Word Choice Cartoon Word Choice Natural Active energetic

Word Choice Cartoon

Word Choice • Natural • Active, energetic verbs • Precise, concrete nouns and modifiers • Simple language used well • Paints pictures • Precise, accurate vocabulary • Minimal redundancy • Creative expression • Memorable combinations of words • Correct use of domainspecific vocabulary

Word Choice “The difference between the right word and the nearly right word is the same as that between lightning and the lightning bug. ” Mark Twain

Word Choice Key Question: Do the words and phrases create vivid pictures and linger in your mind?

Word Choice “I do not choose the right word. I get rid of the wrong one. A. E. Houseman

Word Choice Don’t say dog. Say cocker spaniel. Don’t say house. Say cottage. Or Vicarage. Or split-level. Or shack. It’s not a fighter plane; it’s an F 16…A mist that “curls” around a boat is more intriguing than one that simply “covers” it…A piano that sits in the middle of the room “glowing from a rubdown of cactus oil” is a piano I won’t soon forget. David L. Carroll

Word Choice Nice writing isn’t enough. It isn’t enough to have smooth & pretty language. You have to surprise the reader frequently; you can’t just be nice all the time. Provoke the reader. Astonish the reader. Writing that has no surprises is as bland as oatmeal. Surprise the reader with the unexpected verb or adjective. Use one startling adjective per page. Ann Bernays Writer on Writing, 1990

Word Choice Bloopers 1. A virgin forest is a place where the hand of man has never set foot. 2. It is bad manners to break your bread and roll in your soup. 3. Running is a unique experience, and I thank God for exposing me to the track team.

Word Choice Bloopers 4. To be a good nurse, you must be absolutely sterile. 5. A triangle which has an angle of 135 degrees is called an obscene triangle. 6. The President of the US, in having foreign affairs, has to have consent of the Senate.

Word Choice Use strong, energetic verbs John Henry sang and he hammered and the air danced and the rainbow shimmered and the earth shook and rolled from the blows of the hammer. Finally it was quiet. Slowly the dust cleared.

Word Choice Teaching Word Choice to Students Step 1. . . Use Literature Read literature excerpts. Feathers and Fools by Mem Fox, Crazy English by Richard Lederer, “I Have a Dream” by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Word Choice Step 2. . . Writing Activities A. Word Wheels B. Forbidden Words C. Appeal to Senses D. Mouthwatering Menus

Word Choice Step 2. . . Writing Activities Paragraph of One Syllable Words Can you construct a paragraph at least three sentences long using only one syllable words?

Word Choice Step 2. . . Writing. Activities Big words can make the way dark for those who read what you write and hear what you say. Small words cast their clear light on big things--night and day, love and hate, war and peace, and life and death. Small words are the ones we seem to have known from the time we were born, like the hearth fire that warms the home. Writing Magazine, March 1994 The 50 most common words in written English are each made up of a single syllable.

Word Choice The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers; wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints; We spend more but have less; We buy more, but enjoy it less. We have bigger houses and smaller families; more conveniences, but less time; we have more degrees, but less sense; more knowledge, but less judgment; more experts, but less solutions; more medicine, but less wellness.

Word Choice Step 3. . . Sample Papers A. Look at and discuss rubric B. Evaluate anonymous papers 1. Read story together 2. Evaluate individually, then as small group 3. Share score with large group 4. Discuss the reasoning for the score

Word Choice Pets are Forever Many pet owners worry about that difficult day when they must say goodbye for the last time. A new method of preservation could make that day a whole lot easier. It’s a sort of mummification of the 90 s, minus the fuss of wrapping and the mess of embalming fluid. The new method, believe it or not, involves freeze drying your pet. It’s clean, relatively affordable (compared to the cost of a live pet), produces authentic results, and enables you to keep Fluffy beside you on the couch forever, if you wish. Freeze drying is really a simple procedure. First, highly trained technicins remove all the pet’s internal organs. They do

Word Choice leave muscle tissue and bones intact, however, so there will be something to freeze dry. They replace the eyes with lifelike glass marbles in the color of choice. A special procedure temporarily reverses the effects of rigor mortis, allowing the owner to pose the pet as he or she wishes--sitting, lying down, curled by the fire, about to pounce, and so on. It is important to work quickly before the effects of rigor mortis resume. As a finishing touch, the technician uses special blow dryers with a fine nozel to make the pet look more lifelike. One client posed her cat in the litterbox; apparently, that was her most striking memory of “Tiger. ”

Word Choice Freeze drying costs from $500 to $1, 000, depending on the size of the pet and the complexity of the final pose. “About to strike” is more expensive than, say, “napping by the woodstove. ” The entire procedure takes about six months, but satisfied clients claim the wait is worth it. After all, once the pet is returned, you have him or her forever--maintenance-free except for occasional re-fluffing of the fur. Technicians report that freeze-dried pets hold up best in a relatively low-humidity, dust-free environment. Experts also offer one final piece of advice: It is not recommended that pet owners try freeze drying their own pets. Proper equipment and experience are essential. See your veterinarian for information.

Word Choice Salsa Music I’m writing an essay on my favorite music. My music comes from Latin America. It is called salsa. It has a really nice beat to it. They also play with lots of different kinds of instruments They really sing nice to. One of the reasons why I like it is because you can do any type of movements you what to when you are dancing to these type of music. Another reason why I like it is because it has been around for a long time. Also because they really know how make music back then. It can be a lot of fun if only you make it fun if you don’t make it fun that I guess you will not have fun. These are the reasons why I like salsa music.

Word Choice Coaching Checklist 1. Do you have favorite words or expressions in this piece? Show me. 2. Are there any words you used for the first time? Which ones? 3. Are there any words you weren’t sure of? Which? Shall we look them up?

Word Choice Coaching Checklist 4. Did you use thesaurus or dictionary? Tell me about that. 5. Are there any words or phrases you’re not happy with? Shall we brainstorm some other ways to say it? 6. The word or expression which caught my attention was…. (explain it to the writer)

Word Choice Step 4. . . Peer respond/ edit “Salsa Music” Step 5. . . Teacher Assesses Paper Fluency

Word Choice Can you write this more clearly keeping the intended audience and purpose in mind? Dear Parent, We have established a special phone communication system to provide additional opportunities for parent input. During this year, we will focus on giving added emphasis to the goal of improved communication, utilizing a variety of means to accomplish this goal. Your inputs, from the unique parental perspective, can assist us in planning and implementing an educational program configured to meet the needs of your child. An open dialogue, feedback and interfacing of information between parents and teachers will enable us to work with your child in the most productive manner. Dr. Harold R. Smith Administrative Leader Fluency