Use of "To Be" verbs - when is it acceptable?

I think any word overused can be a problem. I just can't see any additional problem with the words you've mentioned. I believe 'that' is overused and I must admit to that myself.

Your excerpt is running 1.1% was. That's probably better than most stuff out there, so you don't have a problem. Still, you might look at constructions like, It was then that I noticed something... Which completes the opening, I know--

I noticed something wrong, something that I should have noticed long ago, something that I should never have missed. All it took, for me to notice the problem staring me in the face, was Mom's mention of guests.

[three paragraphs]

It was then that I noticed something wrong: there was no chair for Sister.


Something is a rather weak word to use three times in the opening sentence. Just my opinion.

[I'm confused - in my current WIP, with the link in my signature, do I overuse "to be" verbs?

I think all such advice should be taken with a pinch of salt as a writer's choice of constructions depend entirely on the effect the writer wants to produce.
Sometimes you want to use the passive voice, sometimes you want to use simple direct sentences. it is crazy to avoid the use of perfectly good words ( whatever the writing books say) and doing so may produce weirdly distorted and self conscious writing.
'I saw the sun then; it was red and low in the sky.'
'I observed the sun, hanging low and red in the sky.'

They have a completely different register and you choose the register you want. One is not better thatn the other.

The to be verb has a purpose in our language, or it wouldn't exist. Use it for the purpose it is intended to be used and that's not only acceptable, but mandatory. Don't go reinventing the wheel because someone who happened to write a "how to" book has a pet writing peeve.

The same goes for every other verb, noun, adverb, adjective--word which we have at our disposal.

Write your story in clear, interesting sentences. If every sentence has a to be verb in it because that is what you need to be saying at that time, then so be it. There is no other verb which does that work as eloquently. Being afraid of it simply makes no sense at all, at least to me.

Julie Worth said:

Your excerpt is running 1.1% was. That's probably better than most stuff out there, so you don't have a problem. Still, you might look at constructions like, It was then that I noticed something...

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Julie has hit a big nail squarely in this example. Constructions like "It was X that did Y" or "There was A that did B" are inherently wordy. Almost always they can be reduced to "X did Y" or some similar straightforward equivalent that is shorter, crisper and stronger. This particular use of a "to be" verb is weak, every time.

But by itself, "to be" is a perfectly acceptable verb, no different from "to do" or "to go" or any number of other common simple verbs in the English language.

caw

Who is slandering our beloved "to be," star of one of the most famous lines in English drama? T'is a consummation devoutly not to be wished.

The problem with the forms of To Be is that it may lead to passive writing.

The problem isn't with the form of be as to how it is used.

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/grammar/g_actpass.html

Beginning writers often use a form of "to be" when a more interesting, specific, and active word could be used to better effect.

"I was upset," vs. "I cried for an hour." The second sentence is more active, more interesting, and better for most purposes.

Now, if you're not a beginning writer, and you know what you're doing, and you have a reason for the former, you use it. Like, I don't know, you want to reveal how un-emotive a character is, so you have him use it, or something.

The problem with "was" is that it can be a way to tell something when you could show it with a more interesting sentence. Compare-- "It was cold" to "She shivered." One is telling, the other is showing. There's nothing wrong with "to be" verbs, but if every other sentence uses one, you might consider revising.

ETA: Autodidact, you beat me to it.

Use "to be" verbs when they are the clearest, most direct, most powerful way of expressing your idea.

In my line editing stage, I do a search for am, are, is, was, were and examine if I can express the idea better some other way. If not, I leave them in peace. I also do a search for all my flabby pet words, seeing as wordiness is one of my prevailing faults.

"He was the sales representative for John Deere" is not as effective as "He sold farm machines for John Deere".

On the other hand, "Luke...I am your father" can't be improved upon. "Luke...I fathered you" would just be ridiculous.

I went a little crazy trying to get rid of all the "to be" constructions. Couldn't manage a complete excision, of course, but I worried about what was left.

So now I have a publisher and the manuscript is being copyedited. And wouldn't you know, the editor is adding some! (She wants to eliminate some of my sentence fragments.) Go figure....

sometimes passive voice is impossible to avoid.

I think this should be in the basic questions thread.

I can't avoid passive voice! Its impossible!

Sarpedon said:

I can't avoid passive voice!

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Correction: "Passive voice can't be avoided by me!"

caw

My general repetition is something like this....

Jessie was walking down the street. Dave passed by and Jessie said hi, then Jessie went down to the store to get some apples for her dessert. Dave went to her and said hello, then asked her how her sister was doing. Jessie replied that Stephanie was fine, and that Jessie was going to dinner at her house that night. Jessie smiled at Dave and they parted.

Not the best example....But if I can look at a paragraph (3-5 lines long or so) and see the name 'Jessie', 'Dave', or 'Stephanie' more than twice or so, then I've gone too repetitive.