Standards Vocabulary - Language Domain

Conventions

In writing or speaking, we follow agreed-upon rules, called ____, for spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and paraphrasing.

Thesaurus

This is a book of synonyms and antonyms. Example: Roget's

Verbal Phrase

This is the main verb and any auxiliaries. Example: I have been waiting for years for book seven.

Specialized Dictionary

A dictionary which lists words dealing with a particular subject is called a _____ dictionary. Example: Medical; scientific; musical

Adjective Clause

A group of related words, with a subject and predicate, that acts to modify a noun or pronoun is called an ________ clause. Ex: The potatoes that were grown in Ponotoc were tainted.

Vocabulary

All the words in a language; the words used for a specific content or task. Example: In order to speak a language, you need to learn its _____________ .

Homophones

Homophones These are words that are pronounced the same, but have different meanings. Example: knight, night; right, write; new, knew

Parts

Roots, suffixes, and prefixes are called word ___.

Speech

This is a talk or public address. Example: Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream"

Quote

If you repeat the words someone else has said or written, you ______ them. Example: My father said, "That is the best book that I have ever read."

Spelling

The forming of words with letters in the correct order

Revision

These are changes made to a draft to improve its focus, content or organization.

Context Clues

These are in the text surrounding a word and give hints for the meaning of the word. They are called ___ ___. Example: I refrained from grabbing the man's arm, but I was not sure how long I could hold back my urge. (Hold back gives hints for the meaning of refrained.)

Parts Of Speech

These are the different classes into which words are commonly grouped according to their form, function or meaning. Example: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, prepositions, and interjections.

MLA

These are the initials for the association which publishes a guide to writing research papers based on its prescribed documentation style. A works cited page is one feature in this documentation style that is common to many students. Example: A works cited page is one feature in this documentation style that is common to many students.

Related Words

These are words built on the same root word. Example: From phon, phono meaning "sound" come the words phonics, telephone, symphony.

Multiple

These are words that have more than one definition. They are called _____-meaning words. Example: The child wanted to run away from home. The boy scored the winning run at the baseball game.

Foreign Words

These used in English are borrowed directly from other languages. Example: The word rodeo is taken directly from Spanish and is used to mean roundup.

Suffix

This can be added to the end of a word to change the word's meaning. Example: ment; er; ist

Relative Clause

This is a clause having a subject and a verb that relates to something else in the sentence. Example: The book that I got from the library was very helpful.

Nonessential Clause

This is a clause that modifies another word or group of words but does not include essential identifying information. Example: Bob, who I hope remembers me when he is famous, is the center for the basketball team.

Adverb Clause

This is a group of related words with a subject and predicate that acts to modify a verb, adjective, or adverb. Example: The man hit his opponent when he wasn't looking.

Clause

This is a group of words that has a subject and a predicate. It can be dependent or independent. Example: The boy walked home.

Independent Clause

This is a group of words that states the main thought of a sentence and is complete within itself. Example: The birds find little food during the winter.

Phrase

This is a group of words used as a single part of speech. Example: on the counter

Glossary

This is a list found in the back of a book that gives definitions of unusual or hard words found in the text.

Bibliography

This is a list of written works or other sources on a particular subject.

Works Cited

This is a list with author, title and publication details of the works (the books, articles, etc.) a researcher used to write a paper. This is an informational list at the end of a research paper to credit sources.

Conjunction

This is a part of speech that links two words, clauses, or phrases. Example: The words "and," "but," and "if" are known as _______________s.

Participial Phrase

This is a participle and its object and modifiers, and it acts as an adjective or adverb. Example: The wrestler wearing the medal took first place.

Source

This is a person, book, document, website or record that provides information. Example: A veteran is a great _______ of knowledge about serving in the military.

Parallelism

This is a persuasive technique in which an author creates a BALANCED sentence by re-using the same word structure. Example: The carpenter singing... The mason singing... The boatman singing... from "I Hear America Singing" by Walt Whitman

Nonessential Phrase

This is a phrase that modifies another word or group of words but does not include essential identifying information. Example: Bob, already six feet tall, is the center for the basketball team.

Semicolon

This is a punctuation mark that is used between clauses of a compound sentence when a conjunction is not used, before conjunctive adverbs that join independent clauses, and in a series when the series already contains commas. Example: Some of the boys are going on a camping trip; others are going to the zoo.

