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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.

Set 13 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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Set 1 has all 25 in a single PDF. All 25 sets ask different questions.

Words Chosen for Effect

L.3.3

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
  • A.moved
  • B.did
  • C.trotted
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.Why might a writer choose "stretched thin as thread" over "got thin"?
  • A.It gives the reader a picture
  • B.It is shorter
  • C.It is easier to spell
4.When should a writer choose the plainest word?
  • A.Never — longer words are always better
  • B.When being understood exactly matters most
  • C.Only in stories
5.Which sentence is more precise?
  • A.The lamp went out at eleven o'clock.
  • B.Something happened to the lamp.
  • C.The lamp went out at some point.
6.Why might a writer choose "whispered" instead of "said"?
  • A.It tells the reader how the words were spoken
  • B.It is easier to spell
  • C.It is a shorter word
7.Which is the most exact way to say how big the dog was?
  • A.The dog was a size.
  • B.The dog was as tall as the kitchen table.
  • C.The dog was quite big.
8.Why does "his stomach dropped" work better than "he was scared"?
  • A.It uses fewer letters
  • B.It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it
  • C.It is more formal

LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 13 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect

Set 13. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.trotted
  2. 2.Icy rain stung our faces.
  3. 3.It gives the reader a picture
  4. 4.When being understood exactly matters most
  5. 5.The lamp went out at eleven o'clock.
  6. 6.It tells the reader how the words were spoken
  7. 7.The dog was as tall as the kitchen table.
  8. 8.It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it

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.