Filter words

Filter words distance the reader from the narrative, which can be a useful tool in select circumstances, but are typically something you want to avoid using unintentionally. After all, most authors want their readers fully immersed in the narrative! There will be instances, however, where leaving a filter is the best option—sometimes rephrasing without a filter makes the sentence unnecessarily convoluted.

Filters include words like see, hear, think, know, wonder, seem, realize, decide, and dozens of others, as well as phrases like ‘become aware of’ and ‘make out.’ I’ll list the most common filters below, as well as examples of how to rephrase a sentence with them. Many of the same filters can be used in different ways (e.g. ‘notice’ for both visual and auditory uses), but I’ll typically only list each one once.

appear like – It appeared like the beast was made of metal.  |  The beast was made of metal.

become aware of – I become aware of music drifting through the room.  |  Music drifts through the room.

detect – She detected a hint of a smile on his face.  |  A hint of a smile graced his face.

discern – He discerned a plume of smoke in the distance.  |  Smoke plumed into the sky in the distance.

find – Turning, Alia finds Erik in the doorway, his arms crossed.  |  Alia turns. Erik lounges in the doorway, arms crossed.

identify – I identified the bracelet as one from my collection.  |  The bracelet was from my collection.

look – Mom looked angry.  |  Mom’s lips pursed as she glared out the window.

look like – Grayson looks like a mess.  |  Grayson is a mess.

make out – I could make out the writing, which spelled “FTP.”  |  The faint writing spelled out “FTP.”

note – She notes the balled-up paper in the corner.  |  A crumpled ball of paper lay in the corner.

take note – Arden took note of the dragon’s hesitance.  |  The dragon hesitated, swaying back a few inches.

notice – Noticing the dog poop I just stepped in, I curse.  |  My shoe slips on the pavement, and I lift my foot. A thick brown smear coats the sole—dog poop. I curse.

observe – He observed the sorry state of the house.  |  Dirty shutters hung off-kilter beside the windows, loose shingles flapping in the heavy wind.

perceive – Calia perceived that Margot was sad.  |  Margot slumped, tears shining in her eyes.

reveal – The cloth rose, revealing the white rabbit.  |  The cloth rose. The white rabbit beneath sat back and began grooming.

see – Damian saw Luke jogging around the corner and waved.  |  Luke jogged around the corner, and Damian waved.

seem – The wilderness seemed picturesque.  |  The wilderness was picturesque.

sight – I sight the plane coming in for a landing, engines smoking.  |  The plane comes in for a landing, engines smoking.

spot – He glanced up and spotted a deer between the trees.  |  He glanced up as a deer minced between the trees.

watch – Naomi watched as Lilah stomped out of the room. |  Lilah stomped out of the room.

witness – And then I witnessed the chancellor being shot. |  And then the man shot the chancellor.

catch – I caught the faint strains of jazz music from the next room.  |  The faint strains of jazz music filtered from the next room.

hear – She heard the chirp of birds and the rustle of the wind in the branches.  |  Birds chirped overhead, and the branches rustled in the wind.

listen to – Frozen, Pete listens to the footsteps creaking across the floorboards.  |  Pete freezes as footsteps creak across the floorboards.

make out – Celia made out the distant rumble of the garbage truck approaching.  |  The garbage truck rumbled in the near distance.

overhear – I overhear Marla say, “I can’t believe she did that.”  |  Marla says, “I can’t believe she did that.”

sound – He jumped at the sound of a crash behind him.  |  He jumped at a crash behind him.

sound like – The shouts sounded like they were moving closer.  |  The shouts were moving closer.

ascertain – I ascertained that he was lying to me.  |  He was lying to me.

assume – Carol waited, assuming he’d clue in any moment.  |  Carol waited—he’d clue in any moment.

consider – He considered walking to the store.  |  He could walk to the store.

decide – I decide to walk down the hall.  |  I walk down the hall.

deem – She deemed it a losing proposition.  |  It was a losing proposition.

discover – Martin discovered she’d been cheating on him.  |  She’d been cheating on him.

estimate – I estimated it was fifty feet long.  |  It was fifty feet long.

feel – She felt fear flood her.  |  Fear flooded her.

figure – In the winter wilderness, he figured he would need a campfire. |  In the winter wilderness, he would need a campire.

gather – Ashley paused, gathering George was exhausted.  |  George stopped, panting, and Ashley paused.

get – He got that Bailey was ready for her morning walk.  |  Bailey was ready for her morning walk.

glean – After studying the file, I glean his whereabouts.  |  I set down the file with a smile. He’s staying at the Star Motel.

hope – She hoped Gus wasn’t dead.  |  Please let Gus not be dead.

learn – But Ted had learned this city was dangerous.  |  But this city was dangerous.

occur – It occurred to me I’d forgotten my sunglasses.  |  I’d forgotten my sunglasses.

realize – I realized I’d never called Dad.  |  I sighed—I’d never called Dad.

recognize – She smiled, recognizing him from the bar.  |  Isn’t that the guy from the bar? She smiled.

regard – Darla regarded him as the best rider on the ranch. |  He was the best rider on the ranch.

remember – He remembered Dr. Poletti saying not to run. |  Dr. Poletti had said not to run.

sense – A sense of guilt overtook me. |  Guilt overtook me.

think – No way, she thinks. Not him. |  No way. Not him.

understand – Casey understood the wolves had fled. |  The wolves had fled.

wonder – He wondered if he’d made a difference. |  Had he made a difference?

feel – The plate felt warm.  |  The plate was warm.

feel like – The jacket felt like it fit her.  |  The jacket fit her.

sensation – I flinch at the sensation of pain.  |  I flinch at the pain.