Roots That Won't Quit

Eight words that keep going, and every way to make them yours.

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

1. 1 pressure noun
2. 2 element noun
3. 3 cooperate verb
4. 4 participate verb
5. 5 tireless adjective
6. 6 restless adjective
7. 7 eventually adverb
8. 8 urgently adverb

Nelson's word

noun

Pressure. A noun, and a careful one, because this word wears more than one hat. As a noun it names a force that pushes, or the heavy feeling of stress that pushes on you from the inside: the deep sea puts great pressure on a diver, and a big test puts pressure on a student. That naming word is mine, and as a noun I file it. But the very same word can be a verb, to pressure, which means to push someone hard: do not pressure her into it. A verb is Vinny's job, not mine. Same spelling, two hats. We sort the hats in Practice. For now: pressure, the noun, a force that pushes.

The team worked under great pressure to finish before the deadline.

Nelson's word

noun

Element. A noun. It names one basic part of a larger whole, one of the pieces a thing is built from. Trust is an element of friendship. Water and salt are elements of the sea. When a coach names the elements of a good play, she lists the parts that make the whole thing work. File it beside part and ingredient, and remember: an element is never the whole thing, only a piece the whole thing needs.

Trust is a key element of every strong friendship.

Vinny's word

verb

Cooperate! To join forces, to pull in the same direction, to work TOGETHER toward one shining goal! When the two teams cooperate, they stop fighting the problem alone and beat it as one. That is the verb, and it is mine. Look at the front of it, co, which means together, the same co you find in coworker and coauthor. To cooperate is to operate together. A hero knows that some jobs are too big for one, and that is no shame; it is the whole point.

The two teams cooperate to clear the flooded road by nightfall.

Vinny's word

verb

Participate! To jump IN, to take your part, to be one of the doers and not one of the watchers! When all the students participate in the science fair, not one of them sits on the sidelines. That is the verb, and it takes courage to raise your hand. Hidden in the middle is part, because to participate is to take your part. Do not merely watch the action, hero: participate in it.

All the students participate in the yearly science fair.

Jake's word

adjective

Tireless. Oh, this is a strong one, and it is mine. As an adjective, tireless describes someone who never gets worn out, who keeps going long after others would stop: the tireless volunteers, the tireless little engine. Look at the tail, that little less, which means without. Tireless is without tire, without ever growing weary. Could we be more specific than saying a worker was hard-working? We could say tireless, and mean that the tank simply never runs empty. Magnifique.

The tireless volunteers packed boxes long after the sun went down.

Jake's word

adjective

Restless. An adjective, and mine, describing someone who cannot rest or stay still, who fidgets and paces and wriggles. A restless puppy, a restless night, a restless crowd waiting for the show. It wears the same tail as tireless, that less meaning without: restless is without rest. Its Frown is calm, the settled and still. Could we be more specific than saying a child was antsy? We could say restless, and let the reader feel all that motion that will not stop.

The restless puppy paced the kitchen and would not lie down.

Benny's word

adverb

Eventually. An adverb, and this one is mine, the way the noun is Nelson's. Eventually tells you when: in the end, after some time has passed. We waited and waited, and the bus eventually came. Here is my coaching, and hear it well: eventually is a patient word, so save it for the thing that takes a while. Do not say something happened eventually if it happened in a snap. Match the word to the wait, and your sentence tells the truth. You can do that, and now you know how.

We waited a long while, and the bus eventually arrived.

Benny's word

adverb

Urgently. An adverb, and mine, the partner to eventually and its opposite in tempo. Urgently tells you how: in a way that needs quick action, right now, no waiting. The nurse urgently called for help. Here is the coaching: urgently is a word with its shoes already on, so save it for the moment that truly cannot wait. Reach for it when the clock is against you, and your reader will feel the rush. Match the word to the moment, and you will make it sharper every time.

The nurse urgently called for more help.