Replacing To Be Verbs

October 28, 2025

Posted by STLCC in Writing Resources 

I am. You are. She is. Obviously, being is essential to existence, so it’s no surprise that to be verbs are essential in writing. It is nearly impossible to write without using an occasional are or is.  

The table below shows the different forms of the verb to be in several common tenses. These examples illustrate how the verb changes depending on the subject and the time of the action.

However, most of us rely too heavily on to be verbs or use them unconsciously. To be verbs lack the vigor and power offered by stronger, more-action packed verbs. As a result, our writing suffers. 

Try the techniques below to invigorate your prose.

1. Replace to be Verbs with Stronger, More Specific Verbs

Choose verbs that show exactly what the subject is doing instead of simply describing its state.

Sometimes, this requires changing the word order in a sentence:

2. Turn Nouns into Verbs

Many sentences become shorter and stronger by changing a noun into an action verb.

3. Combine Short, Choppy Sentences

Combining related ideas often removes unnecessary to be verbs while improving the flow of your writing.

4. Avoid Overusing "There Is," "There Are" and Similar Expressions

Phrases such as there is, there are, there were and it is often delay the main idea. Revising these sentences helps emphasize the subject and eliminate unnecessary words.

In the example above, we not only combined sentences to eliminate to be verbs, but we also eliminated there are and that are. Such expressions delay or minimize the subject and add needless words. In the revisions below, we rearranged the sentences to emphasize the subjects, choose bolder verbs, and cut needless words.

Sometimes, you can cut unnecessary words with no other changes:

5. Replace a To Be Verb and a Prepositional Phrase with a Strong Verb

6. Replace a To Be Verb and an -ing Verb with a Simple Verb