English Standards
English vocabulary words from the standards
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- word recognition
- process of determining the pronunciation and some degree of meaning of a word in written or printed form;
- transitions
- words and phrases that help explain relationships between sentences and allow a reader or writer to move from one idea to another
- connotation
- attitudes and feelings associated with a word as opposed to a word's literal meaning
- characterization
- method an author uses to create the appearance and personality of imaginary characters in a piece of fiction; often developed by describing a character's physical appearance, revealing a character's nature through character's speech, thoughts, feelilngs or actions
- fluency
- act of reading easily, smoothly and automatically with a rate appropriate for the text, indicating that students inderstand meaning
- brainstorming
- prewriting technique in which students either alone or in groups, jot down all words and phrases that come to mind on a topic to expand the range of available ideas, to solve a problem or to clarify a concept
- context clues
- information a reader may obtain from a text that helps confirm the meaning of a word or group of words
- fable
- story intended to enforce a useful truth, especially one in which animals speak and act like human beings
- construct meaning
- process of understanding what is read through interaction with text
- e.g.
- exempli gratia (Latin), meaning "for example"
- persona
- voice or character representing a speaker or narrator of a literary work
- expository
- spoken or written composition, intending to set forth or explain
- digraphs
- two successive letters that make a single sound
- concrete image
- when a speaker or writer uses words that induce audiences to call up "pictures" in their minds by appealing to their senses of taste, smell, hearing, touch, and sight
- diction
- clarity and distinctiveness of pronunciation; choice of words in speaking or writing
- metaphor
- figure of speech in which an implied comparison is made between two unlike things
- focus
- center of interest or attention; in writing the central idea
- decode
- analyze spoken or graphic symbols of a familiar language to ascertain their intended meaning
- conventions
- accepted rules of written and spoken language
- revision
- stage of the writing process in which one considers and improves the meaning and underlying structure of a written draft
- expository
- spoken or written composition, intending to set forth or explain
- sensory details
- details perceived by sight, hearing, smell or any mode by which one perceives stimuli outside or within the body
- syntax
- the way in which sentences are formed; the grammatical rules that govern their formation
- hypothesize
- to make an assetion about something assumed but not positively known
- credibility
- quality or state of offering reasonable grounds for being believed
- dynamic character
- character who undergoes a change during the course of a story
- foreshadowing
- technique of giving clues to coming events in a narrative
- flat character
- character with only one outstanding trait or feature
- genre
- established class or category of artistic composition or literature
- inferential question
- question that asks a responder to draw a conclusion
- conventions
- accepted rules of written and spoken language
- main idea
- gist of a passage; central thought
- idiom
- combination of words that is not strictly in accordance with grammatical rules and often possesses a meaning other than its grammatical or logical one
- i.e.
