verb finder in essay

Verb Finder

How to use our verb finder.

Our verb finder tool is very simple to use.

To begin, enter text into the text-box above. The verb count above the text-box will automatically display the count as you type!

There is a gray box that shows all the verbs that were found in your text in a comma separated list.

Also, the character count is displayed below the text-box.

And to copy the text, click the green "Copy Text" button.

How to Use Verbs Effectively in Your Writing

The subject of this article indicated by its title may seem too simple to many readers. Most writers understand what verbs do and know that they're necessary to create valid sentences. Getting the most out of them, though, can be a bit more complicated.

Of all the basic parts of speech, verbs may have the most potential to add interest and impact to what you write. With that in mind, let's take a close look at what verbs are, how they work, how you can best use them to your advantage and why an online verb finder tool or verb detector can help your writing.

Verbs by Definition

The classic answer to the question of what a verb is, is simple: an "action word ." We use verbs to describe what the subject of or other object in a sentence does . While that's not wrong, it's more accurate to describe it as a "predicate" that provides information about the subject of a sentence or object of a clause.

In other words, a verb may convey something other than what we might comprehend as action.

In fact, there are eleven distinct types of verbs and each type plays a specific role. I'm not going to launch a crash course here, because it's not the purpose of this article.

If you feel your writing might benefit from the knowledge, I highly recommend doing some research via your favorite search engine. I will mention some specific verb types as they arise.

Using Verbs as Something Else

One important thing to know is that verbs can actually be used as adverbs, adjectives or even nouns when combined with "to":

"George is the person to ask if you have a computer question." ( adjective )

"She plays to win ." ( adverb )

" To forgive is divine." ( noun )

These combinations are known as "infinitive verbs." By the way, watch out for the "double tap." Spell Check won't always catch a typo like, "plays too win" but your readers probably will.

New Meaning

Combining verbs with prepositions can change the meaning of both. Here are a few well-known examples:

shut up shut down show off

These "phrasal verbs" are so commonly used in our writing and speech that we don't stop to consider the meanings of the separate words.

Linking Verbs

These verbs, as the name implies, only connect (link) an object to something about that object. Many common linking verbs aren't usually recognized as verbs, because they (and their derivatives) never describe action. (are, were, be, seem, etc.)

Despite their "lack of action," these words play an important role in building sentences and they'll be found in almost anything we read. You probably use them in your writing instinctively.

Action verbs may also be used as linking verbs, so the list of possibilities is a long one.

The Heart of the Matter

Now that we have just a few of those technical terms explained, let's get back to how the way you use verbs in what you write can affect a reader's comprehension, as well as the flow and tone of your piece. As with all other writing elements, the purpose of your writing will have some bearing on the verbs that you use and I'll touch on that as necessary.

Choosing the Right Verb

One of the nice things about the English language is we tend to have lots of synonyms to choose from. That often means we can find a verb that conveys just the right image to our prospective audience. Consider this sentence:

"Steve and Barbara danced around the ballroom floor."

It's a complete sentence and even includes a nice adverbial phrase to give it some depth. If we wanted to paint a nicer image of the dancing, we could add an adjective:

"Steve and Barbara danced elegantly around the ballroom floor."

Not bad, but what if we really want that image to impress? Let's grab one of those synonyms:

"Steve and Barbara glided around the ballroom floor."

Now, we know that the couple isn't gliding, unless there's a parasail involved and that's unlikely. Thanks to that word, however, our readers can now envision Steve and Barbara moving as if they're walking on air.

On the other hand, if they're drunk, they might "stagger" or "stumble." If they're a geriatric couple, they might "rattle." Okay, maybe that last one is a bit extreme, but you get the picture, and getting the picture is the point. Find a verb that projects the image you want.

Of course, if you were writing this sentence as part of something more technical, Not only would "danced" be adequate, but "around the ballroom floor" might even be unnecessary.

Note: When choosing synonyms, try to avoid vague matches or unusual words. If your reader has to look it up in the dictionary, you're not going to score any points.

Watch the Tense

It's important to match the tense of the verbs to your narrative. In our example above, it's clear that the dancing has already happened. If the story was being written from the present perspective, "dance" or "glide" would be the correct verbs to use.

Elementary? Yes, but switching tense is one of the most common mistakes editors encounter. In a story, it's jarring. In a technical piece, it can lead to misinterpretation.

Overuse of Verbs

Unlike adverbs and adjectives, verbs are critical to the structure of a sentence, so you'll need a lot of them when writing. That doesn't mean it's impossible to use too many. It's more common, however, to overuse verb types, rather than verbs in general.

Since it is possible to overuse them, a verb counter tool like this one can be helful in indentifying verbs to remove.

Verb phrases can be as tiresome as any other cliche. Too many infinitives can "bog down" the flow of an otherwise good narrative, especially when used as a noun. Any good writing mechanism starts to look like a gimmick if a reader encounters it too often.

It's All About the Reader

Whatever you're writing, keep your audience in mind. Your main goals should always be dynamics and readability. Verbs provide a good portion of the dynamics. How effectively you use them directly affects readability.

Thanks for using our verb finder in text tool!

We hope you enjoyed our online verb finder tool. It's a helpful tool in indentifying and counting verbs. Whether you need a verb finder in a sentence, or a verb finder in multiple pages of text, we have you covered.

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Free Verb Finder Tool for Students

Verbs are an essential part of speech in the English language, as they’re used to show what the subject is doing in a sentence. They refer to all actions, including those related to emotions and feelings. Still, verbs come in various forms and types, meaning they can perform different functions in a sentence or provide an alternative meaning. 

Unfortunately, the seemingly endless number of verbs and verb forms in the English language can pose a challenge to even the most advanced native speakers. With the help of our online verb finder tool, however, you can easily identify and fix common verb mistakes. Along with that, our verb finder helps detect grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors through an advanced algorithm, making it an all-rounded proofreading tool. Simply paste your text on the tool’s interface and let it handle the rest. 

Before we can learn how our verb finder highlighter works, let’s take a look at the different types of verbs.

Action Verb

These verb types are used to denote when a person is doing something or an action is happening. They can further be split into intransitive verbs and transitive verbs.

Intransitive verbs. These are action verbs that have no direct object. 

Transitive verbs. This verb category is always followed by a direct object.

Different Types of Verbs and Forms

There are three primary categories of verbs, and understanding each will help determine where to use them correctly. They include action verbs, modal verbs, and linking verbs.

Let’s take a closer look at each category and how they work in a sentence.

Auxiliary Verb

Also known as helping verbs, auxiliary verbs modify main verb actions in a sentence.

Example: John is (helping verb) narrating (main action verb) his life story.

Linking Verb

Linking verbs are used to connect subjects with nouns or adjectives in your sentences.

Example: My son is an economics major.

Different Verb Forms

Verbs can further be categorized into different verb forms. Basically, the verb form is the manner in which a verb is modified to suit the time and context of an action within a sentence. There are five primary verb forms in the English language including:

Root form of the verb

As the name suggests, the root form of a verb is the infinitive form of a word or phrase. When conjugated or paired with suffixes, the root form of a verb creates other forms of the verb

to cry– cry (root) to be – be (root) to come– come (root)

Third-person singular verb form

These verb forms are formed when the root form verb is paired with suffixes -s or -es. 

He cries – cry (root) He watches – watch (root) It shrinks – shrink (root)

Present participle verb form

These verb forms are created when the root form verb is paired with the suffix–ing. They can be used as past, present, and future continuous verb tenses. 

We’re going to the movies tonight. (go– going) They’ve been running for hours. (run – running)

Past and past participle verb forms

These verb forms are formed when the root word is paired with the suffix–ed, and can only be used as a past tense. 

We shopped throughout the weekend. (shop–shopped) The crates were stacked in the warehouse. (stack – stacked)

Verb-Related Errors That Our Verb Finder & Highlighter Can Help With

Identifying incorrect verb usage is one of the most challenging aspects of English writing, especially if you are a non-native English speaker. To make things easier for you, we have compiled a list of the most common verb errors that you need to avoid.

Subject-Verb Disagreement Errors

This error occurs when the subject of a sentence and its respective verb disagree in terms of plurality or singularity. The error can also occur when you overlook conjunctions joining two or more subject nouns. 

Examples:  

Incorrect: The house on the beach are too expensive.

Correct: The house on the beach is too expensive.

Incorrect: Either my dad or mum have the car keys.

Correct: Either my dad or mum has the car keys.

Our verb finder in a sentence online tool will crawl through texts, establish subject-verb disagreement errors, and suggest how to fix them.

Conjugation and Irregular Verbs Errors

Conjugation denotes how verbs are inflected based on the subject’s person, mood, number, or gender. In English writing, different verbs have different rules for conjugation. Some are regular and steady, while others are irregular and change form. 

