Precise Adjectives for Nice and Mean

Assign one sheet at a time as a warm-up before a writing task. Afterward, have students find one vague word in their own draft and replace it the same way.

Replace nice and mean with precise character adjectives such as considerate, gracious and spiteful. The directions on the page read: Each sentence describes a character in a story. Use the details to replace the bold word with the adjective from the bank that fits best, and write it on the line. Use each adjective once. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 8th grade writing process, and it works the same at home or at school. At home, a student can work through it alone and then go over it with you, which shows quickly what is solid and what needs another look. In class it works as independent practice, homework or a warm-up, and you can print one copy or a full set.

Read the details in the sentence and pick the word that matches them exactly. A sentence about museum visits that went up from 4,000 to 8,000 calls for doubled, not just climbed. Every sheet gives a word bank and asks students to use each word once.

One precise verb is often clearer and stronger than a weak verb plus an adverb. Ran quickly becomes sprinted or darted, and chewed steadily becomes gnawed. Replace Weak Verb and Adverb Pairs practices this with lines from a wildlife film.

The sheets replace thought and felt, showed and told, nice and mean, carefully and badly, went up and went down, and old, new and important. Every sheet asks students to use each bank word once.