Vex, Hex, Smash, Smooch

1. Verbs are the vital, dynamic core of every sentence.

Julius Caesar, after his short war with Pharnaces II of Pontus, proclaimed “veni, vidi, vici”: I came, I saw, I conquered.

Verbs drive meaning. Verbs are not just "action words"; they are the pivot point of every sentence, dictating roles and conveying action, state of being, or possibility. They are the "heartbeat of a sentence," essential for putting action in scenes, showing character, and conveying drama.

Deeply embedded. Verbs are fundamental to human language, running deep in our DNA and in the structure of every sentence. Linguists call the verb a "little despot" because it largely determines how a sentence conveys who did what to whom.

Ever-growing vocabulary. Verbs make up one of the four major word classes (along with nouns, adjectives, and adverbs) and their ranks are constantly growing, enriching the language. From ancient commands like "sit" to modern coinages like "geotagging," verbs are central to verbalizing and achieving verbal dexterity.

2. English verbs are a rich, complex blend of historical origins.

Yup, the mother tongue is a mutt.

A history of invasions. English verbs reflect a tumultuous history of invasions and cultural exchange, incorporating words from Celtic, Latin, Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Norman French. This linguistic melting pot has resulted in a vast and varied vocabulary.

Variety is power. The influx of words from different sources has given English writers a rich palette of synonyms and expressions. This allows for precision, nuance, and poetic effect, enabling us to choose verbs that are not just dramatic but also unfailingly precise.

Beyond Anglo-Saxon. While Anglo-Saxon forms the basic stock of common words, the richness and power of English come from embracing words of all origins. Avoiding Latinate or foreign-derived words based on outdated rules deprives us of valuable linguistic tools.

3. Sentences are built on the essential subject-predicate relationship.

For a sentence to be a sentence we need a What (the subject) and a So What (the predicate).

Core components. Every well-crafted sentence requires a subject (the person, place, thing, or idea) and a predicate (what the subject does or is). This noun-verb pairing is the essence of sentencehood, creating a mini-narrative or "predicament" for the subject.

Agreement matters. In Standard English, the subject and verb must agree in number (singular subject takes singular verb, plural takes plural). This agreement solidifies the relationship between the subject and predicate, preventing confusion as sentences become more complex.

Avoiding false starts. Habits like beginning sentences with "there is," "there are," or "it seems as if" often obscure the true subject and verb, weakening the sentence. Cutting these "false starts" leads to bolder, more direct prose.

4. Verb tenses provide precise control over time and narrative flow.

Tense—the word itself comes to us via Anglo-French from the Latin for time—is the element of a verb that telegraphs exactly when an action occurred.

Mapping time. English verbs, through changes in form and the use of helping verbs, allow us to express actions and states of being across various time frames. We have simple, progressive, and perfect tenses, each with past, present, and future forms.

Complexity and nuance. While the basic concept is simple, the variety of forms (up to 200 permutations in Standard English) and the existence of irregular verbs can make tenses perplexing. However, mastering these allows for great precision in storytelling.

Tense choice impacts style. Writers can use tense deliberately to create effects, such as using the simple present for immediacy, the simple past for authority, or shifting tenses to manage narrative flow and flashbacks. Nonstandard tenses in dialogue can also capture character and regional voice.

5. Verb voice (Active/Passive) dictates emphasis and agency.

In the active voice, when the subject performs the action, and in the passive voice, when the subject is or was acted upon.

Active vs. Passive. The active voice features the subject as the "doer" of the action (She eats pickles). The passive voice features the subject as the recipient of the action (Pickles are eaten by her), often using a form of "to be" or "to get" plus a past participle.

Intentional passive. The passive voice is not inherently bad and serves several valid purposes:

• Emphasizing the recipient of the action ("The baby was carried from the burning house.")
• Keeping focus on a consistent subject across sentences.
• Creating concise headlines or slogans ("Made in the USA").
• When the agent is unknown, irrelevant, or deliberately obscured ("Mistakes were made").

Unintentional passive. Overuse of the passive voice, especially when the agent is known and relevant, can lead to timid, lazy, hazy, or overly bureaucratic prose. It can obscure who is doing what, draining sentences of dynamism and clarity.

6. Verb moods (Indicative/Imperative/Subjunctive) convey disposition and intent.

Every verb in every sentence expresses a mood, which clues you in to the speaker’s disposition toward what he is saying.

Three main moods. English verbs express three primary moods:

• Indicative: States facts, asks questions, or exclaims (neutral, matter-of-fact).
• Imperative: Gives commands or makes requests (bold, direct).
• Subjunctive: Expresses wishes, doubts, possibilities, or contrary-to-fact situations (whimsical, hypothetical, often archaic).

Modal auxiliaries. Words like "can," "may," "must," "should," and "would" help verbs express nuances of ability, necessity, possibility, or desire, adding layers of meaning beyond simple tense.

