PSSA VOCABULARY
2012-2013
WOLCS
Word of the Day
Context Clues
information from the reading that identifies a
word or group of words
Word of the Day
Prefixes and Suffixes
an 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 group
Ex. speechless (less), beautiful (ful), Kindness
(ness)
Word of the Day
Synonyms and Antonyms
one of two or more words in a language that
highly similar meanings
Ex. sorrow, grief, sadness
words with opposite meanings
Ex. hot and cold
Word of the Day
Multiple Meaning Words
Multiple 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 author
decides to write about a specific topic. Then,
once a topic is selected, the author must
decide whether his purpose for writing is to
inform, persuade, entertain, or explain his
ideas to the reader.
Word of the Day
Text Format
the 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
Metaphor
a figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things
without the use of like or as
Ex. The road was a ribbon of moonlight
Word of the Day
Personification
a figure of speech in which an inanimate object
is given human characteristics
Word of the Day
Main Idea
the 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/Opinion
a 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 Inferences
a 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 Organization
The author’s method of organizing text.
Word of the Day
Figurative Language
description of one thing in terms usually used
for something else
Ex. similes, metaphors, alliteration, hyperbole,
onomatopoeia, pun, idiom
Word of the Day
Simile
a figure of speech in which like or as are used to
compare two unlike things
Ex. His face was as red as a cherry.
Word of the Day
Alliteration
a repetition of initial, or beginning, sounds in
two or more consecutive or neighboring words
Ex. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Word of the Day
Point of View
the perspective from which a story is told
Word of the Day
Characterization
the 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 Traits
Character 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
Plot
refers to the series of events that give a story its
meaning and effect.
Word of the Day
Setting
the time and place in which a story occurs
Word of the Day
Theme
the 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 Antonyms
one of two or more words in a language that
highly similar meanings
Ex. sorrow, grief, sadness
words with opposite meanings
Ex. hot and cold
Word of the Day
Multiple Meaning Words
Multiple 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 author
decides to write about a specific topic. Then,
once a topic is selected, the author must
decide whether his purpose for writing is to
inform, persuade, entertain, or explain his
ideas to the reader.
Word of the Day
Text Format
the 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 Idea
the 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
Summarizing
Summarizing 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/Opinion
a 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 Inferences
a 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
Simile
a figure of speech in which like or as are used to
compare two unlike things
Ex. His face was as red as a cherry.
Word of the Day
Alliteration
a repetition of initial, or beginning, sounds in
two or more consecutive or neighboring words
Ex. Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers.
Word of the Day
Point of View
the perspective from which a story is told
Word of the Day
Characterization
the 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
Metaphor
a figure of speech that compares 2 unlike things
without the use of like or as
Ex. The road was a ribbon of moonlight
Word of the Day
Text Organization
Word of the Day
Context Clues
information frome the reading that identifies a
word or group of words
Word of the Day
Prefixes and Suffixes
an 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 group
Ex. speechless (less), beautiful (ful), Kindness
(ness)