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Writing SkillsEssential Tips & Techniques

Noreen Conte

Vivid Verbs

A verb expresses action or state of being. A vivid verb paints a mental picture for the reader.

It has a more specific meaning than a common verb which is used all of the time.

Rather than using the common verb, walk, use a vivid verb.

Common Verbs

The dog walked around the trees.

The man walked slowly through the

neighborhood.

Vivid Verbs

The dog meandered around the trees.

The man strolled through the

neighborhood.

A. Write the letter of the definition of each vivid verb. Use a dictionary to check your answers.

1. ____ meander

2. ____ stroll

3 . ____ trudge

4. ____ toddle

5. ____ march

a. move with short, unsteady steps

b. walk leisurely

c. wander

d. walk with regular, measured steps

e. walk in a tired manner

B. Write the letter of the vivid verb that matches the common verb.

1. ____ help

2. ____ want

3. ____ buy

4. ____ listen

5. ____ run

6. ____ like

7. ____ laugh

8. ____ cry

9. ____ make

10. ____ look

a. sob

b. giggle

c. glance

d. purchase

e. assist

f. construct

g. crave

h. overhear

i. admire

j. sprint

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• Level 1 • Level 2• Essential Tips & Techniques

Written byNoreen Conte

Edited byPatricia Gray

Graphic Design byScott Slyter

Building Writing Skills series is available in print or eBook form.

Building Writing SkillsEssential Tips & Techniques

ii © 2019 The Critical Thinking Co.™ • www.CriticalThinking.com • 800-458-4849

Building Writing Skills: Essential Tips & Techniques Table of Contents

Table of ContentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iiiAbout the Author . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iiiVivid Verbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1Active and Passive Voice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14Strong Adjectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Adjectives and Analogies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21Adjectives and Anagrams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22Specific Nouns. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Vivid Verbs, Strong Adjectives, and Specific Nouns . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27Unnecessary Adjectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Unnecessary Adverbs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Qualifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Sensory Details . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Pronouns and Antecedents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34Show, Not Tell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38Alliteration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40Similes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Metaphors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43Hyperbole . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47Personification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50Anthropomorphism . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53Onomatopoeia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55Complex Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57Compound Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59Appositives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60Varying Sentence Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62Different Ways to Begin Sentences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Repetition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66Transition Words and Phrases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69Point of View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73Sample Activities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

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Building Writing Skills: Essential Tips & Techniques Introduction

Introduction

About the Author

“The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter – it’s the difference between the lightning bug and the lightning.” - Mark Twain The goal of Building Writing Skills: Essential Tips & Techniques is to equip students with the tools they need to strengthen their writing skills. Lessons and activities are presented with examples and explanations to aid aspiring writers on the journey to sharpen their writing.

In order to express thoughts clearly and precisely to make writing come alive, the students will: • Use vivid verbs, specific nouns, and strong adjectives • Spot unnecessary adjectives and adverbs • Recognize and correct pronoun antecedent confusion • Use the active voice rather than the passive voice • Be careful of qualifiers • Correct issues with point of view • Show, not tell • Use sensory details

To write more interesting sentences that make writing flow in a logical manner, the students will: • Vary sentence types: simple, compound, and complex • Vary sentence beginnings • Use effective transition words and phrases • Use appositives to add meaning to sentences

To make writing more appealing to readers, students will use the following literary devices: • Similes • Metaphors • Hyperbole • Alliteration • Repetition • Personification • Anthropomorphism • Onomatopoeia

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.” - Shannon Hale

For more than thirty years, Noreen Conte taught language arts (such as reading, spelling, and writing). During that time, she gathered ideas to help students become better writers. Conte’s goal in this series is to equip students with the tools necessary to help them with the writing process. In Building Writing Skills Levels 1 and 2, the five-step writing process is used to separate the big task of writing into smaller, manageable tasks. Building Writing Skills: Essential Tips & Techniques provide lessons and activities to aid burgeoning writers sharpen their composition skills.

As a teacher, Conte enjoyed creating lesson plans and activities to motivate and challenge her students. Now, as an author, she is happy to continue the work through her writing. Conte’s other books published by The Critical Thinking Co.™ are Language Smarts E™, Building Writing Skills Level 1 and Level 2, and Jumbles: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Compound Words.



© 2019 The Critical Thinking Co.™ • www.CriticalThinking.com • 800-458-4849 1

Building Writing Skills: Essential Tips & Techniques Activities

Vivid VerbsA verb expresses action or state of being. A vivid verb paints a mental picture for the reader. It has a more specific meaning than a common verb which is used all of the time.

Rather than using the common verb, walk, use a vivid verb.

Common VerbsThe dog walked around the trees.

The man walked slowly through the neighborhood.

Vivid VerbsThe dog meandered around the trees.

The man strolled through the neighborhood.

A. Write the letter of the definition of each vivid verb. Use a dictionary to check your answers.

1. ____ meander

2. ____ stroll

3 . ____ trudge

4. ____ toddle

5. ____ march

a. move with short, unsteady steps

b. walk leisurely

c. wander

d. walk with regular, measured steps

e. walk in a tired manner

B. Write the letter of the vivid verb that matches the common verb.

1. ____ help

2. ____ want

3. ____ buy

4. ____ listen

5. ____ run

6. ____ like

7. ____ laugh

8. ____ cry

9. ____ make

10. ____ look

a. sob

b. giggle

c. glance

d. purchase

e. assist

f. construct

g. crave

h. overhear

i. admire

j. sprint



2 © 2019 The Critical Thinking Co.™ • www.CriticalThinking.com • 800-458-4849


Vivid VerbsA vivid verb paints a mental picture for the reader.

Rather than using the common verb, want, use a vivid verb.

Common VerbWilliam wanted a new bicycle for his birthday.

Vivid VerbWilliam longed for a new bicycle for his birthday.

A. Complete each sentence with a vivid verb from the choice box below.

B. Write a vivid verb from the choice box above next to its common verb.

1. I need to ____________________ to my brother’s text.

2. The students had to ____________________ topics for their informative writing.

3. Sierra’s music teacher ____________________ her to practice the drums every day.

4. The football player ____________________ the ball.

5. I was upset when my friend ____________________ my candy bar from my hand.

6. The neighbors watched the ducks ____________________ across the street.

7. Mrs. Gannon screamed when she ____________________ a mouse in her attic.

8. Are you ____________________ by the solar eclipse?

9. I can’t wait for my mom and dad to ____________________ whether I’m going to have a brother or a sister.

10. The job of class president is one that is hard to ____________________.

1. told __________________

2. answer __________________

3. do __________________

4. found __________________

5. think __________________

6. tell __________________

7. walk __________________

8. took __________________

9. dropped __________________

10. interested ___________________

advised

scampered

discovered

respond

fumbled

fascinated

reveal

concealed

snatched

undertake

brainstorm

waddle





Vivid Verbs

Vivid verbs make your writing more interesting. They are specific and paint a vibrant mental picture for the reader.

Use a thesaurus to find three vivid verbs for each common verb below.

bother

________________

________________

________________

look

________________

________________

________________

shine

________________

________________

________________

tell

________________

________________

________________

laugh

________________

________________

________________

run

________________

________________

________________

want

________________

________________

________________

get

________________

________________

________________

eat

________________

________________

________________

find

________________

________________

________________

practice

________________

________________

________________

hurt

________________

________________

________________





Vivid VerbsA vivid verbs make a sentence more interesting by painting a mental picture for the reader.

Rather than using the common verb, ask, use a vivid verb.

Common VerbThe young man asked about the sales position at the department store.

Vivid VerbThe young man inquired about the sales position at the department store.

Rewrite each sentence, replacing the underlined common verb with a vivid verb. Use a thesaurus to find the present tense of each vivid verb. For example, for told, look up tell or for walked, look up walk.

1. Tom laughed when his brother tickled his bare feet.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. When the football hit the window, the glass broke immediately.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3. During the strong earthquake, the ground cracked and buildings fell.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. Some soaps, perfumes, and household cleaning products can bother your skin.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. Suzanne and Marissa got their school clothes on sale at a local boutique.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





6. The family watched as the tiny dog ate her food in less than a minute.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

7. When my brother was sick, he slept on the couch all afternoon.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

8. After searching for a half-hour, Mr. and Mrs. McNeil finally found the restaurant.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

9. The soccer coach said the names of the players on the championship team.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

10. Detective Cruz asked the suspect about his whereabouts on the night of the crime.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

11. I picked up the basketball and tried to make a basket.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

12. After watching a commercial for chocolate chips, Don wanted a chocolate chip cookie.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





Vivid Verbs Crossword Puzzle A vivid verb paints a mental picture for the reader to visualize, which makes each sentence more interesting.

Read the following sentences. Decide the best vivid verb from the choice box on the next page to replace the underlined word(s). Write the vivid verb in the correct space in the crossword puzzle on the next page.

Across 1. The students will think of ideas for their

narrative writing.

4. The family walked through the woods observing the animals and plants.

7. The cashier said, “You need to put your credit card here.”

8. When Rosa looks at the celebrities, it makes me uncomfortable.

9. Don’t worry about me because I’ll be fine.

11. I made my own website.

13. I can’t hear you when you talk quietly.

14. The Boy Scout’s job was to show visitors through the museum.

15. We walked along the beach where the water was low.

18. I saw the toddler hold the teddy bear tightly in her arms during the storm.

19. The baby laughs when I tickle her feet.

23. All the people in the neighborhood had to leave because of the hurricane.

24. Tanya was surprised when she saw the shooting star.

25. Did you see the thief take the lady’s purse?

Down 1. I encouraged my puppy to stand up and

fetch, but he wouldn’t move.

2. I don’t think we should leave the car on the side of the freeway.

3. The players threw the ball back and forth during practice.

4. The football players will get in a group to decide on the next play.

5. The student will call for a recount of the votes for student council president

6. The group from the health department looked at the restaurant.

7. Tell the audience the show has been canceled.

10. Mom won’t let us have cell phones on the table during dinner.

12. Thomas and Ricardo made up after their disagreement.

16. Mr. Burnett walks through the neighborhood visiting people along the way.

17. Andre wants ice cream, especially on hot summer days.

20. My dog is so noisy when he bites on his bone.

21. Listen to Jim chew on the potato chips!

22. I talk with my friends every day at lunch.





demand

snatch

giggles

inform

tossed

inspected

craves

astonished

brainstorm

budge

abandon

munch

mumble

shallow

evacuate

strolls

chat

clutch

reconciled

guide

insert

huddle

created

gawks

allow

fret

gnaws

hiked

7

demand

snatch

giggles

inform

tossed

inspected

craves

astonished

brainstorm

budge

abandon

munch

mumble

shallow

evacuate

strolls

chat

clutch

reconciled

guide

insert

huddle

created

gawks

allow

fret

gnaws

hiked

1 2 3 4 5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

13

14

15 16

17 18

19 20 21

22

23

24 25

Commented [PG3]: thin rounded line around





Adverb or Vivid VerbsVivid verbs make your writing more appealing to the reader by using specific descriptions to paint a mental picture. An adverb describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb. A vivid verb is often more interesting than a common verb followed by an adverb.

Compare the sentences below. Which statements give the reader a more vibrant mental picture?

Verb Described by an AdverbThe dog breathed heavily after chasing the squirrel around the park.

Doctor Hanzly looked closely at the red, irritating rash.

Vivid VerbThe dog panted after chasing the squirrel around the park.

Doctor Hanzly examined the red, irritating rash.

Rewrite each sentence replacing the underlined verb and adverb with a vivid verb from the choice box below.

