Adjective
This is a word that modifies a noun or a pronoun.
Adverb
This is a word that modifies a verb, an adverb or an adjective.
Affix
This is a syllable or word element that can only occur in front of a root or stem, or at the end of a root or stem.
Ambiguity
This is the state of having more than one possible meaning which often leads to misunderstanding because the meaning is not clear.
Analogy
This is a comparison based on a similarity between things that are otherwise dissimilar.
Analyze
This is to separate a whole into its parts.
Antonym
This is a word or phrase that means the opposite of another word or phrase.
Apostrophe
This is used to show the possessive form of a noun and is used to show that a letter or letters have been left out of a contraction.
Audience
This is whoever will be reading or listening to a piece of work/speech.
Author's Background
This includes information essential to understanding the author. A reader's experience with a literary work can be enhanced by knowing about the author's life and culture.
Author's Purpose
This is the reason for creating written work.
Base Word
This is a word to which affixes may be added to create related words, as 'group' in 'regroup' or 'grouping'.
Capitalization
This is the use of letters to indicate proper nouns, or it is used at the beginning of a sentence.
Cause And Effect
This is the relationship between two or more events in which one event brings about another.
Chronological Order
This is the arrangement of events in the order in which they occur.
Clarify Reading and writing
both involve the mental processing of information which must be clarified and used in ways to make this information understandable.
Cognate
These are words that have a common origin.
Coherence
This is a quality in writing, in which ideas are presented in a clear, logical manner. Writing which lacks this quality may be hard or impossible to understand.
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.
Comma
This is a punctuation mark that may be used to indicate a pause, connection, separation, list or for clarity or to show importance.
Comma Splice
This is when two or more independent clauses are joined by a comma without a coordinating conjunction.
Compare
This is a method of relating how two or more elements or texts are SIMILAR.
Compare And Contrast
This is a method of relating two or more objects in a piece of work.
Complex Sentence
This consists of one independent clause with one or more subordinate clauses.
Compound Word
This is a combination of two or more words that functions as a single unit of meaning.
Compound-Complex Sentence
This consists of at least two independent clauses and at least one subordinate clause.
Comprehension
This is the process of understanding the meaning of a text.
Concise Wording
This is the author's use of brevity when writing.
Connotation
This is the emotional feelings and associations that go beyond the dictionary definition of a word.
Content
the subject matter or material pertaining to a particular area of study or the essential components of a work
Context
This is the framework of meaning which surrounds a specific word, sentence, idea, or passage.
Context Analysis
This is a method of breaking down the meaning of a word (or phrase) by working with the text or passage in which the word is used.
Context Clues
These are in the text surrounding a word and give hints for the meaning of the word.
Contrast
This is a method of relating how two or more elements or texts are DIFFERENT.
Controlling Idea
the author's opinion or the perspective he/she wants to convey expressed through the thesis statement for an essay, or through a topic sentence within an individual paragraph
Conventions
In writing, this is the trait to measure standard writing and the editing processes of spelling, punctuation, grammar, capitalization, and paraphrasing.
Cultural Elements
This includes language, ideologies, beliefs, values, and norms. These elements help to shape the life of a society.
Decode
This is when we analyze a spoken or written word to discover its pronunciation or meaning.
Denotation
This is the dictionary definition of a word.
Derivation
This is the process by which a word is created from other words.
Describe
This is to tell all about.
Describing Words
Adjectives and adverbs may be expressed in three ways to show comparisons. The first is the positive degree which describes one thing. Next is the comparative degree which is used when comparing two things. This is formed by adding "-er" to the word or by
Descriptive Text
This type of text creates a clear picture through the use of vivid word choices. The purpose is to help a reader see, experience, or understand the selection by the use of sensory details. This type of text is seldom a separate type of writing; it is most
Dictionary
This is a reference book containing an alphabetical list of words, with information given for each word, usually including meaning, pronunciation, and etymology.
Edit
This is to correct and/or revise a piece of writing.
Electronic Resource
This is something that can be accessed online or by computer and is used for support or to help.
Ellipsis Mark
This, three spaced periods, is used to indicate that a word or words have been deleted from a direct quote.
End Punctuation
These are marks used to indicate the end of a sentence.