Colon

This is a punctuation mark used before a list of items or details, before a statement that summarizes the original statement, before a long, formal quotation or statement, or in a business letter after the salutation. Example: When going to the the beach, you should take the following items: a towel, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a bottle of water, and a good book.

Prepositional Phrase

This is a set of words that begins with a preposition. Example: over the fence, in the backyard

Reference

This is a source used to find information. Example: encyclopedia; dictionary

Implied Meaning

This is a suggested, but not stated, definition. (You have to figure out the meaning for yourself).

Affix

This is a syllable or word element that can only occur in front of or after a root or stem. Example: The prefix 'un' in 'unhappy' and the suffix 'ness' 'in happiness' are both examples of this word element.

Homonym

This is a word that has multiple meanings and is spelled in the same way for both meanings. Example: 'Board' meaning a piece of wood, and 'board' as in a group of people are examples.

Adverb

This is a word that modifies a verb, another adverb, or an adjective. Example: quickly, blindly

Base Word

This is a word to which affixes may be added to create related word. Example: Happy is an example. You can add un- to make a related word, unhappy; or you can add -ness for happiness.

Subordinate Clause

This is also known as a dependent clause. While it may contain a subject and verb and sometimes objects or complements, it cannot stand alone as it conveys an incomplete thought. It usually functions as an adjective, adverb or noun within a complete sentence. Example: Did you email the author who you know? Whenever I feel blue, I sip chamomile tea and listen to some jazz.

Strategy

This is any kind of mental action used by a student to comprehend and make meaning out of a reading text. Example: Using context clues is a good idea when reading unfamiliar words

Literal Understanding

This is the act of taking or perceiving something according to the usual, ordinary or surface meaning.

Concise Wording

This is the author's use of brevity when writing. Example: ˜Like a limb quivering in a zephyr, she stood there unsure of what to do next, although it was obvious that her paralyzing fear would keep her there for a while." This would reword it as: ˜She was nervous and unsure."

Margins

This is the blank space that borders the written area of a manuscript. Example: These are usually set at one inch.

Pagination

This is the division of a document into pages, often with the writer's last name and correct page number aligned top right. Example: Moses 1

Context

This is the framework of meaning which surrounds a specific word, sentence, idea, or passage. Example: What surrounds the word "great" influences its meaning: a) "Congratulations, you played a great game." B) "Oh great, we're having leftover Brussels sprouts for the third day in a row!"

Citation

This is the notation of a source used for a paper.

Literal Meaning

This is the ordinary, usual, or exact meaning of words, phrases, or passages. No figurative language or interpretation is involved. Example: The snow is cold and white.

Etymology

This is the origin and history of a word which shows the language or languages from which it is borrowed. A word's origins are called its etymology. Example: The word student is listed in the dictionary as coming from Latin studens from studere "to study."

Derivation

This is the process by which a word is created from other words. Example: For example, the English word benefit comes from the Latin word beneficium.

Proofread

This is the process of making marks on a written document to correct errors. Example: This could be done by your mom before you turn in your paper to your teacher.

Paraphrase

This is the restatement of a written work in one's own words that keeps the basic meaning of the original work.

Pronunciation

This is the way a letter or a word sounds when spoken.

Style

This is the way an author expresses ideas through the use of kinds of words, literary devices, and sentence structure.

Edit

This is to correct and/or revise a piece of writing. Example: the best thing about school is english class: My favorite class in school is English.

Revise

This is to make changes to a piece of written work based on comments or new evidence. Example: You will probably have to do this to your term paper after you give your teacher the first draft.

Root Word

This is word part after all affixes have been removed. Example: Comfort-in the word uncomfortable

In-text Citation

This phrase refers to the documentation of information within the body of a paper: when you provide information about the source within your paper. Example: Doublespeak is a very conscious use of language (Lutz 35).

Title Page Presentation

This phrase refers to the layout of information on the cover page of a student paper. Example: Information contained on this document is usually centered and includes the following: the title of the student paper, the name of the student, the course, the instructor's name, and the date.

Spacing

This refers to the area of formatting a manuscript that involves margins and distance between lines. Example: One inch margins and double are examples that involve this term.

Conjunctive Adverb

This type of word may be used with a semicolon to connect independent clauses and usually serves as a transition between the clauses. Example: We took a wrong turn when going to the lake; consequently, we we were late and missed lunch.

Decode

When we analyze a spoken or written word to discover its pronunciation or meaning we ____ it.

Dependent Clause

a group of words that has a subject and verb but cannot stand alone as a sentence