1. The little boy noisily ate his chicken noodle soup.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. We heard our dog cry quietly when we left the house.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3. On my beach vacation, I like to run slowly along the shore.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. At the restaurant, the family politely asked to be seated on the patio.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

glanced

jog

sobbed

heaved

darted

flung

whimper

stared

sparkled

slurped

searched

strived

requested

speeding





5. Did you see the police officer stop the lady for driving fast?

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

6. George looked quickly at the clock to see if he was late.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

7. The newborn cried loudly when he awoke from his nap.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

8. The chess player looked directly at her opponent to intimidate him.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

9. My puppy ran quickly down the street after the squirrel.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

10. The diamond ring shined brightly in the sunshine.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

11. I looked thoroughly for my homework, but didn’t find it.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

12. The musician tried hard to be the best guitar player ever.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





Vivid Verbs

Vivid verbs make your writing more interesting to the reader by using specific descriptions to paint a mental picture.

For each common verb below, use a thesaurus to find a vivid verb to replace it. You may use the present, past, or future tense of the verb. Then, write a sentence using the vivid verb you found.

1. want ________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. laugh ________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3. find ________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. ask ________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

5. throw ________________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





6. show _______________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

7. talk _______________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

8. eat _______________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

9. teach _______________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

10. enjoy _______________

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





Vivid Verbs

A verb describes action or state of being. A vivid verb paints a mental picture for the reader by having a more specific meaning than a common verb.

Read the sample passage below containing common verbs.

Susanna looked quickly around at the students in her new school. Boys and girls were standing close together in groups talking and laughing. The hall was very crowded. Then, Susanna made her way through the crowd. She got to the other side of the hall. Suddenly, a tall guy came up to Susanna. She knew who he was immediately. He was Ricky, her cousin’s best friend. Ricky took Susanna to meet his friends. She met a girl who was in her first period French class. The two girls found out they both had French pen pals. Susanna knew that this school year would be okay after all.

Now, read the revised passage below. The common verbs above have been replaced with vivid verbs. Also, an unnecessary sentence was removed.

Susanna glanced around at the students in her new school. Boys and girlswere huddled in groups chatting and giggling. Then, Susanna cruised through the crowd. She reached the other side of the hall. Suddenly, a tall guy approached Susanna. She recognized him immediately. He was Ricky, her cousin’s best friend. Ricky introduced Susanna to his friends. She met a girl who was in her first period French class. The two girls discovered they both had French pen pals. Susanna realized that this school year would be okay after all.

Write the vivid verb that replaced the common verb(s).

1. found out _________________

2. talking _________________

3. laughing _________________

4. knew _________________

5. looked quickly ________________

6. standing close together ________________

7. came up to _________________

8. made her way _________________

9. to meet _________________

10. knew who he was _________________

11. got to _________________





Vivid Verbs

A verb describes action or a state of being. A vivid verb paints a mental picture for the reader by having a more specific meaning than a common verb.

Read the passage below containing common verbs.

Every July first, I start wanting barbecue brisket and potato salad, because that’s what my mom makes every Fourth of July. On this holiday, friends and family get to our house about six o’clock. We go in the pool and have fun playing and moving around in the water. Following smelling brisket all day long, we finally get to hungrily eat the delicious meat. After dinner, my cousins and I put lawn chairs on the side of the house, so we can watch our neighborhood firework display. Everyone likes the beautiful splashes of color in the night sky. Before all the guests go, we get together on the patio and savor our chocolate ice cream.

Rewrite the above passage, replacing the underlined words with vivid verbs from the choice box below. Then, read the revised passage aloud. Is the writing more interesting for the reader?

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

admires

devour

jump

splashing

craving

swimming

gather

leave

arrive

arrange





Active and Passive Voice

When a sentence is written using active voice, the subject performs the action expressed by the verb. When a sentence is written using passive voice, the verb states the action done to the subject. Active voice always makes it clear who is doing what, whereas passive voice can be awkward and unclear.

Passive VoiceThe kitchen was cleaned by Dave.

The geometry class is taught by Mrs. Ortiz.

The bone was fetched by the miniature schnauzer.

The man who was speeding was stopped by a police officer.

Active VoiceDave cleaned the kitchen.

Mrs. Ortiz teaches the geometry class.

The miniature schnauzer fetched the bone.

A police officer stopped the man who was speeding

A. Rewrite the following sentences, changing each one from passive to active voice.

1. At lunch today, two cheeseburgers were eaten by Mitchell.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

2. The cherry pies were baked by my mom.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

3. The math test was failed by most of the students.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

4. The book was translated into Spanish by my brother.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





5. The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

6. My birthday gift was wrapped by Juanita.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

7. A pass was thrown by the quarterback to the receiver.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

8. The tests were returned to the students at the end of class by the teacher.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

9. The house was painted by my father and me.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

10. The joey was carried by the kangaroo in her pouch.

___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________

B. For each sentence below, write active or passive on the line to label which sentences are written in active or passive voice.

1. __________________ The squirrel was chased by the miniature schnauzer.

2. __________________ My brother won the gold medal at the swimming meet.

3. __________________ The telephone is being answered by my secretary.

4. __________________ My neighbor’s lawn was mowed by my brother.

5. __________________ Some children were playing hide and seek.





Strong AdjectivesAn adjective describes a noun or pronoun. Common adjectives are used often or overused. Strong adjectives are more precise.

Good is a common adjective. Excellent is a strong adjective.

Common Adjectivestired

funny

pretty

Strong Adjectivesexhausted

hilarious

beautiful

A. In the choice box below, find the adjectives belonging under Common Adjectives. Next, find the adjectives belonging under Strong Adjectives and write each one across from the common adjective with similar meaning.

elated

intelligent

small

depressed

fat

happy

miniature

gigantic

sad

obese

smart

big

Common Adjectives

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

6. __________________________

Strong Adjectives

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

6. __________________________

B. For each common adjective below, write two strong adjectives.

1. sure ________________________, ________________________

2. shiny ________________________, ________________________

3. old ________________________, ________________________

4. hot ________________________, ________________________






Good is a common adjective. Excellent is a strong adjective. If you put very in front of good, you have very good. However, excellent is stronger.

In each sentence below, underline the common adjective. Then, replace it with a strong adjective from the choice box below. Write the strong adjective on the blank line.

1. The cheers from the spectators at the championship football game were loud. ____________________

2. I finally solved the hard math problem. ____________________

3. The people whose homes were destroyed by the earthquake were sad. ____________________

4. My father was tired after working all day plus six hours overtime. ____________________

5. We couldn’t help but laugh at Alex’s funny story. ____________________

6. The actress felt sad when she couldn’t remember her lines during the play. ____________________

7. I was hungry at dinnertime because I had skipped lunch. ____________________

8. It seemed like it took forever to drive over the big bridge. ____________________

9. The child was in time-out because of her poor behavior. ____________________

10. Mom was happy with her birthday gift. ____________________

hilarious

devastated

famished

humiliated

deafening

filthy

perplexing

colossal

naughty

exhausted

delighted

tiny





1. pretty ________________

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2. sad ________________

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3. mad ________________

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4. nice ________________

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5. scary ________________

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Good is a common adjective. Excellent is a strong adjective.

Write a strong adjective next to each common adjective below. Then, write a sentence containing the strong adjective. These copyrighted pages are digitally coded w

ith a unique buyer identifier. Distribution is prohibited.



6. happy ________________

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7. smart ________________

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8. cute ________________

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9. big ________________

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10. shiny ________________

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11. good ________________

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12. hard ________________

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Nice is a common adjective. Even if the adverb very is added to make very nice, a strong adjective is more effective. Considerate is a strong adjective.

A. Read each definition below. Next, unscramble the given jumbled word to the left. Write the strong adjective for each definition on the blank line.

1. very scary

2. very odd

3. very interesting

4. very angry

5. very happy

6. very smart

7. very loving

8. brave

9. cute

10. evil

11. hopeful

12. very sad

ryfetngiri

lpaeicur

ingguintri

artei

dillrthe

anbritlli

taeffcionate

gesoucraou

leborada

kwdeci

misopictti

edrespsde

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

_____________________

B. Choose two strong adjectives from the unscrambled words. Write a sentence for each one.

1. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________





Read each analogy below. Next, write if the analogy contains antonyms or synonyms on the blank line.

1. Scorching is to sweltering as frigid is to freezing. ____________________

2. Hazy is to overcast as wounded is to injured. ____________________

3. Tranquil is to serene as perilous is to hazardous. ____________________

4. Charming is to disagreeable as eager is to reluctant. ____________________

5. Strange is to eerie as peculiar is to unusual. __________________

6. Trivial is to insignificant as precise is to specific. ____________________

7. Fraudulent is to untrue as luminous is to radiant. ____________________

8. Grateful is to appreciative as anxious is to jittery. ____________________

9. Ordinary is to unique as fascinated is to bored. ____________________

10. Soothing is to disturbing as outgoing is to introverted. ____________________

11. Exhausted is to energetic as distraught is to composed. ____________________

12. Brawny is to frail as graceful is to uncoordinated. ____________________

Adjectives and AnalogiesAdjectives describe a noun or pronoun. An analogy is a comparison statement. It creates a relationship between two words to show the connection between another pair of words.

Important is to significant as astonished is to amazed.Important is related to significant the same way astonished is related to amazed. Important and significant are synonyms, words that mean the same or nearly the same.

Important is to trivial as interesting is to boring.Important is related to trivial the same way interesting is related to boring. Important and trivial are antonyms, words that mean the opposite.





A. For each sentence below, circle the adjective that does not belong. In the blank, write the anagram of the circled word to form the correct adjective for each sentence.

1. My grandfather has the subtle eyes I’ve ever seen. ____________________

2. The weird road made the drivers more comfortable. ____________________

3. Make sure you check the rare view mirror as you drive. ____________________

4. At half time, the spectators enjoyed the music of the charming band.

____________________

5. The audience wondered when the speaker’s rowdy speech would finally end.

____________________

6. I like rustic fruit, especially oranges. ____________________

7. I missed the bus because I woke up teal. ____________________

8. All three brothers were ill, but Anthony was the pastel. ____________________

9. I jumped out from behind the door and sacred my mom. ____________________

10. Would you rather have a regal dog or a small dog? ____________________

Adjectives and AnagramsAn adjective describes a noun or pronoun. An anagram is a word made by rearranging the letters of another word.

Live and evil are anagrams. The group of friends saw an evil performance of The Wizard of Oz at an outdoor park. Live is the correct adjective.





B. Write the circled word from each sentence in Part A next to its meaning below.

1. rural ________________

2. pleasant ________________

3. unruly ________________

4. greenish blue ________________

5. strange ________________

6. royal ________________

7. lacking full color ________________

8. holy ________________

9. uncommon ________________

10. not obvious ________________





Read the titles below. Write the letter of each specific noun title next to it’s general noun title.

Specific Nouns Mustang daisy lemonade

General Nouns

1. ______ A Boy and a Plant

2. ______ A Spider’s Home

3. ______ Two Dogs

4. ______ Lots of Dogs

5. ______ A Boy and a Fruit

6. ______ Looking for a Fish

7. ______ A Squirrel and a Moose

8. ______ A Girl and Three Animals

9. ______ A Boy and a Negative Day

10. ______ Food Falling From the Sky

11. ______ A Bird and a Cat

12. ______ The Cave People

13. ______ Small Bird

14. ______ A Cat and a Mouse

15. ______ The Stuffed Animal

Specific Nouns

a. One Hundred and One Dalmatians

b. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

c. The Flintstones

d. Chicken Little

e. Charlotte’s Web

f. Lady and the Tramp

g. Finding Nemo

h. James and the Giant Peach

i. The Velveteen Rabbit

j. Tom and Jerry

k. Tweety and Sylvester

l. Rocky and Bullwinkle

m. Goldilocks and the Three Bears

n. Jack and the Beanstalk

o. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Specific NounsA general noun names a category of persons, places, or things. A specific noun names a certain person, place, or thing. Specific nouns paint a vivid mental picture for the reader and make writing more interesting.