Entertain
The goal is to tell a story or describe characters, places, or events.
Etymology
This is the origin and history of a word which shows the language or languages from which it is borrowed.
Euphemism
This is the substitution of an agreeable or non-offensive phrase for one that might be unpleasant or offensive.
Evaluate
This is placing a value or rank on a piece of writing or speaking.
Exclamation Point
This is used after a word or words that have special emphasis or feeling.
Explain
This is to tell how, what, when, where, etc.
Expository Text
This presents information, explains, or informs.
Fact
This is a statement that can be proved to be true.
Figurative Language
This goes beyond the literal meanings of words to create special effects or feelings.
Foreign Words
These used in English are borrowed directly from other languages.
Formal Language
This is used by writers of scholarly books. It usually has longer sentences and a greater variety of words than everyday speech. Slang, contractions, and jargon are avoided.
Format
This is the general plan of organization of a written work.
Functional Text
This is writing or text that is used in everyday life such, as signs, directions, letters, and manuals.
General Dictionary
This is a common reference book of words in alphabetical order including information about their meanings, pronunciation, and forms.
Generalization
This is forming a broad concept based on specific instances. Inductive reasoning
Glossary
This is a list found in the back of a book that gives definitions of unusual or hard words found in the text.
Grammar
This is the structure of language and the rules that go with it.
Historical Context
The setting and circumstances in which a literary work is written or an event occurs.
Homonym
This is a word that has multiple meanings and is spelled in the same way for both meanings.
Homophones
These are words that are pronounced the same, but have different meanings.
Idiom
This is a phrase in common use that can not be understood by literal or ordinary meanings.
Implied Meaning
This is a suggested, but not stated, definition.
Infer
This is to get a conclusion from the facts or context; to figure out what is being implied by reading between the lines.
Inference
This is reading between the lines. It is taking something that you read and putting it together with something that you already know to make sense of what you read.
Inform
This is to give information.
Informal Language
This is what people use in everyday speech. It usually consists of fairly short sentences and simple vocabulary.
Informational Text
This is a type of real-world writing that presents information that is necessary or valuable to the reader.
Irrelevant Sentences
These do not support the main idea of a paragraph. They do not focus on the main idea and may mislead or confuse the reader.
Literal
This is an exact word-for-word meaning, without exaggeration.
Literal Meaning
This is the ordinary, usual, or exact meaning of words, phrases, or passages. No figurative language or interpretation is involved.
Literal Understanding
This is the act of taking or perceiving something according to the usual, ordinary or surface meaning.
Literature
This is the body of written works that includes prose and poetry.
Mechanics
These are language conventions and guidelines used for clarity of meaning.
Metaphor
This is a direct comparison of two things, in which they are said to be (in some sense) the same thing.
Mode
This is the name for the different categories of writing. It is HOW something is done.
Mood
This is the feeling that an author wants readers to have while reading.
Multiple-meaning Words
These are words that have more than one definition. The meaning of the word is determined by how it is used in a sentence.
Narrative Text
This tells the events and actions of a story.
Nonfiction
This is factual writing that presents and explains ideas or that tells about real people, places, objects, or events.
Nonfiction
This is prose written with the primary purpose of explaining, arguing, or describing in an objective, straightforward manner. It includes such genres as 'biography' and 'autobiography'.
Nuance
A subtle difference in meaning.
Opinion
This is a statement that reflects a writer's belief about a topic , and it cannot be proved.
Order Of Importance
This is used when details are organized by degree of impact.
Organization In writing
this is the trait of order, structure and presentation of information; It is the writing trait which measures logical sequencing of ideas, details, or events.
Paragraph
This is a section in a piece of writing that discusses a particular point or topic. It always begins with a new line, usually with indentation.
Parallelism
This is a persuasive technique in which an author creates a BALANCED sentence by re-using the same word structure.
Perspective
This is a writer's point of view about a particular subject, and is often influenced by their beliefs or by events in their lives.
Persuade
This is to convince.
Persuasive Text
This attempts to convince a reader to adopt a particular opinion or course of action.
Precise Vocabulary
This is a writing skill which assures that students choose words that exactly and accurately describe or reflect the writer's meaning.
Prefix
This can be added to the beginning of a word to change the word's meaning.
