You Don’t Say!
September 9, 2009 by GradingGirl
Filed under GG's writing, Pencils Down, TLC Speaks
ORIGINALLY TAKEN FROM A HANDOUT WE’VE USED IN OUR ENGLISH DEPARTMENT FOR QUITE A FEW YEARS NOW. MY COLLEAGUE, MRS. JENNIFER KRAUSE, COMPILED THESE WILD, WACKY WORDS 
Says is one of those overused words. The Second Edition of the Oxford English Dictionary contains full entries for 171,476 words in current use, and 47,156 obsolete words. To this may be added around 9,500 derivative words included as subentries. With all these words, why do we overuse the general, imprecise ones?
GG note: Please do no utilize “goes” to replace the verb “says.”
FOR EXAMPLE: He goes, “I don’t like that anymore.” → I hear this colloquial-type conversation from my high schoolers. ‘To speak’ is not even a published definition of goes; the closest definition is ‘to utter a sound’ as in The gun goes bang.” Luckily, I don’t think you’ll have a problem coming up with varied words here. Enjoy!:
What other imprecise words need replacing?
OVER THREE HUNDRED WAYS TO SAY “SAYS”
Aaccuses acknowledges acquiesces adds admits admonishes advises affirms agrees alleges allows alludes announces answers apologizes appeases approves argues articulates asks assents asserts assures Bbabbles bits barks bawls begins begs believes bellows berates beseeches bleats blows up blubbers blurts blusters boasts booms brags breathes breaks in Ccackles cajoles calculates calls carols |
cautionschallengeschants
charges chats chatters cheers chides chimes chips in chokes chortles chuckles cites claims coaxes comforts commands comments complains concedes concludes concurs confesses confirms consents consoles contends contests continues contributes coos counters coughs cries criticizes croaks croons cross-examines cures curses cusses Ddebates decides declaims declares defends demands denies describes |
determinesdictatesdiscusses
drawls drones Eechoes elaborates emphasizes entreats enumerates enunciates exaggerates exclaims exhorts explains explodes expostulates extols Ffalters fears frowns fumes Ggags gasps gibbers giggles gloats goads grins groans growls grumbles grunts guesses guffaws gulps gurgles gushes Hhastens to say hesitates hints hisses hollers howls |
Iimitates implies implores informs inquires insinuates insists interjects interposes interprets interrupts interrogates intimidates intones Jjeers jests jokes jabbers Llaughs lectures laments lies lisps Mmakes known magnifies maintains marvels mentions mimics moans mocks mourns mumbles murmurs muses mutters Nnags nods notes Oobjects observes offers orders |
Ppants perceives persists persuades pesters pipes up pleads points ponders pouts praises preaches predicts prevaricates proceeds prods profanes proclaims professes promises prompts proposes protests purrs pursues puts in Qquavers queries questions quibbles quips quotes Rrates rails runs on rants raves recalls recites recounts regrets reiterates rejoins remarks remembers reminds remonstrates |
renouncesrepeatsreplies
reports reprehends reprimands requests resolves responds resumes retorts reveals roars rumbles Ssings sings out scoffs scolds scorns screams screeches sermonizes shouts shrieks shrills shrugs sighs slurs smiles smolders snaps snarls sneers snickers sniffs snorts sobs soliloquizes sooths specifies spells speaks spurts sputters squawks squeaks squeals stammers starts states storms |
stressesstrugglesstutters
submits suggests swears sympathizes Ttaunts tantalizes tattles teases testifies thinks threatens tells Uurges utters Vvaunts ventures voices volunteers Wwails wants to know warns wavers whispers wonders worries Yyearns yells yelps yowls |
