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How to use the thesaurus tool
to replace overused, boring words.

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dinowalk.gif (7002 bytes) Open the writing processor, Microsoft Word.
Then open the document titled "Thesaurus Rex" from your floppy disk.
dinowalk.gif (7002 bytes) Read the story. Notice the highlighted words and how they are overused and common.
dinowalk.gif (7002 bytes) Use the thesaurus tool to change the highlighted words so that the story is more interesting. Drag over a word you want to change so that it is highlighted. Then click Tools in the Menu Bar. Move down and over Language. Click on Thesaurus.
dinowalk.gif (7002 bytes) The Thesaurus task pane will appear on the right.

Use the thesaurus tool. It's easy! Can you find it?

Choose from the synonyms listed on the right. Read them all.

Move over any word listed and a drop-down arrow will appear beside it. Click it to see the menu listing 3 options: Insert, Copy, or Look Up.
Click Insert to replace the original word you highlighted with the new word from the thesaurus.

 

OLDER VERSIONS APPEAR AS:
A separate Thesaurus window will pop up. The synonyms you can choose from will be listed on the right. Read over them all and choose one. wpeD.gif (6688 bytes)

Notice the area on the left of the Thesaurus window allows you to change to another part of speech if needed. There it also lists "antonyms" and/or "related words".

Try the "Look Up" button at the bottom of the Thesaurus window to get the meaning of a word. Use the "Previous" button to return to the list.
dinowalk.gif (7002 bytes) Replace each highlighted word you find on the story. If a group of words is highlighted together, you need to drag over that group. Read the before and after stories again aloud to hear the improvements.

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(Teachers: "Thesaurus Rex" saved to floppy disk
Copy and paste into Word & highlight the red words.)

Once upon a time there lived a big old dinosaur named Thesaurus Rex. T-Rex was not only big, he was famous for being smart. He was really smart. Any time the people needed help T-Rex was ready to help with better words. Any time you read the same boring word over and over, think of Thesaurus Rex and pick a better one.

 

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