Many writers tend to overuse “be” verbs: is, am, are, was, were, be, being, been. While we need these words, strong writers often reword sentences to eliminate them, choosing powerful verbs instead. This article provides specific methods to eliminate them. However, don’t focus on getting rid of every one just for the sake of it—though when I taught English, I had students rise to the occasion. Instead, focus your attention on creating stronger sentences and improving your writing, which sometimes means eliminating a “be” verb or two.