Conditional forms. The conditional uses verb forms (often involving "would") to describe cause-and-effect relationships, whether real or hypothetical. Understanding these forms is crucial for expressing nuanced possibilities and regrets.

7. Sentence structure is defined by verb type (Transitive/Intransitive/etc.).

Believe it or not, there are only five basic patterns...

Verb types dictate structure. Dynamic verbs determine the basic structure of a sentence by whether they require objects or complements:

• Intransitive (Vi): Subject + Verb (The senator votes.)
• Transitive (Vt): Subject + Verb + Direct Object (Col. Mustard throws a LEAD PIPE.)
• Ditransitive (Vd): Subject + Verb + Indirect Object + Direct Object (Miss Scarlet gives MRS. PEACOCK a mickey.)
• Factitive (Vf): Subject + Verb + Direct Object + Object Complement (Voters elected ROOSEVELT PRESIDENT.)

Static verbs. Static verbs (like "to be," "to seem") follow a different pattern: Subject + Static Verb + Subject Complement (I'm a Ford). The complement re-identifies or describes the subject.

Simple sentences are powerful. Understanding these basic patterns reveals the core energy of a sentence. Stripping away unnecessary modifiers can create terse, memorable, and impactful prose, as seen in famous slogans and literary passages.

8. Verbals (Participles/Gerunds/Infinitives) add fluidity and flexibility to prose.

Nonfinite verbs, also called verbals, do none of this. They don’t change with time, they don’t express voice, they have no moods.

Verbs in disguise. Verbals are verb forms that function as other parts of speech within a sentence:

• Participles (-ing or -ed forms): Act as adjectives ("a screaming comes across the sky," "an army stretched out").
• Gerunds (-ing forms): Act as nouns ("Raising Arizona," "Nothing but fighting").
• Infinitives (to + base form): Act as nouns, adjectives, or adverbs ("To err is human," "a man to be belov'd," "sits deformity to mock my body").

Adding dynamism and rhythm. Verbals allow writers to add descriptive detail, create fluid phrases, and build cascading rhythms without relying solely on main verbs. They can animate nouns and add layers of meaning.

Avoiding pitfalls. Misusing verbals can lead to errors like dangling participles (where the verbal phrase modifies the wrong noun) or fused participles (using an objective pronoun instead of a possessive before a gerund). Precision is key to harnessing their power.

9. Phrasal verbs (Verb + Particle) create new, often idiomatic, meanings.

We modify the signification of many verbs by a particle subjoined; as to come off, to escape by a fetch; to fall on, to attack; to fall off, to apostatize; to break off, to stop abruptly; to bear out, to justify; to fall in, to comply.

Compounding meaning. Phrasal verbs combine a verb with a particle (an adverb or preposition) to create a new meaning distinct from the original verb. This form became common as English simplified its inflections.

Particle mobility. A key feature of many phrasal verbs is that the particle can often be separated from the verb by the direct object ("call off the hounds" or "call the hounds off"). Prepositions in prepositional phrases cannot do this.

Versatility and pitfalls. Phrasal verbs add versatility and can lend a casual tone ("get rid of," "phase out"). However, they can also be redundant ("continue on," "circle around"), misused ("center around"), or overly colloquial.

10. Usage and nuance matter: Choose verbs with precision and care.

Precision is everything in writing.

Words evolve. The meaning and usage of verbs change over time, leading to confusion. Consulting usage manuals is essential for navigating tricky words like "appreciate," "deplore," "get," or "meld."

Fraternal twins. Many verbs sound or look alike but have distinct meanings (e.g., "affect" vs. "effect," "careen" vs. "career," "flaunt" vs. "flout," "founder" vs. "flounder"). Confusing these blurs meaning and undermines credibility.

Beyond correctness. While avoiding errors is important, the goal is not just "correctness" but effective communication. Choosing the verb with the most precise, evocative, or appropriate nuance for the context is key to powerful writing.

11. Mastering verbs is fundamental to developing a powerful writing style.

A stylish writer has a command of language, literary devices, supple sentences, and tone—as well as a distinctive voice.

Verbs shape style. The deliberate choice and deployment of verbs are central to crafting a distinctive writing style. Verbs contribute to:

• Precise, provocative language (choosing the exact right word).
• Startling metaphors (using verbs to create vivid comparisons).
• Musical sentences (through rhythm, alliteration, and sound).
• Perfect pitch (adjusting language for the audience).
• Tone (signaling attitude towards the subject).
• Voice (the writer's unique presence on the page).

Instinct through practice. Developing a strong style, like Joan Didion's, comes from a lifetime of observing, practicing, and refining the craft. It becomes instinctive, allowing writers to render complex experiences with power and grace.

The grand project. Ultimately, mastering verbs is part of the larger project of using language to make sense of the world, capture human experience, and move readers. It's about making words dance in every sentence to achieve eloquence and impact.

Last updated: May 19, 2025