Find out more about a classmate. Take turns. Ask and answer questions about sports, favorite movies, plays, or music. Speak clearly and listen carefully to your partner. Use colorful action verbs.
What do you do after school?
I play basketball with my friends. I’m great at it! I run fast, leap high, and slam the ball through the net.
Study the Models If you want to catch your reader’s interest, try using colorful action words when you write. Many words tell what someone does—talk, chat, chatter, discuss, speak—but some of them are boring. These last four action verbs all mean talk, but they are more colorful.
Add Sentences Think of three more sentences to add to the BETTER model above. Try to use colorful verbs from the chart.
| Change … | to a colorful verb like … |
|---|---|
| cry | weep, whimper, whine, sob, bawl, wail |
| eat | nibble, munch, gobble, gulp, devour |
| go | walk, stroll, hurry, rush, race |
| laugh | grin, giggle, chuckle, cackle, howl |
| talk | chat, chatter, discuss, speak |
WRITE ON YOUR OWN Write about a play or other story you know. Use colorful action words in your sentences. Use words from the chart, or find other specific and colorful verbs in a thesaurus.