An important part of writing is choosing what word to use. Some things are scary by florence parry heide, dinosailors by deb lund, the z was zapped by chris van allsbu. Maxs words by kate banks, fancy nancy by jane oconnor, the word collector by peter h. Eliminate contractions cant, wont, metaphors or figures of speech her writing was as clear as mud, slang expressions or cliche phrases shell get over it, and adjectives and qualifiers very, major. Pinpoint the object or emotion or action rather than settling for the general thing. See more ideas about teaching writing, writing and writing skills. See more ideas about teaching writing, writing words and writing. I created this powerpoint to help my students practice using good word choice and to recognize good word choice in writing. The 10 digit isbn is 1602180148 and the digit isbn is 9781602180147. Appropriate word choice allows students to display their knowledge, not just about english, but with regard to any given field of study from science and mathematics to civics and history. Every time mentally string words together, there are only a certain number of words that will come to you with little effort, almost automatically. But i suggest you curb your use of the word, especially when its a wouldbe pronoun for an undefined noun.
Follow these steps to find ways to exchange boring words for million dollar words. Selecting precise words will help you increase the impact you create on your audience. I designed these in this manner to help my students with the skill of choosing the most exact word from a l. Tips to avoid common problems last updated jul 19, 2019 1 as an author, choosing the right words while writing a manuscript is crucial for success. Most importantly of all, your persuasive writing has to be in tune with your brand identity and target audience. I usually post about picture books that i use as writing mentor texts. It grabs your reader and holds him tightly bound to your content, or it leaves him confused, frustrated, and uninterested. The word choice help book is an important companion piece for any student in rewards writing. Try the exercise below and experiment with your word choice.
Improve writing by choosing the right word, the word that says what. It is also part of a series of writing mini lessons designed for scaffolding in writing workshop. The first 32 cards are written in a multiple choice format. Clarity in writing requires knowledge of word choice when adding details to writing. In persuasive writing, purposeful word choice moves the reader to. Whether they are nouns, adjectives, verbs, or adverbs, the words the writer uses all have their own meanings and connotations that separate them from their synonyms. Lists feature parts of speech, punctuation, abbreviations, acronyms, literary terms, and commonly used and misused words. Each year, the northern nevada writing project sponsors a huge variety of inservice classes and workshops that focus on helping teachers make 6 traits the language of their classrooms during writing. Sometimes students seem so caught up in their ideas, organization, and grammar that word choice may take a backseat. Remember, the skill and accuracy of your word choice is a major factor in developing your writing style. I love the reproducibles and the ninestep plan for integrating word choice. Below i detail what types of amazing word choices the author uses and links to lesson plans ive written, in some cases. In descriptive writing, strong word choice resulting in imagery, especially sensory, showme writing, clarifies and expands ideas. I found this great lesson on explaining words choice for primary writers.
Making the right word choice makes your writing better. Students can work individually or in partners the replace the underlined boring words in the sentences provided with juicy, exciting words. Learn how to improve your writing by using the right word. Word choice is an essential element for any student learning to write effectively.
As you work on a paper, you choose your topic, your approach, your sources, and your thesis. This engaging, consumable reference book supports the teacherled instruction with interactive activities and practice and serves as a helpful quick reference guide beyond the rewards classroom. So today, i give you, 10 picture books ive been using for several years in my classroom as writing mentor texts for word choice. Showing students the use of good word choice will open their eyes to a whole new world of writing. Once you understand these tricks of the trade, you can move ahead confidently in writing your assignment. The best writing creates a vivid picture in the readers mind. The title of this book is rewards writing word choice help book and it was written by anita l. You have deeply ingrained writing habits that operate below your conscious level. The following books provide great teacher resources for bringing the power of word choice into your classroom. Strong writers use specific, strong, and precise words to communicate. Word choice in writing jobs, employment freelancer. Word choice is a term used to describe the words chosen by an author, using words that are very specific and descriptive of exactly what you want to say. This use of language is considered an important component of good written communication.
