Powerful Verbs and Descriptive Language for Writers

Enhancing Writing: Descriptive Verbs and Actions

Verbs Describing Emotional Expression

• Crying:
  • Sob: Cry noisily, making loud, convulsive gasps.
  • Whine: A long, high-pitched complaining cry.
  • Grieve: Feel intense sorrow (a feeling of deep distress).
  • Moan: A long, low sound made by a person expressing physical or mental suffering or sexual pleasure.
• Laughing:
  • Grin: Smile broadly.
  • Giggle: Laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way, often from amusement, nervousness, or embarrassment.
  • Roar: A loud outburst of laughter.

Verbs Describing Communication

• Talking:
  • Mutter: Talk or grumble in secret or in private.
  • Gossip: Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.
  • Argue: Give reasons or cite evidence in support of an idea, action, or theory, typically with the aim of persuading others to share one's view.
  • Stammer: Speak with sudden involuntary pauses and a tendency to repeat the initial letters of words.

Verbs Describing Light and Vision

• Shining:
  • Glow: Give out steady light without flame.
  • Sparkle: Shine brightly with flashes of light.
  • Twinkle: Shine with a gleam that changes constantly from bright to faint.
• Looking:
  • Gaze: Look steadily and intently, especially in admiration, surprise, or thought.
  • Glare: Stare in an angry or fierce way.
  • Glance: Take a brief or hurried look.
  • Peep: Look quickly and furtively at something, especially through a narrow opening.
  • Spot: See, notice, or recognize someone or something that is difficult to detect or that one is searching for.

Verbs Describing Sounds

• Noises:
  • Creak: Make a high-pitched sound when being moved.
  • Crackle: Make a rapid succession of short, sharp noises.
  • Rumble: Make a continuous deep, resonant sound.
  • Bang: A sudden, loud, sharp noise.
  • Squeal: A long, high-pitched cry or noise.

Verbs Describing Body Movements

• Body Movements:
  • Scratch: Score or mark the surface of something with a sharp or pointed object.
  • Fidget: Make small movements, especially of the hands and feet, through nervousness or impatience.
  • Nod: Lower and raise one's head slightly and briefly, especially in greeting, assent, or understanding, or to give someone a signal.
  • Shiver: Shake slightly and uncontrollably as a result of being cold, frightened, or excited.
  • Shrug: Raise one's shoulders slightly and momentarily to express doubt, ignorance, or indifference.
  • Blush: Show shyness, embarrassment, or shame by becoming red in the face.

Grammar Notes: Relative Clauses

Understanding relative clauses is essential for clear and precise writing.

• Defining Clauses: Essential information that cannot be omitted. These clauses never use commas.
• Non-Defining Clauses: Extra information that is always set off by commas. These clauses should never use the relative pronoun that.