Fun with Character: Tom Swifties
Tom Swifties are fun to create. They are a sentence in which an adverb relates both properly and “punningly” to a sentence of reported speech. An example: “I feel like I’ve been run over by a car!” Tom said flatly. Or “I need a pencil sharpener,” Tom said bluntly. There are actually many forms of Tom Swifties, but this form is the easiest to copy. Come up with several of your own, perhaps using current vocabulary words, and then let the students come up with some on their own, either individually or in groups. It sometimes helps to start by thinking of adverbs first and then creating their Tom Swifty around it. (This is a good time for lessons on adverbs and punctuation for quoted speech.) After your students have created some, write them on the board or post them on the bulletin board. This type of assignment tends to stick with kids, and days later, they will bring you more Tom Swifties.
Visit Wikipedia for some examples from the book series that started these puns.
To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:
Did you like creating Tom Swifties?
Was it enjoyable to listen to the ones written by others?
Creativity is not as much about art as it is about a new perspective on something. Has Tom Swifties given you a new perspective on adverbs?