Sound Words
Smell Words
Touch Words
Words for "See" and "Look"
Quiet Words
"Fear" Words
Onomatopoeia
(Words that Sound Like Their Meaning)
The Sound of Words
Character Traits
Pesky Words
scritch crick rap fissle
crinkle
scratch creak tap swish crunch
scrunch chirk smack whish jangle
crunch chirp whack zip
jingle
burr chirrup thwack sniff thud
chirr rattle whomp snuffle babble
buzz clitter whap sputter splat
clang clatter hiss whoosh splash
twang clack siss wheeze splosh
squeak flutter shush squish splatter
squawk sputter sizzle crack zing
screech patter fizz crash zap
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 49]
pungent acrid stinky
fetid fulsome
spicy peppery aromatic noxious yeasty
tangy rank perfume malodorous
fusty
salty gamy sweet rancid
frowzy
brine brackish savory reeky
stuffy
piquant smoky musky foul
moldy
sharp stench musty vile
mildewed
reek flowery putrid miasmal
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 50]
flossy gooey pocked
tingle throb
silky plush squishy prickle
pound
fluffy crumbly squushy sting
chafe
knobbed chalky stringy tickle twitch
scaly mealy bouncy shiver
rankle
gritty shaggy rubbery creep numb
slimy gossamer wiry itch
grate
sticky nubby brittle smart
irritate
barbed scratchy crisp ache wince
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 50-51]
watch glimpse gape
witness observe
leer gaze goggle spy
scout
glance
glare ogle note reconnoiter
peek glower inspect discern
scrutinize
peep stare view peer
survey
gawk squint pore over study
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 52]
hushed peaceful
silent tranquil
still noiseless
calm speechless
placid taciturn
soundless mute
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 101]
alarmed daunted
anxious scared
nervous terrified
timid intimidated
cowardly fainthearted
craven chickenhearted
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 101]
Onomatopoeia (Words that Sound Like Their Meaning):
bang hum
clipclop
boom hiss howl
screech fizz murmur
clang buzz whine
tinkle sizzle twitter
varoom crack chirp
pop slosh cuckoo
ratatattat crunch whippoorwill
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 106]
Hurry-up, Action Words: Slow and Quiet Words:
hop jump
hush lazily
fly leap lullaby
silently
quick slap loiter
smoothly
Sounds That Imply Mood:
joke quiver
query sleazy
jest quake question slimy
jolly quaver quiz slippery
joy quail slush
jovial sludge
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 109-110]
ambitious energetic
neat stupid
awkward excitable patient stubborn
bitter fanciful poetic
sweet
brave forgiving proud
superstitious
boastful gentle practical understanding
boring hateful quarrelsome vain
careful
honest romantic wasteful
cheerful imaginative self-centered
clever intelligent selfish wise
creative kind shy
clumsy lonely sincere
cowardly loving smug
dignified lazy silly
dishonest loyal sloppy
dull mean stingy
[from: Creative Writing: A Handbook for Teaching Young People, p. 78]
Pesky Words:
Words that Cause Writers Headaches
1. Affect vs. effect:
Affect is a verb that means to influence, to change.
Effect is a nouns that usually means result.
Effect can also be used as a verb meaning to bring about, to accomplish.
Example:
His story affected my nerves, creating a chilling effect on my subconscious.
The high-pressure front effected a change in the weather.
2. Regardless vs. Irregardless:
Use regardless. There is no such word as "irregardless." It's a double negative. The suffix less at the end of regardless already makes the word negative; no prefix is needed.
3. As to whether vs. whether and as yet vs. yet:
Whether is sufficient.
Yet is enough.
Example:
Whether the President will give a speech on the issue is not yet known.
4. Done vs. finished:
Rule of thumb: "The task or chore is finished, but the cooking (e.g., chicken, spaghetti) is done.
5. Farther vs. further:
Farther should be used when referring to physical distance or space (e.g., how far?)
Further should be used when referring to all else (e.g., time, quantity, greater in degree).
Example:
Alice skied farther down the hill than Bob, but Bob ran farther than Alice.
Jill is further along in the book than Joe.
6. Fewer vs. less:
Fewer should be used with things that can be counted (e.g., days, pieces).
Less should be used with things that can NOT be counted (e.g., time, sense).
Example:
Jill has less time to finish her book than Joe, but Joe has fewer pages to read.
Jill has fewer hours to finish her book than Joe, but Joe has less material to read.
7. That vs. which:
That is a defining pronoun. It tells the reader what you are talking about. If you leave out the phrase that follows that, you lose the meaning of the sentence.
Which is a descriptive pronoun and is used with parenthetical phrases. Such phrases enhance the meaning, but are not essential to understanding the sentence.
Example:
These are the time that try men's souls.
Tonight, Abby is going to watch the basketball game, which is the last of the season.
8. All right vs. alright:
There is no such word as "alright." Use all right.
9. Comprise vs. compose:
Comprise means to contain.
Compose means to make up. Never use "composed of."
Example:
A zoo comprises animals, but animals compose a zoo.
10. Continuous vs. Continual:
Continuous means without interruption, like water cascading over falls (it ends with us, as in the uninterrupted sound of a waterfall).
Continual means often repeated or continually.
11. Imply vs. infer:
A speaker implies.
A listener infers.
12. Nauseous vs. nauseated:
Nauseous means sickening.
Nauseated means feeling sick.
Example:
The nauseous fumes were coming from the blazing warehouse.
I get nauseated whenever I read in the backseat of a car.
13. Hope vs. hopefully:
Hopefully is an adverb describing a state of mind—with hope.
Correct: I hope I will sell this book.
Incorrect: Hopefully, I will sell this book.
Correct: Abby looks hopefully toward the future when she will sell her first book.
14. Lay vs. lie:
Lay is a transitive verb. Lay, laid, laid, laying.
Lie is an intransitive verb. Lie, lay, lain, lying.
Example:
The hen lays an egg.
The dog lies down.
The man went home and lay down.