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

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

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.