Language Resource Language Resource Compiled by Chris Davis Language Said Is Dead • Words to Replace “Said” Accused Bugged Coughed Gloated Acknowledged Burst out Countered Greeted Added Cackled Cried Grimaced Addressed Called Croaked Groaned Admitted Cautioned Crowed Growled Advised Challenged Cursed Grumbled Affirmed Chatted Dared Grunted Agreed Chattered Decided Guessed Announced Cheered Declared Gulped Answered Chided Demanded Gurgled Apologized Chimed in Demurred Gushed Approved Chirped Denied Hinted Argued Chittered Described Hissed Asked Choked Disagreed Hollered Asserted Chortled Disclosed Howled Assured Chorused Divulged Huffed Avowed Chuckled Doubted Hummed Babbled Claimed Drawled Hypothesized Badgered Clarified Dribbled Imitated Barked Clucked Echoed Implied Bawled Coaxed Emphasized Informed Beamed Commanded Encouraged Inquired Began Commended Ended Insisted Begged Commented Estimated Interjected Bellowed Complained Exasperated Interrupted Bet Conceded Exclaimed Intoned Bickered Concluded Explained Jeered Bleated Confessed Exploded Jested Blurted Confided Finished Jibed Boasted Confirmed Fretted Joked Boomed Congratulated Gasped Laughed Bragged Continued Gawked Lectured Breathed Convinced Gently Lied Broke in Cooed Gibed Lisped Bubbled Corrected Giggled Maintained 2 Language Said Is Dead • Words to Replace “Said” Marvelled Purred Scoffed Surmised Mentioned Put in Scolded Taunted Mimicked Puzzled Shot Teased Moaned Quavered Shouted Tempted Mocked Queried Shrieked Tested Motioned Questioned Shrilled Thanked Mumbled Quietly Sighed Theorized Murmured Quipped Simpered Threatened Mused Quizzed Slurred Told Muttered Quoted Smiled Trilled Nagged Raged Smirked Urged Nodded Ranted Snapped Uttered Noted Reasoned Snarled Volunteered Notified Reassured Sneered Vowed Objected Recalled Snickered Wailed Observed Reckoned Sniffed Warned Offered Recounted Sniffled Went on Opined Reiterated Snorted Wept Ordered Related Sneezed Wheezed Panted Remarked Sobbed Whimpered Perplexed Remembered Spat Whined Persisted Reminded Speculated Whispered Pestered Repeated Spluttered Wondered Piped Replied Spoke Worried Pleaded Reported Sputtered Yawned Pled Requested Squeaked Yakked Pointed out Resounded Squealed Yelled Pondered Responded Stammered Praised Retaliated Started Prayed Retorted Stated Proclaimed Revealed Stipulated Promised Roared Stormed Proposed Sang Stressed Protested Sassed Stuttered Provoked Screamed Suggested 3 Language Avoid Using the Word “Very” Instead of using the word “very” in the left columns, such as “very afraid”, use “terrified” instead. Avoid Using Very: Instead Use: Avoid Using Very: Instead Use: Afraid Terrified Neat Immaculate Angry Furious Old Ancient Bad Atrocious Poor Destitute Beautiful Exquisite Pretty Beautiful Big Immense Quiet Silent Bright Dazzling Risky Perilous Capable Accomplished Roomy Spacious Clean Spotless Rude Vulgar Clever Brilliant Serious Solemn Cold Freezing Small Tiny Conventional Conservative Strange Bizarre Dirty Squalid Strong Unyielding Dry Parched Stupid Idiotic Eager Keen Tasty Delicious Fast Quick Thin Gaunt Fierce Ferocious Tired Exhausted Good Superb Ugly Hideous Happy Jubilant Valuable Precious Hot Scalding Weak Feeble Hungry Ravenous, Famished Wet Soaked Large Colossal Wicked Villainous Lively Vivacious Wise Sagacious Loved Adored Worried Anxious 4 Language Positive & Negative Mood Words Positive Mood Words satiated gloomy amused satisfied grumpy awed sentimental haunting bouncy silly heartbroken calm surprised hopeless cheerful sympathetic hostile chipper thankful indifferent confident thoughtful infuriated contemplative touched insidious content trustful intimidated determined vivacious irate dignified warm irritated dreamy welcoming jealous ecstatic lethargic empowered Negative Mood Words lonely energetic aggravated melancholic enlightened annoyed merciless enthralled anxious moody excited apathetic morose exhilarated apprehensive nauseated flirty barren nervous giddy brooding nightmarish grateful cold numb harmonious confining overwhelmed hopeful confused painful hyper cranky pensive idyllic crushed pessimistic joyous cynical predatory jubilant depressed rejected liberating desolate restless light-hearted disappointed scared loving discontented serious mellow distressed sick nostalgic drained somber optimistic dreary stressed passionate embarrassed suspenseful peaceful enraged tense playful envious terrifying pleased exhausted threatening refreshed fatalistic uncomfortable rejuvenated foreboding vengeful relaxed frustrated violent relieved futile worried 5 Language Some Character Traits Affectionate Deep Hysterical Perceptive Smothering Aggressive Demure Idealist Persevering Snobbish Agreeable Dependable Ignorant Persistent Solitary Airy Depressed Illogical Persuasive