The dumb "verb label" pass that made my paragraphs stop drifting

I kept getting comments like "nice writing, unclear structure" and i swear it was because every paragraph was doing 4 jobs at once. So i started doing a super mechanical edit pass where i give each paragraph ONE verb in the margin. Not a topic, a verb. Like: define, describe, compare, argue, qualify, apply, explain. If i cant pick one without cheating, thats the problem. My usual failure mode is a paragraph that starts as "explain" then halfway turns into "argue" and ends with "random background i remembered". When i label it, it becomes obvious that the paragraph has no single purpose and the reader is just getting dragged around.

Then i do a second pass where i force the first sentence to match the verb. If the verb is "compare", the first sentence must say what two things are being compared and why. If its "qualify", it has to signal the limit or exception right away. If its "apply", it should name the example case and what concept im applying. This sounds picky but it cuts so much filler, because any sentence that doesnt serve that verb stands out instantly. Bonus: it makes transitions easier, bc i can literally write "next paragraph verb: challenge" and stop panicking about how to sound academic. Does anyone else do a "purpose pass" like this, or do you have a different quick trick for when your draft feels like its sliding sideways.