Every time I mark a students work and see the word SAID, I have to hold myself back from screaming.
It's one of those words that when used conversationally is fine, however, it's one of the poorest word choices for creative and descriptive writing.
It is for this reason that I encourage my students to always replace SAID with a far more interesting word.
After all, there are so many alternatives.
Words are like sketches on a page, each sketch creates a more detailed image of a piece of artwork. It's very much the same for writing. Each word helps to paint a picture of how who a character is, how they're feeling and how they interact with the world.
When students opt for descriptive and powerful words, they lay a foundation for an outstanding piece of work, one that will help them to score higher marks.
So, what are some of the words that your child use instead of SAID?
Here are a few:
- Uttered
- Denied
- Gurgled
- Moaned
- Mumbled
- Interjected
- Beseeched
- Mused
- Growled
- Avowed
There are literally hundreds more.
In fact, I'm sharing a poster that your child can use as much as they like.
Click here to download it and don't forget to print it out and hang it on your child's bedroom wall. That way they'll be able to see the word alternatives each day and gradually memorise them.
Here's to your child's academic success,