7th Grade English SOL vocabulary
6. Bias – refers to an author’s opinions
1.
Affixes– word parts (suffixes &
Ex.
prefixes) added to the root word to
A vice president of the
McDonald’s corporation might say
change its meaning.
Ex. Incapable, Ex-president, laughing
their hamburgers are the best!
7. Bibliography – collections of books and
2. Alliteration – the repetition of the
same or similar sounds at the
beginning of two or more words.
articles that are all about a similar
topic.
Ex:
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled
peppers.
Ex. At the end of my research paper, I
included a bibliography to note my
sources.
3. Analogy – a comparison of two pairs of
words that each share the same
relationship.
Ex. Train: track : : car: road
8. Biography – the true events of a real
person’s life.
Ex. The Life of Abraham Lincoln written
by Ed White.
4. Atlas – maps showing a country’s
geography, as well as maps showing
9. Cause & Effect-a way to relate at
political and economic facts about the
least two events; one (the cause)
country.
which makes the other (the effect)
I used an atlas to find out more about
China’s boundaries and mountainous regions.
happen. Ex.- Before the 18th century,
sailors went without fruit for months
at a time while at sea. As a result,
they often developed a disease called
5. Autobiography – a true-life story
written BY THE PERSON that it
scurvy, which is caused by a lack of
vitamin C.
happened to.
Ex. My Life by Abraham Lincoln
10. Character-any person (or person-like
thing) represented in a piece of
literature. Ex.- Cinderella, Abraham
Lincoln, the Three Little Pigs, Greek
gods, etc.
17. Concept/definition-an organizational
11. Characterization-the method that a
writer uses to reveal the personality
method that presents an idea and
then explains it.
of a character. Ex.-If a character is
a. described as a "shadowy figure
18. Conclusion-an opinion that can sum up
dressed all in black," you might
a situation or make predictions about
assume the character is a
what will happen next. Ex.-If I
dangerous or mysterious
slipped on a patch of ice and broke my
person.
ankle, you would conclude that I would
go to a doctor.
12. Chronology-the sequence of a series
of events. (ex. timeline)
19. Conflict-a struggle between
characters or forces in a story.
13. Cliché-a phrase that has been
overused (it's one type of figurative
language). Ex- "Live and learn."
Type of External Conflicts:
a. man vs. man- Two master chess players battle for a
championship title.
b.man vs. society- A thief vs. the legal
system that's
trying to catch him.
c.man vs. nature- A mountain climber trying to conquer a
14. Climax-the point of greatest intensity
in a narrative in which the main
character faces the greatest
opposition to achieving his or her goal.
treacherous peak.
d.man vs. supernatural- A homeowner whose house is
haunted by the previous owner.
e.man vs. machinery/technology- Ex.- The Terminator
movies.
Internal Conflict
= man vs. self- Ex. The Cay- Phillip battles his beliefs about
15. Comparison & Contrast-telling how
things are alike (compare) or
prejudice.
20. Connotations-shades of meanings in
different (contrast). Think of a Venn
synonyms. Ex. Instead of using the
Diagram (Note: Similarly and likewise
word "happy," the author might say
tell you two things are being
the character is cheerful or merry or
compared. On the other hand and
ecstatic.
however should tell you to be on the
lookout for a contrast.
21. Contrasts-the ways they are
different are contrasts. Ex. How are
16. Comparisons-the ways two things are
soy milk and cow's milk different?
similar are comparisons. Ex-How is
soy milk like cow's milk?
22. Dialogue-conversations between
characters. (Plays are made up mostly
of dialogue.)
23. Dictionary-a reference that contains
30. Fable- a type of folk literature that
meanings of specific words, as well as
is meant to teach a lesson. The
their correct spelling, pronunciation
characters are usually animals that
and part of speech.
talk and act like people (Think of
Aesop’s fables.)
24. Electronic sources-reference
materials in electronic form, including
the Internet, CD-roms, and
databases.
31. fact-a statement of objective truth
that is true for all
Ex. -using the computer
to access a dictionary, encyclopedia,
thesaurus, atlas, etc.
