Writer's Workshop Lesson #4: Invigorate Your Verbs

Today, we had our fourth Writer's Workshop lesson. Students did a remarkable job turning passive verbs into active verbs. They got this lesson WAY faster than I thought they would. They also used their other Writer's Workshop tools to make their sentences very interesting and make me, as a reader, want to read more!

Writer’s Workshop Lesson #4

Invigorate Your Verbs

Good writers use the active voice

Identify the passive verb form and use the active verb form, which will energize and give immediacy to your writing.

The “to be” verbs (is, are, was, were) often take us far away from the action.

Pay attention to who is doing the action and write the verb about that.

Non-example: The building was on fire.

Example: Fire tore through the burning building.

Non-example: We were kept awake by the barking dogs.

Non-example: “No Detective” was played by the band.

Non-example: Ants are eaten by nematodes.

Non-example: The students are lectured all day by the teacher.