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Expletives. Style. Jennifer A. Bennett Sanderson High School Raleigh, North Carolina Wake County Public School System. Writing. Vigorous writing is concise! Style guidelines ensure vigorous, concise writing: (for literary analysis essays)
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Expletives Style Jennifer A. Bennett Sanderson High School Raleigh, North Carolina Wake County Public School System
Writing • Vigorous writing is concise! • Style guidelines ensure vigorous, concise writing: • (for literary analysis essays) • Use third person pronouns. Avoid first person references--certain exceptions apply.) • NO! I think that birds of prey represent Macbeth. • YES! Birds of prey represent Macbeth. • (for all other writing) • Use specific, active verbs—avoid expletives. • Use active voice constructions
Expletives • Definition: filler words; take up unnecessary space • Formula: There or Itfollowed by a form of the verb to be(be, is, am, are, was, were, been, being) • Ex. There are, there were, there was, there will be, there has been, etc. • Ex. It is, it was, it will be, it has been, etc. • Often appear at the beginnings of sentences—Watch out!
Revising Expletives Example: There were thirty students in my room. • Find the real subject and place at the beginning of the clause. Revision: Thirty students were in my room. Problem: A form of the verb “to be” is still the main verb—still shows nothing specific—only says they existed there. • Rid the sentence of its main “to be” verb (can use forms of “to be” as auxiliaries/helping verbs)Surgery: Thirty students in my room.
Removing Expletives Surgery: Thirty students in my room. • Fill in the blank! Replace the main to be verb with an action verb that says specifically what you want to communicate. Use POWER VERBS!
Expletive Revision • There was thunder in the distance. • To Revise— • Find the true subject of the sentence: thunder • Give it a specific action verb. • The thunder _________________ . • rumbled, roared, ended, rattled, whispered, clashed, banged, rolled, erupted, etc. • * “There was” covers all of the above but says none of them specifically!*
Voice • Definition: the relationship between the subject and verb in a sentence. • Active Voice: when the subject performs the action of the verb • Ex. John drove the car. • Ex. John is driving the car.