32. Fairy tale – a type of folk literature
that often involves magic and
imaginary creatures (Think of
25. Encyclopedia-a reference that
“Cinderella.”)
contains general facts about a wide
range of topics. Ex- If you want to do
33. falling action-the events that unfold
research on whales or Jupiter, you'd
according to how the main character
use an encyclopedia.
responds to the climax
26. Entertaining Writing-One of the
34. figurative language-any word or
"author's purposes" for writing; a
phrase that has a meaning beyond its
form of writing intended to be
literal meaning (ex. Simile,
amusing or pleasurable. Ex- Travel
personification, hyperbole, etc.)
journals, Star Wars books, humorous
books or poems.
35. first person-a narrative point of view
where the story is told by one of the
27. enumeration/listing-To count off or
characters.
name one by one; list: A spokesperson
enumerated the strikers' demands.
36. Flashback-returning to a time earlier
28. Explicit-Fully and clearly expressed;
leaving nothing implied.
29. external conflict-a conflict b/w a
character and a force outside that
character (ex. The Cay- Timothy and
the hurricane)
than the starting point of a story to
give background info
37. Folk literature – stories passed down
orally through generations, often
explaining why certain things in the
world exist the way they do.
45. Hyperbole – a type of figurative
38. Footnotes-notes that name a source
language using extreme exaggeration
or reference the author used for
(ex. “I’m so hungry, I could eat a
citing a fact or statistic in the main
horse!”)
text. The information is useful, but
not essential to the text, so it is set
46. Idiom - a phrase where the words
apart for the reader to explore later.
together have a meaning that is
different from the dictionary
definitions of the individual words
39. foreshadowing-a clue or hint about
an event that will unfold later in a
(ex. Kick the bucket, hang one’s head,
piece of cake, brownie points)
story. Foreshadowing sets up
expectations in the reader's mind.
40. free verse -poetry that does not
follow a set meter
47. Illustrations – pictures or drawings
48. Imagery - the use of words that
appeal to the senses of the reader.
Imagery includes details perceived
from the five senses. (ex. He fumed
41. Generalization-an assumption that all
and charged like an angry bull.--- The
things behave a certain way based on
F-16 swooped down like an eagle after
observing a few things behaving that
its prey.)
way.
49. Implied (or implicit)-information not
42. Graphic organizers- tools like
stated directly but provided in clues
diagrams and flow charts can help you
so you can figure out the information
connect facts and ideas.
for yourself (ex. When a person
says, “Those brownies sure smell
43. Graphics-provide a visual image to
help the reader understand the
good”---they are actually asking for a
brownie.)
material being presented
50. Inference-a judgment based on your
44. Headings and subheadings- text
own knowledge as well as the
features that are set apart from the
information supplied by an author.
paragraphs by size, color, or location
When you make inferences, you also
use info you have found outside the
text.
51. Informational text – writing that
57. Meter – a consistent rhythm,
tells you facts, data, knowledge, or
combined with lines of a set length,
instructions (ex. Advertisements,
create a poem’s meter.
research papers, autobiographies,
etc.)
58. Mood – the atmosphere, tone or style
of a story. Authors create mood by
52. Initiating event – the first important
carefully choosing their words
element of plot structure. This is the
one event that sets into motion the
rest of the story.
59. Myth – a type of folk literature that
explains why something in the world is
the way it is. Characters in myths are
53. Internal conflict – conflict that
occurs within a single character. It is
often gods, goddesses, and heroes.
(ex. Hercules)
usually a conflict about a decision
they need to make (usually a moral
dilemma.)
60. Narrative – a piece of writing that
tells a story. Can be untrue (fiction)
or true (nonfiction).
54. Irony – the difference between what
a character expects to happen and
what really happens. The use of words
61. Nonfiction – stories that refer to real
events. They are true stories.
to convey the opposite of their literal
meaning. (ex. If a man buys a fire
62. Novel – a story with a beginning,
alarm to protect his home from fire
middle, and end. There can be many
but instead the wiring is faulty and it
characters and themes. A novel often
causes a fire instead.)
takes a reader on a journey through a
wide range of emotions.
