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Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling, Level IV
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ISBN 978-0-82194-325-0
© 2009 by EMC Publishing, LLC

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Contents
Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v
Unit 1: Word Study Skills and Context Clues

Lesson 1: Word Study Notebook. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Lesson 2: Word Study Skills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Lesson 3: PAVE—Predict, Associate, Verify, Evaluate . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Lesson 4: Context Clues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Lesson 5: More About Context Clues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Time Out for Test Practice: Using Context Clues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
Unit 2: Reference Material and Clarifying Meaning

Lesson 6: Reference Materials for Vocabulary Words. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Lesson 7: Words with Multiple Meanings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Lesson 8: Review of Synonyms and Antonyms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Lesson 9: Connotation and Denotation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Time Out for Test Practice: Connotation, Denotation and
Word Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Unit 3: Spelling
Lesson 10: Spelling Correctly. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Lesson 11: Spelling Patterns I. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Lesson 12: Spelling Patterns II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Lesson 13: Spell-Check Software and What It Fails to Do. . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Time Out for Test Practice: Spelling. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Unit 4: Word Parts and Word Origins

Lesson 14: Morphemes—The Building Blocks of Words . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Lesson 15: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Lesson 16: More About Prefixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Lesson 17: More About Suffixes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Lesson 18: Word Origins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Lesson 19: Root Families. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Lesson 20: Greek and Latin Roots. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Lesson 21: Using Word Parts to Unlock Meaning. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Lesson 22: The Evolution of Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Time Out for Test Practice: Prefixes, Suffixes, and Root Families . . . . . 53
© EMC Publishing, LLC Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling level IV iii

Unit 5: Borrowed Words and Informal Language
Lesson 23: Spanish Words in English. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Lesson 24: English Words from French. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Lesson 25: English Words from German. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59
Lesson 26: Register, Slang, and Colloquialisms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Lesson 27: Idioms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Time Out for Test Practice: Borrowed Words in English; Idioms
and Colloquialisms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Unit 6: Testing Vocabulary and Choosing Words

Lesson 28: Vocabulary Questions on Standardized Tests . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Lesson 29: Writing and Word Choice. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Lesson 30: Literal and Figurative Meanings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Lesson 31: Figurative Language. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Lesson 32: Expanding Your Word Knowledge. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Time Out for Test Practice: Using Word Attack Skills on
Standardized Tests. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Answer Key. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
iv level IV Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling © EMC Publishing, LLC

Introduction
The Exceeding the Standards resource books provide in-depth language arts instruction to enrich
students’ skills development beyond the level of meeting the standards. Exceeding the Standards:
Vocabulary & Spelling offers meaningful ways to incorporate word study into the language arts
classroom.
Vocabulary & Spelling presents thirty-two lessons, designed to be used weekly, that cover a broad
range of topics from etymology to context clues to spelling patterns. These lessons are aligned with
the units of the Mirrors & Windows: Connecting with Literature program and may be used alone or as
supplements to the Vocabulary & Spelling workshops in the Student Edition. Each lesson incorporates
words from selections in the corresponding unit of the textbook. By using these lessons in
conjunction with the literature program, you will help your students become better readers, writers,
speakers, and spellers.
Each lesson in Vocabulary & Spelling includes the following components:
• A Word of the Week, selected from the corresponding textbook unit, highlights a word that
students may find particularly meaningful or interesting.
• Grammar instruction on one or more topics is followed by a Try It Yourself section that allows
students to practice what they are learning.
• Just For Fun activities encourage students to play with words, reminding them that language can be
fun and interesting.
• Tip boxes in the margin throughout the lesson clarify definitions, offer additional information, and
give helpful suggestions.
• A Time Out for Test Practice at the end of each unit provides students with the opportunity to
assess what they have learned and to practice test-taking skills by answering sample standardized
test questions in a multiple-choice format.
It is essential that vocabulary instruction include a variety of strategies to develop students’
word-study skills. Lessons in Vocabulary & Spelling provide many different ways of exploring and
studying words, word parts, semantic families, and spelling patterns and rules. Activating students’
prior knowledge of words and of essential concepts related to words helps students make associations
between new terms and words they already know.
The activities in Vocabulary & Spelling will help you actively engage students in working with
words. As their curiosity about word exploration grows, your students will become increasingly
confident in their ability to attack, learn, and experiment with new words.
Related Program Resources

For more vocabulary and spelling instruction, including charts of common prefixes, suffixes, and
word roots, refer to the Mirrors & Windows Student Edition Language Arts Handbook, Section 2:
Vocabulary & Spelling. Additional vocabulary development activities integrated with the literature
selections are included in the Meeting the Standards unit resource books and in Differentiated
Instruction for English Language Learners.
Teaching Tips
Word study encompasses not only vocabulary and spelling, but also the strategies language users
employ to unlock meanings and internalize spellings. Effective instruction in word study gives students
tools for learning new vocabulary and spelling independently in the long term. The following teaching
tips can help you ensure that your students get the most from the lessons in Vocabulary & Spelling.
© EMC Publishing, LLC Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling level IV v

Teach Word Attack Strategies
There are a number of strategies good readers employ when they are confronted with an unfamiliar
word. These strategies include:
• using the context as a clue
• gleaning hints from pictures, charts, graphs, and other text support
• examining word parts: prefixes, suffixes, and roots
• combing through memories for associations with the word
• consulting dictionaries and other reference materials
• asking an authority, such as a teacher or other expert in the field
For many of us, these strategies have become second nature, and we are hardly conscious of using
them. To students, however, they are not so obvious; strategic word decoding takes place mostly
internally and silently, word attack strategies are largely invisible, and uninitiated students may never
witness them in action. Research suggests that students need explicit instruction in these strategies to
become proficient readers and effective writers. The lessons in Vocabulary & Spelling provide such
explicit instruction.
Create a Word-Rich Environment

The essential backdrop to an effective word study program is a classroom where words are clearly
valued. The following are some ideas for creating such a classroom.
• Word Wall Post a variety of vocabulary words and/or words of the week in your classroom to
provide students with repetition and recycling of the terms you want them to internalize. Use it
as the basis of word games such as bingo, Jeopardy, and twenty questions, as well as collaborative
storytelling.
• Class Dictionary Have students keep a class dictionary by taking turns entering words studied in
class, providing definitions, illustrating terms, writing contextual sentences, and searching for real-
world uses of the words.
• Classroom Library Provide a broad range of reading materials, giving students time for sustained
silent reading, and modeling avid reading yourself, to build students’ vocabularies.
• Word Processing Language Tools Encourage students to make use of language features built into
word processing programs, such as dictionaries and thesauruses.
• Online Word Games Schedule time for your students to learn new vocabulary with online word
games and other technology tools.
• Language Mentor Share your own interest in words by drawing students’ attention to interesting
words in the news or in pop culture and by modeling how you approach words that are new to you.
Foster Curiosity
The key to incorporating meaningful word study into your language arts classroom is to encourage
dialogue with your students about how words create meaning. Your own curiosity about language
is infectious and will encourage your students to become inquisitive “word detectives” motivated to
solve the mystery of word meanings.
About Spelling “Rules”

Some students benefit from memorizing what are sometimes called spelling rules; others are
frustrated by the number of exceptions to each rule. To reflect the prevalence of exceptions, the term
spelling pattern has been used instead of spelling rule in this resource. In addition to introducing
students to spelling patterns, you can help them become stronger spellers by following the same
teaching tips mentioned above: modeling the use of strategies, creating a word-rich classroom, and
fostering curiosity.
vi level IV Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling © EMC Publishing, LLC

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 1
Word of the Week
Word study Notebook visceral (vi‘ s@r @l) adj.,
emotional; instinctive
Understand the concept
Although her family wanted her
How large is your vocabulary? Most people your age know or
to attend Harvard, Heather had a
recognize at least 20,000 words and use approximately 2,000 on a visceral feeling that the University
regular basis. That is only a small sampling of all the words in the of Minnesota was a better choice
English language, which number between 600,000 and one million. for her.
It’s no wonder, then, that almost everywhere you look, you can find
new and unfamiliar words! You probably use facts, logic, and
A good way to add some of these new words to your reasoning to guide you through
vocabulary is to keep a word study notebook. Whenever you come many decisions in your life.
across a new word while reading or listening, you can jot it down However, for other decisions, you
might depend on a gut feeling,
in the notebook, along with its definition and pronunciation. You
or a visceral sense of what you
might also write down the word’s origins—that is, what language or
want. Visceral is related to the
other words it came from. (This information can be found in most
Latin-derived word viscera¸ which
dictionaries.) Finally, add an example sentence or drawing to help
refers to the inner parts of the
you remember the word. body (especially the stomach and
intestines, or guts).
Word: acute
Definition: characterized by sharpness or severity
Pronunciation: \ -kyüt´\
Origins: from Latin acutus, past participle of acuere to
sharpen, from acus, meaning needle
Sentence: When the soccer player injured his knee, he felt
acute pain.
Tip Many words have more
than one definition. You
may choose which definition or
definitions to include in the entry.
In the definition, include what
part of speech the word is used
as—noun (n.), verb (v.), adjective
(adj.), adverb (adv.), or other.
Some words can be used as more
than one part of speech.
© EMC Publishing, LLC Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling LEvEL Iv, UnIt 1 1
0001-0079_Gr09_vocab&spelling-L1-32.indd 1 4/15/09 12:27:41 PM

Tip To write the pronunciation Try It Yourself
of a word, you need to ExErcIsE A
use special phonetic symbols.
Each symbol stands for a specific
Browse through a book, magazine, or newspaper until you find a word
sound.
that is unfamiliar. Then, use the space below to create a word study
notebook entry for the word. In the space at the bottom, you may draw
a picture to illustrate the word’s meaning.
5 (the a sound in words like
star)
Word:
8 (the sound made by the y in
my)
Definition:
@ (the schwa, an unclear vowel
sound heard in words like
extra and civil) Pronunciation:
4 (the sound made by n and g
Origins:
together in words like thing)
To find out what phonetic symbols
are used in your dictionary, check
the pronunciation key.
Example sentence:
ExErcIsE B
There are many new and unfamiliar words out there waiting to be
discovered. As you read and listen, collect some of them. Over the next
week, keep track of new words on the lines below. You can use these
words to begin your word study notebook.
Tip Sometimes you will come
across a word that you
know the meaning of, but have
a hard time remembering how
to spell. Include these words in
a separate section of your word
study notebook. Here are a few
tricky vocabulary words from
selections in Unit 1 to get you
started:
Just for Fun
compromise, 16 Slang is extremely informal language made up of invented words and
endeavour, 19
old words that are given new meaning. In your word study notebook,
conscientious, 100
start a list of slang terms that are popular today. Be sure to give the
hysterical, 124
definition, pronunciation, and an example sentence for each word, just
tyranny, 130
as you would with any other word you enter into your notebook.
2 LEvEL Iv, UnIt 1 Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling © EMC Publishing, LLC

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 2
Word of the Week
Word study skills parsimony (p5r< s@ m9‘ n7) n.,
stinginess, simplicity
Jenna’s grandmother, who was
When reading, you will often encounter words that are new to you. It
known for her parsimony, had
can be tempting to skip over them and keep going, but if that’s your
few modern conveniences in her
only strategy, you’ll probably end up missing a lot of what you read! apartment—no computer, no
You will better understand and enjoy what you read if you follow these microwave, and certainly no cable
simple strategies for decoding unfamiliar words. television.
Parsimony generally refers to
Use context clues being very cautious with money.
Most of the time when you encounter an unfamiliar word, you can Its synonyms include thriftiness,
figure out what it means by looking at the context, or the words around frugality, tight-fistedness, and
it. Read the following passage: penny-pinching. However, it can
also be used in more positive
Earthquakes are so common in Southern California that longtime
ways. For example, if you solve
residents hardly notice when the ground begins to rumble. a puzzle in the least number
Usually, a small tremor is all that occurs. However, after the state of steps, your efforts can be
was hit by a series of major seismic disturbances in the late considered parsimonious.
1980s, many shaken-up Californians started wondering whether
they should move to more solid ground.
You may not know what seismic means, but from clues in the
surrounding text, you can probably guess that “seismic disturbances”
are tremors or shocks caused by an earthquake. In fact, seismic is an
adjective meaning “of, relating to, or caused by an earthquake.”
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Read the following passage. Then, use context clues to estimate the
meaning of the underlined word.
Pregnant women should avoid smoking, drinking alcohol, and
taking non-prescription drugs. Any one of these activities can
have a serious negative effect on fetal development.
1. What do you think fetal means?
2. What information in the passage helped you guess the meaning of
the word?

