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Get rid of those nasty “be” verbs!. am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been. Situation #1 : “be” verb + - ing verb. Harry was flying on the broomstick. Solution : drop “be” verb and change the form of the – ing verb to agree with the subject Harry flew on the broomstick. Example:.
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Get rid of those nasty “be” verbs! am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
Situation #1: “be” verb + -ing verb • Harry was flying on the broomstick. • Solution: drop “be” verb and change the form of the –ing verb to agree with the subject • Harry flew on the broomstick.
Example: • Hagridis telling Harry how to get past Fluffy. • Hagridtells Harry how to get past Fluffy.
Example: • When Harry and Ron save Hermione, she is telling the professors that it was her idea to fight the troll. • When Harry and Ron save Hermione, she tells the professors that it was her idea to fight the troll.
Situation #2: passive voice – “be” verb + verb in the past participle (tense) • One hundred and fifty points were taken from Gryffindor. • Solution: ask who or what is performing the action of the verb and make that word the subject of the sentence; drop the “be” verb and change the form of the main verb to agree with the new subject • Professor McGonagall took one hundred and fifty points away from Gryffindor.
Example: • Gryffindor is treated unfairly and Slytherinis favored. (Snape is doing the treating.) • Snapetreats Gryffindor unfairly and favorsSlytherin.
Example: • As he topples off his broom in the first Quidditch game, the snitch is swallowed by Harry. • As he topples off his broom in the first Quidditch game, Harry swallows the snitch.
Situation #3: “wh” word (who, which, that) + “be” verb + description • Hermione, who is a very intelligent girl, sometimes comes across as an annoying know-it-all. • Solution: drop “wh” word and “be verb • Hermione, a very intelligent girl, sometimes comes across as an annoying know-it-all.
Example: • When Ron, who is the youngest Weasley son, looks in the Mirror of Erised, he sees himself as Head Boy and Captain of the Quidditch team. • When Ron, the youngest Weasley son, looks in the Mirror of Erised, he sees himself as Head Boy and Captain of the Quidditch team.
Example: • Hagrid takes Harry to Gringotts to withdraw money, which is something he’s never had before. • Hagrid takes Harry to Gringotts to withdraw money, something he’s never had before.
Situation #4: there + “be” verb • There are many differences between Hermione and Ron. • Solution: drop there and the “be” verb and look for the real subject of the sentence; then think of a better, more active verb • Many differences distinguish Hermione and Ron from one another.
Example: • There are many similarities between Malfoy and Dudley. • Malfoy and Dudley share many similarities.
Example: • There are many mythological allusions in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. • Many mythological allusions exist in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Situation #5: your basic “be” verb as the main verb • Snapeis equally ruthless and cruel towards Harry. • Solution: get creative with your verbs and revise the sentence! • Snape’s hatred of Harry remains clear in his ruthless cruelty.
Example: • The climax is when Harry, Ron, and Hermione go through the trapdoor. • In the climax, Harry, Ron, and Hermione go through the trapdoor.
Example: • Nicolas Flamelis six hundred and sixty-five. • At six hundred and sixty-five, Nicolas Flamel remains one of the oldest wizards alive.