What’s the difference between an active verb, like walk, and
a vivid verb like stomp or tiptoe? A vivid verb does double duty.
If you read the sentence, “The girl walked across the room,”
you know one thing—the girl moved from Point A to Point B. But if you read the
sentence, “The girl stomped across the room,” you still know that she moved, and
you also know how she feels. She’s angry. And if you read the sentence, “The
girl tiptoed across the room,” you know that she moved and that she’s trying to be quiet or sneaky. A vivid verb is
powerful because it allows you to pack a lot of information into a single word.
you know one thing—the girl moved from Point A to Point B. But if you read the
sentence, “The girl stomped across the room,” you still know that she moved, and
you also know how she feels. She’s angry. And if you read the sentence, “The
girl tiptoed across the room,” you know that she moved and that she’s trying to be quiet or sneaky. A vivid verb is
powerful because it allows you to pack a lot of information into a single word.
Consider this brief excerpt from Rain, Rain, Rain Forest by Brenda Z. Guiberson (Holt, 2004):
“Splitter, splat, splash!
Rain gushes into the rain forest. It soaks the moss, drizzles
of dangling vines, and thrums against slick waxy leaves.”
Rain gushes into the rain forest. It soaks the moss, drizzles
of dangling vines, and thrums against slick waxy leaves.”
As you read this, can’t you see what’s happening in your
mind’s eye? When writing is steeped with vivid verbs, it can paint a picture
with words.
mind’s eye? When writing is steeped with vivid verbs, it can paint a picture
with words.
How can we encourage students to notice how an author uses verbs as they are reading and think carefully about their own verb choices. I’ll provide a fun activity on Friday.
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