Just for Fun Look for Familiar Word Parts
Examine the unfamiliar word. You may find that it contains a familiar
Look up the following words in prefix, suffix, or word root that provides a clue to its meaning. For
a dictionary. Then, on your own example, if you know that kilo is Latin for “one thousand,” you can
paper, draw a picture for each one figure out the meanings of such words as kilowatt, kilometer, and
that would help a reader better
kilogram.
understand the word’s meaning.
saber Try It Yourself
box kite
narwhal ExErcIsE B
piccolo Use your knowledge of word parts to define each of the following words
coping saw in your notebook. You may refer to the Word Parts Charts provided by
ankh your teacher.
1. coexist 4. tetrachord
2. mobilize 5. phonology
3. maladapted
Use a Dictionary
Sometimes, the fastest way to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar
A prefix is a word part word is to look in the dictionary. However, keep in mind that many
Tip words have more than one meaning. Be ready to combine some of the
found at the beginning
of a word; a suffix is found at other strategies with this one in order to figure out which definition is
the end. Prefixes and suffixes add the right one.
meaning to a base word or root. A
word root is a word part that is Try It Yourself
not a prefix or suffix and contains
ExErcIsE c
more of the core meaning of the
word. Read the following sentences. Look up each underlined word in the
dictionary and in your notebook, write down the definition that best fits
the way the word is used in the sentence.
1. We saved the last parcel of the delicious dessert for my sister, who
had been unable to join us for dinner.
2. Among the fishing gear for sale was a brand-new trammel.
3. The audience burst into applause as the singer’s mellifluous voice
filled the auditorium.
4. During our play about the Salem witch trials, I was to wear a
commode.
5. The dog slept through the muzzy afternoon.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 3
Word of the Week
PAVE—Predict, Associate, Verify, Evaluate tangible (tan‘ j@ b@l) adj.,
capable of being perceived,
Understand the concept especially by touch; real
PAVE is a good way to help yourself remember the meaning of a new
Without tangible evidence that
word. PAVE stands for Predict, Associate, Verify, and Evaluate. When
would stand up in court, the
you encounter an unfamiliar word, first copy down the sentence in police officer knew he couldn’t
which the word appears. Then follow the steps below: arrest the suspect.
Predict Try to predict the word’s meaning based on the context Tangible is derived from the Latin
and on your prior knowledge of the word or its parts. Write tangere, “to touch.” It refers to
down your prediction. something that you can plainly
Associate Write a sentence of your own using the word. This will see or feel. Similar words are
allow you to associate the word with another context. tangent, the name for a line
that touches a circle in only one
Verify Check the meaning of the word by using a dictionary or point, and tangential, which
by asking your teacher. A dictionary may offer multiple describes something that is related
meanings for the same word. If you use a dictionary, select to a topic, but not of central
and write down the most appropriate definition. importance.
Evaluate Evaluate the sentence you wrote using the word. Does it do
a good job of capturing the meaning of the word? Rewrite
the sentence if necessary. If you wish, draw an image that
will help you remember the word.
Try It Yourself Tip After using PAVE to

Use PAVE to learn the underlined words in the sentences below. discover the meaning of
a new word, try to use that word
1. The judge recused herself from the case when she learned that one in your everyday speech several
of the people involved was an old friend from college. times over the next few days. This
Predict: will help you remember the word
and add it to your vocabulary.
Associate:
Verify:
Evaluate:
2. Children watching Saturday-morning cartoons are hit with a
barrage of advertisements for toys and junk food.
Predict:
Associate:

Verify:
Just for Fun
Evaluate:
Flip through a dictionary and find
a word you’ve never seen before. 3. After a full day of hiking, Scott flopped down on the sofa and spent
Be sure you understand what it the rest of the evening in a recumbent position.
means; then, write a paragraph Predict:
with the word hidden somewhere
in it. Exchange paragraphs with a Associate:
partner. Your partner must, first of
all, guess which word you were
“hiding,” and second, use PAVE Verify:
to figure out the meaning of the Evaluate:
word.
4. We stopped at a roadside café and had an unpretentious meal of
roast beef and gravy.
Predict:
Associate:
Verify:
Evaluate:
5. The rainforest was so thick that the fauna were invisible to the
tourists, who searched in vain for a glimpse of a monkey or toucan.
Predict:
Associate:
Verify:
Evaluate:

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 4
Word of the Week
context clues premonition (pre< m@ ni‘ sh@n)
n., a forewarning
The girl had a premonition that
When you encounter an unfamiliar word in your reading, you do
something bad would happen if
not always need to reach for the dictionary. Take a closer look at the
she and her friends entered the
context, or the surrounding text, for clues that can help you guess the abandoned house.
meaning of the word.
Here are some types of context clues you might look for: Premonition refers to a sense that
something is going to happen.
restatement clue This type of clue is found when the author restates Synonyms of premonition include
an idea, or explains it in a different way. Some words that signal omen, portent, and suspicion.
restatement are that is, in other words, and or. In this example, the Hunch and inkling are similar to
second sentence restates the first one, providing a clue to the meaning premonition, but these words
of the word guru. Guru means “expert.” have less ominous connotations.
example Phil is a gardening guru. In other words, he knows
everything there is to know about gardening.
apposition clue A more direct form of restatement is apposition.
Apposition is renaming something. In this example, the author
provides a definition of a math term, prime number, by renaming it as a
number that can be evenly divided only by itself and one.
example Seven is a prime number, a number that can be evenly
divided only by itself and one.
cause and effect clue This type of clue requires the reader to make an
assumption based on cause and effect. Some words that signal cause
and effect include if…then, when…then, thus, therefore, because, so, due
to, as a result of, and consequently. Tip There are many types of
context clues. Three kinds
example The valley was completely inundated due to heavy are restatement, cause and
rains. effect, and examples. Not all
Heavy rainfall tends to cause flooding, especially in lower-lying regions context clues involve these three
such as valleys. You can assume that inundated means “flooded” or techniques. Some use other kinds
“covered.” of details.
examples Sometimes, an author will give examples to help clarify the

meaning of a difficult word. The author may introduce these examples
with expressions like including, such as, for example, for instance,
especially, or particularly.
example Conifers, such as pine, spruce, and fir trees, stay green
year-round.
The examples make it clear that conifer is another word for an
evergreen tree.

Just for Fun Try It Yourself
Read the sentences below, using context clues to figure out the meaning
Play a game of Catch Phrase. The of each underlined word. Identify the context clues and tell how they
object of this game is to get your helped you figure out the meaning of the word.
team members to guess the word
or phrase you have been assigned example Kenji was a skillful player of gō, or Japanese chess.
from the context clues you give
The author uses restatement to define go– as a Japanese game
them. You cannot say the word
itself or any word in the phrase, similar to chess.
and you cannot give letters that 1. Fairy tales and myths often incorporate archetypal figures such as
appear in the word. the hero, the fool, and the helper.
First, divide into two teams. Each
team should brainstorm a list
of twenty common words and
phrases. These can be the names 2. In Ireland, we were especially intrigued by the ancient cairns,
of everyday objects, literary and monuments consisting of piled stones.
art terms, plants, animals, foods,
people and events from history.
Write each word or phrase on a
small slip of paper. Then someone
from the opposite team will 3. Tensions between the two students escalated; every day, the
draw one of the papers and try temptation to fight was greater.
to get the members of his or her
own team to guess the word or
phrase. Set a timer for anywhere
from three to five minutes. Then 4. The meaning of the pictographs remained enigmatic as even the
have teams take turns drawing most respected anthropologists failed to make sense of them.
and guessing phrases. When the
timer goes off, the team that is not
guessing gets the point. The object
is to guess as quickly as possible
so your team isn’t “up” when time 5. The area around the small stream was densely populated with
runs out. amphibians, including frogs, toads, newts, and salamanders.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 5
Word of the Week
More About context clues conscientious (k5n(t)< sh7
en(t)‘ sh@s) adj., taking care to
Understand the concept do things well
When you come across an unfamiliar word, look for words and phrases
Mr. Smith, the office manager,
in the text around it that may provide clues to the meaning of the word.
chose Annabelle to lead the sales
Two common types of context clues are comparison clues and contrast team because she had been
clues. conscientious in her work.
Conscientious is a difficult word
comparison clues to spell (that is, you will have
Words and phrases including such as, like, also, similarly, just as, and in to be a conscientious speller
the same way signal comparisons and indicate that the unfamiliar word in order to get it right). Also, it
is like something that might be more familiar to you. can easily be confused with the
example The new statute was similar to other laws that words conscience (pronounced
protected workers’ rights. k5n(t)‘ sh@n(t)s), which means
to know the difference between
You may not know what the word statute means, but if you read the right and wrong, and conscious
sentence carefully, you will see that it is compared to “other laws.” A (pronounced k5n‘ sh@s), which
statute is a law. refers to being awake or aware of
things. Synonyms of conscientious
contrast clues include careful, thorough,
meticulous, reliable, and diligent.
Some context clues show contrast. Words and phrases such as however,
but, not, except, although, and on the other hand signal that something
contrasts, or differs in meaning, from something else.
example Everyone in the class was enthusiastic about the field
trip—except for Ross, who was as apathetic as ever.
The word except in this example indicates a contrast between Ross and
the other students in the class. Everyone else is enthusiastic, but Ross is
not. Apathetic means “having or showing no emotion or interest.”
Try It Yourself
Use context clues to predict the meaning of the following words. Write
your predicted definition on the line provided.
1. The article in the newspaper incensed many people, just as it
angered me when I read it.
2. The pianist did not have an inborn talent for music, but had
acquired the skill through hours of practice.

3. After hearing of the struggles Lois had recently gone through, I
Just for Fun expected her to be morose; but instead, she seemed cheerful and
Form a group of three. Each group upbeat.
member should choose a piece
of construction or copy paper of
a different color and cut it into 4. I felt like an ox blundering around on stage, but my friends told me
three strips. Then, from the list of I was actually rather graceful.
words below or a list your teacher
provides, choose three unfamiliar
words. Look up your words in the 5. Jane’s evasive answer about where she had been the night before
dictionary. Then, for each word, reminded Jane’s mother of how she used to avoid directly
write one contextual sentence on answering her own mother’s questions.
one of your strips of paper, and
underline the unfamiliar word.
One of your sentences should 6. Chang scrutinized the results of the experiment the way many
include a contrast clue, one a investors study stock market reports each day.
comparison clue, and one a cause
and effect clue. When you are
done, fold your paper and put it in 7. The pandemonium reminded Charley of the chaos around the
a central container with sentence stadium when the football team won the state championship.
strips from your group members.
Then take turns drawing sentences
out of the container, making sure 8. Jennifer expected Aaron to be reluctant to see the romantic
to avoid your own color. Use the comedy she had picked out, but he said he was looking forward to
context clues in each sentence it.
to guess the definition of the
underlined word.
Word list 9. I thought for sure Amanda would guess that we’d planned a
oath surprise party for her, but she was oblivious.
gallant
temperate
bacchanalian 10. The Midwestern school aimed to be as prestigious as many of the
avuncular East Coast boarding schools who send most of their students on to
charlatan Harvard and Yale.
soporific
noxious
evanescence
fastidious
inauspicious
stigmatize
palatial
odoriferous
preemptory
troglodyte
substantive

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
Time Out for Test Practice

Using context clues
Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
Cowboy poetry reaffirms a philosophy of life that maintains the need to be self-
reliant above all else. With the open ranges of the West disappearing, this art form
memorializes the strength of purpose that helped cowboys survive in treacherous
times. Cowboy poetry gatherings across the Old West have worked to renew a
burgeoning interest in all things western. The gatherings offer music and poetry, along
with educational programs to encourage the continuance of the cowboy heritage.
Recognizing the importance of youth in their quest to retain the luster of the cowboy
tradition, gathering organizers have tailored activities to attract kids and young adults.
_____ 1. reaffirm _____ 6. continuance

A. cast off; reject A. ability to change
B. mention as an afterthought B. quality of enduring
C. declare again as valid C. forward momentum
D. recite a poem D. state of being
_____ 2. self-reliant _____ 7. heritage
A. uncomfortably aware of oneself A. legacy; tradition
as an object of the observation of B. collection of buried artifacts
others C. annual meeting
B. having confidence in and D. customary celebration
exercising one’s own powers
_____ 8. quest
C. proud; arrogant
A. investigation of something
D. able to defend oneself
suspicious or interesting
_____ 3. memorialize B. chance or possibility
A. learn by heart; commit to memory C. pursuit of or search for something
B. trivialize; make something seem D. willingness to proceed
unimportant
_____ 9. luster
C. sign up for something or join a
A. beauty or attractiveness
group
B. shine coming from within
D. call to remembrance
C. something purified ceremoniously
_____ 4. treacherous D. period of five years
A. marked by danger or insecurity
_____ 10. tailored
B. made with treacle
A. trimmed by a seamstress
C. adventurous; full of activity
B. brought with
D. deceiving; able to fool
C. for entertainment purposes
_____ 5. burgeoning D. custom-made
A. load down or oppress
B. stagnant; unmoving
C. waning; diminishing
D. growing rapidly

Use context clues to determine the meaning of each underlined word and
choose the letter of the best definition.
_____ 11. Her diaphanous description of _____ 16. The student malingered with a
the day’s events left me with more sore throat and headache when he
questions than answers. discovered there would be a test on
A. candid the reading he’d never finished.
B. humorous A. fought off
C. precise B. suffered through
D. vague C. pretended sickness
D. overlooked
_____ 12. The mother’s imperturbable
manner during the three-year- _____ 17. The indigence in which the family
old’s birthday party helped to keep lived was overwhelming. The family
the rambunctious children under of four shared a small one-room
control. shack with a crumbling roof and dirt
A. calm floor.
B. irate A. extreme poverty
C. callous B. casualness
D. hyperactive C. wealth
D. sorrow
_____ 13. The hasp on the gate had been
exposed to a great deal of rain over _____ 18. The teenager’s penitent expression
many years. It was now completely uncovered her regret over last night’s
rusted and would be impossible to damages.
pry open. A. frightened
A. fastener B. stern
B. frame C. carefree
C. paint D. apologetic
D. design
_____ 19. Toni’s innate sense of direction left
_____ 14. Her posh apartment was the rest of the hikers feeling confident
breathtaking. Each room was that they would find their way back to
tastefully decorated to create a look camp.
straight out of a magazine. A. confusing
A. over-the-top B. instinctive
B. fashionable C. crazy
C. unattractive D. arrogant
D. unique
_____ 20. The science teacher stated his
_____ 15. Brent was bored by the basketball supposition to the class; our task was
team’s facile victory—they won by to test his hypothesis and decide if it
forty points. He had hoped for a was correct or not.
much more competitive game. A. credentials
A. difficult B. evidence
B. easy C. theory
C. surprising D. verification
D. confusing

