Home / English / Printables / Grade 3 / Words Chosen for Effect Words Chosen for Effect is a free printable Grade 3 English worksheet on choosing the word that does the job you want, aligned to Common Core standard L.3.3. It prints 8 questions with an answer key on its own sheet of paper, in 25 versions that each ask different questions, so no two students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.
One paper per student
Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.
Words Chosen for Effect L.3.3
Name Date
Circle the right answer.
1. Which verb tells a reader most?
A. Anansi trotted away B. Anansi went away C. Anansi did away 2. Which sentence tells the reader most about the weather?
A. It was not nice out. B. Icy rain stung our faces. C. The weather was bad. 3. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. How a Canal Lock Works B. Some Boats C. Water 4. Which sentence is more precise?
A. The lamp went out at some point. B. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. C. Something happened to the lamp. 5. Why might a writer choose "stretched thin as thread" over "got thin"?
A. It is shorter B. It is easier to spell C. It gives the reader a picture 6. Why might a writer choose "whispered" instead of "said"?
A. It tells the reader how the words were spoken B. It is a shorter word C. It is easier to spell 7. Why does "his stomach dropped" work better than "he was scared"?
A. It uses fewer letters B. It is more formal C. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it 8. Which word shows the mouse moved without a sound?
LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 11 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 11. Prints on its own sheet.
1. Anansi trotted away 2. Icy rain stung our faces. 3. How a Canal Lock Works 4. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 5. It gives the reader a picture 6. It tells the reader how the words were spoken 7. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it 8. crept More practice for L.3.3 Choose words for effect, and recognize the difference between spoken and written English.
Teaching this next? Choosing Words for Effect is the 40-minute plan for it, with the misconceptions to expect.
All Grade 3 worksheets
Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.3.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.