Jumping… or bounding, leaping, hurdling, surging, springing right into our next 2 ADJECTIVES:

1.  faulty –  imperfect, deficient, weak, damaged, insufficient, inadequate. What to love about this word? The word faulty has a lot of friends!  We can also add to the list of synonyms/friends already listed… defective, damaged, broken, worn, unsound. The quality of a person may be faulty (faulty morals). Immaterial things may be faulty (faulty advice,  faulty workmanship, faulty argument). Material things may be faulty (faulty wiring, faulty braking system).  faulty is a descriptive word to know and to use in writing and speaking. Discuss faulty with your children.  Tell them that fault derives from the word fail… which makes the word faulty a bit easier to understand.  Example:  A faulty friend may be better than no friend.

Hmmmm.  Lots of things to consider when considering faulty.

2.  flawless –  with no faults, defects, cracks or blemishes; precise. What to love about this word? The word flawless is perfect!  flawless describes perfect… beyond compare.  The word flawless pops up in advertisements about make-up, in descriptions of an athlete’s or actor’s  performance, or a fashion statement.  Choreography or garden landscapes may be described as flawless.  flawless. Discuss the word flawless with your children.  flawless is interesting because anything flawless is so rare.  What or who has no flaws?  What in your world is absolutely flawless?  Do you want flawless?  We have bumped into the word flaws in the poem Red Slippers on Day 11 of 365 Days of Literacy  for Kids:

RED SLIPPERS by Amy Lowell

Red slippers in a shop-window, and outside in the
street, flaws of grey,
windy sleet!

flaw is the opposite of flawless.  The poet see the flaws as grey-colored.  Ask your children the color of flawless.  The answers will be interesting!  Now, in terms of writing, discuss flawless with your children.  Writing can be flawless – precise, no faults.  We know rules of writing, and adding interesting and descriptive words adds to the flawless flavor.  Speaking is an entirely different animal, so to speak.  A speech can be flawless, but ordinary, everyday speech among family, friends, colleagues is rarely flawless.  I think this is OK!  I think expression and comfort and even experimentation (especially with children) are more important than flawless.

Hmmmm.  Lots of things to consider when considering flawless.

faulty.  flawless.  Opposites.  Introduce your children to these words.  Use them.  Repeat them.  Find them and examples of them around you.  Encourage your children to use these words in their writing and speaking.  Remember that LITERACY is all about WORDS – Written, Spoken, Felt.