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 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 2. Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
3. Which sentence tells the reader most about the weather?
A. The weather was bad. B. It was not nice out. C. Icy rain stung our faces. 4. 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 5. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. Some Boats B. How a Canal Lock Works C. Water 6. 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 7. Which word best shows that the girl was very hungry?
8. When should a writer choose the plainest word?
A. Never — longer words are always better B. Only in stories C. When being understood exactly matters most LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 19 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 19. Prints on its own sheet.
1. It gives the reader a picture 2. trotted 3. Icy rain stung our faces. 4. It tells the reader how the words were spoken 5. How a Canal Lock Works 6. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it 7. gobbled 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.