Expletive Construction:
There are many ways to teach, and Freire's ideas offer but one approach.
-or-
Freire offers one approach to teaching, but several others exist
It is difficult to follow Geertz's ideas after only one reading.
-or-
Readers might not follow Geertz's ideas after only one reading.
Static v. Active Verbs:
Elbow's essay was at first contradictory.
-or-
At first contradictory, Elbow's essay eventually shows
the limits of defining speech or writing.
-or-
Elbow's essay initially offered a major contradiction.
Active and Passive voice:
Being that the administration has not met the GEO's demands, they have called for a work stoppage.
The way that universities—because of their corporate-like structure and many levels of bureaucracy—handle student registration, with all its complex forms and trips to several offices, can be frustrating.
Introducing Quotes:
Here are some verbs that you could use to introduce quotations within your text. It is sometimes handy to use these to cue your readers as to what you think about the source and its value.
Author is neutral :
Comments, describes, explains, illustrates, notes, observes, points out, records, relates, reports, sees, thinks, writes
Author infers or suggests :
Analyzes, asks, assesses, concludes, finds, considers, predicts, proposes, reveals, shows, speculates, suggests, supposes
Author argues:
Alleges, claims, contends, defends, disagrees, holds, insists, maintains
Author agrees:
Admits, concedes, concurs, grants
Author is uneasy or disparaging:
Belittles, bemoans, complains, condemns, deplores, deprecates, derides, laments, warns
Remember, each of these will give a different flavor to your argument—they are not just synonyms in each category. For instance, think of the difference when a writer says:
After describing her research, Schofield-Clark [concludes, concedes, insists, deplores, notes] that community centers create new spaces for literacy and fun.