Verbs

• Check verb choices by circling all linking verbs ("am," "is," "are," "was," "were," "be," "been," "being"). Some sources suggest eliminating half the linking verbs in the draft, but the point is to create stronger sentences that still convey clear meaning. Action verbs make writing more vivid.
  
  For instance, this sentence contains a linking verb:
  
  "Linking verbs are weaker than action verbs."
  
  It might be rewritten with this action word:
  
  "Linking verbs create weaker sentences than those with action verbs."
  
  

Deadwood

• Good writing uses concise language to make a point. The next steps in ratiocination help highlight excess wording, or "deadwood." Cross out any uses of "very," " a lot" and "really" since they don't add substance. Place an X on unnecessary phrases like "I think" and "in my opinion." Then underline sentences with "there is" and "there are" and revise to eliminate such wording.
  
  For example, this sentence is weak:
  
  "There are other students in the class."
  
  This revision creates a stronger sentence:
  
  "Other students attend the class."
  
  

Length

• Several ratiocination steps also focus on sentence length. Underline sentences using alternating colors. Examine their structure. Short sentences might be fragments and excessively long sentences might be run-ons or have too many comma splices. See if sentences that run more than two lines sound better when broken into two or more sentences. Some writing guides suggest putting brackets around the single longest sentence in the draft and re-reading it for clarity. Take steps that focus on sentence length after those that focus on cutting deadwood.
  
  

Variety

• Ratiocination also focuses on sentence variety. Put brackets around the first word of each sentence to graphically identify how each begins. Revise to include a variety of structures to start sentences, such as verbals (words that end in -ing or -ed) and subordinate clauses (groups of words that start with conjunctions like "although" and "if"). Draw a wavy line under any word or phrase used more than three times in the paper and restructure to avoid such overuse.