Vocabulary Building. Vocabulary helps to create a particular style, tone or emotion for your reader. By showing ambition and creativity with your vocabulary, you can make your reader laugh, cry or think about an idea. Expanding vocabulary The key to trying out new vocabulary is to avoid ‘flat-sounding’ and ‘boring’ words or phrases. These are words that are overused and that have lost their spark. They won’t stand out for or convince your reader. Keep in mind the need for liveliness in your writing as well as the need to create a sense that it is authentic and authoritative. Plan your writing The planning stage of your writing can be a useful stage to think about effective vocabulary. Keep in mind who you are writing for, what the genre requirements are and what you hope to achieve. The best way to be sure you’ve used an effective vocabulary is not only to think about each sentence while you write but also to revise your work once it is complete. Change a few key words, especially where you find you’ve overused one particular word. Try to find alternatives – synonyms – that are livelier or fit better with the overall mood you are trying to achieve. For example, writing ‘the weather was bad’ does not use specific vocabulary and won’t excite the reader. Using words that add detail, especially if this is a story, will help to suggest a mood and setting for the reader. Vague words deaden a piece of writing; precise words, full of descriptive energy, bring it to life. Use precise verbs A way to liven up a piece of writing is to choose action words - verbs - with great care. Use words to show the reader the actions or behaviour of a character. For example: He walked into the room and said, “This is what I was waiting for.” By altering the ‘boring’ words, you will help the reader enjoy the experience of reading as well as give ‘depth’ to the writing. This will allow the reader to build up an overall idea of the character. How does each of the following sentences change your perception of the character? By altering the ‘boring’ words, you will help the reader enjoy the experience of reading as well as give ‘depth’ to the writing. This will allow the reader to build up an overall idea of the character. How does each of the following sentences change your perception of the character? He strolled into the room and muttered, “This is what I was waiting for.” He marched into the room and barked, “This is what I was waiting for.” He shuffled into the room and sobbed, “This is what I was waiting for.” By altering vocabulary to match what is actually occurring in the scene, the reader can be given a better understanding of the character as well as the feeling that they want to read on. Vocabulary to create a particular effect Vocabulary can be used to change the way a reader feels about a scene. By changing just a few key words a setting can be made much more interesting to read. For example, a church might be a typical part of the setting of a ghost story. The vocabulary choices can be used to create a sense of fear for the reader. Bats swooped dangerously close to my head as the haunting outline of the moon glared over the silhouette of the gravestones. The stench of decay hung in the damp night air, as a warning to those that dared to enter. Key vocabulary choices imply a feeling of danger and provide a sinister tone for the reader to create their own mental image. The language is lively and precise, full of energy to enliven the scene. Notice how in this second piece, this completely changes to a different, now positive mood: Doves soared overhead as we bustled from the church doorway. The clouds parted for the beaming sun that warmed the backs of the guests. Confetti and the scent of perfumed flowers filled the air; laughter twirled like ribbons around the bride and groom. By making deliberate vocabulary choices, you can create the right mood that will draw the reader emotionally into the story. Above is a table of words that suggest a mood and a setting. You could use Above is a table of words that suggest a mood and a setting. You could use these to help you think up your own when you plan a piece of writing. Things to remember Get into the habit of using a thesaurus to experiment with different vocabulary within your writing. Make notes of useful key vocabulary choices when you plan your writing. Read back over your work to check over your vocabulary choices. Are the words ambitious AND do they ‘fit’ with the style of writing? Check that you haven’t accidentally repeated key words in nearby sentences.