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 6
Word of the Week
reference Materials for Vocabulary Words reprimand (re‘ pr@ mand) n., a
scolding
Although Mark claimed that
As discussed in previous lessons, context clues can help you figure
all he was doing was heading
out the meaning of many words. However, sometimes context does
home for lunch, he still received a
not help. When you encounter unknown words and cannot figure out reprimand from the principal for
their meanings, a dictionary can be useful. If you find yourself using breaking school policy.
the same words over and over in your writing and want to freshen it
up, a thesaurus will provide a comprehensive list of synonyms. Other A reprimand is a rebuke. It
references for words are also available. For example, many nouns have generally implies some degree
entries in encyclopedias, some historical terms are discussed in history of formality. For example, if you
books, and an atlas might be helpful for geographic types of information. tell your little brother to stop
misbehaving at a city park, it is not
considered a reprimand because
Dictionaries you hold no formal position.
A dictionary is a book that provides information on words. However, if a police officer tells
Dictionaries show the proper way to spell and pronounce words, as your little brother to stop, his or
well as listing their meanings and what part of speech they are. Some her position of authority qualifies
dictionaries also briefly explain the history of each word, which is the order as a reprimand.
known as etymology. All dictionaries do not contain the same amount Synonyms of reprimand include
of information. Some dictionaries contain more words than others, and warning, scolding, criticism,
some contain more information about each entry. admonition, and chastisement.
The meaning of a word is known as its definition. For many words,
several definitions exist, and all of these are listed in most dictionaries.
You will have to use the context of the word in order to determine
which meaning best applies to it.
Tip References that provide
Try It Yourself information on words
ExErcIsE A include dictionaries, thesauruses,
encyclopedias, timelines, and
Look up the following words a dictionary. Write a brief definition for atlases.
each.
1. wallow
2. mortify
3. chasm Dictionaries explain the
Tip
4. advocate meanings of words.
They also contain information on
5. cliché spellings and pronunciations, parts
of speech, and the etymology, or
Thesauruses history, of each word.
The English language consists of a rich variety of words. When you find
that you are using the same word over and over to convey an idea, it is a
good idea to try to find alternative words, or synonyms. A thesaurus is

A thesaurus provides the ultimate source for synonyms, and will provide comprehensive lists
Tip of them. A thesaurus will also list the antonyms of a word, or words that
lists of synonyms and
antonyms for many different mean the opposite.
words. A thesaurus will give you
choices and help you select just Try It Yourself
the most appropriate word.
ExErcIsE B
Look up each of the following words in a dictionary. In your own
words, write a brief definition on the line given. Then use a thesaurus to
find three synonyms for each word.
1. detrimental
definition
synonyms
2. ament
definition
synonyms
3. synthetic
definition
synonyms
4. mentor
definition
synonyms
5. eloquent
definition
synonyms
6. fiasco
definition
synonyms
7. profound
definition
synonyms
8. exhilaration
definition
synonyms

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 7
Word of the Week
Words with Multiple Meanings sear (sir) v., burn; destroy
Understand the concept I was hoping to sear the emblem

into my leather boots with the
Many words in the English language have more than one meaning.
branding iron.
Some can also be used as different parts of speech. For example, the
word crush is both a noun and a verb. The word sear is a homophone.
A homophone is similar to
Lori had a crush on a boy in her class. [n., an intense infatuation] homograph, but instead of
two words sharing the same
Please crush the aluminum cans before recycling them. [v., to
spelling, they share the same
squeeze or flatten] pronunciation. A homophone
Crush and crush are homonyms, words that are spelled and pronounced of sear is sere, which means
alike but have different meanings. Following are some more common “prophet” or “fortune teller.”
homonyms. In your own writing, be aware
that spelling errors may occur
tire noun referring to the rubber part of a wheel with homophones if you rely on
verb meaning “to become weary” sounding out words to determine
monitor verb meaning “to keep track of” their spelling.
noun referring to a computer display screen or a
type of lizard
poker noun referring to a metal rod used for stirring a fire
noun referring to a card game
Try It Yourself Tip Many words have more

than one pronunciation
ExErcIsE A
as well.
Find two different meanings for each of the following words. Then
write a sentence illustrating each meaning. Metal will conduct electricity. [v.,
k@n dukt>]
example
refrain The student received a medal for
good conduct. [n., k5n> dukt]
v., to keep from doing something
Alex tried to refrain from biting his nails, but could not help himself.
n., a repeated verse in a song or poem
Everyone sang the refrain.
1. mace

If you find a word that 2. pitch
Tip
does not seem to
make sense in context, consider
whether the word may have
another meaning. Can the word
be used as more than one part
of speech—for example, as both
a noun and a verb? Does it have 3. radical
a broader meaning than the one
that first came to mind?
Homographs
Words that are spelled alike but have different meanings and
Just for Fun
pronunciations are often called homographs. (The word homograph
Think of a word that has at comes from Greek roots meaning “written the same.”) When you come
least two meanings. Then draw across a word that is a homograph, you need to look at the context to
a picture that illustrates both decide what it means and how to pronounce it.
meanings. For example, you might How would you pronounce each word in the examples below?
draw police spreading blankets
examples
over a large area to illustrate two
meanings of blanket.
bass [a type of fish] and bass [having a low pitch]
wind [moving air] and wind [turn a crank as on a watch]
desert [dry place] and desert [leave behind]
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B
Think of two meanings and two pronunciations for each of the
Words typically gain following words.
Tip
multiple meanings over 1. compound
time. For example, a word may:
• gain a broader
meaning
• gain a more narrow, 2. entrance
specialized meaning
• gain a positive
connotation
3. minute
• gain a negative
connotation
• come to be used as a
different part of speech

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 8
Word of the Week
review of synonyms and Antonyms impediment (im‘ pe d@ m@nt)
n., something that stands in the
Understand the concept way, an obstacle
Synonyms are words that have the same or nearly the same meaning.
Until Daniel Boone explored
Although they are very similar in meaning, synonyms often have slight
and widened the Cumberland
differences in connotation. A thesaurus is a good tool for finding Gap in 1775, the Appalachian
synonyms. Mountains formed a considerable
Antonyms are words that have opposite meanings. Some antonyms impediment to the westward
are completely distinct words, such as warm and cool or genial and movement of American colonists.
aloof. Often, a word’s antonym can be formed by adding a negating
prefix, such as im– or dis–. For example, an antonym for possible is An impediment is an obstacle of
impossible. An antonym for respect is disrespect. some type. For example, a town
The prefix in-, meaning “not,” is spelled four different ways: in-, situated along a river might build
protective walls as an impediment
im-, il-, and ir-. The first consonant of the base word or root determines
to rising springtime flood waters.
which version of the prefix should be used. The different spellings are
An impediment doesn’t have to
designed to make the resulting words easier to pronounce.
be a physical thing or person;
the definition also includes ideas
Try It Yourself and other intangible concepts.
ExErcIsE A For example, the boy’s self doubt
could be an impediment to his
Use your knowledge of synonyms and antonyms, and a thesaurus if
success on an exam. Additional
needed, to identify two synonyms and two antonyms for each word
synonyms of impediment include
below.
obstruction, barrier, hindrance,
1. irritated hurdle, and stumbling block.
2. young
Tip The following are suffixes
that mean “not.” Adding
3. smile one of these suffixes to a word
creates a word with the opposite
meaning.
4. small
a-, an- atypical
dis- disinterested
5. change
il- illogical
im- impervious
in- insecure
ir- irrational
un- unreal

Tip Synonyms and antonyms Using synonyms and Antonyms
often provide context You already know you can use synonyms to add variety to your writing
clues that will help you unlock or to be more precise. For example, you might replace a word you have
the meaning of unfamiliar words. used several times with a fresher synonym, or you might replace a word
Synonyms typically occur in with a synonym that more accurately reflects your meaning.
restatement or comparison clues. Synonyms and antonyms can also serve as context clues in a text.
Antonyms typically appear in For example, the first sentence below uses a synonym as a clue to what
contrast clues.
the underlined vocabulary word means. The second sentence uses
antonyms the same way.
examples
I have to admit I find this whole affair confounding, absolutely
mystifying.
Give me just the salient points from the lecture without any of the
inconsequential details.
Just for Fun When you come across an unfamiliar word, look for a synonym or
antonym in the text around it that might serve as a clue to the word’s
Use a dictionary or thesaurus to
find a pair of antonyms that you
meaning. In your own writing, you may also clarify difficult words by
would like to incorporate into using synonyms and antonyms as comparison and contrast clues.
your vocabulary. Then make an
illustration using these words and Try It Yourself
showing the contrast between ExErcIsE B
them.
Look for synonyms or antonyms to help you figure out the meaning of
each underlined word. Write the meaning on the line provided.
sentimental/hardboiled
1. Sally endured many ordeals and tribulations as she traveled from
coast to coast.
2. Dennis’s prodigal behavior shocked his parents, who had raised

three cautious, responsible children before him.
3. The lavish spread at the Jones’s dinner made my usual meals seem
parsimonious.
4. I am deeply, profoundly grateful for your kindness.
5. Josh’s wisecracks made it hard for the teacher to convey to us the

gravity of the situation.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 9
Word of the Week
connotation and Denotation preclude (pri kl2d‘) v., to rule
out
The detective knew enough not to
A word’s denotation is its dictionary definition. A word’s connotations
preclude any of the suspects, no
are all the positive or negative associations it has in addition to its literal
matter how good their alibis were.
meaning.
For example, the words dirty and soiled both denote “unclean.” Preclude and exclude have
However, the word dirty has negative connotations. For example, overlapping meanings—they both
it is associated with low morals (as in “a dirty business deal”) and refer to keeping things or ideas
unpleasant tasks (as in “a dirty job”). Soiled, on the other hand, is rather out. Most of the time, however,
neutral—neither positive nor negative. they are used in different ways,
Different people have different connotations for words. For and their prefixes can give clues
example, the word ocean has a positive connotation for many people. to their meanings. Both words
are derived from the Latin root
They may hear it and think peaceful thoughts. However, if you are
claudere, to close. The prefix
afraid of water due to a near-drowning incident when you were a child,
pre- means “before,” so preclude
the word ocean may have a negative association for you!
means “to close beforehand.” In
contrast, the prefix ex- means “out
Try It Yourself of” or “not,” so exclude means
The words in each pair below are synonyms or near synonyms. They “to close out” or “to keep out.”
have very similar denotations, but differing connotations. Explain the In general, preclude means “to
difference in connotation on the lines provided. rule out, especially in advance,”
whereas exclude means “to keep
example old / vintage
something out (at the present
Both words mean “not new,” but vintage has a more positive time).”
connotation. It connotes something that is valuable or
collectable, whereas old is more neutral.
Tip It is important to be aware
1. strong-willed / stubborn of the connotations of
words as well as their dictionary
definitions. If you use a word with
the wrong connotations, you might
not convey the meaning you
intended—or worse, you might
2. flighty / unpredictable offend your reader or listener.
3. solitude / loneliness

Politicians and 4. selective / picky
Tip
salespeople are careful
to use words with positive
connotations. For example, most
presidential speeches contain
“feel-good” words such as unite,
freedom, equality, and progress. 5. arrogant / self-confident
Many sales pitches include words
such as modern, convenient, and
value.
Some dictionaries explain the differences in connotations between

words with similar meanings. For example, if you look up the word
calm in Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary, you will find a
description of the differences between calm, tranquil, serene, placid, and
peaceful.
Just for Fun

Get together with a partner and brainstorm a list of words that have a
similar meaning, but different connotations. You may use a dictionary
or thesaurus to help you. Then sort the words in a chart like the one
below, showing which have negative connotations, which have positive
connotations, and which are neutural.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

connotation and Denotation
All of the words in each group are near synonyms—they mean basically the
same thing. One word in each group differs from the others in connotation.
Write the letter of that word on the provided blank.
_____ 1. outgoing, gregarious, sociable, _____ 4. demolish, dismantle, destroy, raze

talkative A. demolish
A. outgoing B. dismantle
B. gregarious C. destroy
C. sociable D. raze
D. talkative
_____ 5. desire, covet, crave, want
_____ 2. greedy, eager, selfish, hoggish A. desire
A. greedy B. covet
B. eager C. crave
C. selfish D. want
D. hoggish
_____ 3. travel, roam, rove, wander
A. travel
B. roam
C. rove
D. wander
Word Meanings
For each question, pick out the word that does not relate to the word shown.
_____ 1. baby _____ 4. imitation _____ 7. forlorn

A. infant A. mock A. irate
B. purse B. simulation B. despondent
C. darling C. impersonation C. sad
D. bib D. bizarre D. lonely
_____ 2. challenge _____ 5. radical _____ 8. vulgar
A. dare A. extreme A. overindulgent
B. confront B. extremist B. bad-mannered
C. dispute C. conservative C. tasteless
D. analyze D. fundamental D. rude
_____ 3. prolific _____ 6. thin
A. creative A. skinny
B. productive B. fine
C. scarce C. hefty
D. abundant D. sheer

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 10
Word of the Week
unique (y1 n7k>) adj., one of a
spelling correctly
kind
When Charles Lindbergh
The Modern English language consists of words that have been derived
completed the first solo flight
from many languages over the last two thousand years. English words
across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927
in his plane The Spirit of St. Louis,
come from Latin, Anglo-Saxon (Old English), French, and Spanish, as
it was a unique accomplishment.
well as many other languages. These languages have different ways of
spelling certain sounds and the spelling of various sounds has changed as
Unique is one of the most the English language has grown and developed. Because of this, Modern
commonly misused words in the English presents many challenges when it comes to spelling. There are
English language. Since it refers many “rules,” as well as many exceptions to these rules. Even though two
to something that is totally unlike words sound the same, they may be spelled completely differently. As
anything else, something is either with any skill, becoming a good speller takes effort and practice.
unique or it isn’t. Modifying the
word does not make sense.
However, it is common to hear The Long e sound
people refer to things as very A variety of letter combinations produce the long e sound. Each of
unique or somewhat unique. the following words has a letter, or combination of letters (including a
Now you can point out that those silent e at the end of a word), that form the long e sound.
are illogical statements. A more keep me enemy
accurate way to express this cheese these sardine
thought is to say that something is
beaver disabilities people
very unusual.
either diabetes
believe money
Try It Yourself
Tip There are many different ExErcIsE A
ways to become a Each of the following words contains a long e sound. In your notebook,
stronger speller. Recognize the identify which letter or letter combinations produce the long e sound.
words you consistenly misspell Pronounce the word and write a brief definition. Use a dictionary if
and practice spelling them necessary.
correctly, using a dictionary for
help. Break the words down into 1. balmy
syllables and pronounce them 2. decipher
out loud. This will help solidify the
words and their correct spellings in 3. keen
your mind. 4. tedious (two answers)
5. leaping

