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. Why does "his stomach dropped" work better than "he was scared"?
A. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it B. It uses fewer letters C. It is more formal 2. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. Some Boats B. Water C. How a Canal Lock Works 3. Which word shows the mouse moved without a sound?
4. Which word best shows that the girl was very hungry?
5. 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. 6. Which verb tells a reader most?
A. Anansi trotted away B. Anansi went away C. Anansi did away 7. Why might a writer choose "whispered" instead of "said"?
A. It is a shorter word B. It tells the reader how the words were spoken C. It is easier to spell 8. When should a writer choose the plainest word?
A. When being understood exactly matters most B. Never — longer words are always better C. Only in stories LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 15 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 15. Prints on its own sheet.
1. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it 2. How a Canal Lock Works 3. crept 4. gobbled 5. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 6. Anansi trotted away 7. It tells the reader how the words were spoken 8. When being understood exactly matters most 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.