List of phrases!

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cindrella
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List of phrases!

Post by cindrella »

I am just looking at helpful ideas and phrases for DS to make his writing it more interesting. I need some help. would some kind parents help? I am just trynig to build a bank of phrases at hand to work with.
I'll start some I know. It could be describing words, Personality describing words phrases etc. I know it all caome with a lot of reading ..but lets get going.

'jumped out of my skin' instead of I was scared..
A stitch in time .. something done to save the dilemma
Cinderella
cindrella
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by cindrella »

Anyone with better ideas please sugggest alternatives. should we break it into little topics like personality words, Haunted house vocab..
Cinderella
ourmaminhavana
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Joined: Mon Sep 07, 2009 11:14 am

Re: List of phrases!

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Hi Cinderalla,
I understand what you're trying to do, but personally I wouldn't be teaching your child to use cliches. Children have great imaginations so how about playing word games to come up with phrases, similes and metaphors of his own. These would be more meaningful and probably more graphic too. :D
Eg a bead of sweat pricked his upper lip like
the thought caterpillared across my brain
the star winked as if ... etc
(sorry, not v good examples!! :oops: )
Think of the verb choices too. Get him to brainstorm a word like walk and try and come up with 50 alternatives that could be used depending on what your DS is trying to convey re size, speed, mood, atmosphere etc
I wouldn't break it up myself, but that's just my personal opinion. I think it's more giving your DS a realisation of richness and nuances of language. Good luck! :D
Last edited by ourmaminhavana on Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:21 pm, edited 1 time in total.
fatbananas
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by fatbananas »

ourmaminhavana wrote:the thought caterpillared across my brain
:D That perfectly describes me today. Working very slowly, with no apparent direction :roll: There should be an 'exhausted' emoticon!
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
cindrella
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by cindrella »

Thank you.
We do have a vocabulary book and add to it as we read . He does come up with his own funny similees. I don't know if this is working because he doesn't use it enough to come naturally enough in his writing. He knows and understands the meanings but never uses them.
so I was looking at maybe phrases, I even talkedabout gestures..like instead of writing ..maybe scratched his head or furrowed his eyebrows but I don't see the good old vocab improvement. Ideas/ facts in the comprehensoin could be better.

I'll keep talking about it everynow and then.
I even repeat any new words we hear while watching telly! Just so it sinks in but ..it seems it will not be so easy!
Cinderella
cindrella
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by cindrella »

one more..We did this -'said' is boring and got him to think one word with everyletter of the alphabet which meant said.. Like Asked, Babbled, Called, yelled, uttered..etc.
Last edited by cindrella on Thu Jan 12, 2012 11:07 am, edited 1 time in total.
Cinderella
ourmaminhavana
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Cinderella, don't worry, I'm sure it's something that will come. :)
I don't know how old your son is, but getting him to focus on the five senses is another easy way to create atmosphere and enrich his writing. Pupils often tend to limit their description to what they can see, ignoring touch, smell etc
I don't think the use of imagery has to come naturally, he could just have the awareness that it would be good to include eg a simile and a metaphor in each story... :)


:lol: Fatbananas!!

Sorry, we double posted Cinderella. I think it's knowing the word and also when would be an appropriate context to use it so if you have a sick old man how would he speak, a witch, a schoolboy who has been running etc.
You could also use postcards and cut out pictures from magazines as a good way to stimulate creative writing.
I think it's teaching your DS to have the awareness of language and its precision rather than stock phrases. It's just imho
Right, back to the unpacking! My hubby will be back at the weekend and I'll still be surrounded by cardboard boxes. :oops:
Last edited by ourmaminhavana on Wed Jan 11, 2012 2:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Apple10
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by Apple10 »

Keeping a vocabulary book is a great idea and I did it for my dd as well. However, I found that we would write a word in it and both us would then forget the meaning of it in 2 days.
However, what really helped my dd was us reading to her. She is one who loves to read anyway, but we started reading the slightly challenging texts to her which she wouldn't pick up herself. This brought about discussion when there was a new phrase or word and the discussion made her remember that word.
I've seen those phrases then appear in her writing.
ourmaminhavana
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by ourmaminhavana »

Absolutely, reading good literature is the basis for writing good literature. :D
cindrella
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Re: List of phrases!

Post by cindrella »

I know ..It is like spoonfeeding him .. here are the phrases ..you better use them ..by hook or by crook.!or I will skin you alive... :twisted: :D NO I will not spoonfeed! Done! He will have to do the thinking.
Cinderella
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