- Id est (LAtin) meaning "that is"
- third person narrative
- narration in which the point of view is that of someone outside the story who refers to all characters by name or as "he", "she", and "they"
- evaluative question
- question that asks the responder to make a judgment
- soliloquy
- a speech, usually given alone on stage, in which a character speaks aloud his thoughts
- word families
- groups of words with clear relationships
- text structure
- author's method of organizing a text
- glittering generalities
- propaganda technique in which words have different positive meanings for individual subjects but are linked to highly valued concepts
- cause and effect
- organizational structure of text in which there is a description of events and their causes or consequences
- static character
- character who does not change during a story
- sequencing
- arrangement in which things follow in a logical order or a recurrent pattern; a following of one thing after another in time
- functional documents
- works of nonfiction such as 'how to" books, technical manuals and instructions
- allegory
- a metaphorical narrative in prose or verse in which fictional figures and actions usually represent truths or generalizations about human existence
- connotation
- attitudes and feelings associated with a word as opposed to a word's literal meaning
- rhetorical device
- method used in writing or speaking in which language is used to influence or persuade an audience
- flashback
- technique of stopping the chronological action in a story and shifting to an earlier period to introduce additional information
- format
- the size, shape and general makeuo
- resolution
- point in a lterary work at which the chief dramatic complication is resolved
- problem-solution
- organizationsl structure of text that is similar to cause and effect, except that outcomes are a result or solution of a perceived need or problem
- inflection
- process or result of changing form of a word to express a syntactic function without changing the word's grammatical class, as run to ran or runs
- graphic organizer
- method of organization of information which incorporates diagrams or other pictorial devices
- narrative
- one of the four traditional forms of composition in speech and writing that tells a story or gives an account of something
- format
- the size, shape and general makeuo
- prior knowledge
- knowing that stems from previous experiences
- literary element
- component of a piece of literature such as plot or setting in a story
- cues
- hand, body, opr facial gestures that communicate meaning with little or no use of language
- symbol
- concrete thing used to suggest something larger and more abstract
- fluency
- act of reading easily, smoothly and automatically with a rate appropriate for the text, indicating that students inderstand meaning
- comprehension
- process in which a reader constructs meaning through interaction with text; accurately understanding what is written or said
- antonym
- a word opposite in meaning to another word
- explicit
- fully or clearly expressed; definite
- rubric
- an authoritative set of rules which can be used as a means of evaluation
- flashback
- technique of stopping the chronological action in a story and shifting to an earlier period to introduce additional information
- consonance
- repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after differing vowel sounds (ex. stoke/luck)
- comparison and contrast
- organizational structure of text in which a description of similarities and differences among two or more things occur
- alliteration
- the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words (ex. winter wind)
- dialogue
- conversation between two or more characters in a work that is used by writers to give insight into the characters themselves
- evaluative question
- question that asks the responder to make a judgment
- public documents
- nonfiction materials such as newspapers, editorials and speeches
- e.g.
- exempli gratia (Latin), meaning "for example"
- propaganda
- spreading of ideas, information or rumor for the purpose of helping or injurying an institution, a cause or a person
- viewpoint
- staance or vantage point from which a story is narrated
- compound word
- combination of two or more words that function as a single unit of meaning
- functional documents
- works of nonfiction such as 'how to" books, technical manuals and instructions
- simile
- figure of speech in which a comparison is made between two unlike things using the words "like" or "as"
- digraphs
- two successive letters that make a single sound
- secondary source
- source that is reporting on or analyzing information from another source
- primary source
- firsthand information, such as an eyewitness account
- open-ended question
- types of question intended to produce a free response rather that a direct or one-word response
- visual aid
- instructional device, such as a chart, map, diagram, cutaway or overlay, that helps a reader to comprehend information
- high-frequency word
- word that appears many more times than most other words in spoken or written language
- topic sentence
- sentence intended to express the main idea in a paragraph or passage
- intonation
- the rise and fall of a voice pitch
- style
- author's distinctive manner of expression
- consumer document
- nonfiction works such as warranties, product information and instructional materials designed to help one with daily tasks
- persuasive technique
- method used in speaking or writing to get an audience to agree with the speaker or writer's point of view