Cook, cooks, cooked, cooking, etc.

Be, being, is, were, was, etc.

Our noun and verb finder will help identify all regular and irregular verbs in your texts and suggest how to correctly use them.

Compound Verbs and Parallelism Errors

This error occurs when you mix regular and irregular verb forms in your sentences, ultimately creating confusion.

Example: 

Incorrect: At that time, Mary had applied, but as yet not receive, the job she wanted.

Correct: At that time, Mary had applied, but as yet not received, the job she wanted.

Although the first sentence may sound correct, the “had applied” is in the past perfect tense, and so, the word “receive” should be in parallel tense. Luckily for you, our verb phrase finder can help you understand different verb tenses in your texts.

How Our Verb Finder Tool Online Works

Using our verb identifier to weed out verb mistakes in your writing is a simple process. Better yet, the verb detector is available as a Chrome Extension, allowing you to proofread your texts wherever you’re writing online. Simply follow these easy steps.

Copy-paste your text into the to be verb checker’s interface. 

Click the “Check” button and wait for the tool to conduct a thorough language check.

After a few seconds, the action verb finder will highlight all the verb errors and provide suggestions on how to fix them.

Accept the suggestions by clicking on the highlighted mistakes. 

Our weak verb finder also comes with a plagiarism checker, which you can use to catch accidental plagiarism in your texts.

Who Can Use Verb Checker

Our verb finder in a sentence is used by millions of users in a wide variety of writing contexts. Here are several types of users who can benefit from using this verb finder online tool for their writing and editing needs.

Teachers and students

Teachers can use the to be verbs checker to check mistakes in students’ texts, as well as offer advice on basic grammar rules. Students, on the other hand, can use the verbs finder to identify incorrect verb usage in their essays, theses, dissertations, reports, and college entrance applications.

Journalists, freelance writers and professional editors

The verb and noun finder can also be used to catch grammar-related errors in all forms of writing. Journalists, freelance writers, and professional editors can use the main verb finder to catch any grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors in their articles, journals, publications, and manuscripts.

Business executives

The verbs checker saves business professionals time at work when composing emails or marketing reports. Still, it is compatible with Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Outlook, and all online websites.

English language learners

The verb in sentence finder offers contextual mistake corrections and suggestions, allowing English language learners to use it as an interactive grammar guide.

Benefits of Using Our Verb Checker Online Free Tool

Our to be verb finder offers a lot of benefits for people who are constantly engaged in writing. Here are some of the reasons why you should consider using our online to be verbs finder.

Saves Time and Money

One of the most prominent benefits of using our verb tense checker is its time-saving aspect. Unlike the mentally taxing and time-consuming manual editing process, our tool allows you to identify and fix errors in your texts with a single click of a mouse. And if you can’t afford to hire a professional editor, the helping verb finder will do all the heavy lifting, all without spending a fortune.

Compared to the native Microsoft Word spell-check, the to be verb checker is much more robust and versatile. It leverages a sophisticated AI system, advanced ML technology, and computational linguistics to learn good writing patterns and offer contextual suggestions.

Unlike many similar tools that require you to pay, our verb finder in sentence online tool comes with a free-to-use version. With this version, you can check your texts for grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes, as well as identify accidental plagiarism.

Easy to Use

Using our verb tense finder requires no technical or professional skills. After visiting our website, paste your typed text on the tool’s interface, click check, and you are good to go. Alternatively, you can type on the verb checker or download it as a Chrome Extension.

24/7 Availability

The to be verbs checker is cloud-based, making it available anytime and from anywhere.

Tips on How To Identify Verbs in a Sentence Like a Pro

On top of helping you create complete and concise sentences, identifying verbs in your texts also gives you a deeper understanding of peripheral grammatical concepts like run-on sentences and sentence fragments. 

If you are facing difficulties in identifying verbs in your writing, here are a few keys that you can use.

Identify words that describe an action in a sentence

As earlier indicated, verbs are action words used to describe an action or a state of being. As such, the easiest way to identify verbs is to identify any action words in your sentences. 

For example: 

He ran to school.  Since “running” is an action, “ran” is the verb in the sentence.

Other action words include “think,” “drive,” “walk,” “play,” etc.

Master the different verb tenses

Verbs are the only English words that are modified or conjugated. Still, verb conjugations can change depending on your sentence’s tense. In English writing, the five verb tenses include infinitive, past, present, past participles, and present participles. 

Learning how to identify and differentiate between the different verb forms is critical in helping you locate verbs in your sentences.

Memorize the different tenses of “to be”

Of all irregular verbs, “to be” verbs are undoubtedly the most unique. Along with describing the condition of people, places, things, and ideas, they are the only verbs that have eight distinct forms namely “is,” “was,” “were,” “am,” “are,” “being,” and “been.” 

But even with all their complexities, “to be” verbs are some of the most used in English writing. By memorizing all of them, it becomes easy to avoid them in your sentences.

Use a verb checker online tool

Before handing in or publishing your work, you need to overcome several behind-the-scenes hurdles including researching, writing, and re-writing. But perhaps the most important (but often overlooked) part of the entire writing process is proofreading. No matter how well you think you’ve written your texts, proofreading will almost certainly catch a few subtle or glaring mistakes.

In hindsight, however, not everyone has the wherewithal to hire a professional proofreader. And even if you do, chances are you don’t have the luxury of waiting for the editor to manually comb through your texts. With our verb sentence finder, you can enjoy the best of both worlds by eliminating incorrect verb-usage in your texts, all with a single click of a mouse.

Struggling to Make Sure Your Texts Shine? Try Our Free Online Verb Checker to Check and Fix Verb Usage Inconsistencies, Spelling Errors, and Grammar Mistakes.

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verb finder

"To Be " Verb Finder & Highlighter

Update (November 9, 2022): This tool was updated. Please contact if there are any problems, change in functionalities, or additional feature requests: j e remy f @jfein.net.

Paste your essay below to identify passive language characterized by "to be" verbs in your writing. This tool also has an option to identify "the" in your writing, which can sound repetitive and amateur when overused.

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To Be Verbs Analyzer

The active voice and passive voice are different grammatical formats of expressing the same idea. For example, The flight was cancelled by the airline is in the passive voice while The airline cancelled the flight is in the active voice. The active voice is more direct, concise and engaging. "To be" verbs, such as "is," "was" and "were" are indicators of the passive voice. Theoretically, a lower amount of "to be" verbs, maybe present in less than 20% of sentences, indicates better writing.

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In English grammar writing, verbs are referred to as action words that describe what the subject is doing in a sentence, and they include words such as eat, sing, drive, etc.  Together with nouns, verbs are the primary part of a sentence or phrase that narrate what is taking place. Without them, it would be impossible to convey full thoughts, even in their simplest forms. 

Worse still, correct verb usage is one of the hardest elements to master in English writing, especially for new learners and non-English native speakers. And that’s where an incorrect verb form checker like ours comes in. Widely used in the academic writing domain and professional writing field alike, this tool helps you to easily identify subject-verb agreement errors, as well as other grammar-related in your texts. 

But before we talk more about the verb form identifier, let’s explore the different types of verb tenses and their ideal writing setting.

Different Types of Verb Tenses and Where They Can Be Used

There are three main verb tenses in english writing; past, present, and future. these tenses can further be categorized into 12 different types..

Present simple – refers to actions or events that exist not or are happening all the time. For example: “I play football.”

Present continuous – used to describe actions or events happening now or unfinished. It is mainly used when the action is temporary. For example, “He is speaking to my dad at the moment.”

Present perfect – refers to actions or events that started in the past and happening in the present time. For example, “I have spoken to him multiple times.”

Present perfect continuous – used to show that an action or event started in the past and is continuing at present. “She has been riding since she was 3 years old.”

Simple past – refers to an event or action that happened in the past.  For example, “Yesterday, I ran 10 miles.” 

Past continuous – used to refer to an action or event that started in the past and still continuing. It can also be used for unfinished events or actions due to interruptions. For example, “I was eating with Mum last night when Dad arrived.” 

Past perfect – used to clarify that one action or event happened before another in the past.  For example, “I had sung the song before I turned 10.” 

Past perfect continuous – refers to an action or event that started in the past and continued to occur in the past. For example, “I had been singing for many years before Dan joined the choir.”

Simple future –  refers to actions or events that are yet to happen in the present time, but are expected to occur in the future. For example, “You’ll see him again next week.” 

Future continuous – used to refer to an unfinished action or event but expected to occur in the future for an expected length of time. For example, “By Summer next year, I will be running like a professional athlete.” 

