One of the major questions I have received persistently, lately, is the question of how to effectively use verbs in exam writing. Let me state that verbs are the foundation of English grammar, yet their importance in academic writing and exam performance is often underestimated by students. While nouns identify people, places, and things, it is verbs that express action, state, thinking, and relationships, making them the backbone of sentence meaning.
This blog post presents research-based insights into the use of verbs in exam writing, with a particular focus on how verb choice, verb forms, verb tenses, and active and passive voice influence clarity, accuracy, and achievement in examination contexts. These findings demonstrate that mastering verbs is essential for improving writing skills, enhancing coherence, and boosting academic performance in high school English exams and tertiary assessments.
1. Verbs as the Core of Sentence Meaning
Research consistently shows that verbs determine the overall meaning and structure of sentences. According to functional linguistics, every clause revolves around a verb. Without strong verbs, writing becomes vague, weak, or difficult to follow. In exam situations, where students must communicate ideas quickly and clearly, choosing precise action verbs and avoiding overly general terms is critical.
For example, replacing common verbs like do, make, or get with precise academic verbs such as investigate, analyse, evaluate, or construct increases clarity and improves the academic register of the writing. Examiners frequently state that essays using strong verb choice appear more confident, more analytical, and more aligned with the task requirements. Thus, understanding the importance of verbs in English is the first step toward achieving writing proficiency.
2. Verb Choice and Academic Register
One of the strongest findings from this research is that verb choice directly influences the tone and academic register of exam writing. High-performing essays consistently use analytical writing verbs and reporting verbs such as:
- argue
- suggest
- demonstrate
- indicate
- highlight
- reveal
These verbs help writers communicate higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, evaluation, interpretation, and synthesis. For instance, in literature or comprehension exams, verbs like symbolises, represents, and portrays guide students to deeper textual analysis.
In contrast, weaker responses rely on everyday verbs like say or tell, which do not accurately convey the depth of argument needed in academic essays. Teaching students the difference between everyday verbs and academic verbs significantly improves their writing for exam purposes. Therefore, improving writing for exams involves expanding students’ repertoire of effective verbs.
3. Verb Forms and Grammatical Accuracy
Another major aspect of exam success is grammatical accuracy, which is heavily influenced by the correct use of verb forms. Common problem areas include:
- subject–verb agreement
- incorrect verb endings
- misused auxiliary verbs
- incorrect infinitives and gerunds
- inconsistent verb forms within a sentence
Research has found that many grammatical errors in exam writing arise from verb form confusion rather than lack of vocabulary. For example:
Incorrect: The students was writing their essays.
Correct: The students were writing their essays.
Such errors weaken coherence and cost marks in grammar-focused sections of the assessment. Targeted teaching of English grammar for high school exams, with a focus on verb patterns, significantly improves student achievement. Clear knowledge of verb accuracy allows students to express themselves fluently and confidently.
4. Verb Tense and Control of Time
Effective exam writing requires accurate and controlled use of verb tenses. Tense consistency ensures clarity, especially in narrative and analytical writing. Strong writers use tense deliberately to guide readers through events, ideas, and explanations.
Narrative writing
Most narratives use the past tense, but strategic shifts to the present tense can increase immediacy or create emphasis. However, uncontrolled switching between tenses confuses the reader and weakens the story.
Analytical and argumentative writing
Academic essays and reports typically use the present tense because arguments, ideas, and interpretations are discussed as ongoing truths.
Research confirms that exam responses with consistent tense use score higher for coherence and expression. Students who plan their tense structure before writing demonstrate stronger control over their work. Therefore, teaching verb tense rules for exams and helping students practise tense consistency enhances their performance significantly.
5. Active and Passive Voice in Exam Writing
Verb voice plays a crucial role in determining clarity and formality in exam writing. The active voice is preferred for most persuasive, analytical, and narrative responses because it is direct, clear, and engaging.
- Active: The government increased the funding.
The passive voice is useful in scientific or formal writing when the focus is on the action rather than the person performing it.
- Passive: The funding was increased by the government.
Research shows that high-performing scripts use both voices strategically. Overusing the passive voice results in unclear and lifeless writing, while relying exclusively on the active voice may sometimes limit formality. Students must therefore be taught when and why to use each form. This understanding supports more effective argument development and improves success in exam writing techniques.
6. Verbs as Tools for Logical Structure
Verbs also help structure arguments and make writing logically coherent. Logical linking verbs such as:
- results in
- leads to
- contributes to
- causes
- supports
create clear cause-and-effect relationships. This is essential in persuasive essays and expository writing. In narratives, sequencing verbs like approached, began, continued, and realised provide flow and momentum.
Research shows that teaching students how to use verbs to organise ideas results in more cohesive, reader-friendly exam responses. These coherent writing strategies help students present well-structured essays under time pressure.
7. Verbs and Higher-Order Thinking Skills
High-level exam questions often require interpretation, evaluation, or comparison. These cognitive tasks are best expressed through higher-order thinking verbs such as:
- evaluate
- justify
- analyse
- compare
- explain
Students who use these verbs correctly demonstrate that they understand the task and can respond appropriately. Many exam markers comment that the quality of verbs in a student’s response directly reflects their level of reasoning. In short, verbs do not just shape grammar; they represent thinking.
Conclusion
The findings of this research demonstrate that verbs play an essential role in shaping sentence meaning, organising ideas, and demonstrating analytical ability in examination contexts. The use of verbs in writing for exam purposes affects clarity, structure, argument, and overall success.
Strong verb choice, correct verb forms, consistent verb tenses, and strategic use of active and passive voice enable students to write confidently and accurately. Mastering verbs is therefore a crucial part of improving writing for exams, enhancing literacy skills, and developing the academic expression required for high achievement in English assessments.
Students who understand how to use verbs effectively demonstrate clearer thinking, stronger communication, and deeper engagement with exam tasks. Teachers, curriculum designers, and exam-prep platforms such as Prep4Exam should prioritise explicit instruction in verb use to support improved exam readiness and overall writing proficiency.
