Word bank 8 of 8 · 68 words · Free to print
Alternatives to said word bank
Other words for said, grouped by how something is said: quietly, loudly, happily, angrily, sadly, nervously, asking and explaining.
About this word bank
Dialogue brings characters to life, and the speech verb tells the reader how a line is spoken. "Get out," she whispered and "Get out," she bellowed are two very different scenes.
The words are grouped by how something is said. But "said" is not banned: it's almost invisible to readers, which is why good authors use it most of the time and save the others for when the tone matters.
The words
Quietly
Secrets, hiding and shyness.
- whispered
- murmured
- breathed
- mumbled
- muttered
- hissed
"Don't move," breathed Kiran, his eyes fixed on the wasp.
Loudly
Calling across a distance, or panic.
- called
- cried
- shouted
- yelled
- exclaimed
- bellowed
- roared
- screamed
- shrieked
"Over here!" Nina called, waving the torch above her head.
Happily
Excitement, jokes and good news.
- chirped
- laughed
- giggled
- chuckled
- cheered
- gushed
- squealed
"We won!" squealed Bella, flinging her arms round her coach.
Angrily
Arguments and bad tempers.
- grumbled
- complained
- snapped
- growled
- snarled
- barked
- retorted
- fumed
- thundered
- spat
"It wasn't me," snapped Leon, slamming his book shut.
"Nobody leaves this room," thundered the head teacher.
Sadly
Disappointment, hurt and grief.
- sighed
- sniffed
- moaned
- groaned
- whimpered
- sobbed
- wailed
- lamented
"I suppose we'll never see it again," sighed Grandpa.
Nervously
Fear, worry and asking for help.
- stammered
- stuttered
- faltered
- squeaked
- quavered
- gasped
- pleaded
- begged
"I-I didn't mean to break it," stammered Tilly.
Asking and answering
Questions and replies.
- asked
- enquired
- wondered
- queried
- questioned
- demanded
- replied
- answered
- responded
"Where exactly were you at midnight?" demanded the inspector.
Explaining and arguing
Telling, insisting and owning up.
- explained
- added
- suggested
- admitted
- confessed
- announced
- declared
- boasted
- insisted
- argued
- protested
"Fine, it was me," admitted Dev. "But the cake was asking to be eaten."
How to use this word bank without overdoing it
- Use "said" most of the time. Readers skim over it, which keeps the focus on what the character says.
- Choose another verb only when the way the line is spoken matters: a whisper in a hiding place, a roar in a fight.
- Don't double up. "Whispered quietly" or "shouted loudly" says the same thing twice.
- In a quick back-and-forth between two characters, you can often drop the speech verb altogether once the reader knows who is talking.
- Remember the punctuation: the spoken words, then a comma, question mark or exclamation mark, inside the speech marks, then the speech verb: "Over here!" Nina called.
Practice: One line, five ways
- Write the line: "Is anyone there?"
- Add a different speech verb five times, so the speaker is scared, cross, cheerful, whispering and shouting.
- Add one action after each line that matches the verb, e.g. "Is anyone there?" whispered Sam, pressing himself against the wall.
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Questions parents ask
What are other words for said?
Quietly: whispered, murmured, muttered. Loudly: shouted, yelled, bellowed. Happily: chuckled, giggled, cheered. Angrily: snapped, growled, retorted. Sadly: sighed, sobbed, wailed. Nervously: stammered, stuttered, pleaded. Asking: asked, enquired, demanded.
Should children avoid the word "said"?
No. "Said" is the most useful speech verb because readers barely notice it. A story where every line has a dramatic verb becomes tiring to read. Use the alternatives when the way something is said really matters.
Can "laughed" or "smiled" be used instead of said?
"Laughed" and "giggled" are often used as speech verbs, especially for a short, cheerful line. You can't really say words with a smile, so write "she said, smiling" or put the smile in a separate sentence.