Future perfect – describe events or actions that will happen between the present and the future. For example, “I will have run at least 1000km by January next year” 

Future perfect continuous – refers to actions that will continue happening up until a particular time or point in the future. For example, “By tomorrow afternoon, I will have practiced singing for 3 hours.”

Academic Writing Tenses

As you can see, there are multiple verb tenses in English writing. As such, understanding how to apply them in different forms of writing can be challenging. So how do you mix past, present, and future tenses without making your readers giddy? 

In this section, we are going to look at the appropriate verb tenses and how they can be applied in different forms of writing using a verb mood identifier.

Simple present

Whether you are using an action verb identifier or not, you need to use simple present tenses to describe a habitual action or a general truth in academic writing. Simple present tenses indicate that your statements are by and large true in the past, present, and future. 

For example , “The school admits students whether or not they have school fees.”

Simple past

Simple past tenses are used in academic writing to describe completed actions or events that happened at a specific point in the past.

For example , “Jane (1998) researched many areas of human psychology.”

Present perfect

Present perfect tenses in academic writing are used to refer to an action or event that occurred at an unspecified time in the past. They are also used to introduce background information in a sentence or paragraph. After this information, the tenses shift from the present perfect verbs to simple past verbs. 

For example , “Many academic institutions have studied how entrepreneurs can be successful beyond the first two years in business. They discovered common themes across all small business owners.”

Future verb tenses

Used in academic writing to describe an action or event that will happen at a particular point in the future. 

For example , “I will conduct structured interviews in my study.”

Research Materials Tenses

When writing a research project, it is important to use a healthy mix of present and past tense in your introduction section. Just like in academic writing, present tenses are used to discuss something that is generally true, whereas the simple past tenses are used to convey earlier research efforts, either by you or by another group. When concluding the introduction statement of your research report, it is more appropriate to use simple past or present perfect verb tenses.

Novels Writing Tenses

When it comes to novel writing, the most appropriate verbs to use are simple past tenses and the third person. For example, “He ran his usual route to the gym, but as he reached the door he came upon a thug. If you want to relay a sense of urgency or simplify things in your novel, writing using present tenses would be ideal.

Common Verb-Related Mistakes When Writing

Verb tense errors can easily lead to miscommunication. As such, it is important to avoid them at all costs. Below, we are going to explore common verb mistakes when writing and how to avoid them.

Subject-verb disagreement

Whether in singular or plural, the subject and verb in your sentences must agree in number. If the subject is singular, its verb must also be singular. The same happens when dealing with plurals.

Inconsistent verb usage

As a student or professional writer, the easiest way to confuse your readers is to use incorrect verbs within the sentence or in the larger context of your writing. 

For example:

Incorrect: We were on the way to the gym. Suddenly, it starts to rain. 

Correct: We were on the way to the gym. Suddenly, it started to rain.

Sentence fragments

A sentence fragment occurs when a sentence doesn’t have one independent clause. It could be the lack of a subject, a verb, or both. 

Verb tense shifting

Another major verb-related mistake that writers tend to make is using multiple tenses within a clause when talking about a single topic.

How Can Our Verb Identifier Help?

Our verb tense checker is one of the most advanced tools of its kind in the market. It helps identify all the verb-usage-related mistakes mentioned above, as well as other grammar-related errors in your work. Along with that, our verb finder online tool also incorporates other auxiliary editing features including:

Grammar checker

Our verb type identifier leverages advanced Artificial Intelligence and English grammar rules to analyze, pinpoint, and fix grammar and punctuation mistakes in your texts.

Run-on sentences checker

Our professional sentence verb identifier will also come in handy in helping you identify incomplete sentences, as well as correctly punctuate independent clauses in your work.

This online verb identifier also comes with a comprehensive plagiarism checker, letting you easily identify and fix accidental plagiarism in your texts.

Benefits of Using Our Verb Tense Identifier

Whether you are a student, teacher, or professional writer, there are many benefits that come with using our verb finder tool online. They include but are not limited to the following:

Excellent Time Saver

The most obvious benefit of using our verb finder in sentence is its time-saving aspect. If you’ve ever tried editing and proofreading a long manuscript, you know all too well it is a time-consuming and draining affair. With the help of our verb finder tool, however,  you can instantly identify and correct all mistakes in your texts.

Accurate Results

Although there are multiple verb tense identifier online tools on the market, not all are created equal.  Some promise to offer the perfect result only to deliver mediocre results. Luckily for you, our verb tense finder leverages AI and English grammar to analyze your texts, giving it unmatched accuracy.

Cost-Effective Passive Verb Checker

Using our main verb identifier is significantly cheaper compared to hiring a professional editor. If you have ever tried hiring a human editor, chances are you know their services don’t come cheap. Still, you need to spend significant time going back and forth to clarify the editing tools. Luckily, our complete verb identifier comes with a free and paid-for version, so you don’t have to worry about breaking the bank.

Safe Verb Finder

Unlike most verb identifier online tools out there that save your texts in their local servers, our verb checker doesn’t save anything, reducing the chances of your texts or personal information falling in the wrong hands.

No Download Required

If you are rushing to meet a tight deadline, the last thing you want is to use an app that requires downloading. Our verb phrase finder works online, and you don’t need to download or install any app. All you need to do is copy-paste your work on the blank editor, click check, and the verb identifier tool will handle the rest.

Available 24/7

Like any other person, a professional human editor is limited by time constraints, and they need to rest. Using an online action verb finder like ours lets you detect verb-usage mistakes in your work, no matter the time or location.

Try a verb identifier to take your writing to the next level!

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Power Verbs for Essays (With Examples)

The ProWritingAid Team

Adding power verbs to your academic paper will improve your reader’s experience and bring more impact to the arguments you make.

While the arguments themselves are the most important elements of any successful academic paper, the structure of those arguments and the language that is used influence how the paper is received.

Academic papers have strict formal rules, but as long as these are followed, there is still plenty of scope to make the key points of the paper stand out through effective use of language and more specifically, the effective use of power verbs.

Power verbs are verbs that indicate action and have a more positive and confident tone. Using them brings strength and confidence to the arguments you are making, while also bringing variation to your sentences and making your writing more interesting to the reader.

The best academic papers will use such verbs to support their arguments or concepts, so it is important that your paper contains at least three power verbs.

ProWritingAid will check your writing for power verbs and will notify you if you have less than three throughout your whole academic paper.

Power Verbs Boost Ideas

Examples of power verbs.

Academic papers of all disciplines are often filled with overlong and complicated sentences that are attempting to convey specific ideas and concepts. Active and powerful verbs are useful both to the reader and the author of the paper.

For the reader who is trying to tackle these ideas and concepts, the power verbs provide clarity and purpose. Compare the following sentences:

• This paper will say that there were two reasons for the start of the civil war.
• This paper asserts that there were two reasons for the start of the civil war.

Clearly the second sentence is more confident, direct, and authoritative because it has replaced the dull ‘says’ with ‘asserts.’ For the writer, the power verb expresses confidence in the idea being presented.

The following are examples of power verbs that are useful in academic writing, both for supporting an argument and for allowing you to vary the language you use.

Power Verbs for Analysis: appraise, define, diagnose, examine, explore, identify, interpret, investigate, observe.

Power Verbs to Introduce a Topic: investigate, outline, survey, question, feature.

Power Verbs to Agree with Existing Studies: indicate, suggest, confirm, corroborate, underline, identify, impart, maintain, substantiate, support, validate, acknowledge, affirm, assert.

Power Verbs to Disagree with Existing Studies: reject, disprove, debunk, question, challenge, invalidate, refute, deny, dismiss, disregard, object to, oppose.

Power Verbs to Infer: extract, approximate, surmise, deduce.

Power Verbs for Cause and Effect : impacts, compels, generates, incites, influences, initiates, prompts, stimulates, provokes, launches, introduces, advances.

Legal Power Verbs: sanctions, consents, endorses, disallows, outlaws, prohibits, precludes, protects, bans, licenses, authorizes.

Power Verbs that Say: convey, comment, state, establish, elaborate, identify, propose.

Power Verbs that Show: reveal, display, highlight, depict, portray, illustrate.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

The most successful people in the world have coaches. Whatever your level of writing, ProWritingAid will help you achieve new heights. Exceptional writing depends on much more than just correct grammar. You need an editing tool that also highlights style issues and compares your writing to the best writers in your genre. ProWritingAid helps you find the best way to express your ideas.

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273 Strong Verbs That’ll Spice Up Your Writing

Do you ever wonder why a grammatically correct sentence you’ve written just lies there like a dead fish?

I sure have.

Your sentence might even be full of those adjectives and adverbs your teachers and loved ones so admired in your writing when you were a kid.

