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 easier to spell C. It is shorter 2. Which word best shows that the girl was very hungry?
3. When should a writer choose the plainest word?
A. Never — longer words are always better B. When being understood exactly matters most C. Only in stories 4. Which sentence is more precise?
A. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. B. Something happened to the lamp. C. The lamp went out at some point. 5. Which verb tells a reader most?
A. Anansi did away B. Anansi trotted away C. Anansi went away 6. Which sentence tells the reader most about the weather?
A. It was not nice out. B. Icy rain stung our faces. C. The weather was bad. 7. Which title tells a reader most about the text?
A. Water B. How a Canal Lock Works C. Some Boats 8. Which word shows the mouse moved without a sound?
LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 25 · free to copy for classroom use
Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect Set 25. Prints on its own sheet.
1. It gives the reader a picture 2. gobbled 3. When being understood exactly matters most 4. The lamp went out at eleven o'clock. 5. Anansi trotted away 6. Icy rain stung our faces. 7. How a Canal Lock Works 8. crept 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.