To help move away from summary and toward ANALYSIS, it’s important to incorporate strong verbs into your writing when discussing the writer’s rhetorical choices. Below is a list of verbs that are considered weak (imply summary) and a list of verbs that are considered strong (imply analysis). Strive to use the stronger verbs in your essays to help push yourself away from summary and toward analysis: ex “The writer flatters…” NOT “The writer says…”
Weak Verbs (Summary):
says explains relates states goes on to say shows tells this quote shows Strong Verbs (Analysis):
Argues, admonishes, analyzes, compares, contrasts, defines, demonizes, denigrates, describes, dismisses, enumerate, expounds, emphasizes, establishes, flatters, implies, lionizes, lists, minimizes, narrates, praises, processes, qualifies, questions, ridicules, suggests, supports, trivializes, vilifies, warns
Powerful and Meaningful Verbs to Use in an Analysis (Alternatives to Show):
A cknowledge, Address, Analyze, Apply, Argue, Assert, AugmentB roadenC alculate, Capitalize, Characterize, Claim, Clarify,Compare, Complicate, Confine, Connect, Consider, Construct, Contradict, Correct, Create, Convince, CritiqueD eclare, Deduce, Defend, Demonstrate, Deny, Describe, Determine, Differentiate, Disagree, Discard, Discover, Discuss, Dismiss, Distinguish, DuplicateE laborate, Emphasize, Employ, Enable, Engage, Enhance, Establish, Evaluate, Exacerbate, Examine, Exclude, Exhibit, Expand, Explain, Exploit, Express, ExtendF acilitate, Feature, Forecast, Formulate, FractureG eneralize, Group, GuideH amper, HypothesizeI dentify, Illuminate, Illustrate, Impair, Implement, Implicate, Imply, Improve, Include, Incorporate, Indicate, Induce, Initiate, Inquire, Instigate, Integrate, Interpret, Intervene, Invert, IsolateJ ustifyL ocate, LoosenM aintain, Manifest, Manipulate, Measure, Merge, Minimize, Modify, MonitorN ecessitate, Negate, NullifyO bscure, Observe, Obtain, Offer, Omit, Optimize, Organize, Outline, OverstateP ersist, Point out, Possess, Predict, Present, Probe, Produce, Promote, Propose, Prove, ProvideQ ualify, Quantify, QuestionR ealize, Recommend, Reconstruct, Redefine, Reduce, Refer, Reference, Refine, Reflect, Refute, Regard, Reject, Relate, Rely, Remove, Repair, Report, Represent, Resolve, Retrieve, Reveal, ReviseS eparate, Shape, Signify, Simulate, Solve, Specify, Structure, Suggest, Summarize, Support, Suspend, SustainT ailor, Terminate, Testify, Theorize, TranslateU ndermine, Understand, Unify, UtilizeV alidate, Vary, View, VindicateY ield