Long a sound
A variety of letter combinations produce the long a sound. Each of
the following words has a letter, or combination of letters (including a
silent e at the end of a word), that form a long a sound.
eight hey café
ate great suede
bay bait
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B
The following words contain a long a sound. In your notebook,
identify which letter or letter combinations produce the long a sound.
Pronounce the word and write a brief definition. Use a dictionary if
necessary.
1. vain
2. gale
3. array
4. convey
5. heinous
Other Letter combinations

There are many other cases in which the same sound is produced
by a variety of letter combinations. For example, the long u sound is
produced using different letters in the words ewe, you, and debut. The
s sound can be made by the letter s, as in surprise, or the letter c, as in
century.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE c
For each of the following sounds, try to think of two different letters
or letter combinations that make the sound and a word that illustrates
each of them.
1. f sound
2. sh sound
3. j sound

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 11
Word of the Week
verdant (v@r‘ d@nt) adj.,
spelling Patterns I
greenery, especially that of plants
or forests Understand the concept
Spelling words with affixes—that is, prefixes and suffixes—can be
In the springtime, the newly
tricky. You will avoid making most errors if you follow a few simple
sprouting buds on the trees
produced a verdant landscape
guidelines.
in the rolling hills of southern
Pennsylvania. Adding Prefixes
When adding a prefix to a word, do not change the spelling of the word
Verdant is derived from the Old
itself.
French words for green, verd and
verte, which were derived from examples mis- + spell = misspell
the Latin word vivere, meaning “to re- + arrange = rearrange
be green.” Verdant is generally not
With some words, a hyphen may be used after the prefix. If in doubt,
used to refer to one green item,
but rather to a situation where
consult a dictionary.
the observer is surrounded by
greenery. Adding suffixes
When adding a suffix to most words, you do not need to change or
drop any letters. Unless the word ends in y or silent e, keep all letters of
the word and all letters of the suffix.
examples stubborn + -ness = stubbornness
personal + -ly = personally
Tip Being a good or a bad Try It Yourself

speller has nothing to do ExErcIsE A
with how smart you are or even
how good you are at writing. Choose the correctly spelled word in each pair.
Some of the most well-known 1. iresponsible / irresponsible 4. actually / actualy
writers, F. Scott Fitzgerald for 2. gradualy / gradually 5. unecessary / unnecessary
example, had a terrible time with
3. cooperate / coperate 6. skiing / sking
spelling. Improve your spelling by
reading more—the more you read,
the more words you see, and the Final y
more likely you will be able to When a suffix is added to a word ending in y, the y sometimes changes
remember how they look on the to an i. The following are some typical examples. Can you figure out the
page, and therefore, how to spell pattern? When does the y change to an i, and when doesn’t it?
them.
y changes to i y does not change
busy + -ness = business enjoy + -able = enjoyable
country + -es = countries play + -ful = playful

Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B
1. Fill in the blanks to describe the pattern you see in the examples
given on the previous page.
The final y changes to an i before a suffix when
___________________; however, the final y does not change
when ___________________.
2. Add a suffix to each of the following words, being sure to spell
each new word correctly. Notice that not all of the words fit the
pattern—there are a few oddballs.
A. shabby + -er =
B. boy + -ish =
C. airy + -ly =
D. fly + -ing = Tip Note that the following
words do not fit the
E. employ + -er = pattern: acknowledgment,
F. coy + -ly = judgment, argument, truly, awful.
Silent e is always dropped in these
words, even though it is kept in
silent e other words like them.
When a suffix is added to a word ending in silent e, sometimes the e is
Mileage and acreage also do not
dropped and sometimes not. The following are some typical examples.
fit the typical spelling pattern—
Can you figure out the pattern? When is the silent e dropped, and when
they keep the silent e.
is it kept?
silent e is dropped silent e is not dropped
believe + -able = believable use + -ful = useful
make + -ing = making fortunate + -ly = fortunately
Try It Yourself Tip Note that when adding a

ExErcIsE c suffix beginning in a or o
to a word ending in -ce or -ge, the
1. Fill in the blanks to describe the pattern you see in the examples silent e must be kept. Why do you
given above. think this is so?
The final e is usually dropped before a suffix when noticeable [not noticable]
___________________; however, it is usually not dropped when advantageous [not advantagous]
___________________.
courageous [not couragous]
2. Add a suffix to each of the following words, being sure to spell each
new word correctly. All of these words should fit the pattern you
identified.
A. infringe + -ing =
B. irate + -ly =
C. remote + -ness =
D. distribute + -ed =

The following words E. recuperate + -ion =
Tip
do not fit the common F. arrange + -ment =
pattern of when to drop the silent
e. The silent e is dropped in these 3. Words ending in -ce or -ge are exceptions to the pattern. In these
words, even though it is kept in words, the silent e is not dropped before a suffix beginning with
other words like them. an a or an o. Examples include courageous, peaceable, changeable,
noticeable, and advantageous. Why do you think the silent e is kept
acknowledge + -ment =
in these words?
acknowledgment
judge + -ment = judgment
argue + -ment = argument
true + -ly = truly
4. Other exceptions to this pattern include dyeing (coloring with a
awe + -ful = awful
dye) and singeing (burning or scorching). Why do you think the
silent e is kept in these words?
Tip Practice difficult spelling

words with a friend. Take
turns spelling words aloud to the
other person.
Doubling consonants
One final area of confusion: sometimes, when a suffix is added to a
word that ends in a single consonant, the final consonant is doubled.
examples sad sadder
commit committed, committing
thug thuggish
prefer preferred
Often, however, the consonant is not doubled.
examples sad sadness, sadly
commit commitment
meet meeting
train training
benefit benefited
Can you figure out the pattern? (Hint: Look at the consonant and vowel
patterns in both the word and the suffix. If the word has more than one
syllable, notice which syllable of the word is stressed.)

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 12
Word of the Week
spelling Patterns II abyss (@ bis‘) n., a very deep
hole
During their march across
This lesson will help you avoid some common spelling errors. Many
Greenland, the explorers carefully
spelling problems arise from a common operation: forming plurals.
avoided the deep fracture on the
Form the plurals of most nouns simply by adding s such as in the words glacier, which appeared to be a
chairs, players, and guitars. bottomless abyss.
Most nouns ending in o preceded by a consonant have plurals
ending in es, as do nouns ending in s, x, z, ch, or sh such as heroes, Abyss is derived from the Greek
crashes, foxes, and beaches. word abyssos, which means
However, certain words ending in o—including musical terms “bottomless.” Abyss commonly
from Italian and other words borrowed from foreign languages—take refers to a physical hole, such as
the s ending (concertos, pianos, cellos, radios, tacos). a deep, narrow canyon, but it can
also be used to refer to a figurative
Form the plurals of nouns ending in y preceded by a vowel by
concept. For example, a person
adding s as in monkeys, plays, and Wednesdays. (The vowels are the
suffering from serious depression
letters a, e, i, o, u. Sometimes the letter y also represents a vowel sound.)
might be described as being in an
Form the plurals of nouns that end in y preceded by a consonant by
emotional abyss.
changing the y to i and adding es as in the words stories, cherries, and
fairies.
The same rules hold true when adding the suffix s or es to the end
of a verb.
examples push ➞ pushes
say ➞ says Tip Remember these helpful
whinny ➞ whinnies hints:
The plurals of some nouns are irregular. If you are adding a suffix to a word
that ends with y, and that y follows
examples child ➞ children tooth ➞ teeth a consonant, you should usually
goose ➞ geese mouse ➞ mice change the y to i.
When forming the plurals of nouns ending in f, ff, or fe, you can usually party ➞ parties
just add s. A few such words, however, form their plurals by changing
If you are adding a suffix to a word
the f to a v. When in doubt, consult a dictionary.
that ends with y, and that y follows
examples knife ➞ knives a vowel, you should usually leave
thief ➞ thieves the y in place.
Words taken from other languages sometimes keep their foreign ploy ➞ ploys
plurals. For example, the plural of the Latin word alumnus, meaning
student, is alumni.
examples paparazzo (Italian) ➞ paparazzi
crisis (Greek) ➞ crises
thesaurus (Latin and Greek) ➞ thesauri or thesauruses

Tip Moose does not follow I before E
the same pattern as Other common spelling errors arise in words that are spelled with the
goose. The plural of moose is letters i and e. Remember that when a word has the long e sound (as in
simply moose! Other animal shriek), you should put i before e, except after the letter c.
words that are the same in plural
as in singular include sheep, examples field, believe, shield
swine, fish, and deer. perceive, receipt, ceiling
Note that there are some exceptions, including seize, either, neither,
leisure, and species, as well as words with the suffix -er, such as fancier.
-sede, -ceed, or -cede?

Some spelling errors arise in words that end with the sound [sēd].
Remember that there are only three words in English that end in
Irregular plurals are –ceed: exceed, proceed, and succeed. There is only one word that ends in
Tip
sometimes holdovers –sede: supersede. Every other word that ends with [sēd] is spelled –cede.
from older forms of the English
language. For example, plurals Try It Yourself
were once formed with the suffix
ExErcIsE A
–en. That changed, but can still be
seen in the words children, oxen, Make the following singular nouns into plural nouns in your notebook.
women, and men. 1. soprano 5. bully
2. crutch 6. video
3. apartment complex 7. trench
4. Tuesday 8. personality
ExErcIsE B
Read the following sentences and correct any errors in the formation of
Tip To form the plural of an plurals. Write your corrections in your notebook.
abbreviation, number,
or symbol, you may simply add
1. Two of my friends had crisises last night.
s. You may add an apostrophe if 2. The salsa recipe calls for tomatos, onions, pepperes, and chivees.
there is danger of confusion. 3. Please turn in your analysises of the short story by Friday.
4. Counting sheeps in bed helps many childs get to sleep.
IOUs, 1900s, #s (or #’s) mind 5. Even alumnuses of prestigious schools have trouble remembering
your p’s and q’s how many cs and ss there are in the word necessary.
ExErcIsE c
Circle the word in each pair that is spelled correctly.
1. “You are so (wierd / weird)!” Calvin (shreiked / shrieked), staring
at his (neighbor / nieghbor) in (disbeleif / disbelief).
2. The (chief / cheif) of police planned an all-out (siege / seige) on the
criminals (believed / beleived) to live in the (biege / beige) house.
3. The (conceited / concieted) man (succeeded / suceded) in stopping
his hairline from (receeding / receding).
4. “(Procede / proceed),” (conseeded /conceded) the guard, “but
don’t (exceed / excede) the two hour time limit.”
5. When a fight broke out on the (field / feild), the referee had to
(intersede / intercede).

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 13
Word of the Week
spell-check software and dupe (d2p) 1. v., to fool; 2. n.,
What It Fails to Do one who is easily fooled
Before the Munich Conference
Understand the concept in 1938, Adolf Hitler knew he
Spell-check software can be a useful tool in checking your work would be able to dupe Neville
on the computer. However, keep in mind that spell check does not Chamberlain into thinking that
always make the correct decisions. Some typographical errors will Europe would remain at peace for
not be caught by a spell check because the word may still be spelled many years.
correctly—it was just the wrong word to begin with. Consider the Dupe has many synonyms,
following sentence: including deceive, cheat, fool,
trick, con, hoodwink, and swindle.
When I finally remembered to remove he book form my book
Most of these alternatives can
bag and return it to the library, it was too months late. be used in either a serious or
Running a spell check on that sentence would result in no errors found. lighthearted way. Dupe, however,
However, there are three errors. Can you find all three? is generally used only in a serious
and negative manner. Claiming
that someone has been duped is
Try It Yourself usually considered to be insulting
ExErcIsE A toward that person.
Type this paragraph into a word processing program on a computer.
If you do not have access to a computer in your classroom, try your
school or local library. Do not check for spelling mistakes as you type. Tip With most spell-check
When you are finished, run a spell check on your work. After the spell programs, you can
check is complete, proofread your paragraph against this one. Did you choose preferences that will help
find any mistakes? If not, congratulations! You’re an accurate typist, to customize what you want
and your spell check did its job. If you did find mistakes, examine the your spell check to suggest. For
mistakes. Are they correctly spelled words that are used incorrectly in example, you can choose if you
the sentence? For example, did you type “did it’s job” or “did its job”? want a standard or specialized
These small differences make big differences in meaning. dictionary.
ExErcIsE B
Proofread the following paragraph for errors that would not be caught
by a spell-check program. Rewrite the paragraph correctly below.
When researching a author, keep in mind that it takes time to
find a quality, informative sight among the clutter and gigantic
mass of the Internet. Web browsers are a great place to start;
most of the sites you will find their will be well-organized and
in-depth. The best cites are often those hat the authors put
together themselves. When a writer creates a home page, you
can often find personnel messages an anecdotes that sallow

Most spell checks will ask you to get a real sense of who he or she is. Good secondary
Tip
if you want to delete a sites include these authorized by the author or his or her agent,
repeated word. Sometimes you literary societies, publishers, and fans of the other.
will have accidentally typed a
word twice and will want to delete
the second usage. Other times,
you will want to have the word
repeated, as in this sentence: “If
he had had thirty more minutes
to complete the exam, he would
have done really well.”
Just for Fun

Start a section of your Word Study
Notebook for recording typos
you make frequently. Words like
from/form, the/he, too/two are
problematic because a spell check
won’t catch them. Become familiar
with the kinds of mistakes you
make, and then proofread your
work for those mistakes.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

spelling
Choose the letter of the word as it is spelled correctly. Write the corresponding
letter on the blank provided.
_____ 1. Jana flipped the (calendar / calender) _____ 9. The comedian was quite (humorous /
page over to see the month of humerous).
September. A. humorous
A. calendar B. humerous
B. calender
_____ 10. The movie was full of (repitition /
_____ 2. Mike is a very (competetive / repetition).
competitive) chess player. A. repitition
A. competetive B. repetition
B. competitive
_____ 11. That story is so (weird / wierd)!
_____ 3. I don’t like it when my mother A. weird
(embarrasses / embarasses) me in B. wierd
front of my friends.
_____ 12. The waiter (reccomends /
A. embarrasses
recommends) the tortellini salad.
B. embarasses
A. reccomends
_____ 4. Lila thought the film was B. recommends
(extrordinary / extraordinary).
_____ 13. Howard finds his sock warmers
A. extrordinary
(indispensible / indispensable) in the
B. extraordinary
winter.
_____ 5. Who knows how to (attatch / attach) A. indispensible
the hitch to the pickup truck? B. indispensable
A. attatch
_____ 14. I was (surprised / suprised) to see
B. attach
Tori at the football game.
_____ 6. Everyone thinks that the boys are A. surprised
(heroes / heros). B. suprised
A. heroes
_____ 15. That dog likes to (harrass / harass)
B. heros
everyone who walks by the house.
_____ 7. The puppies are very (mischievous / A. harrass
mischievious). B. harass
A. mischievous
_____ 16. Noelle is (eligible / elligible) for the
B. mischievious
award.
_____ 8. Do you know what the (temprature / A. eligible
temperature) is outside? B. elligible
A. temprature
B. temperature

_____ 17. We went to the old (cemetary / _____ 22. After halftime, the Rivertown
cemetery) to do grave rubbings. Rats came back with a (vengence /
A. cemetary vengeance) and won the game.
B. cemetery A. vengence
B. vengeance
_____ 18. The floral dress is very (feminine /
femenine). _____ 23. The neighborhood bakery agreed to
A. feminine (sponsor / sponser) our softball team.
B. femenine A. sponsor
B. sponser
_____ 19. Peter’s (concience / conscience) was
bothering him. _____ 24. It would be a (privilege / privelege) to
A. concience be in your wedding!
B. conscience A. privilege
B. privelege
_____ 20. The (amateur / amature) soccer team
won the tournament. _____ 25. The school board formed a (comittee
A. amateur / committee) to study the effects of
B. amature additional testing.
A. comittee
_____ 21. The two roads run (parallel / paralell)
B. committee
to each other.
A. parallel
B. paralell

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 14
Word of the Week
Morphemes—The Building Blocks posterity (p5 ster‘ @ t7) n., all
of Words future generations; descendants
The governor stated that the
Understand the concept major reason to clean up the
A morpheme is a chunk of a word that has meaning. All words are made environment is to leave a healthy
up of one or more morphemes. For example, the word apples can be planet for posterity.
broken into two meaningful chunks: apple / s. Apple is a base word that Posterity contains the prefix post-,
refers to a type of fruit. The s is a suffix that means “more than one.” which refers to something that
Breaking a word down into its parts can help you figure out what comes afterward. Posterity is a
the word means. For example, suppose you did not know the meaning word that is commonly found
of the word prediction. You could break it down into three meaningful in speeches by politicians, who
parts: want voters to know they are
concerned about the quality of
prediction = pre- + dict +- ion
life for everyone’s children and
pre- = a prefix meaning “before”
grandchildren.
dict = a word root meaning “say” or “tell”
-ion = a suffix meaning “act of,” “state of,” or “result of”
Together, the parts create a word that means “the act of telling about
something before it happens.” Notice that they can also be combined
with other parts to create new words such as the following:
pre- (preview, pretest, preschool)
dict (diction, dictionary, dictator, dictation)
-ion (communication, transportation)
Tip The four main types of

Try It Yourself morphemes are prefixes,
ExErcIsE A suffixes, word roots, and base
List five words that contain each of the following word parts. words. Prefixes are word parts
that attach to the front of a word;
example ex-, prefix meaning “out of; from” suffixes attach to the end.
explode, export, extend, excel, except
Word roots and base words are
1. pro-, prefix meaning “before; forward” word parts that form the core of
a word. Word roots cannot stand
alone as words; base words can
2. spect, word root meaning “look” stand on their own.
3. ject, word root meaning “throw”
4. -ify, suffix meaning “make or cause to be”

Some words contain just ExErcIsE B
Tip
one morpheme. These Break each of the following words down into its morphemes, or word
are called base words. They parts. Tell whether each part is a prefix, suffix, word root, or base word.
cannot be broken down into Also, give the meaning of each part, as found in your lists of common
smaller parts. word parts. Finally, using the dictionary and your knowledge of the

word parts, write a definition of the word.
apple, pink, read 1. stupefy
Word Part Type Meaning
2. protract
3. servitude
4. sheepishly
5. semitranslucence

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 15
Word of the Week
Prefixes, roots, and suffixes enmity (en‘ m@ t7) n., hostility
or bad feelings toward a person or
Understand the concept group
Many words consist of a central part, called either a root or a base word,
The enmity between the Greek
and a prefix or a suffix (or both a prefix and a suffix). If you are familiar
and Turkish peoples, which dates
with common roots, prefixes, and suffixes, it will be easier for you to back to the Ottoman Empire, has
figure out the meaning of words that are new to you. diminished in recent decades.
The root or base word is a group of letters to which a prefix or
suffix is attached. A prefix is a letter or group of letters added to the The word enmity shares an origin
beginning of a root or base word, whereas a suffix is a letter or group of with the word enemy—they
letters added to the end of a root or base word. Adding a prefix or suffix are both derived from the Latin
almost always changes the meaning of a word. word inanimus, meaning “not a
friend.” There are many synonyms
of enmity, including hostility,
Prefixes antagonism, antipathy, animosity,
The following are some of the most common prefixes: acrimony, loathing, and hatred.
Prefix Meaning
bi- two
con- with
dis- not, opposite
mid- middle Tip Many words consist of a
root and a prefix or suffix
inter- together
(or a prefix and a suffix). Roots
un- not and base words are discussed in
semi- half more detail in Lessons 19 and 20.
For example, semifinal means “half-finals” (or in a tournament, the

round just before the finals), disappear means the opposite of appear,
and unattractive means “not attractive.”
Try It Yourself Tip Knowing common roots,

prefixes, and suffixes can
ExErcIsE A help you figure out the meaning
Try to determine the meaning of the following words, using their prefixes of words you do not know.
and roots or base words as clues. Write your answers on the lines given.
1. semiannual
2. disassemble
3. bimonthly
4. interfaith
5. midtown
6. unknown

suffixes
The following are some of the most common suffixes:
Suffix Meaning
-er, -or one who
-en made of
-ful full of
-hood condition of; quality of
-ly having the characteristics of
-ness state or quality of
-ship state of
For example, banker means “one who works for a bank,” neighborhood
refers to what the neighbors are like in a certain area, happily means “in
a happy manner,”,and ownership is the state of owning something.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B
Try to determine the meaning of the following words, using their
suffixes and roots or base words as clues. Write your answers on the
lines given.
1. fatherhood
2. southerner
3. relationship
4. preparedness
5. scholarly
6. hopeful
ExErcIsE c
In the left column of the chart below, write two common prefixes and
two common suffixes that were not mentioned in this lesson. Then
write down a word using each one. Based on your knowledge of what
these words mean, what do you think the prefix or suffix means?
example Prefix Word Meaning
pre- precede “before”
Prefix/Suffix Word Meaning

Prefix 1:
Prefix 2:
Suffix 1:
Suffix 2:

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 16
Word of the Week
More About Prefixes abhor (@b h0r>) v., to intensely
dislike
Tom Sawyer truly abhorred
A prefix is a meaningful word part that appears at the beginning of a
bathing.
word. A prefix can be added to an existing word to change the word’s
meaning, or it can be combined with a word root (such as rupt, fer, or Abhor and horror are both derived
ject) to create a new word. from the Latin word horre–re,
which means “to shudder.” Using
prefix + word re- + read = reread the word abhor can be a more
prefix + root re- + fer = refer refined way to express intense
dislike than the more common
Knowing the meanings of common prefixes can help you decipher word hate, which at times seems
words that contain them. For example, the prefix ante- means “before.” crude. Other synonyms of abhor
Words that share this prefix have “before” as part of their meaning. include detest, loathe, and
antecedent: something or someone that comes before, such as despise.
ancestors
Our antecedents believed that the Earth was flat.
The following prefixes mean “before” or “after.”
Prefixes Meaning Examples

after- after afterthought Most prefixes we use
Tip
ante- before; in front of antecedent today come from ancient
epi- after (also “on; at; besides”) epilogue, epitaph Greek and Latin, although some
come from Old English.
fore- before forerunner, forecast
post- after; behind postpone, postscript
pre- before; in front of preamble, preview
pro- before (also “in favor of”) prologue, prognosis
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Use your knowledge of prefixes to define each of the following words.
In your definition, include the word before or after. Then use each word
in a sentence.
1. antechamber
2. afterglow

The spelling of a prefix 3. epitaph
Tip
may vary depending on
the word or base to which it is
attached. The prefix con- can be 4. prognosis
spelled com-, col-, co-, or cor-.
com- used before b, p, or m
col- used before l
co- used before o The following prefixes express togetherness and separateness.
cor- used before r
The spelling changes make
the resulting words easier to ab- / abs- / a- away, from; separate from abduct, absent, avert
pronounce. For instance, when con- / com- / col- / with; together connect, compile, collaborate,
con- is added to the word co- / cor- coordinate, correspond
respond, it is spelled cor-. dis- / di- / dif- apart; in different distract, divorce
Correspond is easier to pronounce directions; not
than conrespond.
se- / sed- apart, aside, without segregate, secret
syn- / sym- / syl- / with; together sympathy, synchronize
sy- / sys-
Tip Prefixes may have more
than one meaning. The
prefix ex- can mean “out of,” as
Try It Yourself
in extract and exclude, or it can ExErcIsE B
mean “former,” as in ex-boyfriend Use your knowledge of prefixes to define each of the following words
and ex-president. in your notebook. In your definition, use one of the following words:
together, separate, apart. Then, use each word in a sentence.
1. avert
2. collaborate
3. diverge
The following prefixes express opposite, or contrasting, ideas.

bene-, eu- good; well benefactor, euphony
dys-, mal-, mis- bad; badly dysfunction, malpractice,
mismanagement
anti- / ant- against antislavery, antagonist
contra- / contro- / controversy, counteract
counter-
pro- for, in favor of (also progress, pro-American
“before; forward”)

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 17
Word of the Week
More About suffixes devise (di v8z>) v., to produce or
form a plan
When Franklin Roosevelt took
A suffix is a meaningful word part that appears at the end of a word.
office in 1933, he wanted to
Some suffixes indicate nouns—people, places, and things.
devise a plan to pull America out
Suffix Meaning and Examples of the Great Depression.
-an/-ian/-arian one who does or is connected with (American, Devise means to invent or concoct
guardian, librarian) a means of solving something.
-ant/-ent one who or thing that (immigrant, irritant, resident) It has many synonyms, such as
formulate, conceive, invent, plan,
-ar/-er/-or, -ier/-yer, -eur one who (liar, actor, lawyer, cashier, chauffeur) develop, create, and imagine.
-ee one who receives or is the object of (payee, When spelling devise, be sure
employee) not to confuse it with device
-arium/-orium, -ary/-ory/- place for (aquarium, laboratory, bakery) (pronounced di v-s´), a noun that
ery refers to a machine or gadget.
-ence/-ance, -ency/-ancy/-cy state or quality of (defiance, infancy)
-hood state or quality of (childhood)
-ion, -tion, -sion action of; state of; result of (ambition, suspicion)
-ment action or process of; state or quality of (development,
amazement) Tip The suffix -ary, meaning “a
place for,” is found in the
-ness state or quality of (kindness)
word dictionary. A dictionary is “a
-ship state or quality of (hardship); skill, art, or practice of place for” words.
(penmanship)
-tude/-itude, -ty/-ity state or quality of (solitude, necessity)
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Add a noun suffix to each of the following words or word roots to
create a word with the meaning given.
1. Something that causes pollution: pollut_______.
2. One who is brought into a new family: adopt_______.
3. State or quality of extreme coldness: frigid_______.
4. State or quality of being an unmarried man: bachelor_______.
5. Action of communicating by letters: correspond_______.
6. One who defends himself or herself in a court of law:
defend_______.
7. One who is not a professional: amat_______.