Animal is a general noun. Giraffe is a specific noun. Which word paints a more precise picture?

General Nouns car flower drink





For each general noun below, write a specific noun from the choice box. Then, write a different specific noun.

General Nouns

1. city

2. flower

3. fruit

4. dog

5. drink

6. candy

7. animal

8. bird

9. continent

10. car

11. vegetable

12. restaurant

13. dessert

14. game

15. country

Specific Nouns

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

Different Specific Nouns

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

__________________

General Nouns dessert flower team

Specific Nounschocolate cream pietulipNew York Yankees


Sport is a general noun. Soccer is a specific noun. Which word paints a more precise picture?

alligator Olive Garden grape

Tootsie Roll Europecocker spaniel

daffodil corn cherry pie

robinChicago coffee

Camaro Monopoly Canada





The choice box below contains general nouns and specific nouns. Fill in every blank in each a sentence with a general noun from the choice box below. Then, in each b sentence, fill in each blank with a specific noun from the choice box below.

team World Serieschocolate cakestorestate

ocean cakeHouston AstrosGalleria Mallclothes

championshipCalifornia Pacific Oceanjeansshirts

sweatersrestaurantWaffle House movieHome Alone

1. a. I visited a ____________________ and went swimming in the ____________________.

b. I visited ____________________ and went swimming in the ____________________.

2. a. My sister’s favorite dessert is ____________________.

b. My sister’s favorite dessert is ____________________.

3. a. Let’s go shopping at the ____________________ for ____________________.

b. Let’s go shopping at the ____________________ for ____________________,

____________________, and ____________________.

4. a. Do you enjoy eating breakfast at a ____________________?

b. Do you enjoy eating breakfast at the ____________________?

5. a. The ____________________ won the ____________________ in 2017.

b. The ____________________ won the ____________________ in 2017.

6. a. Every Christmas Eve, I watch a ____________________ with my best friend.

b. Every Christmas Eve, I watch ____________________ with my best friend.


Shape is a general noun. Square is a specific noun. Which word paints a more precise picture?





Vivid Verbs, Strong Adjectives, and Specific Nouns In the passage below, the underlined words are the general verbs, common adjectives, or general nouns which are often overused. Vivid verbs, strong adjectives, and specific nouns are more interesting words that paint a better picture in the reader’s mind.

Rewrite the writing sample below replacing each general verb with a vivid verb, each common adjective with a strong adjective, and each general noun with a specific noun.

Tommy and I got off the last step of the big school bus. We went down the street to our house. Mom said we could play ball with our buddies after school. Peppy, our cute dog, made noise, and moved around when we opened the door. My brother and I got a snack from the kitchen and went to our bedroom to get our sneakers. The sneakers weren’t in the closet. We looked under stuff with no luck. Then, we saw that all of our shoes were gone. I went into my parents’ bedroom and looked in their closet. All of their shoes were gone too. Where was Peppy? Tommy saw a small paw sticking out from under the bed. We looked under our parents’ bed. Peppy was sitting in a big pile of shoes.

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Unnecessary Adjectives An adjective describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, but not every adjective is essential. Unnecessary adjectives do not add information about the noun and contribute nothing to the meaning of the sentence.

Mom packs raw, orange carrots in my lunch every day.

A carrot is an orange vegetable. Orange is not needed to describe a carrot.

Superman is a brave superhero who possesses super strength, x-ray vision, and super intelligence among other superpowers.

A superhero is a hero who possesses superhuman powers to fight crime. A superhero is brave. Brave is not needed to describe a superhero.

Read each sentence below and cross out the unnecessary adjective.

1. The small, black mouse scurried away when George opened the garage door.

2. Cold, wet rain poured down for five hours causing our in-ground pool to overflow.

3. Arthur’s Sporting Goods Store gave me a free gift on my birthday.

4. Our art teacher told us to take out a sheet of white construction paper and draw a large, round circle.

5. The intelligent, young genius solved the complicated, algebraic equation in one minute.

6. My office is on the twentieth floor of a tall, eye-catching skyscraper downtown.

7. Rebecca got an unexpected surprise when she opened her gift and a puppy jumped out.

8. The advance preview of a science fiction movie is coming out this summer.

9. I know from past experience that it’s important to be polite to others.

10. My best friend and I scooped up the cold snow and created a tall, smiling snowman.





Unnecessary Adverbs An adverb describes a verb, an adjective, or another adverb, but not every adverb is essential. Unnecessary adverbs do not add information to the sentence.

The racecar zoomed speedily around the racetrack heading to the finish line. The adverb speedily is not needed in this sentence, because zoomed means moved very quickly.

When Kelly opened her birthday gift, she said affectionately, “You are the cutest puppy in the whole world!”

The adverb affectionately is not needed in this sentence, because the reader already knows from Kelly’s dialogue that she feels affection for the puppy.

Read each sentence below and underline the adverb. If the adverb adds meaning to the sentence, circle the letter under the plus sign. If it is an unnecessary adverb, circle the letter under the minus sign. Then use the letters you circled to solve the riddle below. 1. Mom tiptoed quietly into the nursery so she wouldn’t wake the baby.

2. The lawyer carefully scrutinized each page of the contract.

3. “I’m starving!” she said hungrily as she grabbed a sandwich.

4. Mr. Rodriguez is rarely late for work.

5. Donald sobbed sadly when he fell and skinned his knee.

6. Be sure to drive carefully down that narrow road.

7. The club members will share together ideas for the project.

8. The audience screamed loudly when they saw the hideous monster.

9. The football player clumsily fumbled the ball at the ten-yard line.

10. The students quickly lined up when afternoon recess ended.

+ – c a

n p

m e

o q

k l n u

s e

v h

p t

e r

You answer me even though I never ask you questions. What am I?

Riddle: ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ 1 9 3 5 7 2 8 4 6 10





QualifiersQualifiers are words that limit or enhance adjectives or adverbs. They add clarity to your writing.

Phillip is frequently late for school.

Phillip is occasionally late for school.

Some qualifiers are overused and weaken your writing. Your writing may sound dull and uninteresting. Be careful with the following qualifiers: very, really, sort of, pretty, pretty much, a little, a lot, kind of, just, rather, somewhat, certainly, extremely, absolutely, and totally.

Winters in Minnesota are really, really cold with lots of snow.

To improve the sentence, remove the qualifiers. Replace really, really cold with a strong adjective. Replace lots of snow with more precise words.

Winters in Minnesota are frigid with heavy accumulations of snow.

Sometimes, it’s only necessary to remove the qualifiers in order to improve the sentence.

Lillian loves animals a lot, and she’s totally passionate about animal rights.

Lillian loves animals, and she’s passionate about animal rights.

Rewrite the following sentences by either removing the qualifiers or replacing the qualifier, weak adjective, or adverb with a stronger adjective or adverb.

1. The little girl was very happy to see her very favorite uncle.

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2. Winston was feeling sort of sick after riding the really fast roller coaster.

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3. Mr. Washington certainly knows how to speak rather clearly to his employees during staff meetings.

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4. I ran somewhat quickly down the very old, rickety staircase.

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5. The candidate was kind of devastated when he lost the mayoral election.

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6. The restaurant is working very hard to improve the menu for their very valued customers.

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7. The travelers came across the quaint diner pretty much by accident during a totally relaxing afternoon walk.

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8. I’m absolutely positively certain we’ve never met before.

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9. Hannah’s jeans looked pretty unattractive, so she basically decided to return them.

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10. Wayne was extremely upset with his brother, and he absolutely refused to talk to him.

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Sensory DetailsWriters use sensory details to make the reading experience more interesting. They help the reader imagine how things look, smell, taste, sound, or feel. With sensory details, the writing becomes more real for the reader and therefore, more enjoyable.

Without Sensory Details With Sensory Details

Read each sentence below. Then, write one to three sensory detail sentences to make the writing more enjoyable.

1. My puppy escaped during his bath yesterday.

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2. When I walked into the house, I knew my mom had made my favorite dinner.

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I enjoy playing jump rope with my friends.

My sister almost fell in the deep end of the pool at a party.

When I’m jumping rope with my friends, I hear the slapping of the rope on the cement. I feel the fresh air on my face, and I hear my friends chanting. I smile because I’m in a happy place.

I was talking to the birthday girl at a party when I glanced toward the pool. My sister, who is terrified of deep water, was giggling with friends. She stepped backwards toward the edge of the pool, stumbled, and screamed. I darted to her side just in time to grab her around the waist and pull her away from the pool.





3. My brother and I love searching for unusual seashells on the beach.

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4. When I broke my leg on the playground at school, everyone took care of me.

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5. I was sad when my best friend moved away.

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6. The blizzard was fierce. Snow covered everything in sight.

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7. I helped my dad mow the lawn and trim the bushes.

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Pronouns and AntecedentsA pronoun replaces a noun or another pronoun. Instead of repeating the same word, writers use pronouns. The word the pronoun replaces or refers to is called the antecedent.

Read the sentences below. The pronouns are underlined, and the antecedents are circled.

Connie swept he kitchen floor, and she emptied the dishwasher.

The camper turned on the flashlight, but it didn’t work.

Mom, Dad, and I were so glad when we finished painting the living room.

A. Read each sentence below. Circle the antecedent for the underlined pronoun(s) in each sentence.

1. Carol, Katie, and Kelly bought their costumes for the dance recital.

2. After Charlie finished his chores, he watched his favorite television show.

3. My family goes to the beach every summer and we build fancy sandcastles.

4. Grace was disappointed when she found out she didn’t win first prize.

5. After the party, Harry and Kevin took down the decorations and put them in a box.

6. Larry, Ricardo, and Teddy went on a fishing trip in Galveston, and they caught redfish, trout, and tuna.

7. Aunt Rosemary lives in Pensacola, Florida, and we visit her every summer.

8. My grandparents have a wraparound porch, and it is beautiful.

9. The babysitter is watching Winston and helping him with his homework.

10. Barb, Maureen, and I were walking around the block when Uncle Mike saw us.

B. Each sentence below has a missing pronoun. Fill in the blank with the correct pronoun.

1. After Sharon cleaned her room, ____________________ walked to the store.

2. My brother, my sister, and I ate dinner early, because ___________________ were going to a movie at five o’clock.

3. The soccer players practiced with focus and enthusiasm. ___________________ wanted to win the championship game.

4. Frank was worried about how much snow ____________________ would have to shovel after the blizzard.

5. When I saw the fancy, new car I wondered how much ____________________ cost.





Pronouns and AntecedentsA pronoun replaces a noun or another pronoun. Instead of repeating the same word, writers use pronouns. The word the pronoun replaces or refers to is called the antecedent. To avoid confusion, writers must be sure that all pronouns clearly refer to a specific antecedent.

Nancy told her mother her bike had a flat tire.

After reading the sentence, do we know whose bike had a flat tire? Readers might assume the mother’s bike had a flat tire, because mother is the noun closest to her.

Nancy said, “Mom, my bike has a flat tire!

Nancy said, “Mom, your bike has a flat tire!”

Each sentence above lets the reader know which noun is the antecedent.

Some sentences below contain a pronoun and an antecedent that are obvious to the reader. Other sentences are confusing because the reader cannot identify the antecedent for the pronoun. Circle the number of each sentence in which the antecedent for the italicized pronoun is obvious. Cross out the number of each sentence in which the antecedent for the italicized pronoun is missing or unclear. For each sentence in which the antecedent for the pronoun is obvious, underline the antecedent.