Presentation
This is a prepared performance, report, or demonstration for an audience.
Problem-Solution
This method of structuring text focuses on defining an issue, then gives a possible remedy for the issue.
Pronunciation
This is the way a word or language sounds when spoken.
Proofread
This is the process of making marks on a written document to correct errors.
Punctuation
This is the system of standardized marks in written language to clarify meaning.
Purpose
This is an author's intention, reason, or drive for writing the piece.
Question And Answer
This is a way to organize paragraph or composition structure in which the author poses a question then answers it.
Question Mark
This is the end punctuation for an interrogative sentence.
Quotation Marks
These are used to enclose direct quotations and to designate titles of short works (like newspaper and magazine articles, poems, short stories, songs, episodes of television and radio programs, and subdivisions of books or web sites).
Related Words
These are words built on the same root word.
Relevant
This is an adjective that implies a thing closely relates to or is on the same subject matter; appropriate to the situation.
Resource
This is something that can be used for support or to help.
Revise
This is to make changes to a piece of written work based on comments or new evidence.
Root Word
This is a word related in origin, as certain words in genetically related languages descended from the same ancestral word. It is also the part of the word after all affixes have been removed.
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.
Sentence Order
This is the organization of sentences.
Sentence Variety
This is a writing skill which assures that students write sentences that differ in structure and length. It can be a persuasive technique.
Sequential Order
This is the chronological, or time, order of events in a reading passage.
Simile
This is a comparison of two unlike things using the terms "like" or "as".
Simple Sentence
This is an independent clause with no subordinate clauses.
Specialized Dictionary
This is a book listing words or other linguistic items in a particular category or subject with specialized information about them.
Speech
This is a talk or public address.
Standard American English
This is the version of the English language that is regarded as the model in America for writers and speakers who are considered educated.
Stem
This is the part of a word to which we attach an affix (prefix or suffix).
Strategy
This is any kind of mental action used by a student to comprehend and make meaning out of a reading text.
Structure
This refers to a writer's arrangement or overall design of a literary work. It is the way words, sentences, and paragraphs are organized to create a complete work.
Style
This is the way an author expresses ideas through the use of kinds of words, literary devices, and sentence structure.
Suffix
This can be added to the end of a word to change the word's meaning.
Support
to strengthen or substantiate an argument or idea by providing facts, details, examples and other information
Supporting Evidence
These are the facts or details that back up a main idea, theme, or thesis.
Supporting Sentence
This in a paragraph helps to clarify, describe, explain, or enhance the main idea of a paragraph.
Syllabication
The act of dividing words into syllables.
Synonym
This is a word or phrase that has the same or almost the same meaning as another word or phrase.
Theme
This is the message, usually about life or society, that an author wishes to convey through a literary work.
Thesaurus
This is a book of synonyms.
Thesis
In expository writing, this is the main point or central idea that a writer states and then endeavors to prove valid by means of a systematic argument.
Thesis Statement
This is the way in which the main idea of a literary work is expressed, usually as a generalization that is supported with concrete evidence.
Tone
This is the attitude that an author takes toward the audience, the subject, or a character.
Topic
This is the specific part of a subject that is dealt with in a research paper or in an essay.
Transition
These are words, phrases or sentences that relate by linking larger segments of writing.
Transitional Device
These are connecting words used to link your sentences and paragraphs together smoothly.
Transitional Words
These signal the passage of time in a passage.
Universal Theme
This is the central message of a story, poem, novel, or play that many readers can apply to their own experiences, or to those of all people.
Usage
This is the way words and phrases are utilized correctly in written or spoken language.
Verb
This is a word that denotes action, occurrence or existence.
Vivid Language
This is the use of words in a work that paints a mental picture for the reader.
Vocabulary
All the words in a language; the words used for a specific content or task. Synonym:lexicon.
Voice
This describes whether transitive verbs have the subject performing the action, or receiving the action.
Word Choice
This is another way of saying "diction." This can help reveal a) the tone of the work, b) connotations of meaning, and/or c) his style of writing.
Word Origin
This tells when and how a word originated and developed into modern English.
Word Recognition
This is the ability to analyze and interpret the graphic symbols for words. This includes understanding as well as pronunciation.