Download Sneaking a Surprise!

Sneaking a
Surprise!
Using Vivid Verbs
with info from
Houghton Mifflin Text p. 122
Using Vivid Verbs
Which example gives a better mind movie?
• Shauna runs to her friend’s house.
• Shauna races to her friend’s house.
A verb can show action. Use vivid verbs in your
writing to create better mind movies for your
readers.
Vivid verbs, like “races,” help readers to see the
actions in their minds.
Replace BLAH verbs with vivid verbs to
revise this story starter.
Zoe and Sam put a fancy bow on the top
of the present. They put the present on
Ryan’s porch and ring the doorbell. The
children don’t want to be heard. They
quietly walk down the steps. Back in the car,
they see Ryan open the front door and
quickly look around. The present is heavy,
but Ryan’s mom helps him lift it off the
porch. They bump into a wall as they walk
into the house.
Challenge
Write an ending to the story starter on the
previous slide. Include vivid verbs to make
your ending more interesting and to give
your readers a good mind movie.