A side of hot tips: choosing stronger verbs

When it comes to making memorable statements, the verbs (those fun little words that make the action happen) we choose can significantly change the point we want to make.

Whether you’re writing a clever caption, describing food or penning an award-winning novel, choosing stronger verbs will make all the difference. Verbs are like herbs – they completely change the flavour of your creation.

The actions of ‘going’ into a room and ‘storming’ into one differ greatly. Then there’s ‘strutting’, ‘swanning’, ‘skipping’, ‘crawling’ and ‘cartwheeling.’ You get the idea.

Spot the difference:

Kevin, the stout man in the leather hotpants,
drank a piña colada.

VS

Kevin, the stout man in the leather hotpants,
guzzled down a piña colada.

In the second example, the mental image has become more interesting. We might need to keep an eye on Kevin.

Just as every writer needs a slouchy cardigan, every sentence needs a verb. If you want your sentence to sing your message in pitch-perfect melody, make sure the verb is carrying its weight.