“Can you use a more interesting verb?” sounds like a simple editing prompt. Then a student swaps walked for stomped, even though their character is quietly trying to get past a sleeping dog.
The word is lively, but the action has changed. That gives you a useful starting point: ask students to picture what is happening before they choose the verb.
One sentence, three different pictures
Write this sentence where everyone can see it:
Mia walked towards the gate.
Now try three versions, changing only the verb:
- Mia strolled towards the gate.
- Mia crept towards the gate.
- Mia stomped towards the gate.
Read them aloud and ask, “How would Mia move in each version?” Students can describe the movement, show it with a small gesture or act it out safely. Strolled suggests a relaxed walk; crept suggests moving slowly and carefully; stomped suggests heavy steps.
Then give the scene a little context: “Mia wants to get through the gate without waking the dog.” Which choice fits? Crept is a sensible option. Ask students to explain why, rather than simply circling the word.
Change the scene: “Mia has plenty of time and is enjoying the sunshine.” Now strolled fits more comfortably. The same set of words gives you different choices because the scene has changed.
Show the thinking behind a choice
A short think-aloud makes the decision visible. You might say:
“I want the reader to picture Mia moving carefully. I’ll try crept. Now I’ll read the whole sentence and check that it still says what I mean.”
Invite students to help you try another choice before they edit their own writing. This model, shared practice and independent attempt follows the broad approach described in the Victorian Department of Education’s teaching-learning cycle guidance.
Keep the task manageable: one sentence, one verb and one reason. If a candidate word is unfamiliar, explain it and use it in a sentence first. A thesaurus can offer possibilities, but students still need to understand the word they select.
Keep ordinary words in the toolbox
Walked may already be the right choice when the manner of walking is unimportant. Likewise, said can do a useful job in dialogue. Ask what the sentence needs, and allow students to keep their original word when they can explain the choice.
That attention to meaning fits ACARA’s description of English, which places language choices in their context, purpose and audience and describes editing for meaning and effect.
You can use a simple pair of questions: “What do you want the reader to picture?” and “Does this word help them picture it?” They give students something concrete to consider as they revise.
Try a short shared activity
- Start with a familiar scene. Write, “The dog moved across the yard.”
- Offer a small choice. Try trotted, raced and limped. Talk through each meaning.
- Add a reason to move. Perhaps the dog is hurrying to meet someone, or has a sore paw. Ask which verb fits the scene.
- Read the complete sentence. Check that it makes sense and keeps the intended time: “The dog raced across the yard.”
- Explain the choice. Invite a response such as, “I chose raced because I want the dog to move quickly.”
For students who need more support, offer two familiar choices and talk them through together. For students ready to extend, let them suggest another verb and explain what new detail it adds.
Remember that verbs cover more than movement
This activity focuses on visible actions, but the Year 3 Australian Curriculum English alignment also includes verbs for feelings, thoughts, speech and relationships. Keep that wider picture in your teaching: hoped, thought, said and was are worth exploring too.
Keep tense in view as students edit. In “Mia walked towards the gate”, replacing walked with creeps also changes the time. Try crept if you want to keep that past-tense sentence.
A useful finish: change one verb and tell us why
Ask students to select one sentence from their writing. Have them underline the verb, try a choice that fits their scene and read the sentence aloud. Then ask them to explain what they want the reader to picture.
If the explanation is “because it’s a bigger word”, return to the scene together. If the new word fits and the student can explain its effect, invite them to keep it. You’ll have a small, specific piece of writing to discuss next time.
A prepared resource for your next lessons
If you’d like materials to build on this conversation, Sukindi’s Year 3 Vivid Verbs Unit includes a unit plan, teaching presentation and fifteen worksheets covering areas such as verb identification, sentence improvement and tense. The activities above can be used on their own; they are original suggestions for this article.
For more materials at this level, browse the Year 3 teaching resources.