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 word shows the mouse moved without a sound?
2. Which sentence tells the reader most about the weather?
A. Icy rain stung our faces. B. The weather was bad. C. It was not nice out. 3. When should a writer choose the plainest word?
A. Only in stories B. When being understood exactly matters most C. Never — longer words are always better 4. Why might a writer choose "stretched thin as thread" over "got thin"?
A. It is shorter B. It gives the reader a picture C. It is easier to spell 5. Which verb tells a reader most?
A. Anansi did away B. Anansi trotted away C. Anansi went away 6. Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
7. Which is the most exact way to say how big the dog was?
A. The dog was quite big. B. The dog was a size. C. The dog was as tall as the kitchen table. 8. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. Some Boats B. Water C. How a Canal Lock Works LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 18 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 18. Prints on its own sheet.
1. crept 2. Icy rain stung our faces. 3. When being understood exactly matters most 4. It gives the reader a picture 5. Anansi trotted away 6. trotted 7. The dog was as tall as the kitchen table. 8. How a Canal Lock Works 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.