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. 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 3. Which sentence is more precise?
A. Something happened to the lamp. B. The lamp went out at some point. C. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 4. Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
5. Which verb tells a reader most?
A. Anansi went away B. Anansi did away C. Anansi trotted away 6. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. Some Boats B. Water C. How a Canal Lock Works 7. Which is the most exact way to say how big the dog was?
A. The dog was a size. B. The dog was quite big. C. The dog was as tall as the kitchen table. 8. Why does "his stomach dropped" work better than "he was scared"?
A. It is more formal B. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it C. It uses fewer letters LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 24 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 24. Prints on its own sheet.
1. crept 2. When being understood exactly matters most 3. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 4. trotted 5. Anansi trotted away 6. How a Canal Lock Works 7. The dog was as tall as the kitchen table. 8. It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it 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.
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Last reviewed 2026-09-05. Aligned to L.3.3 of the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts.