Val Dumond

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Articles on Writing, Grammar, and Publishing
by Val Dumond

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Val writes articles on grammar, the art and science of writing, and publishing, for budding writers and seasoned authors alike. These articles are not only informative and educational, they're entertaining - written as only Val can. Enjoy this latest of her articles:

When Is IS Is, and When IS Isn't?
by Val Dumond
© Copyright 2010

Have you noticed how writing resembles psychology? Much is related to the use and definition of the little word "is". Many languages other than English provide two separate words for "is". One suggests something that "is" is unchangeable; the other means that something is temporary and can change.

Still, writers in English are stuck with one set of words for the verb "to be": is, was, are, has been, were, etc. Knowing how to manage these verbs determines how well you carry out the writer's mantra of "show, don't tell".

Addressing the permanent, unchangeable meaning of is, look at some basics of being:

• I am woman; you are man.
• We are family; you are not.
• She is brown-eyed; he is blue-eyed.
• They are native Canadians; we are native Americans.

Some of the things that can be changed include states of being in the moment, conditions that can be adjusted or corrected.

• I am lonely.
• You are a wise guy.
• We are falling in love.
• She is a blond.
• He is a politician.
• It is cold.
• I am cold.
• You are hot.

As a writer, you breathe life into your characters, psych them out, maneuver their emotions and make them express their inner lives. How much more important a word can you find to accomplish that than that baby "is"?

How can you manage this verb?

Easy as 1-2-3:

1. Determine whether the noun's condition is permanent or impermanent.
2. If permanent, use is-words that imply the unchangeable state.
3. If impermanent, find words to express what's going on, what can be changed.

Note that when you get to Number 3, you are likely to be dealing with the senses. That's where the psychology comes in. Back in the 1950s, a semanticist, D. David Bourne, began a bruhaha in the linguistics world by developing what he called E-prime - using the English language without the use of any of the forms of "to be". As linguists do, he created theories and postulates and scholarly models of his idea. Look up some of those articles on the Internet for deeper discussion. Bourne's article, "The Un-isness of Is" was published in Time magazine in May 1969.

Most of Bourne's work was centered on the semantics of "is". The psychology of "is" became another matter in 1957 when a well-known psychologist, Albert Ellis, picked up the challenge to write a book using E-prime. That is, he used no form of the verb "to be". He already had assimilated the concept in his practice. The idea, briefly, encompassed the belief that mental problems arise when we accept the "isness" of ourselves as a permanent condition when, with therapy, that condition can be changed.

• "I am a procrastinator" suggests that the condition is permanent when, with a bit of professional help, I can overcome putting off chores.
• "I am a failure" doesn't mean I cannot learn to become a winner.
• "I am a cigarette smoker" can be changed to "I smoke cigarettes, and I can become a non-smoker".
• "She is lazy" becomes a judgment that can be changed, instead of a reality.
• "He was wrong" becomes an irrelevant opinion, instead of a fact.

Since most therapists deal with emotions, the temptation arises for writers to substitute worlds of the senses for "is". Rather than "He feels mopey" try "He mopes about the house." Instead of "She seems distant" try "Her eyes glass over as she peers into the dark." Remember, the senses (feelings): hear, touch, see, smell, and taste speak for themselves.

Use the Is-word with caution

As a writer and creator of characters, you don't have to go overboard with the E-prime theory and eliminate the is-word. Just pay attention to the way you use those forms of "to be".

Don 't confuse the over-use of "is" with its use as an auxiliary verb, as "is going, is swimming, is supporting." You can still activate your writing by using the direct verb, as in "goes, swims, supports". The linguists have concluded that "is" becomes useful in projecting the ongoingness of a verb.

• "She is going to school to become a doctor" is different from "She goes to school three days a week."
• "They are swimming in next week's meet" is different from "They swim every day."
• " He is supporting the rights of students" is different from "He supports the rights of students."

The word doctors conceived a half-dozen distinct functions for the verb "to be", which they lovingly labeled "the copula" which simply means "linking verb". The three that count with writers include:

• Changeable The writer is my friend; my hobby is quilting.
• Factual My friend is a woman; she is a redhead.
• Auxiliary The writer is submitting her manuscript; She is working anxiously.

One other form that catches up most writers, resulting in a plethora of "it is" and "there are" combinations, is called "existence", which means that the idea or thing exists - at least in the mind of the writer. Notice, however, that existence statements often result in confusion about who or what exists.

• It is raining. (What is raining? Try showing: The rain pelts at the windows.)
• There is a ringing in my ears. (How about: My ears are ringing.)

The only excuse for using the existence form of "is" would be to eliminate blame.

• That report is completely wrong. (Oops! who did that?)
• The smell is overwhelming. (What made the smell?)
• I was told he is a criminal. (Who told you?)

Counteract and Clarify

Good writers want to be as accurate and clear as possible when they write. Following are some ways to counteract and clarify the overuse of "is". (And don't cheat by using contractions: it's, he's, she's, they're, etc.)

1. Write out your first draft.

2. Go over it with your FIND key and locate the various forms of "to be".

3. Decide which ones to bump up to active form, which to change into more accurate words, and which to eliminate.

Try to improve these:

• There are three ways to tell a story.
• Here is the way she ought to respond.
• That tree is tall.
• The afternoon is boring.
• How pleasant it is to sit in a rocking chair.
• In a storm, there is the danger of electrical outage.

Here are my re-writes:

• A story comes alive in three ways.
• She ought to respond quickly and confidently.
• That tree towers over its companions as it reaches toward the cloudless blue sky.
• An afternoon without a nap puts my mind to sleep.
• How comfortable I feel sitting in a rocking chair.
• The danger of an electrical outage increases in a storm.

RECAP

Is-words have two meanings: something that is permanent; something that can be changed.

Be specific when using is-words. Reduce the possibility of misunderstanding.

Don't eliminate is-words, just use them in their most expressive forms.

Just for fun, explain to me the meaning of: It is a nice day. (What is "nice"? And what is the meaning of "nice"? To many, a "nice" day includes a pounding rain and a good book; to others a "nice" day requires sunshine and a good friend.

And that's the way it is!

Val has three soon-to-be-published books: The JOY of Grammar, The Creative Instinct, and Ahlam, Story of an Iraqi Life.

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