1. On the news he said the chance for precipitation is one hundred percent today.

2. As the skier swished down the mountain, he felt the freezing air hit his face.

3. I met Mrs. Dell and Mrs. McCoy, and I discovered she is my math teacher.

4. The new refrigerator contains only milk, eggs, and a watermelon. It is huge.

5. Tom had looked forward to seeing the movie, but he was disappointed after all.

6. A year ago Sue disliked camping, but now she looks forward to sleeping under the stars.

7. Here at work they expect employees to be polite and helpful to the customers.

8. Agatha told Marie Miss Kelly enjoyed reading her short story.

9. After the team won the state softball championship, they decided to have a victory celebration.

10. Arthur tripped and fell when he climbed the stairs to go on stage, and he was embarrassed in front of his classmates.





Pronouns and AntecedentsA pronoun replaces a noun or another pronoun. Writers use pronouns instead of repeating the same word. The word the pronoun replaces or refers to is called the antecedent. To avoid confusion, writers must be sure that all pronouns clearly refer to a specific antecedent.

The following sentences are confusing to the reader, because the pronoun antecedents are not obvious. Rewrite each sentence so the reader will better understand the sentence. You may decide not to use a pronoun in some of the sentences. However, when you do not use a pronoun, make sure the antecedent is obvious to the reader.

1. On the news, he said the chance for precipitation is one hundred percent today.

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2. Agatha told Marie that Kelly enjoyed reading her short story.

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3. I met Mrs. Dell and Mrs. McCoy, and I discovered she is my math teacher.

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4. The new refrigerator contains only milk, eggs, and a watermelon. It is huge.

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5. Here at the store they expect employees to be polite and helpful to the customers.

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6. When the drone hit the window, it cracked.

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7. Even though I rammed the vacuum cleaner into the coffee table, it was not damaged.

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8. I hadn’t seen Joshua or Nelson since last summer. He looks like he lost weight.

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9. Rose told Teresa that she was appointed captain of the debate team.

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10. Samuel told Jayden to stop eating his potato chips.

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Show, Not TellTo make your writing more meaningful to the reader, you must show, not tell. You can show, not tell by using sensory and specific details when describing a character’s actions, displays of emotion, dialogue, and thoughts. As a result, the reader draws their own conclusions about the character and/or what is happening in the story. When the reader can see a clear picture, they are more engaged and interested.

The sentences below tell instead of show. In one or more sentences, write an improvement of each statement by showing instead of telling.

1. It was a stormy night.

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2. Christina felt sick.

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3. My room was a mess.

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Tell

Show

Tell

Show

I liked my birthday dinner.

When I walked into the house, I was greeted by the irresistible aroma of garlic bread. I peeked into the huge pot on the stove. Meatballs were swimming in the simmering tomato sauce. Every mouthful of my birthday dinner tasted yummy.

I visited my old elementary school.

My mom took me to the open house at my sister’s elementary school. Years have passed since I was a student there. I felt like I walked into the past. In my mind, I saw my friends and I getting off the school bus, walking to the cafeteria for lunch, and running to get a swing at recess.





4. I like riding my bike.

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5. Stephanie is a good friend.

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6. Victor was angry.

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7. Peppy, my puppy, was glad to see me.

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8. Steven ran fast down the street.

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9. I was surprised when I opened the gift.

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10. My little brother was sleeping.

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AlliterationAlliteration is the repetition of a sound at the beginning of words close together in a phase or a sentence. It is a literary device used by writers to create mood and rhythm while emphasizing certain words. It is used to catch the readers’ interest in poetry, tongue twisters, book titles, movie titles, and characters’ name. Advertisers use alliteration to make their product memorable to consumers. It is also used to make you laugh.

Tongue Twister – Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Character – Bugs Bunny

Title – The Wind in the Willows

1. __ickey __ouse

2. __est __uy

3. __aptain __runch

4. __eauty and the __east

5. __merican __irlines

6. __oca- __ola

7. __he __ells __eashells by the __eashore.

8. __icky __eople __ick __eter __an __eanut Butter. It’s the __eanut butter __icky __eople __ick.

9. A __kunk __at on a __tump. The __kunk thunk the __tump __tunk, but the __tump thunk the __kunk __tunk.

10. __ed, __ath, & __eyond

11. Mr. __opper’s __enguins

12. __illy __onka

13. __ittsburgh __enguins

14. Don’t __ake a __ountain out of a __olehill!

15. __ookie __risp

16. __pongebob __quarepants

17. Bizarre

I watched…

A __rontosaurus with a __eard __lowing __ubbles in the park,

A __aboon in a __lue __onnet __ouncing a __all in the dark,

A __usy __lack __ear __aking __iscuits for his __uddies at school,

A __unny and a __eaver doing the __ackstroke in the pool,

Then, Mom woke me up for school.

In each example below, fill in every blank with the missing first letter of each word to complete the alliteration.





SimilesLiteral language means exactly what the words say. Figurative language uses more interesting words. One type of figurative language is a simile. Whenever like or as is used when comparing two things, it is called a simile.

Literal: With his long hair, beard, and mustache, my brother looks hairy. Figurative: With his long hair, beard, and mustache, my brother looks as hairy as an ape.

Literal: The ballerina moved gracefully around the stage. Figurative: The ballerina moved gracefully around the stage like a butterfly flittering in the breeze.

Rewrite each sentence as a simile to make it more interesting.

1. Your hands are so cold.

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2. I had a nosebleed because the air was so dry.

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3. My new pajamas are soft.

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4. When Jack gets embarrassed, his face turns red.

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5. Charlie popped out of his seat when it was time for recess.

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6. Maureen’s eyes are blue.

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7. The tiny toddler is so sweet.

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8. Our wet kitchen floor was slippery.

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9. During the final exam, the classroom was quiet.

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10. The airplane soared into the sunny sky.

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11. The giant was tall.

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12. The clouds were white and puffy.

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Metaphors

In each pair of sentences below, circle the letter of the sentence that contains a metaphor.

1. a. The hurricane was a strong storm. b. The hurricane was a locomotive barreling over the city.

2. a. The six foot tall teacher looked huge with the kindergarteners. b. The six foot tall teacher was a giant among the kindergarteners.

3. a. Sylvia’s hands are icicles. b. Sylvia’s hands are cold.

4. a. Stewart sits around all day and watches television. b. Stewart is a couch potato.

5. a. Richard’s cruel words were thorns inflicting pain upon his parents. b. Richard was cruel to his parents.

6. a. My best friend is so smart. b. My best friend is a walking encyclopedia of knowledge.

7. a. I saw puffy clouds in the sky. b. The clouds were puffy white pillows in the sky.

8. a. The wet kitchen floor is an ice skating rink. b. The wet kitchen floor is slippery.

9. a. The stars are shiny and beautiful in the night sky. b. The stars are sparkling diamonds in the night sky.

10. a. My sister has a great memory. b. My sister’s brain is a sponge that absorbs and remembers everything.

Literal language means exactly what the words say. Figurative language uses more interesting words. One type of figurative language is a metaphor, which is a comparison between two unlike things. It compares by saying one thing is another.

Literal: With his long hair, beard, and mustache, my brother looks hairy. Figurative: With his long hair, beard, and mustache, my brother is a hairy beast. Literal: The ballerina moved gracefully around the stage. Figurative: The ballerina was a butterfly floating across the stage.





Metaphors

Underline the metaphor in each quotation. Then, write the meaning of each quotation on the blank lines.

1. “Laughter is the best medicine.” - Anonymous

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2. “Conscience is a man’s compass.” - Vincent Van Gogh

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3. “Big sisters are the crab grass on the lawn of life.” (Linus describing Lucy in the Peanuts comic strip) - Charles Schultz

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4. “Brevity is the soul of wit.” - William Shakespeare

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5. “Happiness is a warm puppy.” - Charles Schultz

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6. “Love is a chain whereby to bind a child to his parents.” - Abraham Lincoln

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7. “The true creator is necessity who is the mother of invention.” -Plato

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8. “Life is the art of drawing without an eraser.” - John W. Gardner

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9. “The road to success is always under construction.” - Anonymous

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10. “Hold fast to dreams For if dreams die Life is a broken-winged bird That cannot fly.” (from the poem, Dreams) Langston Hughes

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Metaphors

In each sentence, fill in the blank to complete the metaphor.

1. The actor had _________________________ in his stomach before the performance.

2. If you think I’ll let you copy my homework, you are _________________________ up the wrong tree.

3. The colorful flower garden is a _________________________ in my backyard.

4. The quarterback was a _________________________ speeding down the field to score a touchdown.

5. Ricardo is watching television again. He is a _________________________.

6. My little sister likes to climb on the couch, the stairs, and the chairs. She climbs up the slide and wants to climb trees. My sister is a little _________________________.

7. The snow is a fluffy white _________________________ covering the neighborhood.

8. The tired waitress was a ________________________ taking orders and delivering food, making little eye contact with the customers.

9. The ______________________ in our backyard is an umbrella protecting us from the hot summer sun.

10. The enormous frozen puddle in our backyard is an _______________________ we use to practice for the winter Olympics of the future.

11. My dad’s flashlight was my _______________________ when my friends and I had a singing contest at my party.

12. The tiny boy pulled the chair out from under the desk. The space under the desk is a _____________________ for his tricycle.


My cousin never stops eating. My cousin is a bottomless pit.





Hyperbole

Read the following sentences from everyday language. Underline the hyperbole in each sentence. 1. I laughed my head off at the comedian’s jokes. 2. My sore feet are killing me. 3. We’re going to be standing in line forever! 4. My dad’s going to explode when he sees my messy room! 5. I can’t go to the movies because I have a million things to do. 6. I’ll die if I can’t go to the party! 7. My backpack weighs a ton. 8. The adorable puppy stole my heart! 9. I can smell my favorite dinner a mile away.10. I’m so tired I could sleep for a year. 11. After the track meet my legs were wet noodles.12. If I don’t eat dinner soon, I’m going to starve to death.

Hyperbole is a type of figurative language, which is often humorous. It is a highly exaggerated statement used to emphasize a point and is not meant to be taken literally.

There was a Young Lady of Lynn,Who was so uncommonly thin

That when she essayedTo drink lemonade,

She slipped through the straw and fell in.Author unknown from A Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear

Banananananananana by William Cole

I thought I’d win the spelling bee And get right to the top,

But I started to spell “banana,”And I didn’t know when to stop.

“Effective management without leadership…is like straightening deck chairs on the Titanic.”

- From The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Dr. Stehpen R. Covey

“I’m…half horse, half alligator, a little touched with the snapping turtle; can wade the Mississippi, leap the Ohio, ride upon a streak

of lightning…can whip my weight in wildcats.” - David Crockett





A. Read each sentence below. Think about the hyperbole in each sentence. On the blank lines, rewrite the sentence substituting your own hyperbole for the hyperbole given. Remember to exaggerate!

1. Roger is so tall he could reach up and touch the street light.

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2. It was so hot you could fry an egg on the sidewalk.

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3. I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.

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4. I was so cold I turned into an ice cube.

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5. You snore louder than a freight train.

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6. Fans swarmed around the football player like ants near a french fry.

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Hyperbole is a type of figurative language, which is often humorous. It is a highly exaggerated statement used to emphasize a point and is not meant to be taken literally.

Hyperbole





7. At the end of the track meet, my legs were wet noodles.

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8. I ate a mountain of ice cream at the birthday party.

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9. The twinkling stars are sparklers in the night sky.

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10. Ronald is so thin he could slide under the door.

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11. The man laughed so hard he fell off his chair.

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12. The rain poured down in buckets and flooded our backyard.

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B. A proverb is a saying expressing a wise thought. Read the following proverb. What is the proverb telling you?

You cannot prevent the birds of sadness from passing over your head, but you can prevent their making a nest in your hair. Chinese Proverb

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Explain why each quotation below is an example of personification. Then explain what the quotation means.