Some suffixes have A number of common suffixes form adjectives—words that describe
Tip nouns.
more than one meaning
and can indicate more than one
Suffix Meaning and Examples
part of speech. For example, the
suffix -ant can indicate a noun -able, -ible able to; likely to (attainable, durable)
(defendant) or an adjective -al relating to (personal, natural)
(militant). -ant, -ent tending to (defiant, urgent)
-en made of; relating to (golden, wooden)
-er more (higher, calmer, shorter)
-est most (lowest, craziest, tallest)
-ful full of; characterized by (hopeful, fearful)
Just for Fun
-ic relating to; characterized by (scientific, historic)
Divide the class into groups. See -ish relating to (selfish, reddish)
how many words each group can
-ive tending to (festive)
form by adding suffixes to the
following words. Set the timer for -less without (hapless, careless)
3 minutes. The group with the -like resembling (childlike)
most new words wins the game. -ly resembling (motherly); every (monthly, daily)
defy -oid resembling (humanoid)
predict -ous/-ious/-uous full of or characterized by (generous, anxious)
beauty
-y characterized by (flowery)
false
A few suffixes indicate adverbs, words that describe verbs,

adjectives, or other adverbs.
-ly in such a way (quickly, studiously, invisibly)
-ward, -wards, -ways, -wise in such a direction (towards, sideways, clockwise)
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B
Many words ending in

Add an adjective suffix to each of the following words or word roots to
Tip create a word with the meaning given.
-ing, -en, and -ed are
participles. 1. Likely to spoil if not refrigerated: perish_______.
Participles form part of two- 2. Tending to be watchful: vigil_______.
word verbs: was swimming, had
written, have closed. They can 3. Full of scorn for others: contempt_______.
also be used as adjectives: the 4. An object that looks like a falling star: aster_______.
swimming fish, the half-written
note, the closed door. 5. Having to do with the universe: cosm_______.
Words ending in -ing can also be Add an adverb suffix to each of the following words. Give a definition
used as nouns. of the new word you have formed.
Swimming is my favorite sport. 6. cross_______:
7. reckless_______:
8. to_______:

Other common suffixes form verbs—words that express action or a
state of being. Following are some common verb suffixes.
-ate to make or cause to be (activate, fascinate)
-ed past tense of verb (walked, stopped)
-en to make (strengthen); also, past action (taken,
eaten)
-ify/-fy to make or cause to be (clarify, terrify)
-ing ongoing action (calling, debating)
-ize to make or cause to be (popularize)
Try It Yourself
Exercise C
Create a verb by combining each of the following words with a suffix
from the chart above. Then use the new word in a sentence in your
notebook. Remember that you may have to alter the spelling of the
word when you add a suffix.
1. glory
2. standard
3. motive
4. haste
5. familiar
© EMC Publishing, LLC Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling level IV, Unit 4 41

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 18
Word of the Week
pernicious (p@r ni‘ sh@s) adj.,
Word Origins
extremely destructive or harmful
In 15th century Italian courts,
The majority of English words have origins in other languages. You
the potential for political
can find information on where a word came from by looking up
murder made for a pernicious
atmosphere where no one knew
its etymology, or history of origin. Etymologies can be found in a
who would be the next victim.
regular or etymological dictionary. In a regular dictionary, a word’s
etymology is located after its pronunciation and part-of-speech label.
Pernicious is used to imply some The information is usually abbreviated and surrounded by brackets,
combination of poison, evil, and you can usually find a key to the abbreviations in the front or back
danger, and destructiveness. It of the dictionary. Consider the word annihilate. Below is the entry that
is derived from the Latin word can be found in a regular dictionary.
for destruction, perniciosus.
Pernicious has many colorful an • ni • hi • late (@ n8> @ l6t) v., [LL annihilatus, pp. of annihilare to
synonyms, some of which are reduce to nothing, fr. L ad- + nihil nothing –more at NIL] (1525)
destructive, harmful, deadly, evil, In the example above, the etymology of the word appears in brackets,
toxic, noxious, insidious, spiteful,
following the part-of-speech label. A list of abbreviations indicates
and malicious.
that LL stands for Late Latin, L stands for Latin, pp. stands for past
participle, and fr. stands for from.
Based on this entry, we learn that the English word annihilate
comes from the Late Latin word annihilatus, which is the past participle
of annihilare, which means “to reduce to nothing.” The word comes
from the Latin prefix ad-, plus nihil, which means “nothing.” The
phrase “more at NIL” indicates that related etymological information
can be found by looking up the word nil. The number in parentheses
after the etymological information indicates the year of the first
recorded use of the word in English. For more information, reference
the explanatory notes at the front of your dictionary.
Tip A linguist is someone Try It Yourself

who studies language and Use a dictionary to find the meaning and origin of each of the following
traces words back through time to words. Then use each word in a sentence.
discover their histories.
example
annihilate: to destroy
origin: comes from the Late Latin word annihilatus
sentence: We wanted to annihilate the ant hills that surrounded the
sidewalk, but my older sister wouldn’t let us.
1. sequester:
origin:
sentence:
2. banal:

origin: Other abbreviations used
Tip
sentence: in etymologies include:
3. bestow: AF = Anglo-French
D = Dutch
origin: F = French
sentence: G = German
Gk = Greek
4. clammy: Ir = Irish
origin: lit. = literal, literally
ME = Middle English
sentence: OHG = Old High German
5. ecology:
origin:
sentence:
6. harmony:
origin:
sentence:
7. hence:
origin:
sentence:
8. jeopardy:
origin:
sentence:
9. legacy:
origin:
sentence:
10. zeal:
origin:
sentence:

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 19
Word of the Week
adjacent (@ j6> s@nt) adj., next to
root Families
The fire in the hotel kitchen Understand the concept
caused smoke damage to several
Many words in English come from ancient Greek and from Latin, the
adjacent rooms.
language of the ancient Romans. For example, the following words
Adjacent implies that two things come from the word root fract, which comes from the Latin word
are next to one another, though fractio, meaning “the act of breaking.”
they don’t necessarily have to be
touching. Synonyms of adjacent fraction—what you get when you break something into pieces or
include adjoining, nearby, portions (1/2, 1/3, etc.)
neighboring, bordering, and infraction—the breaking of a law
flanking.
refraction—when a beam of light splits apart (“breaks”) as it passes
through a barrier such as glass or water
fracture—the surface along which something breaks
Notice that all these words have “break” as part of their meaning. They
are all part of the same root family.
Knowing the meanings of common Greek and Latin roots can help
you decode many unfamiliar words. Here are some common Latin roots:
Tip Word roots are Word Root Meaning And Examples

meaningful word parts am to love (amicable, amateur)
that can be found in many English
bene good; well (benefit)
words. Many word roots are taken
from ancient Greek and Latin centr center (concentrate)
words. duc/duct to lead (conduct, seduce)
fer to carry (transfer, refer)
voc—Latin word root meaning ferv to boil or bubble (fervor)
“voice”; it comes from the Latin greg flock or herd (congregate)
vocare, meaning “to call”
lum/luc light (luminous, translucent)
mal/male bad; badly (malnutrition)
man/manu hand (manufacture, manual)
tract to draw; to drag (retract, tractor)

Here are some common Greek roots: It can help you remember
Tip
the meaning of a new
Word Root Meaning And Examples
vocabulary word if you associate it
acr highest point (acrobat, acme) with other words in the same root
astr, aster star (asteroid, disaster) family. For example, to remember
chron time (chronological) the meanings of castigate and
chastise (“to punish”), notice that
phil love, fondness (Anglophile)
they, along with other words like
phot light (photography, photosynthesis) chastity and chaste, contain the
psych mind (psychology) Latin root cast or chast, meaning
therm heat (thermal, thermostat) “good; pure.”
To castigate or chastise someone
Try It Yourself means to punish bad behavior in
the hope of making that person
ExErcIsE A be good.
The following words share the Latin root voc or voke, meaning “voice” or
“to call.” Look up each word in the dictionary and jot down its definition.
How is each word’s meaning related to “voice” or “calling”? Finally, write
a sentence using each word. Use your own paper as needed.
example vocation
a job or career; a person’s “calling” in life
Nursing is a challenging vocation.
1. revoke 3. vociferous 5. avocation
2. provoke 4. advocate
Tip Amateur contains the
ExErcIsE B Latin root am, meaning
In your notebook, identify and define the word root shared by the “to love.” An amateur is someone
words in each of the following root families. Then give the definition of who engages in a pursuit, study,
each word. science, or sport as a pastime
and not as a profession—in other
1. benefactor, beneficiary, benign, benediction words, he or she does it for love,
2. malpractice, malefactor, malignant, malnourished not for money.
3. dynamic, dynamo, dynamite, dynasty
4. fervent, fervid, fervor, effervescent The Greek root meaning “to love”
5. congregate, segregate, gregarious is phil. It can be found in words
like philosophy (literally, “the love
of learning”) and bibliophile (“one
Just for Fun who loves books”).
Greek and Latin word roots can be found in many given names. For
example, the name Theodore means “gift from God.” it comes from
the Greek roots theo, meaning “God,” and doro, meaning “gift.” Using
Internet or library resources, research the following names to uncover
their Greek or Latin roots.
Barbara Lucas Victor
Dominic Melanie Valerie
Laura Timothy
You may wish to get together as a class to compile a longer list of names
to be included in a Greek and Latin baby name book.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 20
Word of the Week
augment (0g ment>) v., to add
Greek and Latin roots
to something
Many police officers augment
Greek and Latin word parts are commonly found in terms that have
their income by working off-hours
to do with science, mathematics, politics and law, and other areas of
as security guards for special
events such as county fairs, rock
learning and study.
concerts, and football games.
In fact, the word science contains the Greek root sci, meaning “to
know.” Another example is the Greek word part -ology, meaning “the
Synonyms of augment include study or science of.” It can can be found in words such as biology,
add, increase, supplement, geology, and anthropology. The Greek word part -metry, meaning “the
enlarge, enhance, and boost. With measure of,” can be found in words such as geometry and trigonometry.
the right effort, things that can be The Greeks and Romans also influenced our ideas about
augmented include income, test government and law. For this reason, political and legal terms often
scores, bicep size, engine power,
have Greek and Latin roots. For example, the term democracy comes
and speaker volume.
from the Greek roots dem-, meaning “people” and -cracy, meaning
“rule by.”
Word Part Meaning and Examples
Tip The ancient Greeks
and Romans, highly dem- (G) people (democracy)
accomplished in the areas of leg- (L) law (legislature)
science, medicine, mathematics, judic- (L) judgment (judiciary)
politics, drama, and art, spread
pol-, polis- (G) city (politics)
their culture and language
across Europe as they explored pop (L) people (populist)
and conquered other regions. reg- (L) rule (regulation)
Greek and Latin terms began to -arch, -archy (G) ruler; ruling class (monarch, oligarchy)
enter English after the Romans
-cracy (G) form of government; social or political class
conquered Britain in 43,
(democracy, aristocracy)
introducing their law, culture, and
Latin language to the island. -crat (G) leader, member, or supporter of a certain
government or class (democrat, aristocrat)
-ism (G) system of belief; act, practice, or process (capitalism)
-ist (G) one who does or practices (Communist)
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Try to guess the meaning of the following -ology words. Write your
guess in your notebook. After you make a guess, look the word up in
the dictionary and write down its definition too.
1. cryptology 4. gerontology
2. epistemology 5. pathology
3. etymology 6. theology

The Greeks made many discoveries in the areas of science and Greek and Latin roots are
mathematics. For example, the Greek mathematician Euclid came
Tip
found in medical terms as
up with the principles of geometry (geo + -metry, or “measuring the well.
earth”).
neur- nerve; brain
Many Greek and some Latin word parts can be seen in English words
having to do with science and math. In fact, people still use these word rhin- nose
parts all the time to create new scientific, medical, and technical terms.
-ectomy surgical removal of
ExErcIsE B -itis swelling of

Think of at least one word that can be formed from each Greek or Latin -oma tumor
word part in the chart below. Put the words in the third column under
-osis diseased condition
“Example Words.”
-path disease; disorder
Word Part Meaning Example Words
astro- star
bio- life The Greeks were not the
Tip
dia- through, across first ancient civilization
eco- home, habitat, to make advances in science
environment and mathematics. In fact, they
got many of their ideas from
ethno- race, cultural group
the ancient Egyptians and
ge-, geo- earth; soil; ground Babylonians. Other ancient
gen-, gene- to originate; produce peoples, such as the Chinese,
iso- equal; uniform the Maya, the Persians, and the
Phoenicians, just to name a few,
physi- nature; relating to the
were also skilled in math and
body
science.
psych- mind
-graph(y, ic), -graph written or drawn
-metry, -metric, -meter having to do with measure
ExErcIsE c
In your notebook, identify and define the Greek or Latin roots in each
of the following political terms. Then consult a dictionary to give the
definition of the word.
1. oligarchy
2. legislator
3. populist
4. plutocracy
5. technocrat

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 21
Word of the Week
mirth (m@rth) n., happiness and
Using Word Parts to Unlock Meaning
laughter
During the Middle Ages, the
You can use your knowledge of word parts like those you encountered
songs, jokes, and acrobatic tricks
in the last few lessons to unlock the meaning of new words. For
of the jester brought mirth and
merriment to the king’s court.
example, imagine that you encounter the word provocative and don’t
know what it means. You could break the word down as follows:
Mirth is derived from the Old
English words myrgth and myrge, pro– prefix meaning “forward” or “toward”
which mean “merry.” Synonyms of voc(a) root meaning “voice” or “call”
mirth are hilarity, jollity, merriment, –(t)ive suffix meaning “tends toward”
and fun. From these word parts, you could guess that something provocative
is something that tends toward voice, in other words, something that
makes a person want to speak up or speak out. If you checked this guess
in the dictionary, you would discover that provocative means tending to
Tip The more meanings of
call forth a response.
prefixes, suffixes, and
Even if you don’t know the meaning of a word part, however, you
word roots you know, the better
can often figure out the meaning of a word by using word parts. To do
equipped you are to tackle difficult
vocabulary words.
this, think of as many familiar words as you can that contain each part
of the word.
For example, if you were tackling the word biped, you might first
think of words beginning with the prefix bi-: bicycle, biannual, and
Using word parts to guess bisect. You know that a bicycle is different than a tricycle because it
Tip
meanings is even easier has two wheels rather than three. You’re pretty sure that the other two
if you work with a partner. Think words also have something to do with the number two. Then you might
aloud with your partner about how think of words that contain ped: pedal, pedestrian, and pedestal. A pedal
to break apart a word. Together, and a pedestal are both things you step on with your foot. A pedestrian
brainstorm words that share each is someone who is walking. From this information, you might guess
word part, and use those words (correctly) that ped means foot. A biped is something with two feet!
to guess the meaning of each part
and a possible meaning for the Try It Yourself
entire word.
ExErcIsE A
Work with a partner to guess the meaning of each of the words below.
You can use the Word Parts Charts from the previous lessons if you
like. Record your thought process in your notebook.
example ambivert
We know these words that contain ambi–: ambidextrous,
ambivalent, and ambiguous. We know that ambidextrous
means to be able to do things with both the right and left hand.
We’re pretty sure that the other two words also have something
to do with taking up both positions or sides. We also know

these words that contain vert: divert, introvert, and extrovert. Use a combination of
Tip
Introvert and extrovert have to do with turning inward and context clues—hints
turning outward, respectively. Divert also has something to do from the surrounding text—and
with turning. We think vert means turn. An ambivert might be your knowledge of word parts to
unlock the meaning of new words
someone who turns both inward and outward, someone who
you encounter as you read.
has characteristics of both an introvert and extrovert.
1. pseudoscience
2. homogeneous
3. chronicles
4. disregard
5. interaction
ExErcIsE B Just for Fun

