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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 4 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.You are writing dialogue. Should it sound like speech or like a report?
  • A.Like a report, always
  • B.Like speech, because that is what it is
  • C.Neither
2.Which title tells a reader most about the text?
  • A.How a Canal Lock Works
  • B.Some Boats
  • C.Water
3.Which sentence would you say aloud but not write in a report?
  • A.The journey was six thousand miles.
  • B.The journey was very long.
  • C.It was, like, really far.
4.How many syllables are in "important"?
  • A.Three
  • B.Two
  • C.Five
5.Why does "his stomach dropped" work better than "he was scared"?
  • A.It uses fewer letters
  • B.It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it
  • C.It is more formal
6.Why might a writer choose "stretched thin as thread" over "got thin"?
  • A.It is easier to spell
  • B.It gives the reader a picture
  • C.It is shorter
7.Which shows the difference between spoken and written English?
  • A.Writing is always shorter
  • B.Speech uses more full stops
  • C.Speech can be unfinished; writing usually has to be complete
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 4 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect

Set 4. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.Like speech, because that is what it is
  2. 2.How a Canal Lock Works
  3. 3.It was, like, really far.
  4. 4.Three
  5. 5.It shows the feeling through the body rather than naming it
  6. 6.It gives the reader a picture
  7. 7.Speech can be unfinished; writing usually has to be complete
  8. 8.When being understood exactly matters most

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.