At the Pond

Eight new words, and the ways to make them yours.

Meet each word one at a time, then take the quiz to lock them in.

1. 1 pond noun
2. 2 pebble noun
3. 3 splash verb
4. 4 drip verb
5. 5 damp adjective
6. 6 sandy adjective
7. 7 gently adverb
8. 8 coolly adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Pond. A noun, and I file it under quiet places. A pond is a small patch of still water, smaller than a lake, calm on top. Ducks paddle on it, frogs sit beside it, and fish hide under it. It does not rush like a river. It just sits and waits. If the water is small and still, I file it under pond.

The ducks swim on the pond.

Nelson's word

noun

Pebble. A noun, and a tiny one. A pebble is a small, round stone, the kind that fits in your hand, smooth from the water. You find pebbles by a pond. You skip them on the water. You keep the best one in your pocket. It is not a big rock. It is a little stone. If it is small and smooth and round, I file it under pebble.

I found a smooth pebble by the water.

Vinny's word

verb

Splash! Now THAT is a verb. To splash is to throw water so it flies up in the air: the kids splash in the pond, the dog splashes through the puddle, you splash your friend and run. It is a doing word, and it is wet when it does it. But keep your eyes open, because this word can wear a second hat, and we will catch it wearing it later.

The kids splash in the pond.

Vinny's word

verb

Drip. A small but mighty verb. To drip is to fall in tiny drops, one at a time: the rain drips off the leaves, the wet towel drips on the floor, your ice cream drips down your hand on a hot day. Drip, drip, drip. It is slow, and it is little, but it is still a doing word, and I do love a doing word.

The rain drips off the leaves.

Jake's word

adjective

Damp. Oh, I like this one, and it is mine, because it describes. Damp means a little bit wet, not soaked, just wet enough to feel it: damp grass in the morning, a damp towel, damp socks after a walk. Could we be more specific than 'wet'? We could. If something is only a little wet, we could say damp. That is the fun of a describing word, it tells you exactly how wet.

The grass is damp in the morning.

Jake's word

adjective

Sandy. A describing word, and a fun one to say. Sandy means covered with sand: a sandy beach, sandy feet, a sandy little path by the pond. And where does the word come from? From sand. Say sand, then add a y: sandy. That little y means covered with, or full of. So next time your toes are covered in sand, you know just the word. Could we be more specific than 'dirty'? We could say sandy.

My feet are sandy after the beach.

Benny's word

adverb

Gently. This is an adverb, and it is mine, because it tells you HOW. Gently means in a soft, careful way: she gently sets the frog back in the water, he gently pats the puppy, we gently open the door so no one wakes up. Here is your coaching for the day. When you do a thing kindly and softly, gently is the word that says so. Reach for it, and your sentence gets sharper.

She gently sets the frog back in the water.

Benny's word

adverb

Coolly. Another adverb of mine, and it tells you HOW someone does a thing. Coolly means in a calm, cool way, not in a hurry, not upset: he coolly waits for the fish to bite, she coolly walks past the barking dog. Notice the two l's, because cool grows a y and keeps its l, then adds one more: coolly. When someone stays calm and easy, coolly is your word. You can do this, and it makes your writing shine.

He coolly waits for the fish to bite.