Building Word Power
Aligned to L.4.6 — Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.
What this lesson teaches
The more words you know, the better you can say exactly what you mean. Learn general academic words used across subjects and precise action words that give an exact picture. Using these words in your talking and writing makes them stick.
Worked examples
Example 1
Instead of 'The snail moved,' a precise word gives a clearer picture: 'The snail crept.' 'Crept' tells the reader exactly how slowly and quietly it moved.
Example 2
Instead of 'She said it angrily,' write 'She snapped.' One precise verb replaces a verb plus an adverb.
Example 3
Collect words you meet, do not just look them up. A word you wrote down and used twice is yours; one you looked up is gone by Friday.
Practice questions
- Replace the word 'walked' with a more exact action word and say what it adds.
- Learn a new word this week and use it correctly in a sentence.
- Explain how knowing more words helps you write more clearly.
Watch the lesson
Every lesson comes with a video taught in English and Spanish — the same video the QR code in the printed workbook opens.
▶ Watch this lessonEn español
Aumentar tu Vocabulario
Mientras más palabras conoces, mejor puedes decir exactamente lo que quieres decir. Aprende palabras académicas generales que se usan en varias materias y palabras de acción precisas que dan una imagen exacta. Usar estas palabras al hablar y escribir hace que se te queden.
Ejemplo 1: En lugar de 'El caracol se movió,' una palabra precisa da una imagen más clara: 'El caracol se arrastró.' 'Se arrastró' le dice al lector exactamente qué tan lento y silencioso se movió.
Ejemplo 2: En vez de 'Lo dijo con enojo', escribe 'Lo espetó.' Un verbo preciso reemplaza un verbo más un adverbio.
Ejemplo 3: Colecciona las palabras que encuentres, no solo las busques. Una palabra que anotaste y usaste dos veces es tuya; una que solo buscaste se te va para el viernes.
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