The following sentences contain underlined words that may be
Form teams of four or five people.
unfamiliar to you. Use word parts as well as context clues to guess the
Set a timer for three minutes. In
meaning of each word. Then record the dictionary definition of the word.
that time, brainstorm as many
1. The robot Eugene displayed for the engineering class today is just words as you can that contain the
the prototype; his final project won’t be finished for another two following word parts:
months. tract
Predicted Meaning: -able/-ible
inter-
Dictionary Definition:
When the timer goes off, check
2. The scientist panicked when he saw the data from the latest each team’s list and make sure all
experiment; it was so unexpected that it might end up invalidating of the words on each list actually
his hypothesis. exist. (Check a dictionary if you
Predicted Meaning: aren’t sure.) The team with the
most legitimate words wins!
3. I used to like that politician, but now that he has reversed his
position on two key issues, I find him despicable.
Predicted Meaning:
4. When a people’s beliefs are so entrenched, it’s hard to get them to
change their minds.
Predicted Meaning:
5. The witness’s recriminations convinced the jury that the
defendant was guilty.
Predicted Meaning:

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 22
Word of the Week
boughten (b0> t@n) adj.,
The Evolution of Language
purchased from a store
Father built the new house with
When you read literature from earlier time periods, you might notice
boughten boards and shingles and
that many of the words are unfamiliar to you. For example, you might
real glass windowpanes.
find the word vesture used instead of the modern word clothes. In other
Because in modern times, people cases, a familiar word—such as list—is used to mean something other
buy almost everything they need than it currently means. In Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Romeo and
instead of making things from Juliet, list means “wish.”
scratch, boughten has become
an out-of-date, or archaic, word. Archaic and Obsolete Words
Therefore, it is unacceptable to Words or specific meanings of words that are rarely used in modern Eng-
use the word boughten today. You lish may be labeled in the dictionary as archaic or obsolete. Archaic words
will encounter many archaic words
are those that are rarely used or are used only in certain contexts. The
in literature, especially in books
word vesture from the example above could be considered archaic; today,
written many years ago.
it is used only to refer to the garments worn by members of the clergy. An
obsolete word is one that is no longer used at all. A fever was once called
an ague, a toilet a donnicker, and an unethical politician a snollygoster.
You will encounter archaic and obsolete words in your reading. To
Tip Archaic and obsolete unlock the meaning of these words, use the same word attack skills you
words often have to use with any unfamiliar word.
do with objects, customs, and
practices that no longer exist. For
example, keeps is the name of a
Try It Yourself
marble game that is rarely played ExErcIsE A
anymore, and a sulky is a plow Rewrite each of the following sentences, replacing the underlined
pulled by horses. archaic or obsolete word with a more contemporary word or phrase.
Use context clues and your dictionary for help.
1. The man was sore in debt; he couldn’t even afford a new pair of
shoes.
2. You’d better hark your mother’s advice; she knows what she’s
talking about!
3. Initially, I trusted the peddler to deal honestly with me, but
eventually I realized he was a conycatch.
4. Perhaps Jon will stop by on his way home, or haply he won’t.
5. The peddler asked to speak with the goodman, but only the wife
was available to speak with him.
Neologisms
At the same time as some words are becoming archaic or obsolete,
new words are being created. These newly created words are called
neologisms. Some of them will eventually be accepted as part of the
language, and others will be forgotten.

New words are created, or coined, in a number of ways. Some An acronym is a word
words come from the names of people, places, or brands. Words that
Tip
formed from the initial
come from proper names are called eponyms. letters of the main parts of a
Another source of new words is acronyms, such as TV as an compound term. Many acronyms
abbreviation of television or the name yuppie for a “young upwardly are pronounced as words, but
mobile professional.” others, called initialisms, are
pronounced letter by letter.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B AWOL—absent without leave
NATO—North American Treaty
Identify each of the following words as an eponym, a borrowed word,
Organization
or an acronym. Consult a dictionary if necessary.

1. chauvinism
MIA—missing in action
SUV—sports utility vehicle
2. laser
3. Doberman Just for Fun

Invent eponyms for at least
4. escalator three friends or family members,
and assign a meaning to each
eponym. For example, if your
5. chanteuse friend Cedric is known for his
brightly colored socks, you
might invent the word cedrics to
designate socks bright enough to
Manipulating Language to Form New Words be worn by him.
Many new words are formed from existing ones. One common way
new words are formed is by adding affixes, as in deplane, classism,
e-business, and even tabloidification. It is also possible to add a Just for Fun
common word root to form a new term. Technophobe, schmoozefest,
and toiletology were all formed this way. New words enter the language in
Sometimes the opposite happens—a prefix, suffix, or other all of the following ways:
word part is removed to form a new word. This process is called • generic use of brand names
backformation. In this way, the noun babysitter generated the verb • use of names of people and
babysit, and the adjective spunky produced the noun spunk. places
Often, a word that began as a noun will also become accepted as a • borrowing from other languages
verb, or vice versa. For example, message was originally only a noun, • acronyms and initialisms
but since the advent of advanced communication devices, it has become • combining affixes or roots in
possible to message someone. You can also telephone someone and new ways
pencil in a date. The process by which a word changes function is called • backformation
conversion. • conversion
Clipping is another source of new words. For example, demo is a • clipping, or shortening, words
clipped form of demonstration. Other clipped words include phone, ad, • creating new compounds and
gym, and fridge. blends
Sometimes speakers combine two or more words to create
compound words and blends. Compound words are formed when
two or more existing words are combined, as in break-in, urbanwear,
and web page. Some compounds are written as one word, some are

Neologisms often have hyphenated, and some are written as two words. Blends are words that
Tip are formed from parts of existing words
to do with technology,
popular culture, and current events. examples
They are more likely to appear in newbies (newcomers + babies)
publications geared toward readers telemarketer (telephone + marketer)
in their twenties and thirties. Why infomercial (information + commercial)
do you think this is?
Many of the newest words in the language are not yet in the dictionary.
Use context clues and word parts to determine the meaning of these
words.
Try It Yourself
Just for Fun ExErcIsE c
Try coining your own words using Try to define each of the underlined words by using context clues or
some of the methods described word parts. Write your definitions in your notebook.
in this lesson. Use each of your
1. While the official wouldn’t actually retract what he said, he did
words in a sentence that shows
admit that it might have been wrongish.
what the word means.
2. Katelyn dreaded attending the reception for the lead executives;
this kind of event always turned into a shmoozefest with everyone
miswanting—thinking you want competing to make the best impression on the guests.
something you really don’t 3. The new trend in the school district was to include one or two
Effective advertisements can cause paraeducators in each classroom to assist the teacher.
even the most savvy shoppers to 4. I got this headband at a shoplet in Chinatown.
fall prey to miswanting. 5. Technobabble was everywhere at the network administrators’
conference.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Prefixes and suffixes
Choose the correct meaning for each of the following prefixes and suffixes.
_____ 1. hemi-: What percentage of the _____ 4. hypo-: People lost in a blizzard can be
world’s population is in the northern at risk for hypothermia.
hemisphere? A. too little; lacking
A. half B. fast
B. opposite
_____ 5. post-: Barb postdated her check so it
_____ 2. a-: The results from the study are wouldn’t be cashed before the first of
atypical; the findings were different the month.
from those of similar studies. A. on top of
A. not B. later; after
B. to; toward
_____ 6. fore-: The inhabitants of the coastal
_____ 3. tri-: Henry fastened his camera to the village were forewarned of the
tripod and began taking photographs oncoming storm.
of the bald eagles. A. over; again
A. top B. before; first
B. three
Choose the correct prefix or suffix to complete each of the unfinished words
in the following sentences.
_____ 7. Zena wanted to personal___ each _____ 10. The organizers took ___cautions to
holiday letter by writing a little note make sure that no problems would
and signing her name at the bottom. occur during the event.
A. -ize A. de-
B. -ate B. re-
C. -ify C. pre-
D. -ity D. pro-
_____ 8. The biologist examined the bacteria _____ 11. The television documentary was a
using a _____scope. ___spective, looking back over the
A. micro- past few decades.
B. macro- A. re-
C. peri- B. circum-
D. tele- C. per-
D. retro-
_____ 9. The data was ___sufficient so we
asked for additional information. _____ 12. Paul worked hard to strength___ the
A. in- muscles in his legs.
B. un- A. -ify
C. dis- B. -en
D. under- C. -ate
D. -ize

root Families
For each of the following groups of words, identify the root that each word
shares. Write that root (and its variations, if any) on the line. Then write the
letter of the best definition for that root.
_____ 1. predict, dictionary, verdict, _____ 4. final, finite, confine, define

contradict root: __________
root: __________ A. border
A. to construct B. end
B. to see C. change
C. to say D. beginning
D. to give
_____ 5. audience, inaudible, auditorium,
_____ 2. describe, inscription, prescription, audiovisual
subscribe root: __________
root: __________ A. to do
A. to go B. to perform
B. to carry C. to see
C. to offer D. to hear
D. to write
6. revive, survival, vivacious, revitalize
_____ 3. transportation, import, export, root: __________
deportation A. waning
root: __________ B. alive
A. to carry C. colorful
B. to grow D. born
C. to reverse
D. to catch
Use your knowledge of word parts to choose the best definition for each word.
_____ 7. irresolute _____ 10. inquietude
A. cranky and irritable A. disturbed state
B. determined B. serene
C. scared C. in the process of quieting down
D. uncertain how to act or proceed D. unruffled
_____ 8. monopolist _____ 11. trisect
A. first player A. creature with three legs
B. a single pole B. insect with three legs
C. one who plays games C. divide into three equal parts
D. one who assumes complete D. divide into multiple parts
control
_____ 12. equivocal
_____ 9. bivariate A. a quivering voice
A. involving multiple variables B. of more than one voice
B. involving no variables C. one who sings
C. involving one variable D. clear
D. involving two variables

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 23
Word of the Week
spanish Words in English vigilante (vi j@ lan> t7) n.,
person enforcing law without legal
Understand the concept authority; one who takes the law
The English language contains many words taken from other into his or her own hands
languages. These are known as borrowed words. Below are some words
When the bandits rode into town,
that were borrowed from Spanish. the sheriff hid away in fear—and
adobe hurricane ranch it was left to one lone vigilante to
aficionado incommunicado renegade enforce the law and bring the bad
barrio junta rodeo men to justice.
bonanza lasso serape Vigilante is a Spanish word; in the
bronco machete sierra Spanish language, its meaning
burro mesa siesta is closer to “watchman” or
canyon mosquito sombrero “guard.” The English word vigilant,
cockroach mustang stampede meaning “watchful,” is related to
desperado patio tornado this word.
enchilada pinto vigilante
guerrilla plaza
guitar pronto
A number of words borrowed from Spanish are actually Native Native people whose
Tip
American in origin. When Spanish explorers arrived in the Americas, words were borrowed
they found plants and animals for which they didn’t have words. include the following:
They turned to the native peoples for the names of these things. Later,
Arawak (from South America and
English speakers borrowed these same words from Spanish.
the West Indies)
chile, chocolate, cocoa, coyote, tomato (Nahuatl)
Carib (northern South America
condor, llama, puma (Quechua)
and the Lesser Antilles)
guava, papaya (Arawak)
iguana (Arawak & Carib) Nahuatl (Mexico)
manatee, potato (Taino) Quechua (South America)
Native peoples also provided the Spanish with names for the following: Taino (Greater Antilles and the
barbecue, hammock, hurricane (Taino) Bahamas)
poncho (Araucanian)
Try It Yourself
Look up each of the following words in a good dictionary and copy
down the etymology, or origins, of each word. Notice that the words
may have been altered from their original Spanish or Native American
pronunciation or spelling.
example barbecue (also barbeque)
From American Spanish barbacoa, a framework for
supporting meat over a fire; probably originally from
Taino.

1. guava
Just for Fun
Use a Spanish-English dictionary
or ask a Spanish-speaking friend 2. hammock
to find one or more words from
Spanish that have not yet been
incorporated into English. Pick 3. hurricane
words that you like based on
meaning or sound. Use each in a
sentence. 4. alligator
5. cockroach
For each of the following words, give the definition as well as the
Tip English words enter
etymology, and use the word in a sentence of your own.
Spanish as well, creating
hybrid terms such as lonche and 6. pinto
parquear (Mexican Spanish for
lunch and to park, as in to park a
car). Find a person at your school
whose native language is Spanish.
7. incommunicado
Interview that person to find out
what English words he or she
knows of that are regularly used in
the Spanish language.
8. serape
9. junta
10. guerrilla
More Spanish words are entering English every day as Americans

become exposed to new Latin American foods, music, and ideas. Words
adopted within the last century include the following:
burrito nada
macho salsa
mariachi taco
merengue tango

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 24
Word of the Week
English Words from French rendezvous (rän´ di vü) n., a
meeting at a specific place and
Understand the concept time; v., come together at a
In 1066, England was conquered by the Normans, a people from designated time and place
northern France. In the centuries that followed this so-called Norman
The private detective arranged
Conquest, the English language was greatly influenced by Norman a secret rendezvous with her
French. So many French words entered English that today, it is virtually newest client, who had insisted on
impossible to write a paragraph in English without using many words the utmost privacy.
of French origin. The brothers agreed to
Below are some of the words borrowed from French after the rendezvous later in the week.
Norman Conquest.
Rendezvous is a French word.
Some Words Borrowed From French In French, it means “present
Politics assembly, crown, empire, government, realm, reign, yourselves.”
sovereign
Financial Matters account, agent, bargain, estate, heir, merchant,
revenue
Power Relationships allegiance, authority, homage, oppress, pedigree,
servant
Law accuse, assault, attorney, convict, evidence, felony,
justice, legal, perjury, treason, verdict
Manners cavalier, courteous, debonair, dignity, loyalty
Religion baptism, devotion, faith, virtue
Architecture and Furnishings balcony, dungeon, furniture, pavement Tip Since the Normans were
Fine Clothing apparel, attire, costume, dress, fashion, garments, the ruling class, many
gown of the words they introduced to
English were related to power and
Entertainment and the Arts art, dance, harmony, sculpture, tournament
prestige, as well as art, fashion,
Food banquet, feast, roast, salad, supper and food.
Some words borrowed from French are easy to spot because they
have kept their original French spellings and pronunciation such as
café, déjà vu, and rendezvous. Others have been “Anglicized,” that is,
changed so that they look and sound more English.
Notice that the words derived from French tend to sound more
formal. Because the French-speaking Normans were the ruling class,
the words they used still carry connotations, or associations, of
formality and sophistication.

