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To help move away from summary and toward ANALYSIS, it’s important to incorporate strong verbs into your writing when discussing the writer’s rhetorical choices. Below is a list of verbs that are considered weak (imply summary) and a list of verbs that are considered strong (imply analysis). Strive to use the stronger verbs in your essays to help push yourself away from summary and toward analysis: ex “The writer flatters…” NOT “The writer says…”

Weak Verbs (Summary):

says 

explains

relates 

states 

goes on to say 

shows 

tells 

this quote shows

Strong Verbs (Analysis):

Argues, admonishes, analyzes, compares, contrasts, defines, demonizes, denigrates, describes, dismisses, enumerate, expounds, emphasizes, establishes, flatters, implies, lionizes, lists, minimizes, narrates, praises, processes, qualifies, questions, ridicules, suggests, supports, trivializes, vilifies, warns       

Powerful and Meaningful Verbs to Use in an Analysis (Alternatives to Show): 

Acknowledge, Address, Analyze, Apply, Argue, Assert, Augment

Broaden

Calculate, Capitalize, Characterize, Claim, Clarify,Compare, Complicate, Confine, Connect, Consider, Construct, Contradict, Correct, Create, Convince, Critique

Declare, Deduce, Defend, Demonstrate, Deny, Describe, Determine, Differentiate, Disagree, Discard, Discover, Discuss, Dismiss, Distinguish, Duplicate

Elaborate, Emphasize, Employ, Enable, Engage, Enhance, Establish, Evaluate, Exacerbate, Examine, Exclude, Exhibit, Expand, Explain, Exploit, Express, Extend

Facilitate, Feature, Forecast, Formulate, Fracture

Generalize, Group, Guide

Hamper, Hypothesize

Identify, Illuminate, Illustrate, Impair, Implement, Implicate, Imply, Improve, Include, Incorporate, Indicate, Induce, Initiate, Inquire, Instigate, Integrate, Interpret, Intervene, Invert, Isolate

Justify

Locate, Loosen

Maintain, Manifest, Manipulate, Measure, Merge, Minimize, Modify, Monitor

Necessitate, Negate, Nullify

Obscure, Observe, Obtain, Offer, Omit, Optimize, Organize, Outline, Overstate

Persist, Point out, Possess, Predict, Present, Probe, Produce, Promote, Propose, Prove, Provide

Qualify, Quantify, Question

Realize, Recommend, Reconstruct, Redefine, Reduce, Refer, Reference, Refine, Reflect, Refute, Regard, Reject, Relate, Rely, Remove, Repair, Report, Represent, Resolve, Retrieve, Reveal, Revise

Separate, Shape, Signify, Simulate, Solve, Specify, Structure, Suggest, Summarize, Support, Suspend, Sustain

Tailor, Terminate, Testify, Theorize, Translate

Undermine, Understand, Unify, Utilize

Validate, Vary, View, Vindicate

Yield  

Detail: Matlock Tor by Moonlight, 1777-80, by Joseph Wright of Derby.

hey if you guys are looking for something to read LET ME RECOMMEND YOU the Shades of Magic series by V.E. Schwab

like this series is freaking amazing.

it has:

amazing writing that is beautiful without being overwrought

a really hecking good plot with magic and adventure and great worldbuilding

NO LOVE TRIANGLES

all the romances feel organic

amazing antiheroes

there’s rotating main characters and they include a badass fucking lady who is disabled (one eye) and a bisexual prince

AND!! the prince’s bisexuality isn’t a Secret or a Big Plot Point it’s just ‘here he is making out with ladies. now dudes’ but it’s also prominent enough that his romances are featured in the books and not mentioned as an afterthought (looking at you, J.K. Rowling)

the series actaully (imo) gets better as it progresses instead of derailing

THE WRITING IS SO GOOD OKAY

Medical School Interviews

Across the UK hopeful medics will have sent off their applications and are eagerly awaiting for an interview. Considering I was in the same position a literal year ago I thought I would share some advice for the interviews. Unfortunately, I can’t disclose what interview questions I got but I can give some general tips that really helped me. 

First, I thought I would give some background to my application. I applied to 4 medical schools that were all MMI so the advice I am about to give is more geared towards MMI style interviews. I was very fortunate to get 3 interviews and 3 offers for medicine.

Look at the Medical Schools website. Each medical school tends to outline the qualities they are looking for at interview on their website. Think of specific examples for each quality and practice how you have used/developed said quality and why this would make you a good doctor.

Stay away from Student Room. The number of people that told me to stay away from student room was enormous and yet I still ignored them and checked. All it does is scare you and makes you panic. It’s not worth the stress at all. Just focus on your application and nobody else’s. 

Be professional. Medical schools really value professionalism and teach it throughout medical school. However, there is the expectation for you to have a certain level of professionalism before you enter medical school. Little things such as what you wear can make a big impact. For example, guys tended to wear suits at the interview however it isn’t necessary to as long as you are dressed smart then it is okay. Arrive on time. It looks really bad if you arrive late to your interview and you will also probably be really stressed as well which won’t help at all. If you are going to be late ring the medical school well in advance.

Some interviewers may be mean. I wish someone had told me this. Interviewers are there to test certain skills and therefore may be appear to be really brutal to you. Remember, that is what they are there for, stay calm and prove to them that you can handle it. This is essential as not every patient is going to be compliant and they need to test that you are able to cope with it.