- figurative language
- language enriched by words and figures of speech
- conflict
- struggle between opposing forces about the action within a story or drama; can be internal (within a character) or external (between a character and an outside force)
- pun
- usually humorous use of a word in such a way as to suggest two or more of its meanings or the meaning of another word similar in sound
- coherence
- the quality of a piece of writing in which the ideas are clearly arranged so a reader can follow the progression from one idea to the next
- limited point of view
- vantage point in which a narrator tells the story in the third person but often confines himself to what is experienced, thought and felt by a single or limited number of characters
- chronological
- organizational structure of text in which events are placed in the order they occur in time
- plagiarism
- to steal and pass off the ideas or words of another as one's own
- theme
- topic of discussion or writing; a major idea or proposition broad enough to cover the entore scope of a literary work
- description
- one of the four traditional forms of composition in speech and writing that gives a verbal picture of a character and an event, including the setting in which they occur
- conflict
- struggle between opposing forces about the action within a story or drama; can be internal (within a character) or external (between a character and an outside force)
- fable
- story intended to enforce a useful truth, especially one in which animals speak and act like human beings
- counter-argument
- point or statement in opposition to the argument being made in a written document or speech
- prefix
- affix attached before a base word or root
- thesis
- basic argument advanced by a speaker or writer who then attempts to prove it
- hyperbole
- figure of speech which uses a deliberate exaggeration
- construct meaning
- process of understanding what is read through interaction with text
- dialogue
- conversation between two or more characters in a work that is used by writers to give insight into the characters themselves
- word origins
- history or etymology of words; the meanings of roots and affixes
- appeal to authority
- to call upon an individual or other source as an expert to give credence to an argument made by an author of a work
- explicit
- fully or clearly expressed; definite
- implicit
- to be assumed but not directly expressed
- synthesizing question
- question that asks a responder to combine separate elements into one concept
- dynamic character
- character who undergoes a change during the course of a story
- editing
- step in preparing a written work for publication or review that focuses on clarity and correctness
- appeal to emotion
- when a speaker or writer builds an argument using expressive language or other devices instead or presenting evidence
- homograph
- word with the same spelling as another word, whether or not pronounced alike
- skim and scan
- to examine or read something quickly, but selectively, for a particular purpose
- cues
- hand, body, opr facial gestures that communicate meaning with little or no use of language
- declarative sentence
- sentence that makes a statement
- tale
- story for children that includes fantastic forces and elements of magic
- setting
- the time and place of the action of a literary work
- figurative meaning
- symbolic interpretation of written work
- transfer
- persuasive technique in which a product is associated with something attractive or respectable
- language
- systematic use of sounds, signs and symbols as a method of communication; in writing, the coice of words used to convey meaning
- tone
- reflection of an author's attitude toward subject
- figurative meaning
- symbolic interpretation of written work
- gerund
- verb form that ends in -ing and is used as a moun
- testimonial
- propaganda technique based on quotations or endorsements from famous people, in or out of content that attempts to connect famous or respectable person with a product or item
- venn diagram
- mapping technique using overlapping circles showing features either unique or common to two or more concepts
- workplace documents
- job-related nonfiction materials such as memoranda, meeting minutes and travel schedules
- stereotyping
- standardized mental picture that is held in common by members of a group and that represents an oversimplified opinion, prejudiced attitude or uncritical judgment
- denotation
- literal or "dictionary" meaning of a word
- word wall
- large area of a wall where important words are displayed as references for reading and writing
- imagery
- words and phrases that create vivid sensory experiences for a reader
- root word
- in a complex word, the meaning base form after all affixes are removed
- parody
- literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule
- focus
- center of interest or attention; in writing the central idea
- personification
- figure of speech in which human qualities are attributed to animals, inanimate objects or ideas
- exclamatory sentence
- sentence that makes a vehement statement or conveys strong or sudden emotion
- analogy
- a method of explaining something unfamiliar by using a comparison of similar, more familiar things;
- satire
- literary technique in which ideas, customs, behaviors or institutions are ridiculed for the purpose of improving society
- point of view
- perspective or attitude of a narrator of a piece of literature
- parallel structure
- phrasing of language so as to balance ideas of equal importance
