USING EFFECTIVE WORD CHOICE

Vivid VerbsFrom So-So to Striking

•Copyright 2014 by Write Score, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

SOME VERBS ARE “SO-SO”Linking verbs or state-of-being verbs do little to create meaningful and engaging writing.

COMMON LINKING VERBS: be, am, is, are, was, were, has become, could have come, shall be, shall have been,

have appeared, should have appeared, will be, will have been, had seemed, should have been, has been, have been, had been, can be, may be, might be, should be, could be, become, would be, appear, seem

SENSORY LINKING VERBS: look, smell, sound, taste, feel

LESS COMMON LINKING VERBS: grow, remain, prove, stay

SO-SO STRIKING

Jed was feeling depressed on the long drive to his grandparents’ house.

Jeb sobbed and sighed on the long drive to his grandparents’ house.

Sonya seemed happy to see her parents after three weeks at camp.

Sonya raced to her parents and hugged them tightly after three weeks at camp.

SO-SO STRIKING

The car went down the winding mountain road.

The car zigzagged down the winding mountain road.

SO-SO STRIKING

The teenager spent a lot of time on his computer.

The teenager glued himself to his computer.

SO-SO STRIKING

Chuck remained reluctantly on the dance floor.

Chuck shuffled reluctantly on the dance floor.

SO-SO STRIKING

How many ways can you walk? (stride, tiptoe, shuffle, saunter, stomp, etc.)

What do you mentally see when a more vivid verb is used?

UP YOUR VERBS!

How many ways can you cook? (fry, bake, sauté, roast, sear, boil, etc.)

What do you mentally see when a more vivid verb is used?

UP YOUR VERBS!

UP YOUR VERBS!

How many ways can you talk? (whisper, shout, converse, chatter, etc.)

What do you mentally see when a more vivid verb is used?

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

Refer to your handout which contains a passage filled with “so-so” verbs.

Identify the “so-so” verbs by circling them.

Revise the sentence using a “striking” verb or verb phrase.

Write your revision above what you have circled.

PAIR-SHARE

Switch your revised passage with a partner.

Read your partner’s revisions silently.

What images form in your mind while reading a different version?

How did the “striking” verbs improve the passage?