55. Legend – a type of folk literature
that tells a real story. But, the details
63. Onomatopoeia – a common language
of the story are untrue. Legends
device in poetry. When words imitate
usually feature heroes. (ex. King
sounds. (ex. Bark, woof, moo, buzz)
Arthur, Johnny Appleseed, Davy
Crockett)
64. Opinion – how the author or character
feels about something, or beliefs we
56. Metaphor – a comparison of two
all hold based on our experiences and
unlike things without using “like” or
values. Not necessarily true. (ex.
“as”. (ex. Diamonds sparkled in her
Pepperoni is the best kind of pizza)
eyes, he has a heart of gold.)
72. Prefix – an affix added to the
65. Organizational patterns – the way
beginning of a word, forming a new
informational text is organized so
word. (ex. Dis-appear, un-happy, re-
that the reader can get the most out
think, in-correct)
of it. This is how the author organizes
the ideas.
73. Print resources – reference materials
in written form, including dictionaries,
66. Periodical index – A reference book
that has indexes of authors, article
thesaurus, encyclopedia, atlas, and
index
titles, and subjects in magazines and
journals.
74. Refrain – a phrase or verse repeated
at intervals throughout a song or
poem.
67. Personal essay – a piece of writing
meant to express the author’s view on
a particular subject.
68. Personification – a type of figurative
language that gives something that
isn’t human the qualities of a human.
(ex. The angry sky darkened.)
75. Repetition – an important poetic
device, where words images, or ideas
are repeated throughout the work.
76. Resolution – where the main conflicts
of the story are worked out after the
climax and near the end of the story.
77. Rhyme – a poetic device where the
same ending sound appears in two or
more words, usually at the end of each
69. Persuasive writing – a form of
informational writing that tries to
line. (She had a cat, who chased after
a bat)
persuade its reader to do something.
Could be used to get you to buy a
78. Rising action – the part of the plot
product, vote for a certain person, or
structure when the main character’s
support a cause.
efforts to achieve his or her goal are
70. Plot structure – the way an author
complicated by some form of conflict
organizes what happens in a story
from beginning to end.
71. Poetry – writing organized by the
rhythm that the words make as you
read them.
79. Root word – the base of a word (ex.
Cautionary, instructions, insufferable)
80. Sentence structure – the grammatical
88. Suffix – an affix added to the end of
arrangement of words in sentences.
a word or stem, forming a new word.
Sentence structure conveys style and
(ex. Love-able, joy-ful, perfect-ion)
mood.
89. Summary – a brief statement
81. Setting – the time and place in which a
story happens. Setting can also be
describing the major points of a
longer piece.
used to describe the period of time
over which the story takes place.
90. Tall tale – a type of folk literature
that contains larger-than-life
82. Sequence – the order of events
characters. They almost always
contain lots of exaggeration. (ex. Paul
Bunyan, Pecos Bill)
83. Sequential or Chronological – the
order in which the events occur
84. Short story – a story with a beginning
middle and end that is much shorter
than a novel, has a small number of
characters, and usually has one theme.
85. Sidebar – a short, often boxed bit of
information that is printed near a
longer article and provides additional
information about that article.
86. Simile – a comparison of two unlike
things using the words “like” or “as”
91. Text structures – the way words and
ideas are put together. (ex. Boldface,
italicized, colored, underline,
indentations, illustrations, graphics,
headings)
92. Theme – the main idea or point or a
story. Lesson learned.
93. Thesaurus – a reference book that
contains synonyms and antonyms for
words
(ex. Her smile was like a sunbeam, the
cat stalked the mouse like an assassin)
94. Trivia- extra facts in a passage that
don’t support the main idea. (Knowing
87. Source – the author or publisher of
informational writing.
the color of the 3 little pigs clothing
would be trivial because it doesn’t
matter to the story.)
95. Venn Diagrams- shapes used to
organize information into sets
(compare/contrast).
96. Verbal irony – When what is said is
opposite of what is meant. (Ex. Your
friend makes a suggestion that you
don’t like, but you SAY, “Yeah, great
idea.”)
97. Viewpoint- the author’s bias or
leaning regarding the material.
98. Word choice – words chosen to
establish style and mood in a literary
work.
Next year add:
“Internal Text Structure,” “Literal”-but,
not in order or on test…will have to re-do all
the other tests…