Reading Vocabulary
Name__________________
1. Figurative language—using figures of speech to express
meaning or relationship within writing; you don’t use the
exact literal meaning of the words.
2. Metaphor—comparing two objects or ideas without using the
words “like” or “as” (example: He is the apple of her eye.)
3. Simile—comparing two objects or ideas using the words “like”
or “as” (example: She is as busy as a bee.)
4. Context clues—looking at the parts of a sentence surrounding
an unknown word to figure out the meaning of that word
5. Prefix—one or more letters put at the beginning of the word
that changes the word’s meaning (e.g. bi-)
6. Suffix—one or more letters put at the end of a word that
changes the word’s meaning (e.g. –able)
7. Root word—the form of a word (without prefixes or suffixes)
(also called a base word) (e.g. geo)
8. Idiom—A set expression of two or more words that means
something other than the literal meanings of its individual
words. (e.g. It was a blessing in disguise.)
9. Adage—a traditional saying that expresses something
considered to be a general truth (e.g. The early bird gets the
worm.)
10. Proverb—a short well-known saying that expresses an obvious
truth and often offers advice (e.g. All that glitters is not gold.)
Reading Vocabulary
Name__________________
1. Figurative language—using figures of speech to express
meaning or relationship within writing; you don’t use the
exact literal meaning of the words.
2. Metaphor—comparing two objects or ideas without using the
words “like” or “as” (example: He is the apple of her eye.)
3. Simile—comparing two objects or ideas using the words “like”
or “as” (example: She is as busy as a bee.)
4. Context clues—looking at the parts of a sentence surrounding
an unknown word to figure out the meaning of that word
5. Prefix—one or more letters put at the beginning of the word
that changes the word’s meaning (e.g. bi-)
6. Suffix—one or more letters put at the end of a word that
changes the word’s meaning (e.g. –able)
7. Root word—the form of a word (without prefixes or suffixes)
(also called a base word) (e.g. geo)
8. Idiom—A set expression of two or more words that means
something other than the literal meanings of its individual
words. (e.g. It was a blessing in disguise.)
9. Adage—a traditional saying that expresses something
considered to be a general truth (e.g. The early bird gets the
worm.)
10. Proverb—a short well-known saying that expresses an obvious
truth and often offers advice (e.g. All that glitters is not gold.)