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 best shows that the girl was very hungry?
2. When should a writer choose the plainest word?
A. Only in stories B. Never — longer words are always better C. When being understood exactly matters most 3. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. How a Canal Lock Works B. Some Boats C. Water 4. Which verb tells a reader most?
A. Anansi went away B. Anansi did away C. Anansi trotted away 5. 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 6. Which sentence is more precise?
A. The lamp went out at some point. B. Something happened to the lamp. C. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 7. Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
8. 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 LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 22 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 22. Prints on its own sheet.
1. gobbled 2. When being understood exactly matters most 3. How a Canal Lock Works 4. Anansi trotted away 5. It tells the reader how the words were spoken 6. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 7. trotted 8. It gives the reader a picture 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.