1.5
WORD STUDY Exact Words
WARM-UP READ, LISTEN, SPEAK Write on the board your phrase from yesterday’s For Tomorrow homework. As a class, replace a word with a more exact word and discuss how this improves the phrase or sentence. Ask small groups to share their common phrases and sentences. Challenge students to demonstrate how replacing one word with a more exact word makes the phrase or sentence more interesting.
GRAMMAR CONNECTION
Take this opportunity to talk about words used as nouns and adjectives. You may wish to have students point out words used as nouns and adjectives in their Read, Listen, Speak examples.
ACTIVITY E When students have finished, ask volunteers to read aloud their sentences. Discuss how word choices affected the sentences. Point out that the words in a thesaurus should be chosen carefully and that though they may be more unusual, they aren’t always a better choice to convey your intended meaning. ACTIVITY F Have students work in small groups to find synonyms for the verbs in the activity. Tell students to exhaust their own ideas before consulting a thesaurus.
ACTIVITY H Remind students to use a print or online thesaurus for this activity. When they have finished revising the sentences, have students discuss the images the new words create.
ACTIVITY D Write one or two adjectives you could use in place of old if you were writing about each of these things.
TEACH
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Remind students that a sentence in which words are selected deliberately is more powerful. Point out that short sentences can also create strong, vivid images when the writer takes time to choose words carefully. Write the following sentence on the board and ask students to rewrite the sentence using more specific, colorful words:
a grandfather clock a style of clothing a book a friend an Egyptian pyramid a tree a bike Grandfather clock
a house shoes a myth
ACTIVITY E Replace each italicized adjective with a more precise descriptive word or group of words. You may use a print or online thesaurus.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
The brave firefighter ran into the burning building.
Give volunteers a chance to share their work.
We had a nice time at the surprise party. Trying to appear very brave, he entered the deserted house. The apple in my lunch tasted good. When we finished working on the car, we were dirty. The principal thought our class play was great. With the loud noise outside, it was hard to concentrate.
ACTIVITY F The following are overused verbs. They express action, but there are more vivid or precise words that can give a reader a clearer picture of what is happening. How many colorful words can you list for each verb below?
PRACTICE ACTIVITY D Encourage students to use a print or online thesaurus to make a list of synonyms for the word old. When they have finished the activity, have volunteers share their responses. Discuss how students’ chosen responses subtly convey different meanings. 230
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ACTIVITY G Have students work in small groups for this activity. When students have finished, have the groups present their work to the class. Ask volunteers to choose one sentence to write on the board. Have students suggest additional endings for each sentence.
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Chapter 1
say
walk
laugh
look
eat
do
carry
throw
hold