1. Strong vs. Weak Word Choices
Writing Workout:
Strong vs. Weak Word Choices

2. 1) OVERUSED WORDS Very Really Said Walk Soft Big Small Smell A lot
Okay
Ugly
Like
Run
Things
Neat
Fast
Bad
Hot
Got
Nice
Cool
Good
Cold
Loud
Beautiful
Pretty
Scary
Sad
Slow

3. Revise the Overused Words
The bright yellow sun __________ on the kids on the playground.
The wind ___________ through the trees and __________ the leaves.
The school bell __________ when I _________ in the morning.

4. 2) “Dead” and “Dying” Verbs to AVOID
Become/ became
Act/acted
Seem/ seemed
Make/made
Exist/existed
Resemble/ resembled Is
Was
Were
“-ing” verbs Am
Are Be
Had
Has
Have
These verbs set you up
to TELL and SUMMARIZE

5. 2) How to Eliminate the “Dead” and “Dying” Verbs? SHOW!!!!
My cousins and I were laughing.
My cousins and I laughed.
Our laughs shook the house.

6. 2) How to Eliminate the “Dead” and “Dying” Verbs? SHOW!!!!
The hallway was quiet.
Silence flooded my ears.
No sounds danced through my ears.

7. 2) How to Eliminate the “Dead” and “Dying” Verbs? SHOW!!!!
The girl was pretty.
The girl’s hair glistened in the sun.
The girl admired her stunning looks in the mirror.

8. 2) How to Eliminate the “Dead” and “Dying” Verbs? SHOW!!!!
Class is boring.
Many students dozed off during class today.
The students daydreamed while the teacher taught.

9. Eliminate the “Dead” and “Dying” Verbs: SHOW!!!!

10. 3) Replace ADVERBS with STRONG VERBS
= staggered
walked unsteadily
wildly beat
punched furiously
loudly yelled
tightly held
said softly
walked softly
= pounded
= pummeled

11. WRITER’S WORKSHOP: TODAY’S GOALS
STEP 1: SELF REVISION
Replace weak word choices with strong word choices
Eliminate “dead” and “dying” verbs – SHOW your moment
Replace adverbs with strong verbs
STEP 2: PEER REVISION
Writer will read piece aloud to peer.
Peer will close eyes and form “movie behind eyelids.”
When finished, peer will explain to writer where s/he “lost” the movie.
Writer will use sheet to ask peer questions and record answers.
Writer will make revisions where needed.