In good sentences, subject and predicate are not merely present but complementary. The verb is strong enough for the noun, and vice versa. In most mediocre sentences, on the other hand, the verb is the weak partner. There we find strings of nouns (often abstract nouns, to make matters worse) loosely joined by the weakest of verbs, the linking verb "is," or its more genteel but equally vacuous cousins, "seems," "appears," "exists," as in "Effective ordnance delivery is imperative." Nearly always, such vague linking verbs can be replaced with more precise and therefore more effective verbs: "Our bombers must be sure to hit the airfield." This last sentence is much clearer than the original because it specifies the subject ("bombers") and object ("airfield") of the action in question (bombing, not "ordnance delivery"). Using a vivid active verb often has this effect; it forces writers to make up their minds, to express their opinions fully, to say exactly what they mean.
The verb "to be" in its linking form is not the only offender, of course. A great many other pallid verbs hinder writers by preventing or obscuring decisions about what they really think. "Relates to" is a prime example. What kind of relation is involved? Identity? Contrast? Alteration? Each of these concepts can be expressed in a strong active verb ("mirrors," "reverses," "transforms") to make the sentence sharper, more specific, more immediately intelligible.
In general, seek out active and specific verbs and avoid passive and vague ones. Try to use verbs that evoke a metaphor or concrete image (so long as it is an appropriate image, of course). Avoid at all costs verbs or verb phrases that solve a problem of expression without solving a problem of meaning. If you do not know what to say about a subject but you find a construction that lets you appear to say something (e.g., "the length of Whitman's lines is impressive"), you will only puzzle or annoy your reader and will not succeed in disguising your indecision.
For help with weak verbs, use Richard Lanham's Paramedic Method.
Copyright 1996 Yale University. Revised on Monday, May 20, 1996