Strong verbs engage your senses. They allow readers to visualize actions.:
You feel the air reverberating when he slams his fist on the table. The teacups jiggle, his face reddens, and his voice thunders.
But strong verbs don’t need to convey powerful action. Subtle action can evoke powerful feelings, too. For instance:
He cradles the baby, strokes her dark hair, tickles her chin, and hums a lullaby.
Strong verbs are precise and concrete. In contrast, weak verbs are abstract and generic—they don’t help you picture a scene. For instance, if someone is giving feedback, is he shouting his comments? Or lecturing you with an angry face? Or perhaps scribbling a few suggestions in the margin of your copy?
You can’t picture “give feedback,” but you can visualize “shouting,” “lecturing,” and “scribbling.”
‘Come in for’ means to receive. This is usually used with words such as ‘criticism’ ‘abuse’ ‘blame’.
‘Go in for’ can be used with words such as ‘competition’ to mean ‘enter’.
‘Sit in on’ can be used with words such as ‘conference’ or ‘meeting’ to indicate that you attend as an observer and not as a regular participant.
‘Stand in for’ is used to mean ‘substitute for’.
If you ‘go along with’ existing plans, opinions or decisions you accept them and don’t try to change them.
If you ‘listen out for’ something, you keep alert and make an effort to hear it.
If you ‘cash in on’ a situation, you take advantage of it, often unfairly.
If you ‘drop in on’ somebody, you make an informal, unarranged visit to see them.
What is a precise adjective?
A precise adjective gives a clear and accurate description/picture of the noun or pronoun that it modifies.
Ex:Our vacation was fun. (How fun is fun? It is not really precise)
With precise Adjectives > Our vacation was stimulating/exciting/thrilling/exhilarating/comical .
Ex: She is pretty. With precise Adjectives > She is gorgeous/lovely/charming/fair .
It works the same way with verbs…Precise verbs give a clear and accurate action.
Ex:He walked towards the door. (How did he walk?) > He tiptoed/limped/strode/inched/sauntered/toddled towards the door.