20 Verbs Smothered by Bes

20 Verbs Smothered by Bes 20 Verbs Smothered by â€Å"Be†s 20 Verbs Smothered by â€Å"Be†s By Mark Nichol Below are phrases in which a form of â€Å"to be† plus an adjective (or a preposition and a noun) and, often, a preposition can easily be replaced by a simple form of the verb (occasionally accompanied by a preposition), resulting in a more concise statement: 1. Before: â€Å"She is able (or unable) to think for herself.† After: â€Å"She can (or cannot) think for herself.† 2. Before: â€Å"This rule is applicable to both scenarios.† After: â€Å"This rule applies to both scenarios.† 3. Before: â€Å"They are authorized (or empowered) to speak on our behalf.† After: â€Å"They may speak on our behalf.† 4. Before: â€Å"The company is benefited by this policy.† After: â€Å"The company benefits from this policy.† 5. Before: â€Å"The agreement is binding upon both parties.† After: â€Å"The agreement binds both parties.† 6. Before: â€Å"The compound is derived from a chemical reaction.† After: â€Å"The compound derives from a chemical reaction.† 7. Before: â€Å"We are desirous of your reply.† After: â€Å"We desire your reply.† 8. Before: â€Å"She is in agreement with us.† After: â€Å"She agrees with us.† 9. Before: â€Å"He will be in attendance at the event.† After: â€Å"He will attend the event.† 10. Before: â€Å"Their behavior is indicative of what you can expect from them.† After: â€Å"Their behavior indicates what you can expect of them.† 11. Before: â€Å"He is in error in his account of the incident.† After: â€Å"He errs in his account of the incident.† 12. Before: â€Å"It was in existence at that moment.† After: â€Å"It existed at that moment.† 13. Before: â€Å"She is influential on his artistic style.† After: â€Å"She influences his artistic style.† 14. Before: â€Å"I am in possession of some incriminating evidence.† After: â€Å"I hold some incriminating evidence.† (In this case, â€Å"I possess . . .† in place of â€Å"I am in possession of . . .† would imply ownership, not temporary possession, which is what the original sentence implies.) 15. Before: â€Å"My colleague is in receipt of the document.† After: â€Å"My colleague received the document.† 16. Before: â€Å"The mechanism will soon be operative.† After: â€Å"The mechanism will soon operate.† 17. Before: â€Å"The company was in violation of several regulations.† After: â€Å"The company violated several regulations.† 18. Before: â€Å"The committee was productive of a thorough report.† After: â€Å"The committee produced a thorough report.† 19. Before: â€Å"This advertising campaign will be effectively promotive of the product.† After: â€Å"This advertising campaign will effectively promote the product.† 20. Before: â€Å"We are supportive of your efforts.† After: â€Å"We support your efforts.† Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Grammar category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:How Many Tenses in English?Work of Art TitlesHow often is "bimonthly"?