what are some strategies to help sharpen sentences and word choice? course hero

How can I improve the mood of my writing?

Experiment with word etymologies and see how they affect the mood of your writing. You might find this to be an impactful facet of your word choice. You can Google “__ etymology” for any word to see its origin, and “__ synonym” to see synonyms.

How important is word choice in writing?

Consider your word choice to be the fingerprint of your writing. Every writer uses words differently, and as those words come to form poems, stories, and books, your unique grasp on the English language will be recognizable by all your readers.

How can i Improve my English writing skills?

By eschewing all forms of the verb “to be”—using words such as “is,” “am,” “are,” “was,” and other “being” verbs—your writing should feel more clear, active, and precise!

How to develop your style of writing?

Style is best observed and developed through a portfolio of writing. As you write more and form an identity as a writer, the bits of style in your writing will form constellations. Before we offer some word choice exercises to expand your writing horizons, we first want to mention the importance of verbs.

Accessing Language

Most of us can remember receiving lists of random vocabulary words to memorize. Parts of speech and multiple definitions were practiced by completing fill-in-the-blank sentences or rewriting definitions multiple times, but recently, these practices have been replaced by more effective strategies.

Word Analysis

No matter how old we are, comprehending what we are reading depends on our reading level. We need to know the meaning of the words before we can know the meaning of a text. We want to start by teaching students how to analyze words they don't know through word analysis.

Analyzing Diction

Along with analyzing words to decipher meaning, we also need to teach our students how to access context, and to do so, we must look at the author's word choices, also known as diction. Diction is the style of writing determined by an author and analyzed as word choices and phrases.

Practice Makes Perfect

Repetition is key. Without multiple exposures to new vocabulary, students will not have enough time to practice using, hearing, and reading the words to fully grasp their meaning. Sometimes we get caught up in simply getting through curriculum as teachers, but it's important to take time to practice using new words as often as possible.

Why is word choice important in writing?

All strong writers have something in common: they understand the value of word choice in writing. Strong word choice uses vocabulary and language to maximum effect, creating clear moods and images and making your stories and poems more powerful and vivid.

What are the four considerations for choosing a word?

1. Meaning. Words can be chosen for one of two meanings: the denotative meaning or the connotative meaning. Denotation refers to the word’s basic, literal dictionary definition and usage.

What is the purpose of e-prime writing?

The intent of E-Prime writing is to make all of your subjects active and to make your verbs more impactful. While this is a fun word choice exercise and a great way to create memorable language, it probably isn’t sustainable for a long writing project.

What does "strong word choice" mean?

Strong word choice means that every word you write packs a punch. As we’ve seen with adverbs above, you may find that your writing becomes more concise and economical—delivering more impact per word. Above all, you may find that you omit needless words.

What is the importance of verbs in writing?

Verbs, as you may recall, are the “action” of the sentence—they describe what the subject of the sentence actually does. Unless you are intentionally breaking grammar rules, all sentences must have a verb, otherwise they don’t communicate much to the reader.

How to play around with words?

1. Build Moods With Word Choice. Writers fine-tune their words because the right vocabulary will build lush, emotive worlds.

What is word choice?

The definition of word choice extends far beyond the simplicity of “choosing the right words.” Choosing the right word takes into consideration many different factors, and finding the word that packs the most punch requires both a great vocabulary and a great understanding of the nuances in English.