1. “You can’t deny laughter; when it comes, it plops down in your favorite chair and stays as long as you want.” - Stephen King

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2. “His unfinished project stared back at Nick from the computer screen, the cursor accusing him with every blink.” - Richard Mabry

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3. “When all at once I saw a crowd, A host, of golden daffodils; Beside the lake, beneath the trees, Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.” - Daffodils by William Wordsworth

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Literal language means exactly what the words say. Figurative language uses more interesting words. One type of figurative language is personification. This is a literary device in which the author attributes human qualities to nonhuman objects, ideas, or concepts. When using personification, an author speaks of or describes a thing as if it were a person.

When I saw my newborn baby sister, happiness tap danced in my heart. The sun played peek-a-boo with the clouds. The trees waved goodbye as we drove away from my cousin’s house. My English muffin jumped out of the toaster, and landed on my plate.

Personification





A. Each sentence below contains personification. Fill in the blanks with words from the choice box above to complete the sentences.

1. The autumn leaves ____________________ around the lawn and ____________________ into the pool.

2. I wanted to keep texting my friend, but my backpack was ____________________ my name,

____________________ me to do my homework.

3. The sun ____________________ out from behind the clouds for a minute, and then

____________________ for the rest of the day.

4. The vacuum cleaner ____________________ as it ____________________ the dust and dirt.

5. The soothing warm water of the pool surrounded me with a refreshing

____________________.

6. The roller coaster ____________________ me to ride and ____________________ me when I didn’t.

7. My stomach ____________________ me for eating too many meatballs.

8. The sweet, adorable puppy at the animal shelter ____________________ my heart.

9. When I shook the can of soda and opened it, the can ____________________ at me.

Literal language means exactly what the words say. Figurative language uses more interesting words. One type of figurative language is personification. This is a literary device in which the author attributes human qualities to nonhuman objects, ideas, or concepts. When using personification, an author speaks of or describes a thing as if it were a person.

Personification

roareddancedmocked

callingpunishedinvites

jumpedremindingdared

embracehidtickled

peekedswallowedspit





B. Rewrite each sentence below adding personification. Give the underlined words human qualities.

1. I needed to water the flowers.

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2. I saw lightning in the night sky.

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3. The wind was loud.

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4. The headlights on the highway were so bright.

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5. There were dark clouds in the sky.

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6. I knew my cookies were ready when I heard the timer.

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The first column below has clues to the stories, cartoon characters, commercials, and movies in the second column, which contain anthropomorphism. For each clue below write the letter of the correct match from the second column.

Clues

1. ____ Do you ever wonder what your animal friends do when you leave the house?

2. ____ “Now, my dears, you may go out into the fields or down the lane, but don’t go into Mr. McGregor’s garden. Your father had an accident there; he was put in a pie by Mrs. McGregor.”

3. ____ U EAT CHIKIN. WE FEEL GUD.

4. ____ “What’s up, Doc?”

5. ____ “C’mon, gang, we’ve got a mystery to solve!”

Anthropomorphism is a literary device in which the writer speaks of or describes an animal as if it were a person. Many fables, fairy tales, and stories contain anthropomorphism. Movies, cartoons, television shows, and commercials also depict animals as having human qualities. Children and adults find humor in animals acting as humans.

The Three Little PigsThe big, bad wolf said, “I’ll huff, and I’ll puff, and I’ll blow your house down!”

Geico Insurance Commercial Camel: “Guess what day it is? Huh…anybody?” Leslie: “It’s Hump Day.” Camel: “Ronny, how happy are folks who save hundreds of dollars by switching to Geico?” Ronny: “I’d say happier than a camel on Wednesday.”

The Wizard of OzCowardly Lion: [singing]

“I’m afraid there’s no denyin’ I’m just a dandy-lion A fate I don’t deserve. I’m sure I could show my prowess Be a lion, not a mouse If I only had the nerve.”

Anthropomorphism

Anthropomorphism

a. Bugs Bunny

b. Chik-Fil-A

c. The Secret Lives of Pets

d. Scooby Doo

e. The Tale of Peter Rabbit





A. The quotations below are animals talking. Read each quotation. Then, unscramble the words to find the name of the movie or commercial from which the quotation was taken.

1. “Just keep swimming!” indFgni moNe

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

2. “I’m late! I’m late for a very important date!” icAle ni ldonWaernd

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ 3. “What is a baby? I just can’t understand it. It must be something wonderful. It must be

something grand. ‘Cause everybody’s smiling, in a kind and wistful way, and they haven’t even noticed that I’m around today.”

ydaL nda eht marTp

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

4. Man: “Who?” Owl: “You paid too much.” Man: “Who?” Owl: “Practically everyone unless you shopped at merAica’s stBe.”

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ ‘ __ __ __ __ __

B. List below the names of books, movies, television shows, cartoons, or commercials in which animals are acting like people.

Anthropomorphism is a literary device in which the writer speaks of or describes an animal as if it were a person. Many fables, fairy tales, and stories contain anthropomorphism. Movies, cartoons, television shows, and commercials also depict animals as having human qualities. Children and adults find humor in animals acting as humans.

Anthropomorphism

1. _____________________________

2. _____________________________

3. _____________________________

4. _____________________________

5. _____________________________

6. _____________________________

7. _____________________________

8. _____________________________

9. _____________________________

10. _____________________________





Choose onomatopoeia words from the choice box on the next page to replace the italicized words in each sentence below. Write the onomatopoeia in the correct space to complete the crossword puzzle on the next page.

Across

3. The dinner bell sounded calling the campers to eat.

4. The campers gazed at the stars and listened to the sound of the campfire.

5. It’s annoying when Ted talks quietly and I can’t understand what he’s saying.

9. I cringed when my phone fell into the pool.

10. The sound of my brother eating potato chips drives me crazy.

12. I jumped when I heard the sound of a car horn.

14. The customer complained about the long lines at the checkout.

16. The sound of the lion at the zoo scared my little brother.

17. The llama made a noise and spit.

19. The baby laughed when I tickled her feet.

25. Don’t try to fit your feet into those tiny shoes!

26. I watched the soapy water go down the drain.

27. Our steaks cooked on the grill.

28. The sound of the firecracker startled me.

29. The puppy smelled around the tree.

Down

1. The car came to an abrupt stop.

2. Will you fasten the back of my dress?

3. I listened to the sound of the crickets outside my bedroom window.

6. When Hector tripped on the steps of the stage, someone laughed.

7. A lot of water hit me when the water pipe burst.

8. The dinner conversation was all about the upcoming birthday party.

11. A squirrel stared at me as he ate an acorn.

13. Our backyard was quiet except for the sound of the air conditioner.

15. My ice cream was falling off the cone in the hot sun.

18. We watched the frustrated child walk out of the room.

19. Sue eats her pizza like she’s starving.

20. What’s that sticky stuff on your shoe?

21. The loud sound of the thunder woke me up.

22. The many keys in Dad’s pocket made noise as he walked out of the room.

23. The sound of the ceiling fan lulled me to sleep.

24. We saw bees fly around in the field of wildflowers.

Onomatopoeia is the use of a word whose sound suggests its meaning. Writers use it to relate to the reader’s sense of hearing. By using onomatopoeia, the writer paints an auditory picture in the mind of the reader. When the baseball hit the window, the window broke. When the baseball hit the window, the glass shattered.The second sentence is more effective, because the reader can hear and see in his or her mind what happened.

Onomatopoeia





ploppedcracklinggiggledmumblesnibbleddripping hissed

clangedcrunchinghumminggrumbledsniffed sizzled

jingledziphonkroarswirlchatter

bangsquishscreechedchirpsnickeredstomp

buzzgobblesgoocrashwhirgush

56

plopped crackling giggled mumbles nibbled dripping

hissed clanged crunching humming grumbled sniffed

sizzled jingled zip honk roar swirl chatter

bang squish screeched chirp snickered stomp

buzz gobbles goo crash whir gush

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27

Z 28 29





A. In each complex sentence below, fill in the blank with the correct subordinating conjunction from the choice box.

1. ____________________ you last visited, I’ve redecorated the guest room.

2. _____________________ the students went out to play in the hot sun at recess, they put on sunscreen.

3. _____________________ Theodore had eaten an enormous lunch, he was still hungry.

4. I drift into a sound sleep _____________________ I’m a passenger in a car.

5. _____________________ Miranda accepted her high school diploma, she felt a great sense of accomplishment.

since while

whenever before

unlesswhen

because although

until after

Notice that each independent clause and each dependent clause has a subject and a predicate. A clause is a group of words having a subject and a predicate.

One way to improve your writing is to use different types of sentences. Using all simple sentences will make your writing weak. A simple sentence contains one independent clause. A complex sentence contains an independent clause and at least one dependent clause joined together with a subordinating conjunction (since, while, whenever, when, before, after, because, although, until, unless). A dependent clause does not express a complete thought. The dependent clause depends on the independent clause. Complex sentences make your writing more interesting and appealing to the reader.

Complex SentenceSince Penny completed her chores, she was allowed to go to the movies with her friends.

I’ll see you tomorrow at Sam’s house unless I have to babysit my sister.

Independent Clauseshe was allowed to go to the movies with her friends

I’ll see you tomorrow at Sam’s house

Dependent ClauseSince Penny completedher chores

unless I have to babysit my sister

Complex Sentences





6. You better finish that assignment ____________________ you want to stay after school.

7. ____________________ the heavy rain fell, the streets were flooded.

8. The soccer players celebrated ____________________ they won the playoff game.

9. I will set the table ____________________ you finish the mashed potatoes.

10. Rosita waited to open her birthday presents ____________________ all the guests had arrived.

B. Choose five subordinating conjunctions from the choice box below. Use each subordinating conjunction in a complex sentence.

1. ___________________________________________________________________________

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2. ___________________________________________________________________________

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3. ___________________________________________________________________________

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4. ___________________________________________________________________________

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5. ___________________________________________________________________________

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since while

whenever before

unlesswhen

because although

until after





Complete each of the compound sentences below by adding another independent clause.

1. Mom and Dad went downtown to a concert, but _____________________________________

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2. You may go to the movies, or ____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________.

3. Grandma is cooking the ham for dinner, and ________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________.

4. Georgette will be late for school today, for __________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________.

5. My puppy loves to run in the fresh air, so ___________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________.

One way to improve your writing is to use different types of sentences. A simple sentence contains one independent clause. A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. A clause is a group of words having a subject and predicate. Compound sentences are joined with a coordinating conjunction (for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so). Compound sentences will make your writing more interesting and enjoyable to the reader.

Simple SentencesMy friends and I were thrilled to jump in the pool today.The temperature was approaching ninety-five.

Your mother gives helpful advice.You should discuss your dilemma with her.

Helen does not like broccoli.She does not like spinach.

Compound SentencesMy friends and I were thrilled to jump in the pool today, for the temperature was approaching ninety-five.

Your mom gives helpful advice, so you should discuss your dilemma with her.

Helen does not like broccoli, nor does she like spinach

Compound Sentences





Make the two sentences into one sentence containing an appositive. Then underline the appositive.

1. Mark Twain was a famous writer and humorist. He said, “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would rather have talked.”

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2. My sister is auditioning for the lead in our school play. She is an aspiring actress.

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3. My adorable miniature schnauzer is obsessed with squirrels. Her name is Sophie.

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You can make your writing more interesting by using a variety of sentence types. One way to vary sentence types is to add appositives. This is a noun or a phrase which follows another noun. The appositive renames the noun or adds new information about the noun.

Appositives

Two SentencesOn my birthday my mom cooked my traditional birthday dinner. I request spaghetti and meatballs for my birthday dinner every year.

When Dad told a joke during lunch, Charlie laughed so hard he spit out his milk. Charlie is my brother.

