1. 6 Trait Writing

2. Ideas Have a strong main idea (dig for potatoes). PROVE your point. Use details that paint a picture in the reader’s mind.

3. Organization Grab your reader’s attention with a strong lead. Put ideas in an order that makes sense. Leave them hungry for more.

4. Voice Be unique (sounds like you). Be enthusiastic (act like you care). Keep your audience in mind (get in touch with them).

5. Word Choice Avoid DEAD words like “nice,” “good,” “stuff,” “very,” “you know,” etc. Use the right word at the right time. Makes me wish I wrote it. Use POWERFUL verbs. WEAK--> She chewed gum. STRONG-->She smacked a wad of Bubblicious.

6. Sentence Fluency Use a mixture of short and long sentences. Begin sentences in different ways. Be smooth! (It’s easy to read out loud.)

7. Conventions Clean up your yard. Check spelling, punctuation, and grammar. Have someone help you.

8. Quiz Identify the trait for each description: 1. A writer is unique, enthusiastic, and entertaining. 2. Catch the reader’s attention, and write in a way that makes sense! 3. Allows the reader to understand your ideas. It’s like cleaning up your yard. 4. Digging for potatoes. Prove your point with good details and explanation. 5. Uses variety. Sounds smooth when read out loud. 6. Forget about dead words. Use strong verbs. Use the perfect word at the perfect time. q Ideas Organization Voice Word Choice Sentence Fluency Conventions