Words to Watch out For

So, I'm going through my WIP to get rid of/rewrite the following words. Thanks to Jan Fischer Wade on YALITCHAT.

Felt / Feel

Heard / Hear

Saw / See

Knew / know / had known

Wondered

Realized

Decided

Seemed

Began

Wished

Hoped

Use Active Voice, Not Passive:  Style of writing that helps to show, not tell!

Words to Check:  (remember in the 'find' feature to check the 'find exact match' box for words that are only two or three letters long)

To be

Is

Are

Was

Were

Has

Had

Have

Have Been

Did

Does

Do

Also: Past Participles (verb form often ending in -ed)

Jill Elizabeth Nelson presented some great before and after examples in her article "On With the Show; Off With the Tell":

Instead of writing, He thought a good bath wouldn’t hurt the dog, write, Whew! A good bath would do this dog a world of good.

Instead of, She feels a sinking sensation in her middle, write, Her stomach drops to her toes.

Instead of, He knew that if she did that, she’d fail, write, If she did that, she’d fail.

Instead of, She wondered how she would get through the next day, write, How could she possibly survive the next day?

Instead of, I wished I hadn’t said that, write, If only I hadn’t said that.