Use Your Writing VOICES
(Six Traits of Writing)
V
O
I
C
E
S
Voice
Organization
Ideas
Conventions
I show my
personality in
my writing.
I arrange my
writing so
readers can
understand it.
My writing is
clear, focused
and interesting.
I show pride in
my writing by
editing my
work.
Excellent Word
Choice
I create images
and evoke
emotions with
my word
choices.
Sentence
Fluency
I vary sentence
length,
structure, and
rhythm.
-Draw pictures to
inspire writing
ideas.
-Write about how
you feel and what
you think.
-Show your unique
self in your writing.
-Be a risk taker –
try something new.
-Find your way of
saying familiar
things.
-Match your voice
to your audience.
-Match your voice
to the purpose of
your writing.
-Experiment with
bold, stretchy or
bouncy print.
-Set the mood with
-Use graphic
organizers to plan
your writing.
-Include a
beginning, middle,
and end.
-Hook the reader
with a bold
beginning.
-Develop a mighty
middle.
-Finish with an
excellent ending.
-Use sequencing
words to help your
writing flow.
-Sequence details in
time or another
order.
-Use time order
words to sequence
writing.
-Write about things
you love (heart
map).
-Write about what
you know. Write
from experience!
-Tell how you feel.
-Write about topics
you know and
understand.
-Collect ideas for
inspiration.
-Think small! Focus
on a moment.
-Use magazines and
picture books for
inspiration.
-Narrow down
general topics.
-Sketch to discover
details.
-Add quality details.
-Add a space
between each word.
-Start each sentence
with a capital letter.
-Add punctuation to
the end of every
sentence (? . !).
-Add a period.
-Add a period t the
end of every telling
sentence.
-Add a period after
an abbreviation
(Dr.).
-Add a question
mark (?) at the end
of every asking
sentence.
-Add an
exclamation mark
(!) at the end of an
exciting sentence.
-Choose juicy words
that create a mental
image.
-Choose words that
paint a clear picture
in the reader’s
mind.
-Experiment with
words from the
vocabulary word
wall.
-Carefully choose
‘just right’ words
and phrases.
-Use specific
adjectives that paint
a picture.
-Choose precise
words that say just
what you want to
say.
-Avoid using the
-Read writing
aloud. Does it flow
from sentence to
sentence?
-Stretch out simple
sentences by adding
details.
-Repeat sounds,
words and phrases
to create a pattern.
-Use different
sentence
beginnings.
-Use transitional
words to connect
one sentence to the
next.
-Write short and
long sentences.
-Weave in
questions, demands
and exclamations.
your setting
description.
-Write from a
different point of
view.
-The tone describes
the emotions of the
writer or characters.
-Grab the readers’
attention with an
engaging title.
-Write a thoughtful
and effective title.
-Use titles and
subtitles to
sequence
information writing.
-use connecting
words (and, but,
so).
-Add clear
transition words to
connect ideas.
-Perform ‘surgery’
to add details to the
bones of your
writing.
-Add labels,
headings, captions,
and pictures.
-Set the purpose
with a clear topic
sentence.
-Stay on topic.
-Group similar
thought together.
-Read aloud to
check your writing
makes sense.
-Experiment with
different
organizational
structures.
(Who? What?
Where? When?
Why? How?
Emotions?)
-Add specific details
to elaborate on
ideas.
-Stay on topic so
your writing makes
sense.
-Let your ideas flow
(edit and revise
later).
-Use graphic
organizers to flesh
out ideas.
-Add an
exclamation mark
(!) to show a
command or
emotion.
-Quotation marks
enclose words the
characters say
(“Hi!”).
-Use commas when
listing a series of
things or events.
-Use a comma after
an order or time
word (First, Next,
Then, Later,
Finally).
-Circle each
misspelled word
and write the
correct spelling
above it.
-Use the word wall
to help correct
spelling.
-Use the dictionary
to help correct
spelling.
-Use apostrophes
for contractions.
-Use apostrophes to
show possession.
-Change to a capital
letter.
-Use a caret to
insert words or
phrases.
same word over and
over.
-Name nouns
creatively – use
precise nouns and
proper nouns.
-Show emotions
with your words.
-Make your writing
come alive with
sensory details.
-Experiment with
new and exciting
words.
-Add specific
details.
-Experiment with
alliteration.
-Add sound words
to your writing
(onomatopoeia).
-Try writing new
words you have
heard spoken.
-Vivid verbs bring
energy to writing.
-Show what a
character is
thinking or feeling.
-Use colorful and
interesting words.
-Experiment with
similes and
metaphors.
-Use a thesaurus to
find synonyms for
overused words.
-Use repeating
refrains to add
poetic rhythm.
-Borrow the rhythm
of songs and
rhymes.
-Use a variety of
conjunctions.
-Slip in some
dialogue.
-Use simple,
compound and
complex sentences.
-Speech marks
enclose words
characters say
(“Hi!”).
-Change to a
lowercase letter or
change the
punctuation.
-Stretch out words.
Write at least one
letter for every
sound you hear.
-Use different sizes
and colors of text to
convey emotion.
-Add ‘s’, ‘es’, ‘ies’ for
plurals.
-Start proper nouns
and “I” with a
capital letter.
-Name the noun
before the plural.
-Remove details
that cause writing
to veer off track.
-Use an idiom to
represent an idea
(feeling under the
weather).
--Substitute words
or details to make
your writing more
vivid.
-Insert
interjections. “Oh
my!”