Strong verbs beat adverbs every time

Adverbs (words that describe verbs, often ending in -ly) are not wrong. But they are often a sign that the verb is not doing its job.

Spot the weak pairs

• walked slowly → trudged, ambled, crept
• said loudly → shouted, bellowed
• ate quickly → wolfed, gulped
• looked angrily → glared
• closed the door hard → slammed the door

Each verb carries a different feeling

“Trudged” suggests someone tired or unhappy. “Ambled” suggests someone relaxed. “Crept” suggests secrecy. Choosing the right verb gives the reader the action and the mood at once.

When adverbs are useful

Sometimes an adverb adds something the verb cannot: “She smiled sadly” mixes two feelings in a way no single verb can. Use adverbs when they surprise, not when they repeat.

A quick editing trick

Search your draft for “-ly”. For each one, ask: is there a single verb that says this better?

Try it: rewrite this sentence with no adverbs: “He walked nervously into the room and quietly sat down.” Then check your draft with the Self-edit checker on the Toolkit page.