Writing: Word Choice
Imperative Mood: Write a Warning Label For Yourself
Today's Snack: Warning: don't eat very many sweets. Candy, cookies,
cake, ice cream and other sugary snacks are bad for your teeth and eventually
will make you fat. Train yourself to like healthy snacks that are still pretty
sweet, but still good for you. Examples: raisins, dried cranberries and other
dried fruits. Yum! And have a nice, sweet glass of 100% pure fruit juice, too.
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Supplies:
Warning labels from household
products
Paper | colorful
markers | tape
Take
a look at the words in the warning labels that you have collected from medicine
bottles, food packages, cleaning products, tools, lawn products and other
warnings. Notice how the words are very strong and often short. They make you
pay attention! They command you to take notice!
List
the powerful words, especially verbs, from the labels. Do you often see the
word "WARNING" in all capital letters? That sure gets your attention.
Add
words from traffic signs that you've seen along the roads - "STOP" and "YIELD"
and others.
Talk
about what these warning words mean. Do they tell you what you need to do to
stay safe? Do they tell you how to avoid accidents or damage to your equipment
or possessions? Do they tell you how to avoid personal injury, even death?
These
word choices are in the "imperative mood." That's pronounced im PAIR uh tiv. Something that is
"imperative" is very, very important. It's absolutely necessary, like a
commandment. The words in a message like this are usually short, strong words
like "stop" and "don't." There's not a lot of description and you don't beat
around the bush to get your message across. You get straight to it. The reader
of a warning label definitely can get a clear message from something written in
the imperative mood.
Along with these short, strong word
choices, you usually see bold colors, large and all-capital lettering,
exclamation points, and vivid graphics. They really help to attract and keep
the reader's attention.
Now, just for fun, take a piece of
paper, and create a warning label for YOURSELF! Choose words that people need
to know around you. Warn them about your habits and behaviors. Add colorful
lettering and graphics if you'd like.
Tape your warning label to the back
of your neck, and wear it for the rest of the day!