Stay up to date with the news. When I had my interviews, the junior doctor contract was very hot in the news so I read around the topic. However, medical schools expect that of you and will probably not test you about that as it doesn’t really show anything that makes you stand out. But keeping up to date with scientific advancements in the medical field will put you in good stead.

Be honest. I think this is probably the most important tip I have. If you do not know something, then tell them that you don’t know it. The person asking will probably have a lot of expertise on the subject and will be able to tell when you are waffling. A lot of the time they are trying to see if you are brave enough to say you do not know rather than seeing if you actually do know something on that topic. Remember that a responsible doctor is one that stays within their limits and admits that they do not know something. If you are quite competent on the subject, then do talk about it however do not feel pressured to have a conversation with them about it. 

So there are all my general tips! I just want to finish with saying that please don’t worry if you mess up a station. MMIs typically have 7/8 stations, you are judged on all the stations not just one, so take a deep breath and smash the other ones. If anyone has any questions regarding interviews just send me a message.

Good luck to everyone applying! 

Ways To Describe Someone's Voice

adenoidal (adj): if someone’s voice is adenoidal, some of the sound seems to come through their nose

appealing (adj): an appealing look/voice shows that you want help, approval, or agreement

breathy (adj): with loud breathing noises

brittle (adj): if you speak in a brittle voice, you sound as if you are about to cry

croaky (adj): if someone’s voice sounds croaky, they speak in a low, rough voice that sounds as if they have a sore throat

dead (adj): if someone’s eyes or voice are dead, they feel or show no emotion

disembodied (adj): a disembodied voice comes from someone who you cannot see

flat (adj): spoken in a voice that does not go up and down; this word is often used for describing the speech of people from a particular region

fruity (adj): a fruity voice or laugh is deep and strong in a pleasant way

grating (adj): a grating voice, laugh, or sound is unpleasant and annoying

gravelly (adj): a gravelly voice sounds low and rough

gruff (adj): this voice has a rough, low sound

guttural (adj): a guttural sound is deep and made at the back of your throat

high-pitched (adj): true to its name, a high-pitched voice or sound is very high

hoarse (adj): someone who is hoarse, or has a hoarse voice, speaks in a low, rough voice, usually because their throat is sore

honeyed (adj): honeyed words or a honeyed voice sound very nice, but you cannot trust the person who is speaking

husky (adj): a husky voice is deep and sounds hoarse (as if you have a sore throat), often in an attractive way

low (adj): a low voice is quiet and difficult to hear; also used for describing a deep voice that has a long wavelength

matter-of-fact (adj): usually used if the person speaking knows what they are talking about (or absolutely think they know what they are talking about)

modulated (adj): a modulated voice is controlled and pleasant to listen to

monotonous (adj): this kind of voice is boring and unpleasant due to the fact that it does not change in loudness or become higher/lower

nasal (adj): someone with a nasal voice sounds as if they are speaking through their nose

orotund (adj): an orotund voice is loud and clear

penetrating (adj): a penetrating voice is so high or loud that it makes you slightly uncomfortable

plummy (adj): a plummy voice or way of speaking is considered to be typical of an English person of a high social class; this word shows that you dislike people who speak like this

quietly (adj): in a soft, quiet voice

raucous (adj): a raucous voice or noise is loud and sounds rough

ringing (adj): a ringing voice is very loud and clear

rough (adj): a rough voice is not soft and is unpleasant to listen to

shrill (adj): a shrill voice is very loud, high, and unpleasant

silvery (adj): this voice is clear, light, and pleasant

singsong (adj): if you speak in a singsong voice, your voice rises and falls in a musical way

small (adj): a small voice is quiet

smoky (adj): a smoky voice is sexually attractive in a slightly mysterious way

softly spoken (adj): someone who is softly spoken has a quiet, gentle voice

soft-spoken (adj): speaking or said in a quiet, gentle voice

sotto voce (adj, adv): in a very quiet voice

stentorian (adj): a stentorian voice sounds very loud and severe

strangled (adj): a strangled sound is one that someone stops before they finish making it

strident (adj): this voice is loud and unpleasant

taut (adj): used about something such as a voice that shows someone is nervous or angry

thick (adj): if your voice is thick with an emotion, it sounds less clear than usual because of the emotion

thickly (adv): with a low voice that comes mostly from your throat

thin (adj): a thin voice or sound is high and unpleasant to listen to

throaty (adj): a throaty sound is low and seems to come from deep in your throat

tight (adj): shows that you are nervous or annoyed

toneless (adj): does not express any emotion

tremulous (adj): if your voice is tremulous, it is not steady; for example, because you are afraid or excited

wheezy (adj): a wheezy noise sounds as if it is made by someone who has difficulty breathing

wobbly (adj): if your voice is wobbly, it goes up and down, usually because you are frightened, not confident, or are going to cry

booming (adj): very loud and attention-getting

quavering (adv): if your voice quavers, it is not steady because you are feeling nervous or afraid

a voice like a foghorn: very loud voice

in an undertone: using a quiet voice so that someone cannot hear you

someone’s dulcet tones: the sound of someone’s voice as they speak