The Louvre is an art museum in Paris. It is the home of many famous paintings such as The Mona Lisa.

The Grand Canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. It’s a popular tourist attraction in the state of Arizona.

One Sentence With an AppositiveOn my birthday my mom cooked my traditional birthday dinner, spaghetti and meatballs.

When Dad told a joke during lunch, Charlie, my brother, laughed so hard he spit his out his milk.

The Louvre, an art museum in Paris, is the home of many famous paintings such as The Mona Lisa.

The Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, is a popular tourist attraction in the state of Arizona.





4. The Pacific Ocean is the world’s largest ocean. The Pacific Ocean covers one third of Earth’s surface.

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5. Mrs. Callahan moved here from New York City. She’s my geometry teacher.

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6. My Uncle Alfred is a police officer. He sometimes works the night shift.

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7. My favorite movie is about a bunch of neighborhood buddies who like to play baseball. The name of the movies is The Sandlot.

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8. Priscilla is our student council president. She is always thinking of ways to improve our school.

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9. Sheila is an extremely shy girl. She rarely participates in class discussions.

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10. Timothy embarrassed the entire family with his lack of manners at the restaurant today. Timothy is my little brother.

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One way to improve your writing is to vary the types of sentences you use. A simple sentence contains one independent clause. A compound sentence contains two or more independent clauses. A complex sentence contains one independent clause and two or more dependent clauses.

Simple SentenceAlfonso and Leonard both took notes in class.

Compound SentenceAlfonso and Leonard both took notes in class, and they decided to help each other study for the exam.

Complex SentenceSince Alfonso and Leonard both took notes in class, they decided to help each other study for the exam.

Varying Sentence Types

Read the following passage. Rewrite the passage varying the sentence types: simple, compound, and complex. Also, combine two sentences into one sentence containing an appositive.

Yesterday, my family and I attended my little sister’s kindergarten graduation. We watched as the tiny graduates marched on stage. The kindergarteners were wearing graduation caps. The caps had tassels like we have in our high school graduation. The kids looked like miniature high school graduates. Mrs. Rosinski, the principal, called each of the students up to the stage to receive a diploma. The kids shook hands with their teachers. They went back to their places. My sister had an enormous smile on her face. My sister’s name is Sheila. She waved when she saw us in the audience. After the ceremony, the kindergarteners exited the stage. We followed them to my sister’s classroom. The boys and girls were sitting on a rug on the floor. They were chatting and giggling.

Miss Monroe said, “One, two, three! Eyes on me!” Miss Monroe was Sheila’s teacher. The little people replied, “One, two! Eyes on you!” Silence filled the room. Miss Monroe presented awards. Sheila received an award for perfect attendance. We handed her a bouquet of daisies. We took a picture of her with her teacher. Sheila looked happy and proud.

She said, “Am I going to first grade tomorrow?”

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Another way to make your writing more interesting is to use different ways to begin each sentence. For example, you can begin a sentence with an adverb or a phrase.

AdverbQuickly, the students gathered their books and supplies as the dismissal bell rang.

Carefully, Henry picked up the pieces of broken glass.

Sadly, Elizabeth said good-bye to her best friend who was moving across the country.

PhraseIn the backyard this morning, the puppy chased two squirrels till they scurried up a maple tree.

After winning the hockey game, we went out to dinner to celebrate.

During spring break, we travelled to California to visit my grandparents.

Different Ways to Begin Sentences

A. Choose an adverb or a phrase from the choice box below to complete each sentence.

1. ______________________, my sister brushed the tangles out of my long hair.

2. ____________________________________, I realized I had forgotten my book report.

3. ____________________________________, we planned a surprise party for Dad’s birthday.

4. ______________________, the tiny boy shared his chocolate candy bar with his friend.

5. ____________________________________, someone behind me was throwing popcorn.

6. ____________________________________, Todd often finds a collection of his dog’s toys.

7. ________________________, our uncle takes us on a camping trip.

8. ________________________, I was wide awake even though it was after midnight.

9. ____________________________________, Arthur ventured out to walk to the store.

10. ________________________, Tamara hummed her favorite tune as she prepared for the party.

oddly enoughreluctantlycheerfullyoccasionallygently

throughout the movieon the way to schooldespite the winter storm warningunderneath his bedunder the shade of the maple tree





B. Rewrite each sentence below by moving an adverb or a phrase to the beginning of the sentence.

1. I’ll hopefully earn high enough grades to win the scholarship.

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2. The wind suddenly howled, and the rain drenched the streets and lawns.

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3. We ordered pizza and chicken wings during halftime.

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4. Ralph purchased his laptop computer with his new credit card.

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5. The audience enthusiastically applauded for the college graduates.

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6. Victor unfortunately couldn’t go on the field trip, because he had the flu.

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7. I practice playing piano after school every day.

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In writing, repetition is a literary device in which writers use the same word, phrase, or pattern of words more than once. Writers use repetition for emphasis and to create rhythm. It is used in literature, songs, commercials, and quotations. Words are remembered when they are repeated. Repetition is used to make a point.

Repetition

Read each example of repetition below and answer the question that follows.

“We can complain that rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” - Abraham Lincoln

1. Abraham Lincoln used repetition to make a point in the quotation above. What is the meaning of this quotation?

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“I am stuck on Band-Aid Brand ‘Cause Band-Aid’s stuck on meI am stuck on Band-Aid Brand‘Cause germs don’t stick on me‘Cause they hold on tight no matter what on fingers, toes, and knees I am stuck on Band-Aid Brand‘Cause Band-Aid heals me.” - Band-Aid commercial

2. The quotation above is from a song children sang in a Band-Aid Brand commercial. The goal of a commercial is to convince consumers to buy a product. How did the repetition help to achieve this goal?

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“Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime.” - Chinese Proverb

3. A proverb is a saying expressing a wise thought. What wise thought is expressed in this proverb?

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___________________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________________





In writing, repetition is a literary device in which writers use the same word, phrase, or pattern of words more than once. Writers use repetition for emphasis and to create rhythm. It is used in literature, songs, commercials, and quotations. Words are remembered when they are repeated. Repetition is used to make a point.

Repetition

Read the following quotations from people, songs, commercials, and movies. The repeated word or group of words in each quotation is missing. Choose the word or group of words in the choice box below that makes sense for each quotation. Fill in all the blanks.

1. “__________________ to bed and __________________ to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” – Benjamin Franklin

2. “__________________ not what your country can do for you; __________________ what you can do for your country.” – John F. Kennedy

3. “Genius is one _________________ inspiration and ninety-nine

__________________ perspiration.” – Thomas Edison

4. “The only thing to __________________ is __________________ itself. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

5. “I’m __________________! I’m __________________ for a very important date!” – White Rabbit in Alice in Wonderland

6. “I know not what course others may take, but as for me, __________________ me liberty, or

__________________ me death.” – Patrick Henry

7. “The wheels on the bus go __________________ and ___________________,

__________________ and __________________, __________________ and

__________________. The wheels on the bus go __________________ and

__________________ all through the town.” – “The Wheels on the Bus” (song)

fear percentask

sipping forget let it snow

break give late

early round I loved my friend





8. “Gimme me a __________________,

Gimme a __________________,

__________________ me off a piece of that KitKat bar!” – KitKat commercial

9. “__________________________________________. He went away from me There’s nothing more to say The poem ends, Soft as it began -

____________________________________________.” – “Poem” by Langston Hughes

10. “Oh, the weather outside is frightful But the fire is so delightful Since we’ve no place to go __________________________________________,

__________________________________________,

__________________________________________.” – “Let It Snow” (song)

11. “People will __________________ what you said, People will __________________ what you did, But people will never __________________ how You made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

12. “In January It’s so nice while slipping on the sliding ice to sip hot chicken soup with rice __________________ once

__________________ twice

__________________ chicken soup with rice. – Maurice Sendak, Chicken Soup with Rice





Transition words and phrases help link your sentences and paragraphs together in a logical manner. Readers are able to follow your train of thought, and are able to better understand your writing. They also make your writing more interesting.

Without TransitionsJennifer sat down at her desk, opened her science book, and began to study for her test. She felt tired so she decided to rest for a little while. Jennifer fell asleep. She didn’t study. She failed the math test.

With TransitionsJennifer sat down at her desk, opened her science book, and began to study for her test. Since she felt tired, she decided to rest for a little while. Jennifer fell sound asleep and did not study. As a result, she failed her science test.

Transition Words and Phrases

Choose a transition word or phrase from the choice box below to complete each sentence.

1. My mom loves desserts. Mostly, she enjoys desserts with ice cream. ____________________, she can’t resist a hot fudge sundae or a banana split.

2. Many people choose to build homes near the ocean. ____________________, they spend a great deal of time and money to make sure their property is safe from the sea water.

3. I am definitely not a great golfer. ____________________, I truly enjoy the game, the beautiful scenery, and the company of friends.

4. Fast foods and take out foods taste yummy and make life easier. ____________________, home cooked meals are healthier and less expensive.

5. Jordan realized she earned her best grades when she studied her notes from class. ____________________, she thoroughly organized her binder and took precise notes in class.

in spite of that on the other hand eventually

for instance on the positive sidefor example

consequently with this in mind nevertheless

in the meantime needless to sayeven though





6. Please clear the table and load the dishwasher, and ____________________, I’ll sweep the floor.

7. Destiny saved a little money each week from her paycheck. ____________________, she had enough money to buy a car.

8. My new workout has been challenging, and my muscles were sore for a while. ____________________, I now feel healthier and have more energy.

9. My best friend and I watch Monday Night Football together. My family has season tickets for the home games. ____________________, I am an avid football fan.

10. Painting is my passion. I’m always looking for scenes in nature to paint. ____________________, last weekend I visited my grandparents and painted a picture of the

lovely red roses in their backyard.

11. Allison couldn’t go on the camping trip with her friends due to a previous commitment. _____________________, she was happy her friend thought of her.

12. Harry opened his geometry book. ____________________ he had an annoying headache, he proceeded to complete his math assignment.





Point of view is the position of the narrator in relation to the writing. It’s important to maintain the same point of view throughout the writing.

Types of Point of ViewFirst Person The writer uses I when telling the story. The writer is telling the story as if he or she is the main character. The writer explains the thoughts and feelings of this one character. As I approached my house, I noticed a strange-looking dog lurking in the yard.

Second PersonThe writer uses you when writing. The second person is used when writing directions on how to do something as in a do-it-yourself project or recipe. Most of the time, the word you is implied. If you are writing directions in a recipe you would write – Heat the oven to 375 degrees. not You need to heat the oven to 375 degrees.

Third PersonThe writer uses he or she when telling the story. The writer is telling the story through the eyes of one of the characters using the third person point of view. The writer explains that character’s thoughts and feelings. As Amanda approached the house, she noticed a strange-looking dog lurking in the yard.

Sometimes, a writer will write in the third person and tell the story through the eyes of all the characters. The writer will explain the thoughts and feelings of all of the characters. However, this use of point of view can be confusing and tedious for the reader. For the most part, this is not recommended. When a writer uses this method in a book, the writer should start with the point of view of one character in the first chapter and change the point of view to a different character in the next chapter and so on. As a result, the reader will more easily understand the story.

Point of View

For each writing assignment, write first person, second person, or third person referring to the point of view you would use when completing the writing assignment.

1. __________________ Most people enjoy the company of friends. Write an essay explaining why friends are important to you.

2. __________________ Your younger brother is having difficulty cleaning his room. In order to help him, write step by step directions on how to clean your room.





3. __________________ Write a story about two friends who have an unusual day at the beach.

4. __________________ Choose a person in history who interests you. Write a biography of that person.

5. __________________ Think of a memory you have of a fun day with your family. Write to tell what happened and how you felt.

