Language ArtsColumbia SchoolEMCSD, California

In this video clip you’re going to see a blind man sitting on a wide sidewalk. He has a tin can and is hoping those who pass by will help him out. He is not having much luck. But a woman comes along and does something. Watch and listen for the three lines of dialogue shown below:

Good word choice is choosing words that can make your writing a masterpiece.

Remember, an author needs to paint a picture in the mind of the reader. Using the right words will add color, texture, and emotion to your writing.

Replace dull, over-used verbs with colorful, exciting, and descriptive verbs.Use specific nouns that create a picture.Use adverbs and adjectives in order to increase the effectiveness of your imagery.Don’t be afraid to experiment with new compound words.

went, go, ran, run, jumped, jump, threwwent, go, ran, run, jumped, jump, threw

She said, he said, or someone said …She said, he said, or someone said …

dogdog

birdbird

househouse

buildingbuilding

ChihuahuaChihuahua malamutemalamute

bald eaglebald eagle ravenraven

bungalowbungalow granny flatgranny flat

school’s school’s gymgym skyscraperskyscraper

bigbig

smallsmall

blueblue

smartsmart

enormousenormous immenseimmense

minuteminute petitepetite

cornflowercornflower royalroyal

brilliantbrilliant intelligentintelligent

I ran into the tree I ran into the tree branch.branch.The mountain pine reached out and The mountain pine reached out and smacked me heartily with its smacked me heartily with its branch.branch.

The baboon left.The baboon left.

The big, black, bumbling baboon The big, black, bumbling baboon sauntered off and never returned.sauntered off and never returned.

All the houses on our street are very ugly. Mrs. Gibbons lives in a big ugly house down the street. The Fitzgeralds live in an ugly house at the other end of the street. The house we live in isn’t the ugliest, but it comes close. The ugliest house on the street belongs to the Smiths. The McClouds, however, think none of the houses are ugly.

Words support the ideasVivid vocabulary that paints vivid pictures in the mind of the reader (e.g., imagery, figurative language)Active verbs, specific nouns, and original adjectives and/or compound words that enhance meaningWords that are varied, not repetitiousLanguage and phrasing that is natural

The man went down the street.The cat made a noise.The dog barked at something.I was so happy.She cooked a dessert.The child cried when he dropped his ice cream.The girl looked nice.We were afraid when we looked down.The room did not smell good.