Firstwords flashcards
Firstwords · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Context clue
- A hint in the surrounding text that helps you figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word, such as a definition, example, contrast, or cause-effect relationship.
- Prefix
- A word part added to the beginning of a base word that changes its meaning, such as 'un-' meaning not or 're-' meaning again.
- Suffix
- A word part added to the end of a base word that changes its meaning or part of speech, such as '-less' meaning without or '-ful' meaning full of.
- Synonym
- A word that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word, such as 'happy' and 'joyful', though they may differ in connotation.
- Antonym
- A word that means the opposite of another word, such as 'hot' and 'cold'; contrast clues in a sentence often signal an antonym.
- Homonym
- A word that shares spelling or pronunciation with another word but has a different meaning, such as 'bank' (river edge) and 'bank' (financial institution).
- Denotation
- The literal, dictionary meaning of a word, without the emotional or cultural associations that it may carry.
- Connotation
- The emotional or cultural association that a word carries beyond its literal meaning, such as 'cheap' suggesting poor quality while 'affordable' suggests good value.
- Subject-verb agreement
- The grammatical rule that a singular subject takes a singular verb and a plural subject takes a plural verb, ignoring phrases between them.
- Independent clause
- A group of words that contains a subject and a verb and can stand alone as a complete sentence, expressing a complete thought.
- Dependent clause
- A group of words with a subject and verb that cannot stand alone as a sentence because it does not express a complete thought, often starting with a subordinating conjunction.
- Run-on sentence
- Two or more independent clauses joined without proper punctuation or a conjunction, creating a sentence that is difficult to read.
- Parallel structure
- Using the same grammatical form for items in a list or comparison, such as 'reading, writing, and arithmetic' rather than mixing forms.
- Active voice
- A sentence construction where the subject performs the action of the verb, often making the writing clearer and more direct.
- Passive voice
- A sentence construction where the subject receives the action of the verb, often used when the doer is unknown or unimportant.
- Modifier
- A word, phrase, or clause that describes or limits another word; it should be placed close to the word it modifies to avoid confusion.
- Main idea
- The central point or most important message of a passage, often stated in a topic sentence and supported by details throughout the text.
- Supporting detail
- A fact, example, reason, or statistic that explains, proves, or elaborates on the main idea of a passage.
- Inference
- A logical conclusion drawn from evidence in the text combined with background knowledge, not stated directly by the author.
- Author's purpose
- The reason an author writes a text, such as to inform, persuade, entertain, or instruct, revealed through content, tone, and language.
- Tone
- The author's attitude toward the subject or audience, conveyed through word choice, imagery, and sentence structure, such as optimistic, critical, or humorous.
- Fact
- A statement that can be proven true or false through evidence or observation, such as 'Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius at sea level.'
- Opinion
- A statement that expresses a belief, feeling, or judgment rather than a verifiable fact, often signaled by words like 'should', 'best', or 'beautiful'.
- Sequence
- The order in which events or steps occur in a text, often indicated by signal words such as first, next, then, and finally.
- Cause and effect
- A relationship in which one event (the cause) makes another event (the effect) happen, often signaled by words like because, therefore, and as a result.
- Compare and contrast
- A text structure that examines similarities and differences between two or more subjects, using signal words like similarly, unlike, and whereas.
- Listening for main idea
- Focusing on the speaker's key points, often found in the introduction and conclusion, to understand the overall message of an audio passage.
- Note-taking
- Recording key information during a listening passage using abbreviations, symbols, and keywords to help recall details and structure.
- Signpost words
- Words or phrases such as 'however', 'therefore', and 'for example' that signal relationships between ideas and help listeners follow the structure of a talk.
- Intonation
- The rise and fall of a speaker's voice, which can convey meaning, emotion, or emphasis beyond the literal words spoken.
- Speaker's attitude
- The speaker's feeling or opinion about the topic, revealed through word choice, tone of voice, and emphasis, such as enthusiasm, concern, or frustration.
- Multi-step instructions
- A series of directions given in sequence that require the listener to follow each step in order, often using conditional words like if, unless, before, and after.