6. __________________ Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein are alike in some ways and different in other ways. Write an essay comparing and contrasting the lives of Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein.

7. __________________ Write to explain your favorite way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

8. __________________ You shared your sandwich with a friend. The friend wants to know how you made the sandwich, so he can make it at home. Write the directions on how to make the sandwich.

9. __________________ Pretend you are a puppy who escaped from the backyard. Write about your adventure.

10. __________________ Write directions on how to make something.

11. __________________ Write a story about a brother and sister going on rides at an amusement park.

12. __________________ Write about a time you felt disappointed.




Building Writing Skills Essential Tips & Techniques Answers

AnswersPage 1A. 1. c 2. b 3. e 4. a 5. d

B. 1. e 2. g 3. d 4. h 5. j 6. i 7. b 8. a 9. f 10. c

Page 2A. 1. respond 2. brainstorm 3. advised 4. fumbled 5. snatched 6. waddle 7. discovered 8. fascinated 9. reveal 10. undertake

B. 1. advised 2. respond 3. undertake 4. discovered 5. brainstorm 6. reveal 7. waddle 8. snatched 9. fumbled 10. fascinated

Page 3Answers will vary. Possible answers:bother: annoy, disturb, pesterlaugh: giggle, snicker, chuckleeat: nibble, devour, munchlook: observe, glance, inspect

run: dash, sprint, skedaddlefind: locate, discover, spotshine: shimmer, sparkle, glowwant: desire, crave, yearnpractice: rehearse, train, reviewtell: announce, explain, declareget: purchase, receive, obtain hurt: damage, injure, ache

Pages 4-5Answers will vary. Possible answers: 1. giggled 2. shattered 3. crumbled 4. irritate 5. purchased 6. devoured 7. snoozed 8. located 9. announced10. interrogated11. attempted12. craved

Pages 6-7

7

demand

snatch

giggles

inform

tossed

inspected

craves

astonished

brainstorm

budge

abandon

munch

mumble

shallow

evacuate

strolls

chat

clutch

reconciled

guide

insert

huddle

created

gawks

allow

fret

gnaws

hiked

1 2 3 4 5

6

7

8

9

10 11 12

13

14

15 16

17 18

19 20 21

22

23

24 25

Commented [PG3]: thin rounded line around

b r a i n s t o r m

a s t o n i s h e d

i n s e r t

h i k e d

c r e a t e

g a w k sf r e t

m u m b l e

s h a l l o

g i g g l e s

e v a c u a t e

c l u t c h

g u i d

s n a t c

udge

crave

n

w

bandon

o

s

d

uddl

em

nd

in

pected

munch

al

ow

econ

il

d

s

roll

cha

n

or

Pages 8-9 1. slurped 2. whimper 3. jog 4. requested 5. speeding





6. glanced 7. sobbed 8. stared 9. darted10. sparkled11. searched12. strived

Pages 10-11Answers will vary. Possible answers: 1. yearn 2. chuckle 3. discover 4. inquire 5. heave 6. demonstrate 7. chat 8. devour 9. lecture10. savor

Sentences will vary.

Page 12 1. discovered 2. chatting 3. giggling 4. realized 5. glanced 6. huddled 7. approached 8. cruised 9. introduced10. recognized11. reached

Page 13Passage will vary. Possible answer: Every July first, I start craving barbecue brisket and potato salad, because that’s what my mom makes every Fourth of July. On this holiday, friends and family arrive at our house at about six o’clock. We jump in the pool and have fun splashing and swimming in the water. After smelling brisket all day long, we finally get to devour the delicious meat. After dinner, my cousins and I arrange lawn chairs on the side of the house, so we can watch the firework display in our neighborhood. Everyone admires the beautiful splashes of

color in the night sky. Before all the guests leave, we gather on the patio and savor our chocolate ice cream.

Pages 14-15A. 1. Mitchell ate two cheeseburgers at lunch today. 2. My mom baked the cherry pies. 3. Most of the students failed the math test. 4. My brother translated the book into Spanish. 5. Leonardo da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa. 6. Juanita wrapped my birthday gift. 7. The quarterback threw a pass to the receiver. 8. The teacher returned the tests to the students at the end of class. 9. My father and I painted the house. 10. The kangaroo carried the joey in her pouch.

B. 1. passive 2. active 3. passive 4. passive 5. active

Page 16A. Common Adjectives (in any order) 1. small 2. fat 3. happy 4. sad 5. smart 6. big

Strong Adjectives 1. miniature 2. obese 3. elated 4. depressed 5. intelligent 6. gigantic

B. Answers will vary. Possible answers: 1. sure, positive, certain 2. shiny, glistening, sparkling 3. old, elderly, ancient 4. hot, sweltering, torrid





Page 17 1. loud deafening 2. hard perplexing 3. sad devastated 4. tired exhausted 5. funny hilarious 6. sad humiliated 7. hungry famished 8. big colossal 9. poor naughty10. happy delighted

Pages 18-19Answers and sentences will vary. Possible answers: 1. gorgeous 2. heartbroken 3. furious 4. pleasant 5. horrifying 6. ecstatic 7. brilliant 8. adorable 9. colossal10. glistening11. wonderful12. difficult

Page 20A. 1. terrifying 2. peculiar 3. intriguing 4. irate 5. thrilled 6. brilliant 7. affectionate 8. courageous 9. adorable 10. wicked 11. optimistic 12. depressed

B. Sentences will vary.

Page 21 1. synonyms 2. synonyms 3. synonyms 4. antonyms 5. synonyms

6. synonyms 7. synonyms 8. synonyms 9. antonyms10. antonyms11. antonyms12. antonyms

Pages 22-23 A. 1. subtle bluest 2. weird wider 3. rare rear 4. charming marching 5. rowdy wordy 6. rustic citrus 7. teal late 8. pastel palest 9. sacred scared 10. regal large

B. 1. rustic 2. charming 3. rowdy 4. teal 5. weird 6. regal 7. pastel 8. sacred 9. rare 10. subtle

Page 24 1. n 2. e 3. f 4. a 5. h 6. g 7. l 8. m 9. o10. b11. k12. c13. d14. j15. i





Page 25 1. Chicago 2. daffodil 3. grape 4. cocker spaniel 5. coffee 6. Tootsie Roll 7. alligator 8. robin 9. Europe10. Camaro11. corn12. Olive Garden13. cherry pie14. Monopoly15. Canada

Answers for specific nouns will vary.

Page 26 1. a. state, ocean b. California, Pacific Ocean 2. a. cake b. chocolate cake 3. a. store, clothes b. Galleria Mall, jeans, shirts, sweaters 4. a. restaurant b. Waffle House 5. a. team, championship b. Houston Astros, World Series 6. a. movie b. Home Alone Page 27Answers will vary. Possible answers: Tommy and I stepped off the last step of the huge school bus. We made our way down the street to our house. Mom said we could play kickball with our buddies after school. Peppy, our adorable Chihuahua, barked and zipped around in circles when we opened the door. My brother and I grabbed some bananas from the kitchen and proceeded to our bedroom to find our sneakers. The sneakers weren’t in the closet. We searched under piles of clothes and toys with no luck. Then, we realized that all of our shoes were gone. I dashed into my parents’ bedroom and inspected their closet. All of their shoes were missing, too. Where was Peppy? Tommy

spied a tiny paw sticking out from under the bed. We peered under our parents’ bed. Peppy was sitting next to an enormous jumble of shoes.

Page 28 1. small 2. wet 3. free 4. round 5. intelligent 6. tall 7. unexpected 8. advance 9. past10. cold

Page 29 1. a 2. p 3. e 4. o 5. l 6. n 7. e 8. h 9. t10. e

Riddle: a telephone

Pages 30-31Answers will vary. Possible answers:1. The little girl was thrilled to see her

favorite uncle.2. Winston was feeling nauseous and dizzy

after riding the high-speed roller coaster.3. Mr. Washington certainly knows how

to speak clearly and effectively to his employees during staff meetings.

4. I skedaddled down the ancient, rickety staircase.

5. The candidate was devastated when he lost the mayoral election.

6. The restaurant is dedicated to improving its menu for its valued customers.

7. The travelers stumbled upon the quaint diner by accident during a relaxing afternoon walk.





8. I’m confident we’ve never met before.9. When Hannah saw how unattractive her

jeans looked when she tried them on at home, she decided to return them.

10. Wayne was furious with his brother and refused to talk to him.

Pages 32-33Sentences will vary.

Page 34A. 1. Carol, Katie, and Kelly 2. Charlie 3. family 4. Grace 5. decorations 6. Larry, Ricardo, and Teddy 7. Aunt Rosemary 8. porch 9. Winston 10. Barb, Maureen, and I

B. 1. she 2. we 3. They 4. he 5. it

Page 35 1. X 2. O antecedent – skier 3. X 4. X 5. O antecedent – Tom 6. O antecedent – Sue 7. X 8. X 9. O antecedent – team10. O antecedent – Arthur

Page 36-37Sentences will vary. Possible answers:

1. On the news, the meteorologist said the chance for precipitation is one hundred percent today.

2. Agatha told Marie, “You’ll be happy to hear that Kelly enjoyed reading your short story!”

3. When I attended orientation, I met Mrs. Dell and Mrs. McCoy. I discovered Mrs. Dell will be my math teacher.

4. The new refrigerator contains only milk, eggs, and a huge watermelon.

5. Here at the store, the managers expect the employees to be polite and helpful to the customers.

6. When the drone hit the window, the window cracked.

7. The coffee table was not damaged even though I rammed it with the vacuum cleaner.

8. I hadn’t seen Joshua or Nelson since last summer. Joshua looks like he lost weight.

9. Rose smiled at Teresa. She said, “Congratulations! You’ve been appointed captain of the debate team.”

10. Samuel said, “Jayden, stop eating my potato chips!”

Pages 38-39Sentences will vary. Possible answers: 1. The wind howled through the trees and

chased the leaves down the street. Rain pounded on the roof as lightning flashed and thunder crackled.

2. Christina sat up in bed. Her stomach felt queasy, and the room seemed to be spinning. After feeling the heat of her forehead, Christina shouted “Mom!”

3. I shook my head as I glanced around my room at the clothes and shoes on the floor, the unmade bed, and the overflowing trash can.

4. My bike is my transportation. I hop on and pedal as my hair blows in the breeze. I smile because I love riding my bike.

5. When I need to talk to someone, I call Stephanie. She always listens and helps me solve problems. I trust Stephanie, and when we’re together, we laugh a lot.

6. Victor entered the classroom and walked straight to his seat. He slammed his book on his desk. When Theo tried to talk to him, Victor turned away and opened his book.





7. As soon as I walked in the door, Peppy, my puppy, barked and jumped up and down. I picked him up, and he licked my hands and face.

8. Steven dashed down the street trying to catch his ten dollar bill that was blowing away in the wind.

9. When I opened my birthday gift, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was a model airplane I had pointed out to my mom months ago.

10. I peeked in the room. My little brother was curled up in his bed with his eyes closed clutching his favorite teddy bear.

Page 40 1. Mickey Mouse 2. Best Buy 3. Captain Crunch 4. Beauty and the Beast 5. American Airlines 6. Coca-Cola 7. She sells seashells by the seashore. 8. Picky people pick Peter Pan peanut

butter. It’s the peanut butter picky people pick.

9. A skunk sat on a stump. The skunk thunk the stump stunk, but the stump thunk the skunk stunk.

10. Bed, Bath & Beyond11. Mr. Popper’s Penguins12. Willy Wonka13. Pittsburgh Penguins14. Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.15. Cookie Crisp16. Spongebob Squarepants17. I watched…

A brontosaurus with a beard blowing bubbles in the park,A baboon in a blue bonnet bouncing a ball in the dark,A busy black bear baking biscuits for his buddies at school,A bunny and a beaver doing the backstroke in the pool,Then, Mom woke me up for school.

