PSSA VOCABULARY

2012-2013WOLCS

Word of the Day

Context Cluesinformation from the reading that identifies a

word or group of words

Word of the Day

Prefixes and Suffixesan affix put before a word to alter its meaning

Ex. dis (disbelief), un (unprepared), pre (preoccupied)

groups of letters placed after a word to modify its meaning or change it into a different groupEx. speechless (less), beautiful (ful), Kindness

(ness)

Word of the Day

Synonyms and Antonymsone of two or more words in a language that

highly similar meaningsEx. sorrow, grief, sadness

words with opposite meaningsEx. hot and cold

Word of the Day

Multiple Meaning WordsMultiple Meaning Words are words that have

several meanings depending upon how they are used in a sentence.

1. I watched the bat flitting through the trees.2. Raymond gripped the bat tightly as he waited for the pitch.3. I hope I can bat a home run!

Word of the Day

Author’s Purpose An author’s purpose is the reason an authordecides to write about a specific topic. Then,

once a topic is selected, the author mustdecide whether his purpose for writing is toinform, persuade, entertain, or explain his

ideas to the reader.

Word of the Day

Text Formatthe author's message about the topic. it is often expressed directly in the first or last sentence of

a paragraph, or it can be implied

Word of the Day

Metaphora figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things

without the use of like or asEx. The road was a ribbon of moonlight

Word of the Day

Personificationa figure of speech in which an inanimate object

is given human characteristics

Word of the Day

Main Ideathe author's message about the topic. it is often expressed directly in the first or last sentence of

a paragraph, or it can be implied

Word of the Day

Fact/Opiniona piece of information that can be proven

Ex. There are 50 states in the United States of America.

a personal point of view or belief

Word of the Day

Making Inferencesa judgment based on reasoning rather than on direct statement. A conclusion based on facts;

understandings gained by "reading between the lines"

When you draw a conclusion you use 2 things:

What you know in your head. and

What you’ve read in the story.

A conclusion is the decision you come to when you put these two together.

Word of the Day

Text OrganizationThe author’s method of organizing text.

Word of the Day

Figurative Languagedescription of one thing in terms usually used

for something elseEx. similes, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole,

onomatopoeia, pun, idiom

Word of the Day

Similea figure of speech in which like or as are used to

compare two unlike thingsEx. His face was as red as a cherry.

Word of the Day

Alliterationa repetition of initial, or beginning, sounds in

two or more consecutive or neighboring wordsEx. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Word of the Day

Point of Viewthe perspective from which a story is told

Word of the Day

Characterizationthe method used by the author to give readers information about a character; a description or

representation of a person's qualities or peculiarities

Word of the Day

Character TraitsCharacter traits are all the aspects of a person’s

behavior and attitudes that make up that person’s personality. Everyone has character traits, both good and bad. Even characters in

books have character traits. Character traits are often shown with descriptive adjectives, like

patient, unfaithful, or jealous.

Word of the Day

Plotrefers to the series of events that give a story its

meaning and effect.

Word of the Day

Settingthe time and place in which a story occurs

Word of the Day

Themethe main idea of a literary work; the message the author wants to communicate, sometimes

expressed as a generalization about life

Word of the Day

Synonyms and Antonymsone of two or more words in a language that

highly similar meaningsEx. sorrow, grief, sadness

words with opposite meaningsEx. hot and cold

Word of the Day

Multiple Meaning WordsMultiple Meaning Words are words that have

several meanings depending upon how they are used in a sentence.

1. I watched the bat flitting through the trees.2. Raymond gripped the bat tightly as he waited for the pitch.3. I hope I can bat a home run!

Word of the Day

Author’s Purpose An author’s purpose is the reason an authordecides to write about a specific topic. Then,

once a topic is selected, the author mustdecide whether his purpose for writing is toinform, persuade, entertain, or explain his

ideas to the reader.

Word of the Day

Text Formatthe author's message about the topic. it is often expressed directly in the first or last sentence of

a paragraph, or it can be implied

Word of the Day

Main Ideathe author's message about the topic. it is often expressed directly in the first or last sentence of

a paragraph, or it can be implied

Word of the Day

SummarizingSummarizing is how we take larger selections of text and

reduce them to their bare essentials: the gist, the key ideas, the main points that are worth noting and

remembering.-pull out main ideas-focus on key details

-use key words and phrases-break down the larger ideas

-write only enough to convey the gist

Word of the Day

Fact/Opiniona piece of information that can be proven

Ex. There are 50 states in the United States of America.

a personal point of view or belief

Word of the Day

Making Inferencesa judgment based on reasoning rather than on direct statement. A conclusion based on facts;

understandings gained by "reading between the lines"

When you draw a conclusion you use 2 things:

What you know in your head. and

What you’ve read in the story.

A conclusion is the decision you come to when you put these two together.

Word of the Day

Similea figure of speech in which like or as are used to

compare two unlike thingsEx. His face was as red as a cherry.

Word of the Day

Alliterationa repetition of initial, or beginning, sounds in

two or more consecutive or neighboring wordsEx. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.

Word of the Day

Point of Viewthe perspective from which a story is told

Word of the Day

Characterizationthe method used by the author to give readers information about a character; a description or

representation of a person's qualities or peculiarities

Word of the Day

Metaphora figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things

without the use of like or asEx. The road was a ribbon of moonlight

Word of the Day

Text Organization

Word of the Day

Context Cluesinformation frome the reading that identifies a

word or group of words

Word of the Day

Prefixes and Suffixesan affix put before a word to alter its meaning

Ex. dis (disbelief), un (unprepared), pre (preoccupied)

groups of letters placed after a word to modify its meaning or change it into a different groupEx. speechless (less), beautiful (ful), Kindness

(ness)