But still the sentence doesn’t work.

Something simple I learned from The Elements of Style years ago changed the way I write and added verve to my prose. The authors of that little bible of style said: “Write with nouns and verbs, not with adjectives and adverbs.”

Even Mark Twain was quoted, regarding adjectives: “When in doubt, strike it out.”

That’s not to say there’s no place for adjectives. I used three in the title and first paragraph of this post alone.

The point is that good writing is more about well-chosen nouns and strong verbs than it is about adjectives and adverbs, regardless what you were told as a kid.

There’s no quicker win for you and your manuscript than ferreting out and eliminating flabby verbs and replacing them with vibrant ones.

• How To Know Which Verbs Need Replacing

Your first hint is your own discomfort with a sentence. Odds are it features a snooze-inducing verb.

As you hone your ferocious self-editing skills , train yourself to exploit opportunities to replace a weak verb for a strong one.

At the end of this post I suggest a list of 273 vivid verbs you can experiment with to replace tired ones.

Want to download a copy of this strong verbs list to reference whenever you write? Click here. What constitutes a tired verb? Here’s what to look for:

• 3 Types of Verbs to Beware of in Your Prose

1. State-of-being verbs

These are passive as opposed to powerful:

Am I saying these should never appear in your writing? Of course not. You’ll find them in this piece. But when a sentence lies limp, you can bet it contains at least one of these. Determining when a state-of-being verb is the culprit creates a problem—and finding a better, more powerful verb to replace it— is what makes us writers. [Note how I replaced the state-of-being verbs in this paragraph.]

Resist the urge to consult a thesaurus for the most exotic verb you can find. I consult such references only for the normal word that carries power but refuses to come to mind.

I would suggest even that you consult my list of powerful verbs only after you have exhaust ed all efforts to come up with one on your own. You want Make your prose to be your own creation, not yours plus Roget or Webster or Jenkins. [See how easy they are to spot and fix?]

Impotent: The man was walking on the platform.

Powerful: The man strode along the platform.

Impotent: Jim is a lover of country living.

Powerful: Jim treasures country living.

Impotent: There are three things that make me feel the way I do…

Powerful: Three things convince me…

2. Verbs that rely on adverbs

Powerful verbs are strong enough to stand alone.

The fox ran quickly dashed through the forest.

She menacingly looked glared at her rival.

He secretly listened eavesdropped while they discussed their plans.

3. Verbs with -ing suffixes

Before: He was walking…

After: He walked…

Before: She was loving the idea of…

After: She loved the idea of…

Before: The family was starting to gather…

After: The family started to gather…

• The Strong Verbs List
• Disillusion
• Reverberate
• Revolutionize
• Supercharge
• Transfigure

Are You Making This #1 Amateur Writing Mistake?

Faith-Based Words and Phrases

What You and I Can Learn From Patricia Raybon

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How to Write a Book: Everything You Need to Know in 20 Steps

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Where should i send your free pdf.

This is a syntax highlighter for English. It uses natural language processing to determine the part of speech for each word and highlights accordingly. It works with tricky sentences too, e.g. The man we saw saw a saw.

To try it out, enter any text into the area to the left. Then, press tab or click outside of the text area in order to refresh the highlighting.

Toggle underline mode

2017/07/21 Underline mode instead of text colors, as suggested by the comments.

2016/09/09 You can now toggle the colors by clicking on the legend. Try it out!

Suggestions or comments? Send them over to [email protected].

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Verb Checker

Why you need a verb checker.

How much do you remember about verbs? Grammar rules state that every sentence must have a verb and that a verb is a word that expresses an action, occurrence, or mode of being. There are three factors that every verb possesses:

• Tense: Tense indicates when the action that a verb expresses takes place. The three simple tenses are past, present, and future
• Aspect: The verbal aspect tells whether the action the verb describes occurs in a single block of time, continuously, or if it is repetitive. Verbal aspect will be simple, progressive, perfect, or perfect progressive.
• Mood: The verb mood tells whether the verb is stating a fact, a hypothetical situation, making a request or giving a command. In English grammar verbs have three main moods which are indicative, subjunctive and imperative.

Why the Proper Use of Verbs Is Important

These are just a few of the many reasons having good grammar skills is important

Use Our Free Verb Checker to Eliminate Grammatical Errors

Using our free verb checker helps eliminate mistakes and improves your grammar and writing skills!

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Professional Tense Detector

Polish your grammar with our online tense checker and make your paper sparke!

Tense Checker Functions

The verb tense checker has several functions that can help improve your content. Here are some of the major functions:

Finds Tense-Related Mistakes

 The verb tense finder is able to detect tense-related errors and suggest ways to fix them. For example, if you wrongly stated action in past tense or past participle, it can suggest a better way to write in the present tense. It also detects errors when using other tenses and suggests the best tense according to the context.

Fixes Punctuation & Spelling Errors

In addition to fixing tense, the tense agreement checker also finds and suggests fixes for punctuation and spelling errors. It checks your words against the context to determine the best word to use. Then, it suggests the word that best fits the context. This helps you find and fix typos with lots of ease, especially where you have a long document such as a college paper. Besides, the tense shift checker also checks for missing punctuations or poorly used ones and suggests a replacement.

Fixes Sentence Structure

Poor sentence structure may cause the sentence to be hard to understand and beak the flow of your content. The app to help with tense issues checks sentence structure for errors. Where there is poor sentence structure, missing words, redundancy, and poor noun-verb agreement, the tool provides some guidelines on how to write correctly and fix the errors. The verb tense corrector also fixes other grammar errors such as noun errors, overuse of conjunctions, and misuse of articles. It offers an all-round tense and grammar check to ensure conciseness and improve comprehension.

Reasons to Try Verb Tense Checker

The present tense tool helps writers detect and fix issues with the present tense and other tenses. Correct use of tenses helps readers understand when a given action took place and relate it to other activities described in the content. This tool helps ensure that the present tense is well captured in their content. Once you learn how to check your verb tenses for consistency,  here are other reasons why you should use the tool:

• The past tense finder picks various present tense errors to ensure that their work is error-free and easy to understand
• It makes proofreading work a lot easier and fast as it automatically detects mistakes in a piece of work.
• It makes suggestions about correcting present tense errors, making it easy to fix mistakes even if the student has a poor command of English.
• The tense detector understands the context of the content to provide the best tense that brings out the intended message.
• The free tense shift checker finds other writing errors such as nouns and past tense to bring out good quality writing.

Why You Should Use the Verb Tense Finder Regularly

Once you learn how to check a paper for correct tense, you should always check your work before submitting it or publishing it. Here are the reasons why it is important:

It ensures that you submit or publish error-free work. For students, this increases their chances of getting a good grade. It shows a good command of the language for writers and publishers and establishes authority in the said topic.

It makes it easier to go through large chunks of work in a relatively short time when compared to manual proofreading. Also, it helps to improve one’s understanding of the English language as it pinpoints the mistakes and provides suggestions for every error detected.

The software detecting verb tense is accurate in finding and suggesting fixes to improper tense use. Unlike manual proofreading where you are likely to miss some of the words, this tool detects all the errors and gives you suggestions on how to improve each.

The tense grammar analyzer is easy to use. It has no technical features and does not require any training to get started. Just open the past tense detector, paste your content, and start checking the errors.

It does not store your paper. You can remove your work after proofreading. Therefore, there is no chance that unauthorized third parties will get to see your paper and use your work as their own.

The tense check online tool does not require one to download and install it on their devices. It is a purely online tool that finds and corrects mistakes. This means that the computing resources or incompatibility of their devices would not limit students and writers. As long as the device in question has an internet connection and a browser, it can check tense issues.

Why Is It Important to Use Correct English Tenses?

Tenses are important parts of speech as they show when the action you are describing actually took place. There are three main tenses, present tense, past tense, and future tense. However, each of these tenses can be used in any of the four forms: simple, continuous, perfect, or perfect continuous tense. Therefore, it is essential that you understand when the action was done and the number of times it was done. With that in mind, here are other reasons why it is important to use the correct English tense.

The use of correct tense helps you to communicate clearly and effectively. This helps improve the level of readability for your content and enhance comprehension.

By using the correct tense, you are able to relate different actions on a paper. Therefore, readers are able to know what action started and how each relates to another.

Tenses affect the structure of your sentence. Poor use of tenses always results in poor sentence structure as the writer tries to join different verbs.

What Are The Consequences of Writing Sentences without Tense Fixer?

If you do not use the correct tenses in your writing, here are some of the things that might happen to you:

Unclear Communication

Incorrect use of tenses can lead to misinformation or unclear communication. Here is an example, if you describe an event that is to happen in the future as one that happened in the past, readers might think it already occurred. Some actions such as prescriptions, going to a clinic, or doing repairs are reliant on correct timing. Therefore, unclear communication is likely to result in costly mistakes.