Sophisticated Aloof Discriminating Immature Pessimistic Spontaneous Anxious Distasteful Impractical Pompous Strong-willed Argumentative Docile Impulsive Possessive Stubborn Aristocratic Dominating Inconsistent Powerful Suicidal Arrogant Domineering Indecisive Practical Supercilious Assertive Easygoing Indifferent Pragmatic Superficial Audacious Eccentric Industrious Prejudiced Supportive Biased Egotistical Innocent Promiscuous Talkative Bitter Elusive Insane Prompt Temperamental Boastful Envious Insincere Proud Tenacious Boisterous Erratic Intelligent Psychotic Territorial Bold Evil Intimidating Punctual Thoughtful Boorish Extroverted Intolerant Quiet Thoughtless Boring Faithful Introverted Radical Tolerant Brash Feminine Jealous Realistic Trustworthy Brave Fiendish Knowledgeable Rebellious Unfaithful Bright Flaunting Lazy Reckless Unhappy Calculating Foolish Liberal Reliable Unrefined Calm Forceful Logical Religious Unscrupulous Carefree Friendly Loving Resolute Unselfish Cautious Frivolous Loyal Resourceful Vain Cheerful Frugal Lustful Responsible Valiant Childish Funny Masculine Romantic Vengeful Childlike Furtive Mature Rude Versatile Clever Generous Menacing Sarcastic Virtuous Clumsy Gentle Merciless Sardonic Vivacious Cold Genuine Methodical Scandalous Wasteful Compelling Giving Modest Scrupulous Weak-willed Conceited Gracious Mysterious Self-conscious Wicked Confident Grateful Mystical Self-righteous Willing Conniving Greedy Narrow-minded Selfish Withdrawn Conservative Gregarious Nervous Selfless Witty Considerate Guilty Obedient Senile Content Gullible Obnoxious Sensitive OR add “not” to Cooperative Hardworking Obsessive Shallow one of the Courageous Heartless Obstinate Short-sighted words above, Cowardly Helpful Optimistic Shrewd OR think of Crafty Helpless Outspoken Shy your own Creative Heroic Passive Sincere words! Cruel Honourable Patient Slothful Dangerous Humble Peevish Slow Decisive Hurtful Pensive Sly 6 Language Resource Grammar 7 Language Grammar: Parts of Speech Grammar The scientific study of language and its structure is known as linguistics. This includes the study of morphology, syntax, phonetics, and semantics. There are also specific branches of linguistics, including sociolinguistics, dialectology, psycholinguistics, computational linguistics, historical-comparative linguistics, and applied linguistics. This section of the Language Resource comprises the system and structure of a language. This is commonly known as grammar. Much of the following has been taken from the book When Bad Grammar Happens to Good People by Ann Batko, as well as all definitions in the Language Resource from the Oxford American Dictionaries and Wikipedia. Parts of speech are a category to which a word is assigned in accordance with syntactic functions (Oxford American Dictionaries). Part of Speech Definition Adjective A word or phrase naming an attribute, added to or grammatically related to a noun to modify or describe it. Examples: clever, fast, happy, dead, very, several, eager Adverb A word or phrase that modifies or qualifies an adjective, verb, or other adverb or word-group, expressing a relationship of place, time, circumstance, manner, cause, degree, etc. Examples: gently, quite, then, there Conjunction/ A word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause. Examples: Connector and, but, if, or Determiner A modifying word that determines the kind of reference a noun or noun group has . Examples: a, the, every Gerund A word that is derived from a verb but that functions as a noun, in English ending in -ing. Examples: Do you mind my asking you? Interjection An abrupt remark, made especially as an aside or interruption. An exclamation, especially as a part of speech. Examples: ah!, dear me, wow!, hey! Interrogative A word having or conveying the force of a question. Examples: how, what, when, where, who, why Noun A word (other than a pronoun) used to identify any of a class of people, places, or things (common noun), or to name particular one of these (proper noun). Examples: Charlene, Pickering High School, H&M, library Preposition A word governing, and usually preceding, a noun or pronoun and expressing a relation to another word or element in the clause, as in “the man on the platform,” “she arrived after dinner,” “what did you do it for?” Examples: on, after, for, with, under, before, up Pronoun A word that can function by itself as a noun phrase and that refers either to the participants in the discourse (e.g., I, you) or to someone or something mentioned elsewhere in the discourse (e.g., she, it, this). Examples: I, you, she, he, it, this Verb A word used to describe and action, state, or occurrence, and forming the main part of the predicate of a sentence, such as hear, become, happen. Examples: