The Six Traits

The Six Traits of Writing represent the things that we can observe, assess, revise,

and edit in any piece of writing.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

Focus on Word Choice

Good word choice means that clear and precise nouns and verbs carry the message, supported by carefully selected modifiers.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

Good word choice is easy to recognize.

Read the following portion of a rough draft. The word choice in this sample is weak. Nouns and verbs are neither clear nor specific. Modifiers are vague and weak.

The player went through the middle, and then he went sideways. He ran really quickly to the end of the field and made a score. The crowd suddenly got really loud.

Now read the final draft of this paragraph, which has been revised to improve word choice.

The powerful tailback exploded violently through the line of scrimmage. He then bounced outside and sprinted to the far endzone. As he tore down the sideline, the crowd erupted in frenzied anticipation of the winning touchdown.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

What makes the word choice betterin the second sample?

The powerful tailback exploded violently through the line of scrimmage. He then bounced outside and sprinted to the far endzone. As he tore down the sideline, the crowd erupted in frenzied anticipation of the winning touchdown.

The writer uses nouns that are clear, precise, and content-specific (in this

case, football-specific words).

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

What makes the word choice betterin the second sample?

The powerful tailback exploded violently through the line of scrimmage. He then bounced outside and sprinted to the far endzone. As he tore down the sideline, the crowd erupted in frenzied anticipation of the winning touchdown.

The writer uses verbs that are precise and very descriptive. They show the

actions very clearly.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

What makes the word choice betterin the second sample?

The writer carefully selects just the right adjectives to describe

some of the nouns.

The powerful tailback exploded violently through the line of scrimmage. He then bounced outside and sprinted to the far endzone. As he tore down the sideline, the crowd erupted in frenzied anticipation of the winning touchdown.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

The powerful tailback exploded violently through the line of scrimmage. He then bounced outside and sprinted to the far endzone. As he tore down the sideline, the crowd erupted in frenzied anticipation of the winning touchdown.

What makes the word choice betterin the second sample?

The writer carefully selects just the right adverbs to support some of the verbs. Notice that in this model, most verbs are strong enough to stand on

their own without adverbs.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

Figurative Language • Simile (Compares two things using like or as): The entire

offense worked like a well-oiled machine. • Metaphor (Describes one thing as if it were something else):

The starting tailback was a real thoroughbred.• Hyperbole (Exaggerates on purpose to make a point): The

victory was nothing short of miraculous! • Personification (Assigns human traits to non-human things):

Eighty yards away, the endzone beckoned. • Idiom (Uses commonly known expressions to explain

or describe): Our guys played with a real chip on their shoulders.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice

Remember!

• Good word choice means using clear and precise nouns and verbs.

• Good word choice means supporting some nouns and verbs with well-chosen adjectives and adverbs.

• Good word choice sometimes uses figurative language to describe.

Writing Trait Introduction: Word Choice