When writing papers, poor use of tense often leads to low grades. A low grade may have far-reaching implications on your career and may make you miss some of your goals. Professors require a paper to be done right, in terms of not only research and analysis but also grammar and tenses. Therefore, students have to polish their tenses before submitting their work to show mastery of the language and topic they are handling.

Poor First Impressions

Improper use of tenses can result in poor first impressions. People tend to make assumptions about your abilities and expertise based on the communication with them. Therefore if they notice various errors in your writing, they are more likely to think that you are poor in your field.

What Are the Best Practices of Tense Correction?

  Always check your tenses every time you complete your paper. Also, go through your work after using the verb tense consistency checker to ensure that the work is not choppy. Besides, write in good time so that you have enough time to proofread your work without a hurry.

Once you know how to fix verb tense problems using software, your proofreading can be easy and fast. Our tool can help in fixing your tense and grammar issues for all your writing. It automatically finds, underlines errors, and suggests fixes to the issues. It is very accurate at detecting even the most minor of errors in your writing. There is no limit to the number of papers that you can check in a day. You can always open the app to help with tense issues every time you write some content. This makes it a versatile tool for any marketer or writer who creates short pieces for use on social media pages, email marketing, or blogging.

What Types of Paper Can Be Corrected through Free Tense Shift Checker?

You can check the following papers with the present tense corrector:

Academic papers

You can check assignments, dissertations, term papers, and thesis using our tool.

Social media articles

If you post content on social media pages regularly, the checking tense app can help check and fix your tenses.

Blogs and marketing materials

It checks tenses and other errors on your blog articles, website content, email marketing, and other marketing materials.

To proofread your work, just copy your work, paste it onto the editor on the tense converter online, and allow it to find errors. In a minute, it will underline errors and provide suggestions. Go through each and correct accordingly. In the end, your work will be polished, easy to read, and have perfect grammar. Copy the finished paper onto your word document and save it.

Use our tense detector now to correct all types of papers fast and effectively!

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Excellent Verb Finder

Verb finder is a smart tool, which is simple to use with no downloads. It works with all kinds of text. If you are a student, you can use verb finder in essay; teachers and professors can use the verb finder to check students’ essays. In case you are a professional writer, you can use it to check your article before publishing. And if you just want to drop a message for anyone and ensure it doesn’t have any mistakes, it is a perfect tool for you as well.  Whatever you are writing, you can use online verb checker in sentences. 

Verb Finder Identifies Mistakes

Online verb finder is made to ensure that your text will be free from any error. An incorrect verb finder tool will detect and fix all your mistakes. Let’s see some of the most popular errors:

The Incorrect Form of the Verb Usage

The right usage of the verbal forms implies many tenses, and knowledge of them is crucial, so frequently, errors with the verb form usage happen. A subject and verb finder tool will check that the subject and the sentence’s verb are written correctly.

For instance, the present continuous is built by adding the form in -ing of the verb to the simple present form to be .

Verb tense mistakes occur while using the wrong verb tense. Such mistakes are the most frequent.

For example:

Incorrect: We were questioning by the lecturer.

Correct: We were questioned by the lecturer.

The Usage of the Incorrect Tense

The different tenses are used in different contexts. For instance, you can use the present simple tense to do something that you normally do, but if you want to describe something you are doing right now, you have to use the present continuous.

Incorrect: What do you do for a living? I am working as a barista.

Correct: What do you do in your life? I work as a barista.

The Verbs and Subject Agreement 

Incorrect: I was walking then I meet you.  

Correct: I was walking, then I met you.

The verb “meet” is written in an inconsistent form. I was walking shows that something happened in the past. The verb in the second part of the sentence must agree with the verb in the first part. 

More Features of Verb Finder Online

Verb finder in sentence has additional features. Except for form a verb finder, it is:

• A subject and verb finder tool
• Other parts of speech finder (e.g., adverb checker )
• Additional suggestions on grammar improvements
• Plagiarism checker

What else do you want from a verb finder?

Benefits of Verb Finder in Sentence

There are many benefits in using verb finder online:

• You are sure your writing is error-free. With the functions of free verb checker and corrector, checker, and corrector functions, your text will be impeccable.
• Your content will be engaging. With additional suggestions, your writing will be improved.
• You get more functions in one tool. It is not only about verbs! Our noun, adjective, verb finder is about all the aspects of your text, including plagiarism reports.
• Save your time from long corrections. By using incorrect verb form checker, you will be able to make the job faster, and you will enjoy your free time more than before.
• You don’t need to download it, as it is online. Cleaning your memory to find a place for downloads is not necessary. 

Supreme Verb Identifier Online App

Correct verb and tense-related mistakes comprehensively with the help of our online verb finder free tool

Manual Correction of Sentences Vs Using Our Verb Detector Tool

You can check your text in three main ways such as “Do It Yourself” or DIY project, using manual editing services from professional editors and using an online automated subject and verb finder in a sentence online application. First, both methods fall in the category of manual checking of sentence errors, and using an online subject verb finder is an automated method powered by software and modern technologies.

Both methods have their own positives and negatives that govern their popularity and effectiveness among the writers to check their respective writings. The difference between both manual and automated methods in terms of quality, ease, monetary, accuracy, and many other factors is mentioned in the table.

Do not hesitate! Use verb finder in a sentence online and save your time!

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Excellent Verb Finder Online

Verb finder is an online verb checker software application, which is used to detect misuses and errors of verbs in English text instantly and accurately. The main purpose of this online verb identifier is to find and fix all types of mistakes related to verbs such as verb-tense disagreement, forms of verbs, switching in and out of different tenses, and others to enhance the quality of the text substantially.

Who May Benefit from Verb Finder Tool?

Students can use an online verb identifier to improve the quality of their writings such as thesis, dissertations, research papers, essays, and other routine writings without any charges at all in a basic subscription.

Teachers have to check numerous assignments submitted by the students and prepare different training lectures and presentations. A verb finder tool online helps teachers in fixing issues in those writings.

Journalists

Finding and removing different kinds of verb-related issues in news reports, documentaries, commentaries, and other articles make our verb tense checker tool a very useful option for making those reports professional.

Researchers

Numerous kinds of researchers such as scientific, market, and social researchers compile long and complex reports based on their research work. Our verb checker can detect possible mistakes in those complex reports easily.

Our online verb phrase finder application supports different styles, categories, and standards of writing simultaneously; so, it is very useful for a wide range of other writers such as bloggers, technical writers, and others.

Most Common Verb-Related Errors That Our Verbs Finder Can Detect

Using verbs correctly is one of the most complex domains in English grammar due to irregular forms, conjugation, and other factors, which lead to numerous types of errors, especially in the writings of people using English as a second language (ESL). The most common of them include:

Verb-subject disagreement

Nouns and third-person singular pronouns always take “s” after verbs in the present tense. It is a very common mistake that our verb tense identifier online software can detect and fix easily.

Incorrect:   She play hockey for her school team.

Correct:   She plays hockey for her school team.

Using incorrect verb forms in different tenses

A verb changes its form with different types of present, past, and future tenses as well as with the subjects. Thus, conjugating verbs in different tenses is a very tricky thing. If you use our online action verb finder website, you wouldn’t face the problem of verb conjugation in different tenses.  

Incorrect:   She have purchased a book online.

Correct:  She has purchased a book online.

Misuses of verbs followed by specific prepositions

This is a very big type of mistake in which the writers fail to choose the right preposition to link the verb with the other parts of the sentences. Sometimes, using verbs with wrong prepositions changes the meaning of the sentence too. Our main verb identifier platform can help you solve this problem perfectly and instantly.

I ncorrect: You should get out from the ground immediately.

Correct: You should get out of the ground immediately.

 Tense shifting

In this mistake, the writers shift from one tense to another one within different phrases and clauses of a sentence as well as within the paragraph of text. This problem happens extensively with students and other writers who use English as a foreign language.

Incorrect: She was searching for misplaced keys but she finds her lost diamond in the drawing room.

Correct: She was searching for misplaced keys but she found her lost diamond in the drawing room.

Regular and irregular verb confusion

It is a very tricky thing to differentiate between a regular and an irregular verb. A few verbs produce similar types of voice and the same pattern of spelling but they are not in the category of verbs. For instance, reach and teach are two similar-looking verbs but the ‘reach’ is a regular verb while the ‘teach’ is an irregular one. With the help of our incorrect verb form checker, you can solve this complex problem instantly without any confusion with full confidence.

