Powerful Verbs & adjectives

POWERFUL VERBS

BE COLORFUL!

MAY THE FORCE BE WITH YOU

What are strong verbs?

Strong verbs engage your senses. They allow readers to visualize actions.:

You feel the air reverberating when he slams his fist on the table. The teacups jiggle, his face reddens, and his voice thunders.

But strong verbs don’t need to convey powerful action. Subtle action can evoke powerful feelings, too. For instance:

He cradles the baby, strokes her dark hair, tickles her chin, and hums a lullaby.

Strong verbs are precise and concrete. In contrast, weak verbs are abstract and generic—they don’t help you picture a scene. For instance, if someone is giving feedback, is he shouting his comments? Or lecturing you with an angry face? Or perhaps scribbling a few suggestions in the margin of your copy?

You can’t picture “give feedback,” but you can visualize “shouting,” “lecturing,” and “scribbling.”

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SPICE IT UP WITH PHRASAL VERBS

Can you find the right preposition?

Match these phrasal verbs with their meaning

Find the phrasal verb synonym

Three-Word Phrasal Verbs

‘Come in for’ means to receive. This is usually used with words such as ‘criticism’ ‘abuse’ ‘blame’.

He came in for a lot of criticism for his actions.

‘Go in for’ can be used with words such as ‘competition’ to mean ‘enter’.

She was a good athlete when she was younger and went in for the trials for the Olympic team

‘Sit in on’ can be used with words such as ‘conference’ or ‘meeting’ to indicate that you attend as an observer and not as a regular participant.

I’ve asked John to sit in on this meeting as he knows more about these people than we do.

‘Stand in for’ is used to mean ‘substitute for’.

Wendy is on vacation and I’m standing in for her

If you ‘go along with’ existing plans, opinions or decisions you accept them and don’t try to change them.

I go along with your ideas about increasing our marketing in China.

If you ‘listen out for’ something, you keep alert and make an effort to hear it.

I’m expecting him to call so listen out for the phone ringing.

If you ‘cash in on’ a situation, you take advantage of it, often unfairly.

He cashed in on my absence with flu to contact my customers directly.

If you ‘drop in on’ somebody, you make an informal, unarranged visit to see them.

Drop in on me any time you are in town.

More Phrasal verb Games here and here :)

VERBS FOR WRITTEN EXAMS

TO AGREE OR NOT TO AGREE...

* Click on "Solo Game" *

SAY or TELL?

Tell me you can say it right!

DO or MAKE?

Can you make do?

POWERFUL ADJECTIVES

PRECISE ADJECTIVES

What is a precise adjective?

A precise adjective gives a clear and accurate description/picture of the noun or pronoun that it modifies.

Ex:Our vacation was fun. (How fun is fun? It is not really precise)

With precise Adjectives > Our vacation was stimulating/exciting/thrilling/exhilarating/comical .

Ex: She is pretty. With precise Adjectives > She is gorgeous/lovely/charming/fair .

It works the same way with verbs…Precise verbs give a clear and accurate action.

Ex:He walked towards the door. (How did he walk?) > He tiptoed/limped/strode/inched/sauntered/toddled towards the door.

COLOCATIONS

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