11.1 Reduce being verbs
You'll have to write the verb to be frequently in static ideas and as the auxiliary to indicate sentences' tenses. But try to avoid these actionless verbs when they are needless.
Search around the verb to be for the truly active idea. Here's an example: "The impact of the Tracer System on the development group is the reduction of MIS involvement in the production of month-end reports." That sentence might be more interesting as "For the development group, the Tracer System will reduce MIS involvement in producing month-end reports."
Being verbs appear in two odd ways, as wordy transitions and as he-is-a-man-who phrases:
- Wordy transitions -- This sentence--"The next thing we did was to go skiing"--could easily be shorter and more engaging as "Next, we went skiing."
- He-is-a-man-who formulations -- This sentence--"Acme is a company which leads its industry"--could be more direct as "Acme leads its industry." He-is-a-man-who statements are well known for their wordiness, the wordiness appearing in the use of a needless being verb. In business writing, "The following is a list . . . " is essentially a wordy he-is-a-man-who statement.
For more theory on being verbs click here.
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==>Guidelines ==>Verbs