Pages 41-42Sentences will vary. Possible answers: 1. Your hands are as cold as wet snow. 2. I had a nosebleed because the air was

as dry as the sand in a desert. 3. My new pajamas are soft like a baby’s

skin. 4. When Jack gets embarrassed, his face

turns as red as a ripe tomato. 5. Charles popped out of his seat like a

jack-in-the-box when it was time for recess.

6. Maureen’s eyes as blue as a robin’s egg. 7. The tiny toddler is sweet like chocolate

ice cream. 8. Our wet kitchen floor was as slippery as

a Slip’n Slide. 9. During the exam, the classroom was as

quiet as falling snow.10. The airplane soared like an eagle into

the sunny sky.11. The giant was as tall as the Eiffel Tower.12. The white clouds were puffy like cotton

candy.

Page 43 1. b 2. b 3. a 4. b 5. a 6. b 7. b 8. a 9. b10. b

Pages 44-45Answers will vary. Possible answers:

1. Medicine helps you when you feel sick. Laughter helps you when you feel sad.

2. A compass helps you with directions. Your conscience directs you to what is right and away from what is wrong.

3. Crab grass is a weed that grows in a lawn. Sometimes, big sisters are pests.

4. Many wise sayings are said with few words.

5. Puppies are warm and cuddly. They make people happy.





6. A chain is a connection. Parents and children are connected by love.

7. You are more likely to invent something if you are in need of something.

8. You can erase a mistake when you’re drawing, but you can’t erase a mistake in life.

9. We are always working to succeed. 10. Dreams and goals keep us alive and

give us purpose. If we have no dreams, we cannot move ahead in life.

Page 46Answers will vary. Possible answers: 1. butterflies 2. barking 3. rainbow 4. tornado 5. couch potato 6. monkey 7. blanket 8. robot 9. oak tree10. ice skating rink11. microphone12. garage

Page 47 1. laughed my head off 2. killing me 3. forever 4. explode 5. a million things to do 6. die 7. weighs a ton 8. stole my heart 9. a mile away10. sleep for a year11. wet noodles12. starve to death

Page 48-49Answers will vary. Possible answers: 1. Roger is so tall he ducks when walking

under ceiling fans. 2. It was so hot the water in the pool began

to boil. 3. I’m so hungry I could eat ten hot dogs. 4. I was so cold that it took me two days to

thaw out. 5. You snore louder than a lawn mower.

6. Fans swarmed around the football player like the fish in my aquarium when I feed them.

7. At the end of the track meet, my legs turned into jelly.

8. I ate a ton of ice cream at the birthday party.

9. The twinkling stars are nightlights glowing in the sky.

10. Ronald is so thin he disappears when he stands sideways.

11. The man laughed so hard we thought he was actually crying.

12. The rain poured down so hard that we had a lake in our backyard within minutes.

ProverbWhen sad things happen, we feel sad. However, we shouldn’t let the sadness take control of our lives.

Page 501. Laughter is given human qualities. This

quotation is an example of personification, because Stephen King gives human qualities to laughter. Laughter cannot sit on a chair like a person. However, when something is funny we laugh for as long we want. We cannot resist laughter. Laughter brings joy into our lives.

2. The cursor is given human qualities. This quotation is an example of personification, because Richard Marbry gives human qualities to the unfinished project and the cursor on the computer screen. Nick’s project cannot accuse him like a person could. The cursor cannot accuse him like a person could. However, his unfinished project and the cursor remind Nick that he has work to finish.

3. Daffodils are given human qualities. This quotation is an example of personification, because William Wordsworth gives a human quality to the daffodils. Daffodils cannot dance like people dance. However, the daffodils’ graceful movements are similar to dancing. We feel pleasure when we imagine daffodils dancing. With his words, the author paints a beautiful picture in our minds.





Pages 51-52A. 1. danced, jumped 2. calling, reminding 3. peeked, hid 4. roared, swallowed 5. embrace 6. dared, mocked 7. punished 8. tickled 9. spit

B. Sentences will vary. Possible answers: 1. The wilting flowers begged for water. 2. The bolt of lightning sprinted across the

night sky. 3. The wind howled and moaned as the

hurricane approached. 4. The headlights encouraged me to

proceed slowly on the rainy night. 5. The dark clouds in the sky warned me

of the approaching storm. 6. The timer informed me that my cookies

were ready.

Page 531. c2. e3. b4. a5. d

Page 54A. 1. Finding Nemo 2. Alice in Wonderland 3. Lady and the Tramp 4. America’s Best

B. Answers will vary.

Pages 55-56

56

plopped crackling giggled mumbles nibbled dripping

hissed clanged crunching humming grumbled sniffed

sizzled jingled zip honk roar swirl chatter

bang squish screeched chirp snickered stomp

buzz gobbles goo crash whir gush

1 2 3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17

18 19 20 21 22

23 24 25 26 27

Z 28 29

screeched

gobbles

oo

crash

whir

h

mming

ni

bled

dr

pping

tomp

jingled

g

sh

z

phir

snickere

c

atter

bu

z

r a c k l i n gc l a n g e d

p l o p p e d

h i s s e d

h o n

m u m b l e

r u n c h i n g

g r u m b l e

r o a

i g g l e d

i z z l e d

q u s h

b a n g s n i f f e

s w i r

Pages 57-58A. 1. Since 2. Before 3. Although 4. whenever 5. When 6. unless 7. After 8. because 9. while 10. until

B. Sentences will vary.

Page 59Sentences will vary.

Pages 60-61Sentences will vary. Possible answers: 1. Mark Twain, a favorite writer and

humorist, said, “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would rather have talked.”

2. My sister, an aspiring actress, is auditioning for the lead in our school play.

3. Sophie, my adorable miniature schnauzer, is obsessed with squirrels.

4. The Pacific Ocean, the world’s largest ocean, covers one third of Earth’s surface.

5. Mrs. Callahan, my geometry teacher, moved here from New York City.





6. My Uncle Alfred, a police officer, sometimes works the night shift.

7. The Sandlot, my favorite movie, is about a bunch of neighborhood buddies who like to play baseball.

8. Priscilla, our student council president, is always thinking of ways to improve our school.

9. Sheila, an extremely shy girl, rarely participates in class discussions.

10. Timothy, my little brother, embarrassed the entire family with his lack of manners at the restaurant today.

Pages 62-63Answers will vary. Possible answer: Yesterday, my family and I attended my little sister’s kindergarten graduation. We watched as the tiny graduates marched on stage wearing graduation caps. The caps had tassels just like high school graduation, and the kids looked like miniature high school graduates. Mrs. Rosinski, the principal, called each of the students up to the stage to receive a diploma. After the kids shook hands with their teachers, they returned to their places. My sister, Sheila, had an enormous smile on her face, and she waved when she saw us in the audience. When the ceremony ended, the kindergarteners exited the stage, so we followed them to their classroom. The boys and girls were sitting on a rug on the floor chatting and giggling. Miss Monroe, my sister’s teacher, said, “One, two, three! Eyes on me!” The little people replied, “One, two! Eyes on you!” Suddenly, silence filled the room, so Miss Monroe presented the awards. Sheila received an award since she had perfect attendance for the whole school year. Mom gave Sheila a bouquet of daisies. Sheila looked happy and proud when I took a picture of her with Miss Monroe. Then, Sheila said, “Am I going to first grade tomorrow?”

Pages 64-65A. 1. Gently, 2 On the way to school, 3. Under the shade of the maple tree, 4. Reluctantly, 5. Throughout the movie, 6. Underneath his bed, 7. Occasionally, 8. Oddly enough, 9. Despite the winter storm warning, 10. Cheerfully,

B. 1. Hopefully, I’ll earn high enough grades to win the scholarship.

2. Suddenly, the wind howled, and the rain drenched the streets and lawns.

3. During halftime, we ordered pizza and chicken wings.

4. With his new credit card, Ralph purchased his laptop computer.

5. Enthusiastically, the audience applauded for the college graduates.

6. Unfortunately, Victor couldn’t go on the field trip, because he had the flu.

7. After school every day, I practice piano.

Page 661. Abraham Lincoln suggests that people

should focus on the positive rather than the negative.

2. The repetition influences the consumer to remember the words to the song. Repetition of the word stuck used in two different ways makes the commercial comical and more appealing.

3. If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat it, but he’ll have nothing to eat the next day. If you teach a man to fish, he can catch fish to feed himself for a lifetime. If you want to help people, teach them how to do something for themselves instead of doing it for them.





Pages 67-68 1. early 2. ask 3. percent 4. fear 5. late 6. give 7. round 8. break 9. I loved my friend10. Let it snow11. forget12. sipping

Pages 69-70 1. For example or For instance 2. Consequently 3. In spite of that 4. On the other hand 5. With this in mind 6. in the meantime 7. Eventually 8. On the positive side 9. Needless to say10. For instance or For example 11. Nevertheless12. Even though

Pages 71-72 1. first person 2. second person 3. first or third person 4. third person 5. first person 6. third person 7. first person 8. second person 9. first person10. second person 11. first or third person 12. first person




Critical Thinking Detective™-Vocabulary Book 2 Sample Activity

Read the case below to find evidence to identify the innocent and guilty suspects. Remember, the story and suspects’ statements are true.

The Thieving Blatherskite1Earlier this year, authorities in Fenton investigated the Thieving Blatherskite—a thief who stole an expensive dress from Fenton’s Finery. 2Three sales associates described the thief as a disheveled customer, whose incessant clattering caused agitation with the staff.

3The information from employees narrowed the list of culprits to the four suspects shown below. 4After further questioning, one suspect confessed, and police discovered the dress among her chattels later that day.

Sales Associate #1: 5“I have worked for the store for a long time and know the suspects well. 6Leila Haskins is notable for her badinage and Ann Peterson for her pell-mell mien. 7On the day of the theft, I had an immersing conversation with Ella Madison before Petra Cummins interjected.”

Sales Associate #2: 8“My shift was just beginning when the thief stole the dress. 9I overheard my peeved cohorts griping about Ann Peterson and Petra Cummins—the latter for being taciturn.”

Sales Associate #3: 10“When she’s in the store, Ella Madison commandeers my attention. 11I have worked exclusively with the natty customer for the past year. 12She is a pertinacious but loyal customer.”

Based on the evidence, circle the Thieving Blatherskite.

Please see page 84 for an additional activity.

Ann Peterson Leila Haskins Ella Madison Petra Cummins




mienbadinage finery agitation

nattychattels disheveled gripe

peevedclattering immersing pell-mell

cohorts incessantly pertinaciouscommandeered

interject taciturn

After solving the case, write the best vocabulary word to complete each sentence. Each word can only be used once.

1. The leaky faucet dripped _____________________ all night.

2. The ______________________ witness was reluctant to answer questions.

3. Speak louder so I can hear you over the group’s _______________________.

4. I had a/an ______________________ appearance after the windy walk.

5. The protestors’ _____________________ delayed the start of the project.

6. During an emergency, supplies can be _______________________ by authorities.

7. My ______________________ was on display during the black-tie event.

8. We were in a hurry, so we packed in a/an _______________________ manner.

9. The bedroom is too small to contain my _______________________.

10. The conversation’s flow will be smoother if you don’t _______________________.

11. The _______________________ in the program have similar backgrounds.

12. To discourage their ______________________, the teacher moved the friends apart.

13. The first chapter is dull, but the rest of the book is _______________________.

14. I entered the makeover contest to improve my ______________________.

15. In anticipation of the promotion, I invested in a/an ______________________ wardrobe.

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the critical thinking co. grades 6−12+ building 11563bep

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