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Subject:To be or not: An E-prime inquiry From:Sean O'Donnell-Brown <sodonnell -at- CCMAIL -dot- WIU -dot- BGU -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 5 May 1994 06:32:08 CST
Does anyone on TECHWR-L consciously and purposively resist to some degree or
another using the forms of the verb "to be" (be, been, were, was, am, are, is)
in their professional writing?
Has anyone "gone E-prime" and elimimated all occurrences of "to be" from their
professional and personal writing (or even their speaking)? [For those of you
unfamiliar with it, the term "E-prime" refers to the subset of English language
utterances that uses NO forms of the verb "to be." Should you want to "read
more about it," the Library of Progress recommends _To_Be_or_Not:_An_E-
Prime_Anthology_.]
Also, has anyone conscioulsy and purposively RESISTED E-prime?
I would like to hear reasons for you choices from both sides. I once believed E-
prime practically (literally) impossible to implement, but after having read
several E-prime essays lately, I've begun to believe differently. Convince me.
Thank you in advance for your responses.
Sean
Writer and Editorial Assistant
Curriculum Publications Clearinghouse/NCRVE-MDS
sodonnell -at- ccmail -dot- wiu -dot- bgu -dot- edu
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