The English Language Without To Be

You can speak English without ever using the verb to be. E-Prime forces writers to omit is, am, are, and was, which often reveals hidden assumptions in everyday sentences.

By removing state-of-being verbs, speakers are forced to describe actions rather than making absolute claims about identity. This technique clarifies ambiguous statements and reduces the risk of dogmatic thinking. It originated as a tool for clear writing, yet many proponents find it changes how they perceive the world around them. Even scientific papers have used this style to avoid overstating their conclusions.