Avoid To be verbs

In Writing, we want to avoid the "to-be" verbs.

Example:
He was excited about the trip, but he was also nervous about flying. His friends were planning to meet him at the airport.

Improved:
He felt excited about the trip, though flying made him anxious. His friends planned to meet him at the airport.

What's the problem?

• unduly claim a degree of permanence
• claim absolute truth and exclude other views
• general and lack specificity
• vague
• confuse the reader about the subject of the sentence