- consumer document
- nonfiction works such as warranties, product information and instructional materials designed to help one with daily tasks
- writing circle
- revision strategy in which each writer submits a paper to a group and receives advice for editing
- declarative sentence
- sentence that makes a statement
- first person narrative
- narration in which the point of view is that of the main character
- credibility
- quality or state of offering reasonable grounds for being believed
- dialect
- form of language as it is spoken in a particular geographic area or by a particular social or ethnic group
- informational documents
- works of nonfiction such as transcripts, reports or journals
- mood
- feeling or atmosphere that a writer creates for a reader
- suffix
- affix attached to the end of a base, root or stem that changes the meaning or grammatical function of a word
- acronym
- a word formed from the initial letters or letters of each word in a set of words (ex. NATO)
- text features
- organizers or written materials such as indexes, prefaces, appendices, definitional footnotes, sidebars, table of content, illustrations or photographs
- denotation
- literal or "dictionary" meaning of a word
- homophone
- word with different origin and meaning but the same pronunciation as another word, whether or not spelled alike (hair and hare)
- flat character
- character with only one outstanding trait or feature
- subplot
- secondary action of a story that reinforces or contrasts with the main plot
- topic
- general category or class of ideas, often stated in word or phrase, to which the ideas of a passage as a whole belong
- round character
- a character who is complex and multi-dimensional
- irony
- recognition of the difference between reality and appearance
- compound sentence
- sentence with two or more coordinate indeoendent clauses but no dependent clause
- editing
- step in preparing a written work for publication or review that focuses on clarity and correctness
- appeal to reason
- to call upon a reader's ability to think in a rational way in order to cause a change in thought
- concrete image
- when a speaker or writer uses words that induce audiences to call up "pictures" in their minds by appealing to their senses of taste, smell, hearing, touch, and sight
- media
- means of communication, especially of mass communication, such as books, newspapers, magazines, radio, tv
- homonym
- word with different origin and meaning but the same oral and written form as one or more other words
- bandwagon
- a fallacy in which one is attracted to a popular party, faction or cause that attracts growing support; following the crowd rather than using evidence to justify a conclusion
- dialect
- form of language as it is spoken in a particular geographic area or by a particular social or ethnic group
- decode
- analyze spoken or graphic symbols of a familiar language to ascertain their intended meaning
- anecdote
- a brief narrative of an interesting, unusual or biographical event often used to illustrate a point
- consonance
- repetition of identical consonant sounds before and after differing vowel sounds (ex. stoke/luck)
- exclamatory sentence
- sentence that makes a vehement statement or conveys strong or sudden emotion
- plot
- the careful sequencing of events in a stiry generally built around a conflict
- assonance
- close repetition of middle vowel sounds (ex. stony and holy)
- fallacy
- typical error in reasoning that arises commonly in ordinary discourse and renders unsound the argument in which it appears
- synonym
- one of two or more words in a language that have similar meanings
- transitive verb
- verb that takes a direct object
- figurative language
- language enriched by words and figures of speech
- first person narrative
- narration in which the point of view is that of the main character
- onomatopoeia
- words whose sound imitates their suggested meaning (e.g.- buzz, hiss, and clang)
- foreshadowing
- technique of giving clues to coming events in a narrative
- description
- one of the four traditional forms of composition in speech and writing that gives a verbal picture of a character and an event, including the setting in which they occur
- inference
- general conclusion drawn from information that is given
- monologue
- extended speech in a drama or a narrative that is presented by one character
- interrogative sentence
- sentence that asks a question or makes an inquiry
- fallacy
- typical error in reasoning that arises commonly in ordinary discourse and renders unsound the argument in which it appears
- sight word
- word that is immediatley recognized as a whole and does not require word analysis for identification
- persuasive
- one of the four traditional forms of composition in speech and writing that moves the reader by argument or entreaty to a belief or position
- omniscient point of view
- vantage point in which a narrator is removed from the story and knows everything that needs to be known
- infinitive
- verb that is usually introduced by "to"
- literal meaning
- actual meaning of a word or phrase
- bias
- inclination of temperament or outlook; personal and sometimes unreasoned judgment
- diction
- clarity and distinctiveness of pronunciation; choice of words in speaking or writing
- prewriting
- initial creative stage of writing prior to drafting, in which a writer formulates ideas, gathers information, and considers ways to organzie them
- context clues
- information a reader may obtain from a text that helps confirm the meaning of a word or group of words