Get Me Rewrite: Spare us from 'helper' verbs
By Rob Reinalda, author of “Why Editors Drink” and founder of Word Czar Media (@word_czar)
In school we learned about “helper verbs,” auxiliary verbs that work with other verbs. Those “helpers,” however, often hinder our meaning.
Consider:
They were able to complete the course …
Versus:
They completed the course …
The first conveys only the ability, not the fulfillment of the task. The second, by stating the action, implicitly conveys the ability to do so.
I am able to eat cauliflower, but you’re unlikely to see me choking down the stuff.
The same idea holds true in these examples:
The governor took the opportunity to congratulate …
The governor congratulated …
The vice president decided to promote …
The vice president promoted…
Within weeks, company officials began instituting new protocols …
Within weeks, company officials instituted new protocols …
Say what you mean—clearly and unambiguously.
One further thought: Let tenses do the work.
He will retire later this year.
She was promoted earlier this month.
In those cases, “earlier” and “later” offer no additional information, just vagueness.
Why Editors Drink by Rob Reinalda
Editing is our specialty. See more at MHarris.com.