripts, along with a stronger verb and a short example of the revision.

Weak Construction Strong Verb Revised Example
make a decision about decide The committee decided the funding allocation.
conduct an analysis of analyze We analyzed 240 survey responses.
give consideration to consider The study considers three variables.
there is evidence that suggests suggests The evidence suggests a strong correlation.
it can be seen that shows Figure 2 shows a steady decline.
carry out an investigation into investigate Researchers investigated the mechanism in 2023.
was responsible for causing caused The mutation caused reduced enzyme activity.
reach a conclusion conclude We conclude that the model performs well.
perform an assessment of assess We assessed the risk across 15 sites.
provide an explanation for explain The model explains 62% of the variance.
put emphasis on emphasize The findings emphasize the role of diet.
have an influence on influence Temperature influences germination rate.
make an attempt to attempt The team attempted a replication in 2022.
give a description of describe Section 3 describes the sampling method.
make a comparison between compare We compared the two treatment groups.
undertake a review of review This paper reviews 40 peer-reviewed studies.
offer a suggestion that suggest These results suggest a dose-dependent effect.
arrive at an understanding of understand Our findings help clinicians understand the underlying pathway.

 Nominalizations

A nominalization hides a verb inside a noun, usually ending in -tion, -ment, -sion, or -ance. Reversing the nominalization back into its verb form almost always tightens the sentence and restores a clear actor.

Example: “The implementation of the protocol resulted in improvement” becomes “Implementing the protocol improved outcomes.”

Passive Voice Overuse

Passive voice is not incorrect in academic writing and is often appropriate when the actor is unknown or unimportant, as in method sections. Overuse, however, distances the writer from the claim and adds extra words.

Example: “The samples were analyzed by the research team” becomes “The research team analyzed the samples.”

“There Is/There Are” Constructions

Expletive openers delay the real subject and verb, forcing readers to wait for the meaningful part of the sentence. Removing them usually shortens the sentence by 3-6 words.

Example: “There are several factors that influence retention” becomes “Several factors influence retention.”

How Can You Identify Weak Verbs in Your Draft?

Search your document for tell-tale signs: forms of “to be” (is, are, was, were, been), words ending in -tion or -ment, and openers like “there is” or “it is.” These flags usually mark a weak construction nearby.

  1. Use your word processor’s find function to search for “is,” “are,” “was,” and “were.”
  2. Highlight every sentence longer than 25-30 words for closer review.
  3. Circle nouns ending in -tion, -sion, -ment, and -ance.
  4. Check the first 3-4 words of each paragraph for expletive openers.
  5. Read the draft aloud; awkward pauses often mark a buried verb.

Self-editing catches many issues, but a trained eye often spots patterns a writer has grown used to. A professional English editing service such as Editage’s can review a manuscript specifically for verb strength, sentence length, and clarity before submission.

Strong Verbs by Discipline

Different fields favor different verb sets. The table below offers examples of weak phrases and their stronger equivalents that are most commonly used in different disciplines.

Discipline Weak Phrase Strong Verb
Life sciences brought about a reduction in reduced
Life sciences showed an increase in increased
Social sciences had an impact on affected / influenced
Social sciences put forward the idea that proposed
Engineering made an improvement to improved
Engineering brought about a failure in caused
Humanities put forward the argument that argues
Humanities made reference to cites
Medicine showed an association with correlated with
Medicine brought about an improvement in improved
Computer science made use of used
Computer science carried out a comparison of compared
Psychology gave an indication of indicated
Psychology had a tendency to tended to
Economics had an effect on affected
Economics made a projection of projected
Environmental science resulted in a decline in reduced / declined
Environmental science gave rise to generated
Education provided support for supported
Linguistics made an observation that observed

A 5-Step Process to Replace Weak Verbs

  1. Identify the sentence’s real subject and action, even if it is hidden inside a noun or a passive clause.
  2. Rewrite the sentence with that subject performing the action directly.
  3. Choose the most precise verb available (for example “confirms” instead of the vaguer “shows”).
  4. Cut any auxiliary words left over, such as “was,” “there,” or “of.”
  5. Re-read the sentence to confirm meaning has not changed and tone remains formal.

