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Precise Verbs: Choosing the Best Word — Answers

Answer sheet with model answers and success criteria for the Year 6 verbs & tenses worksheet.

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Success TutoringWorksheetsAnswer sheetYear 6 · English · Verbs & Tenses

Precise Verbs: Choosing the Best Word — Answers

Part A: One verb instead of two words

A precise verb can do the job of a verb and an adverb together. Circle the verb that means the same as the words in bold.

1.The tired hikers walked slowly and heavily up the hill.
  1. Atrudged
  2. Bskipped
  3. Craced
  4. Dtiptoed

Answer: trudged

Trudged means walked slowly and heavily.

2.The hungry boy ate his dinner very quickly.
  1. Agobbled his dinner
  2. Bnibbled his dinner
  3. Ctasted his dinner
  4. Dshared his dinner

Answer: gobbled his dinner

Gobbled means ate very quickly.

3.The baby cried loudly all night.
  1. Awailed
  2. Bwhimpered
  3. Cgiggled
  4. Dhummed

Answer: wailed

Wailed means cried loudly. Whimpered means cried softly.

4.The mouse ran quickly into its hole.
  1. Ascurried
  2. Bstrolled
  3. Ccrawled
  4. Dwandered

Answer: scurried

Scurried means ran quickly with small steps.

5.Max looked quickly at the clock.
  1. Aglanced
  2. Bstared
  3. Cgazed
  4. Dsquinted

Answer: glanced

Glanced means looked quickly. Stared and gazed mean looked for a long time.

6.The door closed loudly behind her.
  1. Aslammed
  2. Bclicked
  3. Ccreaked
  4. Ddrifted

Answer: slammed

Slammed means closed loudly and with force.

Part B: Match the mood

Precise verbs can show how a character feels. Circle the verb that best fits the mood of the sentence.

7.The happy puppy (answer space) across the lawn to greet us.
  1. Abounded
  2. Blimped
  3. Ccrept
  4. Dstaggered

Answer: bounded

Bounded shows the puppy's happy energy.

8.Scared of being seen, the thief (answer space) past the guard.
  1. Acrept
  2. Bmarched
  3. Cstomped
  4. Ddanced

Answer: crept

Crept shows moving quietly so as not to be seen.

9.The angry customer (answer space) out of the shop.
  1. Astormed
  2. Bfloated
  3. Ctiptoed
  4. Dwandered

Answer: stormed

Stormed shows anger.

10.Exhausted after the race, the runner (answer space) onto the grass.
  1. Acollapsed
  2. Bleaped
  3. Csprinted
  4. Dbounced

Answer: collapsed

Collapsed shows how exhausted the runner was.

Part C: Replace the general verb

Write a more precise verb to replace the general verb in bold.

11.The wind moved the leaves across the road.

Answer: swept

  1. Also correct: blew, scattered, whirled, tossed.
12.The chef made a delicious soup.

Answer: cooked

  1. Also correct: prepared, created.
13.The fireworks went up into the sky.

Answer: shot

  1. Also correct: soared, rocketed, zoomed, whizzed.
14.She looked at the strange footprints for a long time.

Answer: stared

  1. Also correct: gazed, peered.

Part D: Your turn

The cat went across the lawn. It saw a bird. It went down low and moved slowly closer. Then it jumped, but the bird went away.

15.Your turn: rewrite this paragraph, replacing each verb in bold with a more precise verb.

Model answer: The cat crept across the lawn. It spotted a bird. It crouched low and inched closer. Then it pounced, but the bird fluttered away.

Success criteria:

  • Every bold verb replaced
  • New verbs are precise and suit the meaning
  • Verbs stay in the past tense
  • Paragraph still makes sense
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Marking tips

  • Give credit for correct method even when the final answer slips — the working shows where the thinking went right.
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