American and British language differences

In American English many verbs are used as regular verbs but they are irregular verbs in British English such as learn, dream, smell, burn, and others. This makes a very tricky situation for a writer, especially those who use English as a foreign language (EFL). Our irregular verbs checker software can help you differentiate them automatically.

How May You Identify Verbs in Sentences?

Identifying verbs in sentences is grammatically tricky due to different types, forms, moods, and other conjugations. You need to have a full command of all grammatical rules and standards to identify different types of verbs in a sentence such as:

• A verb is a word that shows an action or state in a sentence. So, find the state or action word in the sentence.
• The word showing the meaning of being preceded by to is most probably a verb in the sentence
• A word ending with ‘ing’ in the sentence is a gerund form of the verb
• The regular forms of verbs in past and past particle forms end with ‘ed’ and can easily be identified.
• Any word that supports the main verb in a sentence is known as an auxiliary verb such as is, are, was, were, could, would, should, can, be, have, had, and others.

Thus, finding out the correct use of verbs in sentences may be so time-consuming and may require substantial effort. You can find all types of verbs and their correct use with the help of our online sentence verb identifier with highly reliable results.

How Is Our Verb Finder in Sentence Best Options to Detect Verb Mistakes?

Our verbs checker platform is one of the best options for detecting and fixing all types of verb-related mistakes because:

Reliability

Online to be verbs checker platform offers highly reliable results that you can trust without any confusion or hesitation.

Cutting-edge technologies

Our verb tense identifier platform uses highly modern technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), and others in the algorithms to generate highly accurate results.

Instant and always

You can access our verb identifier online tool round the clock and check your text instantly without any waiting in long queues at all.

Unlimited checks

There is no limit on the number of checks for any specific time period on our verbs to be checker online platform. You can check your text multiple times with our verb identifier tool without any limits at all.

Comprehensive solution

Our verb finder online platform offers end-to-end text checking, proofreading, editing, and plagiarized content detection solution under one roof. Our professional-grade to be verbs finder platform detects all other types of grammatical mistakes and spelling and punctuation issues.

Step by Step Procedure to Use Our To Be Verbs Checker Online

Using our online verb form identifier is so simple in a few steps:

• Copy/paste or type the text into the widget on our verb mood identifier website
• Click the “check my text” button. Our action verb identifier tool will perform a thorough language check and will highlight the mistakes
• Click the highlighted mistakes. Our verb type identifier tool will provide a possible solution to the verb mistake.
• Choose the right option and repeat the action. You are done!

Ways to Access Our To Be Verbs Finder Software

You can access our professional passive verbs checker in two ways such as:

• Online website – You need to just open the website and use it through a very easy and intuitive web interface.
• Chrome extension – Our verbs finder software can also be accessed by downloading and installing a Google Chrome extension to use it in a real-time environment.

Top Benefits of Using Our To Be Verbs Finder Free Platform

Due to a wide range of its features and capabilities, our specialized verbs finder online platform offers numerous benefits to the writers such as:

Cost-saving

Our online passive verb checker platform is available for free in the basic subscription. Thus, you save substantial costs on proofreading and editing work by using our online verb tense finder for no charge at all.

Time-saving

Due to the 24×7 availability and instant results, you don’t need to wait in queues for your turn to submit documents for checking and results. You can save huge time that you can use for other productive work.

Higher writing quality

By using our complete verb identifier online platform, you can improve the quality of your writing, which will lead to the successful outcomes of your text in all domains of businesses simultaneously.

Continual learning

Our platform offers a great option for continual learning and improving your editing, proofreading, and grammar skills with the help of suggestive options offered by our online verbs identifier platform.

Plagiarism and tone detection

It offers the capability to detect plagiarized content and assesses the tone of your content. These features help you make your writing more professional to achieve the desired objectives of the article.

Additional functionalities

Our online verbs finder offers numerous additional features and capabilities that make your text highly professional such as the detection of grammatical, punctuation, and spelling issues simultaneously.

If you are looking for reliable verb finder software to make your writings error-free, try our verb checker online now!

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Present Tense Checker

Past tense checker.

• Perfect Tense Grammar Corrector

Online Tense Checker: Be Sure You're Using the Right Tense

Why Do You Need an Online Tense Checker?

Whether you are a student or a professional you need to ensure that your writing is spot on to get the right results. Poor grammar and spelling can have a real impact on how your writing is perceived and this is especially true of issues with tense. A good tense checker can ensure that you do not have any problems confusing your past, present and future tenses within your writing. Our free verb tense corrector is simple to use and can ensure that any grammatical issues within your writing are corrected to a high standard.

What Can Our Tense Fixer Improve for You?

There are three tenses that are used within everyday speech and our writing. These need to be used consistently if we are not to confuse our readers. Our tense tester can help you to see when you have inadvertently changed tense, something that is all too easy to do within your writing. It will help you to not only see where you have errors, but also how to correct them. The following tenses are highlighted and corrected by the tool.

The present tense is when we are talking about the here and now as well as actions that can be considered continuous. Examples of present tense could be “Bill is walking towards the door” or “I love to read each and every day”

The past is something that has already happened, this could be something that has just been done or something that was done days, weeks or even years before. Examples of the past tense are “Bill had already walked to the door” or “I had read the Lord of the Rings by the time I was twelve”

Future Tense Verb Checker

The future tense is used to describe things that have still to happen. This can be at any time in the future from a few minutes away to years. Examples of the future tense can be “Bill will walk to the door tomorrow” or “I will read 20 fiction books next year”

This tool will highlight when you have mixed your tenses within the writing allowing you to clearly see what needs to be improved. This allows you to avoid those issues slipping through to confuse your readers. Not only are the issues highlighted, the tool also provides you with some options as to how you can correct those problems. It is up to you if you select the corrections that are suggested, or you can make other changes that may be more in keeping with your own style of writing. Just remember to always recheck your writing again after you make freehand changes.

Is It Really Important to Get the Tense Correct in Your Writing?

It does not matter what the subject is of your writing, confusing the tenses can make it very difficult to understand by your readers. This can lead you to get lower grades if you are a student or far more serious consequences if you are writing in a more professional setting. Imagine a sales pitch that is poorly written, how persuasive would it be if the reader can easily see your errors? Using a free verb tense consistency checker can help you to avoid any problems and it will only take a few minutes of your time.

You need to ensure that your writing will always convey the correct impression. Yet it is so easy to make simple mistakes and overlook them when you proofread your own writing. This is why using a tense checker online is something you should always do. It will take only a few minutes of your time and could avoid problems that are so simple to correct.

How Can You Use Our Tense Shift Checker?

There really is nothing difficult when it comes to using our past or present tense detector. We have made our free tool as simple as possible to use while giving you a full review of your writing. Our tool does not simply check your work for the perfect use of tenses. Our verb corrector is able to highlight and correct a wide range of issues within your writing that could cause you problems. This includes all of the following.

From spelling words incorrectly to confusing similar works such as dessert and desert, our tool will highlight and correct any mistakes in your writing

Punctuation

From the incorrect use of colons and semicolons through to misplaced commas our tool will find any punctuation marks that you may have used incorrectly

The English language has many rules that define how it should be written. While we follow many of them unconsciously there are still times when we get things wrong in our writing

 Our tool checks for hundreds of different rules which can include all the following:

• Fragments and run on sentences
• Comma splices
• Dangling modifiers
• Double negatives
• Pronoun errors
• Subject-verb agreement

How to Use Our Online Tense Checker

Highlight the text that you wish to check: this can be a single sentence, a paragraph, or a whole document.

Paste the text into the box provided: simple use of copy and paste is all that is required to provide the tool with text that needs to be tested.

Press “Start”: the tool will quickly check all your writing to highlight any errors that it discovers within your text. The whole check will take just a few seconds depending on the length of your writing.

Review and make correction: our faulty tense sequence checker will highlight all problems that need work. You can either select the suggestions that the tool makes for correction or you can make alternative changes.

Recheck : after you have finished making your alterations it is best practice to recheck the work to ensure that there are no issues within the changes that you have made.

Benefits of Using Verb Tense Checker

Enhance your writing by correcting all types of tense verbs in your text through our tense checker online free application. Our professional-grade software platform is designed to offer numerous advantages in the shape of a range of highly appropriate capabilities and features. All types of writers can make the most of those features and capabilities of our free tense checker tool in polishing their respective writings to achieve the desired objectives perfectly. A few top benefits of using our online tense checker essay app include:

Substantial Cost-Saving

One of the most fundamental benefits of using our specialized grammar and tense checker is that it helps you save huge costs for editing, proofreading, and enhancing your writing. Our software tool is absolutely free to use with a freemium subscription with basic features and capabilities. You can use it as many times as you like without any restrictions for 100% free of charge. If you want to use our premium subscription with advanced features and capabilities, you have to pay a very small monthly charge with numerous additional features and unlimited access to check numerous types of drafts for an entire month. It saves money tens of times compared with the manual editing and proofreading service. Using our platform in the freemium subscription is the best option for students and other writers with limited budgets and other monetary constraints. Purchasing long-period subscriptions saves you even more money in the form of discounts and incentives.

Huge Time-Saving

Our grammar checker past tense tool is an online software application, which checks your text automatically with very electric speed to save you huge time. Online and automatic applications can save you time in two major ways – faster processing speed and round-the-clock availability. You can submit your text to our online platform at any time from anywhere in the world through supported web browsers without any waiting queue for your turn as it happens in the manual time-consuming process. You are not affected by any holidays, weekends, festivals, weather conditions, or any other similar kind of hindrance to waste your time. The other way to save your time is the faster speed of text checking and correcting. The process of checking for any kind of verb-tense or other grammatical issues in your writing is accomplished within a few seconds. After identifying the errors in your writing, the process of correction is also very fast to help you save enormous time.

Unified Solution

Another benefit offered by our software platform to find the tense of a sentence online error is comprehensiveness. Our reliable verb tense checker online tool is capable of finding a wide range of writing issues to make your writing a perfect piece of text. The most important errors that our online platform can find in your text include present, past, and future tense errors and their verb conjugate mistakes, all types of active voice and passive voice misuses, parts of speech mistakes, spelling and punctuation issues, incomplete sentences, comma splices, run-on sentences, prepositional phrase issues, incorrect referencing of a noun to pronoun, dangling qualifiers of adjectives and adverbs errors, direct and indirect narration problems, misuses of articles, incorrect word choices, faulty degrees of adjectives, mistakes in irregular and regular verbs, incorrect citation or referencing styles, titles, and sub-title issues, capitalization of words as well as headings, and many other writing matters under one single roof.

Greater Accuracy

The accuracy and reliability are other very attractive benefits offered by our online verb tense error checker tool. The accuracy of the results checked through our specialized platform is unparalleled among the competitors in the market. A wide range of writers, industries, and academic institutes heavily appreciate the reliability of our online platform. Our online application to check present tense and other grammatical errors offers this level of accuracy due to numerous factors. A few most important factors that produce a higher level of reliability and correctness in the results include the incorporation of expert input and feedback into the automated algorithms, implementation of cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning (ML), natural language processing (NLP), artificial intelligence (AI) and many others, and the adoption of continual improvement mechanism in our algorithm as well as software backbone infrastructure. You will get extremely impeccable results by checking your text through our online platform easily.

Industry-Standard Compliance

Our online grammar and present tense essay checker tool are capable of organizing and aligning your writings as per the formats, setups, and criteria required for compliance with different industrial, academic, and linguistic standards. A large number of referencing styles such as American Psychological Association (APA), Modern Language Association (MLA), Chicago, Harvard, and Oxford are supported by our online platform. These standards are used in a large number of academics as well as in journalism. Different papers and essays are created based on different versions of accents of the English language. Our tense checker online platform supports many versions of the English language so that the criteria of different standards and industries can be accomplished. A few of the most important English versions supported by our online platform include American English, British English, Australian English, Indian, Middle-East, Malaysian, Brazilian, and many others.

Additional Benefits

A large number of additional features and capabilities that provide different types of advantages to different types of writers are also offered by our specialized grammar and tense verb checker online platform. A few of those additional benefits associated with our online app include the detection of plagiarized text in your writing to make them free from any plagiarism and copyright infringement. To achieve 100% results from the text, the tone of the text should be appropriate to the mood of the audience or reader. Our online tool assesses the tone of your text and helps you streamline the text in terms of sentiments, effectiveness, and other attributes of the writing to leave a great impression on the readers. By using our online tool, you can improve your editing, proofreading, and grammatical skills through corrective suggestions continually. Every correction offered by our online tool is supported by proper explanation and logic to keep you learning always.

What Issues Can Our Verb Tense Finder Correct?

A simple grammar tense check such as ours can quickly correct a wide variety of issues within your writing to help you to get the best results. Often, we make mistakes without thinking and can rarely see those mistakes when we read through our own work. Most of us are blind to our own writing mistakes no matter how hard we look. This is why a software tool is so important. Software does not get tired or overlook anything. By using a tool, you can easily find problems that would otherwise slip through. The following are a few examples of mismatched tense use that would otherwise be able to get through to your readers:

Some examples of poor use of the future tense:

“I will give you the job when your studies will be complete.”

While this may look ok at first glance as everything is constructed in the future tense it is not. If the main clause uses a verb in the future tense the subordinate clause’s verb will be in the present tense. So the above sentence should be:

“I will give you the job when your studies are complete.”

Mixing tense use within your writing:

“My instructor really liked to bully me and is always shouting at me to keep up with the others.”

Within the above sentence the verb “to bully” is being used in the past tense whilst the “shouting” is being done in the present tense. To maintain the tenses, it should be:

“My instructor really liked to bully me and was always shouting at me to keep up with the others.”

 When you write, always decide right from the start what tense you will use. While your story may connect with the reader if you draw them along using the present tense, suddenly slipping into past tense could quickly lose them.

What Is the Quickest Way to Correct Your Grammar and Tense Use?

Many people still prefer to read through their own work, often simply skimming through what they have written and hoping that they catch any errors. This is rarely effective, and you will often submit writing that is full of problems that will stand out like a sore thumb to the reader.

While this can be made more effective by a more methodical approach it will take time. Checking through a sentence at a time and considering the construction of each part of your writing piece by piece can help you discover more. But for many this is simply too time consuming.

One of the most effective ways of finding the most common errors in writing is to simply read the work aloud. With the gadgets we have today it is easy to record your work and play it back to yourself. Often incorrect tense use and other grammar problems will be easier to hear than to read. But again, this can take time and you may still miss things that others may see. Asking a friend to proofread your work is also an effective way of improving your writing. However, few of us have friends that are willing or have the time to help us in that manner. Therefore, it is often best to have your grammar tense check completed by a software tool. Software does not get tired, nor will it miss anything. Using our tense checker is free and will quickly find issues that you would otherwise overlook.

Make full use of our free online tense checker to ensure that you always submit writing of the highest standard every time!

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50 Verbs of Analysis for English Academic Essays

Note: this list is for advanced English learners (CEFR level B2 or above). All definitions are from the Cambridge Dictionary online . 

Definition: to have an influence on someone or something, or to cause a change in someone or something.

Example: Experts agree that coffee affects the body in ways we have not yet studied.

Definition: to increase the size or effect of something.

Example: It has been shown that this drug amplifies the side effects that were experienced by patients in previous trials.

Definition: to say that something is certainly true .

Example: Smith asserts that his findings are valid, despite criticism by colleagues.

Characterizes

Definition: Something that characterizes another thing is typical of it.

Example: His early paintings are characterized by a distinctive pattern of blue and yellow.

Definition: to say that something is true or is a fact , although you cannot prove it and other people might not believe it.

Example: Smith claims that the study is the first of its kind, and very different from the 2015 study he conducted.

Definition: to make something clear or easier to understand by giving more details or a simpler explanation .

Example: The professor clarified her statement with a later, more detailed, statement.

Definition: t o collect information from different places and arrange it in a book , report , or list .

Example: After compiling the data, the scientists authored a ten-page paper on their study and its findings.

Definition: to judge or decide something after thinking carefully about it.

Example: Doctor Jensen concluded that the drug wasn’t working, so he switched his patient to a new medicine.

Definition: to prove that a belief or an opinion that was previously not completely certain is true .

Example: This new data confirms the hypothesis many researchers had.

Definition: to join or be joined with something else .

Example: By including the criticisms of two researchers, Smith connects two seemingly different theories and illustrates a trend with writers of the Romanticism period.

Differentiates

Definition: to show or find the difference between things that are compared .

Example: Smith differentiates between the two theories in paragraph 4 of the second part of the study.

Definition: to reduce or be reduced in s i ze or importance .

Example: The new findings do not diminish the findings of previous research; rather, it builds on it to present a more complicated theory about the effects of global warming.

Definition: to cause people to stop respecting someone or believing in an idea or person .

Example: The details about the improper research done by the institution discredits the institution’s newest research.

Definition: to show.

Example: Smith’s findings display the effects of global warming that have not yet been considered by other scientists.

Definition: to prove that something is not true .

Example: Scientists hope that this new research will disprove the myth that vaccines are harmful to children.

Distinguishes

Definition: to notice or understand the difference between two things, or to make one person or thing seem different from another.

Example: Our study seems similar to another one by Duke University: how can we distinguish ourselves and our research from this study?

