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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 students in the class work from the same page. Print it from the browser or download it as a PDF — no account, no email.

Set 1 of 25 · the same problems every time you open this link.

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All 25 sets ask different questions.

Words Chosen for Effect

L.3.3

NameDate

Circle the right answer.

1.Which word is most exact for how the fox left?
  • A.moved
  • B.trotted
  • C.did
2.Which is the most exact way to say how big the dog was?
  • A.The dog was a size.
  • B.The dog was quite big.
  • C.The dog was as tall as the kitchen table.
3.Which word best shows that the girl was very hungry?
  • A.gobbled
  • B.ate
  • C.had
4.Which verb tells a reader most?
  • A.Anansi did away
  • B.Anansi went away
  • C.Anansi trotted away
5.Which title tells a reader most about the text?
  • A.How a Canal Lock Works
  • B.Water
  • C.Some Boats
6.When should a writer choose the plainest word?
  • A.Only in stories
  • B.Never — longer words are always better
  • C.When being understood exactly matters most
7.Why might a writer choose "whispered" instead of "said"?
  • A.It is easier to spell
  • B.It tells the reader how the words were spoken
  • C.It is a shorter word
8.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.

LessonPrint · L.3.3 · Set 1 · free to copy for classroom use

Answer key — Words Chosen for Effect

Set 1. Prints on its own sheet.

  1. 1.trotted
  2. 2.The dog was as tall as the kitchen table.
  3. 3.gobbled
  4. 4.Anansi trotted away
  5. 5.How a Canal Lock Works
  6. 6.When being understood exactly matters most
  7. 7.It tells the reader how the words were spoken
  8. 8.Icy rain stung our faces.

Questions about Words Chosen for Effect

What does the Words Chosen for Effect worksheet cover?

It practices choosing the word that does the job you want — 8 questions for Grade 3, all on Common Core L.3.3: Choose words for effect, and recognize the difference between spoken and written English. The instruction to students is “Circle the right answer”, and the answer key follows on the next sheet.

Which Common Core standard does Words Chosen for Effect practice?

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.3.3 — L.3.3, under Language for Grade 3. The published standard reads: “Use knowledge of language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.” The worksheet assesses that standard rather than a paraphrase of it.

What age or grade is this worksheet for?

Words Chosen for Effect is written for Grade 3, typically ages 8-9. It is one of the sheets on L.3.3, so it suits any student working at that standard — including older students revisiting it and younger ones working ahead.

Does Words Chosen for Effect come with an answer key?

Yes. All 8 answers are generated from the same problems as the questions, so the key cannot drift out of step with the sheet. It starts on a fresh sheet of paper, after the questions, so it is not handed out with the class by accident.

How many different versions of Words Chosen for Effect can I print?

25 — one per student, and all 25 ask different questions. Set 1 downloads the whole class as a single PDF. Every version is fixed to its own address, so a sheet printed today holds the same problems when you reopen it next week.

Is Words Chosen for Effect free to print and photocopy?

Yes. Words Chosen for Effect, its answer key and its 25 versions are free to print and photocopy for your own class, with no account, no email capture and no subscription at the download step. Please do not resell them or republish them as your own.

Is there a lesson plan to teach L.3.3?

Yes — “Choosing Words for Effect” is a 40-minute Grade 3 plan for L.3.3, timed section by section, with the misconceptions to expect and an exit ticket. Words Chosen for Effect is the practice that follows it.

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.