Keep it simple, because your reader does not want to look up every other word. Two word choice problems in your writing paper raven books. Word choice is an important part of any type of writingespecially content writing. They will make your writing better, while still keeping the writing enjoyable for the reader. Word choice is a trait that shows the power of language. Dont get me wrong, i am thrilled when i see a child writing about their feelings. For example, a highend jewelry store targeting upscale consumers would use formal language, while an accessories boutique for young girls would use slang. The focus of this set of 44 task cards is to help students choose colorful, exact words in their writing. But when we see lots of the same kinds of sentences i think its the perfect opportunity to teach students better word choice. Many of these programs claim to offer intuitive use, help with organization, and even say theyll keep you from distraction.
Popular books to teach word choice shelf goodreads. Writing az word choice skill lessons improve students writing to make it more interesting and precise. Some rules for word choice for beginner and intermediate fiction writers. Word choice is the use of rich, colourful, precise language that communicates not just in a functional way, but in a way that moves and enlightens the reader. Easy and effective minilessons and activities that help students enrich and enliven their writing 9780439098397. Using good word choice will make students stories more creative and descriptive. Finding concise words that capture ideas a writer wants to convey to readers is challenging. Generally, you also want to avoid using the personal i in an academic paper unless you are writing a reflection. Also, pay attention to how your voice changes when you borrow phrases from, for instance, cooking, fighting, dating, or sports.
Writers repeatedly use the same words or do not choose the most creative or effective words in their first drafts to convey their message to an audience. See more ideas about word choice lessons, word choice, teaching writing. If we want our prose to be rich, vibrant, and meaningful, then we need to develop a robust vocabulary. This post is geared towards the upper elementary or middle school curriculum and uses the term million dollar words when referring to word choice. Writers who use specific, vibrant words in their writing achieve a number of goals, from engaging the reader to enlivening the content of their subject matter. Well use the scoring guide to respond to samples of student work, some by very skilled writers, some by writers who are on their way, and some by writers who havent yet discovered their way of. Refine and create converting copy for web pages generate email copy for upcoming newsletter campaign we would ask for written samples, and 12 short test cases focus on copy writing style, word choice, content engagement what the process covers. Visit our 6trait homepage to learn more about our popular inservice class. This handout can help you revise your papers for word level clarity, eliminate wordiness and avoid cliches, find the words that best express your ideas, and choose words that suit an academic audience.
Improving word choice is more than memorizing a list of fancy words. Story time just got better with prime book box, a subscription that delivers editorially handpicked children s books every 1, 2, or 3 months at 40% off list price. A simple yet powerful way to establish writing as important, skilled, and unique is through word choice. Copy writing and proofing support with marketing focus, to. You probably have two poor word choice problems already present in your writing, and you may not even realize it. Writing az lists support student writing skills and word choice by giving students references or ideas to use at various steps of the writing process. Most list resources help students in the revising and editing process. It is part of the revising stage of the writing process.
References to improve writing skills and word choice. Easy and effective minilessons and activities that help students enrich and enliven their writing by leeann nickelson minilessons for lively, colorful specific language. Blackline masters for overhead transparencies 222 leaves rewards writing. Word choice is an area of writing concerned with using clear, descriptive words that engage readers. Arnold schwarzenegger this speech broke the internet and most inspiring speech it changed my life. Rewards writing word choice help book paperback january 1, 2008 5. Word choice mentor texts that are focused on during the nnwps annual 6trait inservice classes for teachers. Word choice 145 assessing student work for word choice lets explore word choice in more depth. Correct word choice creates an accurate picture of the writers topic that is both unique and easy to understand. As we write, revise, and proofread, there are plenty of common wordchoice mistakes to watch out for. Word choice is an important element of effective writing. Do your students struggle using strong word choice in their writing. Careful word choice can transform a mediocre writer into a better one or make a dull subject seem engaging. Teaching word choice is essential for strong creative writing skills and thorough 6 trait writing instruction.
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