Common Mistakes When Replacing Weak Verbs

  • Overcorrecting and eliminating all passive voice, even where it is appropriate (for example, in a methods section).
  • Choosing an overly dramatic verb (“proves”) when the data only support a more cautious claim (“suggests”).
  • Losing necessary hedging language while tightening a sentence, which can overstate a finding.
  • Ignoring discipline-specific conventions, such as required passive constructions in some methods sections.

Is Passive Voice Always Wrong in Academic Writing?

No. Passive voice is appropriate when the actor is unknown, unimportant, or standard practice, such as in a methods section describing a shared procedure. The goal is balance, not elimination.

A useful rule of thumb: use active voice for claims and arguments, and reserve passive voice for procedural or descriptive statements where the actor is irrelevant.

Practice Exercise: Revise These Weak Sentences

Rewrite each sentence below using a stronger, more direct verb.

  1. There is a need to consider the long-term effects of the treatment.
  2. The researchers carried out an examination of the water samples.
  3. It was found that the intervention had a positive impact on mobility.

Suggested Answers

  1. We must consider the long-term effects of the treatment.
  2. The researchers examined the water samples.
  3. We found that the intervention improved mobility.

When Should You Get Professional Help?

Writers whose first language is not English, or who are preparing a manuscript for a high-impact journal, often benefit from a second set of eyes. A subject-matter editor can flag weak verbs, awkward phrasing, and tone issues that are hard to see in your own writing.

Editage offers English editing services for theses, dissertations, and journal manuscripts, including checks for verb strength, sentence structure, and overall clarity, along with formatting support for specific journal guidelines.

A pre-submission language review typically takes 3-7 days depending on manuscript length and turnaround option chosen.

Quick Recap: Weak vs. Strong Verb Patterns

Weak Pattern Strong Fix
there is/are + noun Name the subject and use an active verb.
it was found/shown that Use “we found” or “results show.”
make/give/take + noun Convert the noun back into its verb form.
was/were + past participle Switch to active voice where the actor matters.

For writers who want a final quality check before submission, Editage’s English editing service provides discipline-specific editors who routinely address verb strength as part of a full language review.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I replace weak verbs in academic writing quickly?

Search your draft for “is,” “was,” “there is,” and words ending in -tion, then rewrite each flagged sentence with a direct subject and a precise active verb.

What is the difference between a weak verb and a strong verb in writing?

A weak verb is vague or generic, such as “is” or “shows,” while a strong verb is specific and active, such as “demonstrates,” “contradicts,” or “confirms.”

Is it bad to use passive voice in a research paper?

No, passive voice is standard in methods sections and when the actor is unimportant, but overusing it in results or discussion sections can weaken your claims.

What are examples of strong verbs for a thesis or dissertation?

Common examples include “argues,” “establishes,” “challenges,” “confirms,” “demonstrates,” “reveals,” and “contradicts,” which name the action clearly instead of relying on “is” or “shows.”

How can I reduce nominalizations in academic writing?

Look for nouns ending in -tion, -ment, -sion, or -ance, then rewrite the sentence using the verb form the noun was built from, restoring a clear subject and action.

Does using strong verbs reduce word count in a manuscript?

Yes, replacing a weak phrase such as “conduct an analysis of” with “analyze” typically saves 2-4 words per instance, which adds up across a full manuscript.

Should I hire a professional editor to fix weak verbs before submitting to a journal?

A professional editor can be helpful, especially for non-native English speakers or high-stakes submissions, since editors are trained to catch patterns a writer may overlook.

What tools can help identify passive voice and weak verbs in Word?

Microsoft Word’s built-in grammar checker can flag passive voice and wordy phrases under Editor settings. However, this tool is error-prone and may not be suitable for academic writing. A manual read-through or professional review usually catches more nuanced issues.

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