Definition: to add more information to or explain something that you have said.

Example: In this new paper, Smith elaborates on theories she discussed in her 2012 book.

Definition:  to represent a quality or an idea exactly .

Example: Shakespeare embodies English theater, but few can understand the antiquated (old) form of English that is used in the plays.

Definition: to copy something achieved by someone else and try to do it as well as they have.

Example: Although the study emulates some of the scientific methods used in previous research, it also offers some inventive new research methods.

Definition: to improve the quality , amount , or strength of something.

Example: The pharmaceutical company is looking for ways to enhance the effectiveness of its current drug for depression.

Definition: to make something necessary , or to involve something.

Example: The scientist’s study entails several different stages, which are detailed in the report.

Definition: to consider one thing to be the same as or equal to another thing.

Example: Findings from both studies equate; therefore, we can conclude that they are both accurate.

Establishes

Definition: to discover or get proof of something.

Example: The award establishes the main causes of global warming.

Definition: to make someone remember something or feel an emotion .

Example: The artist’s painting evokes the work of some of the painters from the early 1800s.

Definition: to show something.

Example: Some of the research study participants exhibit similar symptoms while taking the medicine.

Facilitates

Definition: to make something possible or easier .

Example: The equipment that facilitates the study is expensive and of high-quality.

Definition: the main or central point of something, especially of attention or interest .

Example: The author focuses on World War II, which is an era she hasn’t written about before.

Foreshadows

Definition: to act as a warning or sign of a future event .

Example: The sick bird at the beginning of the novel foreshadows the illness the main character develops later in the book.

Definition: to develop all the details of a plan for doing something.

Example: Two teams of scientists formulated the research methods for the study.

Definition: to cause something to exist .

Example: The study’s findings have generated many questions about this new species of frog in South America.

Definition:   to attract attention to or emphasize something important .

Example: The author, Dr. Smith, highlights the need for further studies on the possible causes of cancer among farm workers.

Definition: to recognize a problem , need, fact , etc. and to show that it exists .

Example: Through this study, scientists were able to identify three of the main factors causing global warming.

Illustrates

Definition:   to show the meaning or truth of something more clearly , especially by giving examples .

Example: Dr. Robin’s study illustrates the need for more research on the effects of this experimental drug.

Definition: to communicate an idea or feeling without saying it directly .

Example: The study implies that there are many outside factors (other than diet and exercise) which determine a person’s tendency to gain weight.

Incorporates

Definition: to include something as part of something larger .

Example: Dr. Smith incorporates research findings from 15 other studies in her well-researched paper.

Definition: to show, point , or make clear in another way.

Example: Overall, the study indicates that there is no real danger (other than a lack of sleep) to drinking three cups of coffee per day.

Definition: to form an opinion or guess that something is true because of the information that you have.

Example: From this study about a new medicine, we can infer that it will work similarly to other drugs that are currently being sold.

Definition: to tell someone about parti c ular facts .

Example: Dr. Smith informs the reader that there are some issues with this study: the oddly rainy weather in 2017 made it difficult for them to record the movements of the birds they were studying.

Definition: to suggest , without being direct , that something unpleasant is true .

Example: In addition to the reported conclusions, the study insinuates that there are many hidden dangers to driving while texting.

Definition: to combine two or more things in order to become more effective .

Example: The study about the popularity of social media integrates Facebook and Instagram hashtag use.

Definition: to not have or not have enough of something that is needed or wanted .

Example: What the study lacks, I believe, is a clear outline of the future research that is needed.

Legitimizes

Definition: to make something legal or acceptable .

Example: Although the study legitimizes the existence of global warming, some will continue to think it is a hoax.

Definition: to make a problem bigger or more important .

Example: In conclusion, the scientists determined that the new pharmaceutical actually magnifies some of the symptoms of anxiety.

Definition: something that a copy can be based on because it is an extremely good example of its type .

Example: The study models a similar one from 1973, which needed to be redone with modern equipment.

Definition: to cause something to have no effect .

Example: This negates previous findings that say that sulphur in wine gives people headaches.

Definition: to not give enough c a re or attention to people or things that are your responsibility .

Example: The study neglects to mention another study in 2015 that had very different findings.

Definition: to make something difficult to discover and understand .

Example: The problems with the equipment obscures the study.

Definition: a description of the main facts about something.

Example: Before describing the research methods, the researchers outline the need for a study on the effects of anti-anxiety medication on children.

Definition:   to fail to notice or consider something or someone.

Example: I personally feel that the study overlooks something very important: the participants might have answered some of the questions incorrectly.

Definition: to happen at the same time as something else , or be similar or equal to something else .

Example: Although the study parallels the procedures of a 2010 study, it has very different findings.

Converse International School of Languages offers an English for Academic Purposes course for students interested in improving their academic English skills. Students may take this course, which is offered in the afternoon for 12 weeks, at both CISL San Diego and CISL San Francisco . EAP course graduates can go on to CISL’s Aca demic Year Abroad program, where students attend one semester at a California Community College. Through CISL’s University Pathway program, EAP graduates may also attend college or university at one of CISL’s Pathway Partners. See the list of 25+ partners on the CISL website . Contact CISL for more information.  

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Definition of essay

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

• composition

attempt , try , endeavor , essay , strive mean to make an effort to accomplish an end.

attempt stresses the initiation or beginning of an effort.

try is often close to attempt but may stress effort or experiment made in the hope of testing or proving something.

endeavor heightens the implications of exertion and difficulty.

essay implies difficulty but also suggests tentative trying or experimenting.

strive implies great exertion against great difficulty and specifically suggests persistent effort.

Examples of essay in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'essay.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Middle French essai , ultimately from Late Latin exagium act of weighing, from Latin ex- + agere to drive — more at agent

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 4

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing essay

• essay question
• photo - essay

Articles Related to essay

To 'Essay' or 'Assay'?

You'll know the difference if you give it the old college essay

Dictionary Entries Near essay

Cite this entry.

“Essay.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/essay. Accessed 1 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of essay.

Kids Definition of essay  (Entry 2 of 2)

More from Merriam-Webster on essay

Nglish: Translation of essay for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of essay for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about essay

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About Words – Cambridge Dictionary blog

Commenting on developments in the English language

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

Listen to the author reading this blog post:

by  Liz Walter

My last post was about hiding things , and today I am writing about finding or discovering them.

Find is a very general word, used both for when you look for something deliberately or when you find it by accident. It is usually used to talk about an object or something you can see. For information, we are more likely to use the phrasal verb find out . Discover is used for objects and information, and tends to be used more when we find something by accident or for the first time:

I found my keys under a cushion.

How did you find out my address?

We discovered a secret door that led to a tunnel.

If you trace someone or something or track them down , you find them, usually after some effort:

The police are trying to trace the man’s family.

I managed to track down a copy of the book.

If you search out something that is difficult to find, you make an effort to find it, but if you come across something or – even more emphatically – stumble across it, you find it by accident:

We spent our evenings searching out the best restaurants.

I came across a wonderful cheese shop in one of the back streets.

I stumbled across a book of her poems.

We sometimes use the slightly formal verb locate to talk about finding the exact position of something, especially something difficult to find. If you uncover something, especially information that was secret or hidden, you find it, either deliberately or by accident. Unearth is used in a similar way, but can also be used for finding physical objects, usually ones that have been buried underground:

A plumber was trying to locate the source of the leak.

The journalist uncovered proof of the fraud.

I’ve managed to unearth some information about my great-grandfather.

He unearthed a small wooden chest when he was digging in the garden!

There are a few idioms connected with finding or discovering things. If you catch someone red-handed , you discover them in the process of doing something bad or illegal. If you run someone or something to ground , you find them after a lot of searching. If information is brought to light , it is discovered or made known, while if you get wind of something that someone was trying to keep secret, you discover information about it:

I caught her red-handed stealing my lunch from the office fridge.

A police officer ran the gunman to ground in an old warehouse.

Recent research has brought new evidence to light.

Workers somehow got wind of plans to downsize the company.

Thank you for tracking down (or stumbling across!) this post, and I hope you have discovered some useful new vocabulary here.

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7 thoughts on “ Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things ”

A great lesson, thanks

Amazing! Thanks.

Thank you @LizWalter for tracking down these useful phrases ! This blog is nowhere near as good as any other!

Great one, thanks. I’ve come across another two posts on searching for information: https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2022/06/22/probing-and-digging-around-searching-for-information/ https://dictionaryblog.cambridge.org/2022/06/29/digging-up-and-getting-wind-of-information-finding-information-words-and-phrases/

Thank you for all the information. I think the phrase ‘track down’ has been used a lot recently. I’ve come across it twice.

The most useful information! Thank you ever so much, friends!

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