Using a Thesaurus

Why Use a Thesaurus ? When we write, we sometimes use the same words repeatedly. At other times, we use boring words when more exciting words would make the writing more interesting. At times like these, using a thesaurus can help us make our writing more exciting. A thesaurus is a book of synonyms. A synonym is a word that has the same, or nearly the same, meaning as another word.

What Not To Do !! No two words mean exactly the same thing. No two words are directly interchangeable. We turn to a thesaurus to find different, more expressive ways of speaking and writing, but we must turn to a dictionary to determine the meaning. Always consider synonyms in their desired context.

Example That feather is really light. light = glow(adj.) beam, bright, luminous, illuminate light = weightless (adj.) wispy, flimsy Light = gentle (adj.)delicate, soft Light = nimble (adj.) graceful, dainty, elegant, agile Light = carefree (adj.) happy, cheerful, untroubled That feather is really delicate. Delicate = marked by daintiness or charm of color, lines, or proportions

Video They’re warm, nice people with big hearts. They’re humid, pre-posessing homo-sapiens with full sized aortic pumps.

Exercise Read the story on the next slide. Create a more interesting story by using a thesaurus to find a synonym for each of the words in parentheses. Be sure the words you choose are grammatically correct and make sense in the story.

Aunt Skeeter and the (1)(bad) __________ Itch It was a (2)(very) __________ hot day at Bluebell Farm. Aunt Skeeter had been (3)(working) __________ in the garden since daybreak. She looked up at the (4)(hot) __________ sun and wished she could go swimming in the (5)(cool) __________ creek. All at once, Aunt Skeeter had a (6)(good) __________ idea. She decided that a swim was just what she needed. So she (7)(ran) __________ down to the creek and (8)(jumped) __________ in! A smile spread across her face as she floated on the water. The (9)(nice) __________ swim did not last very long, however. All of a sudden, Aunt Skeeter let out a (10)(cry) __________ that could be heard in the next county. She jumped out of the water as though she had been shot from a cannon. She wiggled and squirmed, trying to (11)(find) __________ the source of her discomfort. Finally, after one (12)(big) __________ shake, a (13)(fat) __________ catfish came flopping out of Aunt Skeeter's overalls. Seeing the catfish made Aunt Skeeter (14)(laugh) __________ so hard that she had the hiccups for two days!

Aunt Skeeter and the (1)(bad) Itch awful/dreadful/appalling Aunt Skeeter and the (1)(bad) Itch It was a (2)(very) hot day at Bluebell Farm. Aunt Skeeter had been (3)(working) in the garden since daybreak. She looked up at the (4)(hot) sun and wished she could go swimming in the (5)(cool) creek. All at once, Aunt Skeeter had a (6)(good) idea. She decided that a swim was just what she needed. So she (7)(ran) down to the creek and (8)(jumped) in! exceptionally/exceedingly toiling/laboring scorching/searing/boiling chilly/frigid/refreshing superb/ tremendous /brilliant sprinted/dashed/rushed leaped/hopped

A smile spread across her face as she floated on the water A smile spread across her face as she floated on the water. The (9)(nice) swim did not last very long, however. All of a sudden, Aunt Skeeter let out a (10)(cry) that could be heard in the next county. She jumped out of the water as though she had been shot from a cannon. She wiggled and squirmed, trying to (11)(find) the source of her discomfort. Finally, after one (12)(big) shake, a (13)(fat) catfish came flopping out of Aunt Skeeter's overalls. Seeing the catfish made Aunt Skeeter (14)(laugh) so hard that she had the hiccups for two days! pleasant/enjoyable/delightful sob/wail/howl locate/uncover/discover immense/gigantic/significant plump/portly/chubby chuckle/ snicker/ giggle