Aim: To use interesting verbs to make our writing more vivid.

Aim: To use interesting verbs to make our writing more vivid. For Resources: http://trubnikov.wikispaces.com/

Jaime walked to school. How can we change the verb walked into a more interesting action verb? Suggestions:

Verbs

Highlight the interesting action verbs. “Morey was this old musician with skin like brown velvet. When the light shone on it, his skin gleamed gold. Most of the time he slopped around in an old flannel shirt and army fatigue pants…” ( From Child of the Owl by Lawrence Yep, Harper Collins, 1977)

Average Verbs vs. Interesting Verbs Fell Looked Wore Slopped Gleamed Shone

Why use action verbs instead of average verbs? You create active events. Situations/moods are described more accurately. Writing becomes lively.

Let’s look at the video on verbs again. This time, write down all the verbs you hear in the story. It’s okay if you don’t get them all, just write down what you can. Click here to return to the movie.

What verbs did you hear? Place them appropriately in the chart below.

Do Now: Go back to your draft and use a colored pencil/highlighter to note all of the verbs. Then try to think of other words that fit and communicate the action or condition in a vivid way. Write them down. Read the piece silently using the new words instead of the old ones. Cross out the ones you don’t like. You might even like to keep the words you started with. Test the new word and then decide.

Homework Visit the 501, 502 & 503 Reading & Writing Blog to share the work you did in class today. http://mrstrub.blogspot.com/

Citations Tully, Marianne Helping Students Revise Their Writing New York Scholastic 1996. Introduction to Parts of Speech: Big Herb & His Verbs. Colman Communications. 2003. PowerMediaPlus.com. 7 August 2008. <http:/ www.powermediaplus.com>

Aim: To use interesting verbs to make our writing more vivid.