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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 pupils in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 17 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

Tick the right answer.

1.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
2.How many syllables are in "important"?
  • A.Three
  • B.Five
  • C.Two
3.Which sentence would you say aloud but not write in a report?
  • A.The journey was six thousand miles.
  • B.It was, like, really far.
  • C.The journey was very long.
4.Where does "rabbit" split into syllables?
  • A.rab / bit
  • B.rabb / it
  • C.ra / bbit
5.Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
  • A.trotted
  • B.moved
  • C.did
6.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 is more formal
  • C.It uses fewer letters
7.Which shows the difference between spoken and written English?
  • A.Speech uses more full stops
  • B.Speech can be unfinished; writing usually has to be complete
  • C.Writing is always shorter
8.You are writing dialogue. Should it sound like speech or like a report?
  • A.Like speech, because that is what it is
  • B.Neither
  • C.Like a report, always

LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 17 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect

Set 17. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.It gives the reader a picture
  2. 2.Three
  3. 3.It was, like, really far.
  4. 4.rab / bit
  5. 5.trotted
  6. 6.It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it
  7. 7.Speech can be unfinished; writing usually has to be complete
  8. 8.Like speech, because that is what it is

More practice for L.3.3

Choose words for effect, and recognise 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.