Tip You can find the Old English French
etymology, or origins, begin commence
of most words in a standard
bloom flower
dictionary. Look for it in brackets
to the right of the part-of-speech book volume
label, as in the example below. clothes apparel, attire, garments
vignette (vin yet?) n., [F. from eat dine
MF vignete, from dim. of vigne help aid
vine—more at ] hide conceal
Note: F stands for “French,” MF house mansion
stands for “Middle French,” and steal purloin
dim. stands for “diminutive,” which
means “small form.” In other
tell, say notify, inform
words, vignete means “little vine” theft burglary
in French. Your dictionary will
provide a list of abbreviations and
what each stands for.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Look up each of the following French words in a good dictionary.
Copy down the description of its etymology, or origins, and record
the definition of the word. Finally, write down a connection with the
word. This connection could be a contextual sentence, a question, a
mnemonic device for remembering the meaning, or anything else you
can think of.
example vignette
etymology: From French meaning a little vine, or vigne.
Tip In the centuries after
meaning: 1) a decorative design or picture (often involving vines) at
the Middle Ages, French
the beginning of a book chapter or 2) a brief incident or scene in a
was still considered a high-class
movie, book, or play.
language in Europe, one that was
connection: I wonder if the word vintage is related, since vigne
used by politicians and writers.
English speakers often adopted
means vine and vintage has to do with the wine obtained from
French words and phrases in
grapes, which grow on vines.
order to sound educated or 1. curfew
sophisticated. 2. siege
3. virtue
4. perjure
ExErcIsE B
Rewrite the sentences, replacing the underlined words with their Old
English counterparts. Does the result sound more or less formal?
1. Once we had informed our dinner companions that we admired
their apparel, we commenced to dine.
2. I looked for the volume, only to discover that it had been
purloined! Luckily, my friend aided me in discovering the burglar.
3. The peonies flowered all around the mansion, concealing the large
French doors that led into the garden.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 25
Word of the Week
English Words from German angst (54(k)st) n., feeling of
unease and insecurity
Derek’s angst over diving
More than seven million Germans immigrated to America from the
lessons melted when he met
seventeenth to the twentieth centuries. These immigrants brought with
the coach—an easygoing young
them their language, and gradually, German words made their way into woman who put his fears to rest.
English. English words with German origins include many everyday
terms, including Angst is a German word.
blitz nickel strand

burg plunder waltz
fest poltergeist wander
hamster spiel wanderlust Tip You might have heard
kaput spritz yammer of a group of immigrants
kindergarten stark yodel and their descendents known
kitsch stein zigzag as the Pennsylvania Dutch. The
people referred to by that name
are actually of German rather than
Try It Yourself Dutch origin. Americans misheard
ExErcIsE A the German word deutsch, which
Each sentence below contains an underlined word of German origin. means German, as the English
Use context clues to predict the meaning of each word. Then check word Dutch.
your prediction by looking the word up in the dictionary. If the word
has several meanings, be sure to pick the one that fits the sentence in
which the word is used.
1. Once a telemarketer gets you on the phone, your choices are to
Tip Visit a German restaurant
hang up, to interrupt him or her, or to listen to the entire product or locate a menu on the
spiel, which might take as long as ten minutes. Internet. Use that information and
Predicted meaning: the list in this lesson to plan the
menu for a dinner party with a
Dictionary definition: German theme.
2. The soldiers plundered the deserted town, taking everything of
value.
Predicted meaning:
Dictionary definition:
3. I prefer the rich, colorful paintings of Gauguin, but Sheila favors
stark, barren landscapes that convey loneliness and desolation.
Predicted meaning:
Dictionary definition:

Context clues are hints 4. Omar was supposed to mow Mrs. Sander’s lawn today, but he
Tip called to tell her that his mower was kaput and wouldn’t be fixed
in the text surrounding an
unfamiliar word that suggest what until Tuesday.
that word means. Some kinds of Predicted meaning:
context clues include comparison,
contrast, cause and effect, Dictionary definition:
restatement, and apposition.
Immigrants arriving from Germany brought with them their food

preferences. As a result, many German words for food items have made
it into the English language. Some examples appear below.
Just as in English, we call bratwurst liverwurst pumpernickel
Tip frankfurter muesli sauerkraut
someone from New York
a “New Yorker,” Germans add –er hamburger muffin schnapps
to the name of a city to designate knackwurst noodle strudel
someone who lives there. Given lager pretzel wiener
that fact, it is interesting to note
that residents of the German city
A number of German words entered the English language during the
of Frankfurt call hot dogs wieners,
two World Wars of the twentieth century.
while residents of the Austrian anschluss führer U-boot
city of Vienna (called Wien in blitzkrieg gestapo
German) call them frankfurters. flak Nazi
Both words have made it into
English as synonyms, or words The following words, while less common and more closely linked to
that mean nearly the same thing. their German origins than to English, often appear in English texts.
bildungsroman hausfrau verboten
doppelgänger hinterland weltanschaung
dummkopf kaffeeklatsch weltschmerz
ersatz mensch wunderkind
fahrvergnügen schadenfreude zeitgeist
Tip Etymologies, or
word origins, are often
colorful. For example, the word Try It Yourself
pumpernickel comes from
ExErcIsE B
pumpern meaning “to release
gastrointestinal gas” and nickel Use a dictionary to look up the etymology and meaning of each of the
meaning “goblin or devil.” The following words. Then use each word in an original sentence.
word refers to coarse, dark bread 1. blitzkrieg
that many people find hard to 2. schadenfreude
digest. 3. dummkopf
4. verboten
5. flak

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 26
Word of the Week
register, slang, and colloquialisms revelry (re> v@l r7) n., noisy
partying or merrymaking
We enjoyed our revelry and did
A register is a subset of language usage specific to a particular
not return home for three days.
relationship between people. There are certain words and expressions
that you would use in a conversation with a friend but not when The word revelry is rather formal
talking to your friend’s parent. With a young child, you use a register in nature. Some more informal
that is nonthreatening and simple to understand. With an authority synonyms include high jinks and
figure such as your school principal or a local political official, you use skylarking. Try to think of other
a register that is more formal. The more words you know, the more colloquialisms or slang that mean
flexibility you will have in selecting the proper register to use with something similar to revelry.
different audiences.
A formal register is appropriate for school essays, newspaper and
magazine articles, some literary works, oral or written reports, and test
answers. Informal English is appropriate when speaking with a friend
or writing personal letters or notes; it can also be found in some literary
works.
Try It Yourself Tip You might use somewhat

formal English in getting
ExErcIsE A
to know a new friend, and then
Your friend has drafted a letter to the principal of your school more informal language once the
suggesting that the school hold a book drive to collect and deliver books friendship has developed.
to inner-city day care centers and elementary schools. She is worried
that her draft might be too informal. Read what she has written, and
suggest phrases and words she might want to change in order to achieve
the proper register. Write your advice in your notebook.
Dear Mr. Thompson:
Here at Anywhere High School, our media center is loaded with

tons of good books. I am really bugged that children in other
places, like elementary schools and day care centers in the inner
city, don’t have access to as many super books as students here
do. I’d like to do something about this problem.
Specifically, I would like to organize a book drive in our school.

We could collect the books in containers near the doors to
the school so that students could just lob their donations in
as they enter the building. I’d be totally fine with emptying the
containers at the end of each week and distributing the books to
their new homes.

Register is closely related This drive would give all of us a chance to clean out our
Tip
to tone, or the attitude basements and bookcases, getting rid of all of those books that
toward a subject implied by a are too babyish for us now. At the same time, it would help little
writer or speaker’s language. You kids get excited about reading.
shape the tone of your message
by carefully choosing words and Please let me know if you are cool with this idea. Thanks a
phrases. bunch!
Sincerely,
Amanda Goodidea
Informal English also uses colloquialisms and slang. A colloquialism

is a word or phrase used in everyday conversation but not in formal
writing: “You guys must have raced home to meet curfew.” Slang is a
form of speech made up of invented words or old words that are given a
Just for Fun new meaning: “That movie was tight, man!”
Find a document written in a
formal register. You might choose Try It Yourself
a business letter or memo, ExErcIsE B
a political commentary, or a
Write down three examples of colloquialisms.
textbook passage. Rewrite the
passage as a rap song, a rant, or a 1.
children’s story using an informal
2.
register. Use your own paper as
needed. 3.
Write down three examples of slang.

4.
5.
6.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 27
Word of the Week
Idioms shoo-in (sh2> in) n., certain and
easy winner
Alice is sure to win the singing
An idiom is an expression in which the language is fixed and in which
competition; with that voice, she’s
the meaning of the expression cannot be deciphered by understanding
a shoo-in.
the meaning of the individual words. For example, if someone “bends
over backwards” to help you, that person isn’t really doing a backbend. The term “shoo-in” is an idiom.
The phrase “bend over backwards” is an idiom meaning “do everything Its meaning cannot be derived
possible.” The idiom “go to great lengths” means almost exactly the from the meaning of the individual
same thing. words. The phrase originated in
How many of these idioms do you understand? horseracing. Occasionally, corrupt
jockeys would agree to hold back
all thumbs down the line their own horses and “shoo in” a
an arm and a leg fill someone in slow horse on which they had all
asleep at the wheel get-go placed bets. Because the jockeys
back out heavy-handed had control, their choice was a
bank on something/someone in the red shoo-in, or a certain winner.
beat someone to the punch jump at the chance
bee in your bonnet know the ropes
beside one’s self let sleeping dogs lie
beyond the pale like nobody’s business
bite the bullet off the shelf
bring the house down on your own
bury the hatchet pig in a poke
caught dead
Often, idioms are based on metaphors, or comparisons between two Tip The wording of an idiom
unlike things. In the first example above, someone being extremely cannot be varied: you
helpful is compared to a very flexible person doing a backbend. Review can’t say that a helpful individual
the list of idioms above. Which are based on metaphors? What two “bends over sideways” and expect
to be understood. For this reason,
things are being compared in each?
idioms are one of the hardest
aspects of the language for
Try It Yourself nonnative speakers to master.
ExErcIsE A
Use each of the following idioms in a sentence. Write your sentence in
your notebook. Make sure your sentence provides context clues so that
someone unfamiliar with the idiom could guess what it means.
1. about to
2. don’t borrow trouble
3. neck and neck
4. burn the candle at both ends
5. on thin ice

ExErcIsE B
Just for Fun
The underlined word or words in the sentences below are synonyms for
Pick two of the following idioms, common idioms. In parentheses after each sentence, you will find one
and use the Internet or a dictionary word that appears in the idiom being suggested. Write the full idiom
of phrases to research the on the lines provided. You might want to work with a partner or small
meaning and origin of the phrase. group to complete this activity.
Find out how the phrase came into
existence. Then share your findings
example
with the class. I really need to change that problematic behavior. (habit)
kick that habit
bite the bullet
can’t hold a candle to 1. You will see Faith at the meeting, but she would really like to talk
chew the fat to you before it starts. (time)
close but no cigar
dark horse
dead as a doornail
over the top 2. Lester is out looking really hard for a job. (pavement)
pan out
roll with the punches
rule of thumb
show your true colors
sleep tight 3. Please leave out all the nonessential information and just tell me
spill the beans the most important point. (chase)
square meal
straight from the horse’s mouth
the writing is on the wall
under the weather 4. The mother worried about how to tell her daughter that her
white elephant goldfish had died. (break)
5. We need to hurry if we’re going to finish on time. (pace)

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Borrowed Words in English
On the line, write the letter of the word from the right column that best
matches the definition and etymology in the left column.
_____ 1. German, “something of poor taste and/or poor quality” A. angst

_____ 2. French, “sense that one has experienced the same thing before” B. vogue
_____ 3. Spanish, “donkey” C. bizarre
_____ 4. German, “feeling of unease and insecurity” D. blitz
_____ 5. Spanish, “blanket with slit for the head” E. buffet
_____ 6. Spanish, “one who conquers” F. burro
_____ 7. Spanish, “rope with noose used with cattle and horses” G. canyon
_____ 8. Spanish, “ground and roasted cacao beans” H. cocoa
_____ 9. French, “place and time designated for a meeting” I. conquistador
_____ 10. French, “stylish” J. coyote
_____ 11. German, “strong desire or impulse to travel” K. déjà vu
_____ 12. French, “strikingly out of the ordinary” L. flak
_____ 13. Spanish, “courtyard next to a building” M. gourmet
_____ 14. German, “sudden overwhelming attack” N. kitsch
_____ 15. French, “beaten eggs cooked and folded in half” O. lasso
_____ 16. Spanish, “deep, narrow valley” P. omelet
_____ 17. French, “high-quality, fancy foods” Q. patio
_____ 18. Spanish, “canine smaller than but related to the wolf” R. poncho
_____ 19. German, “criticism or opposition” S. rendezvous
_____ 20. French, “meal set out for ready and informal service” T. wanderlust
Idioms and colloquialisms

Circle the letter of the answer that best describes the meaning of the
underlined phrase.
_____ 1. If you open up that can of worms, _____ 2. Uncle Horace and Granny Mildred
we’ll be arguing all night. love to sit around all day to chew the
A. bring up a topic of dispute fat.
B. make a mess A. snack
C. cause mischief B. gossip; have a casual conversation
D. tell a lie C. complain violently
D. perform plays

_____ 3. Harold, the chow hound, helped _____ 9. Let’s not jump the gun and make a
himself to four plates at the buffet hasty decision.
dinner. A. use a weapon
A. starved person B. take the law into one’s own hands
B. finicky eater C. think too much about something
C. gourmet food connoisseur D. get ahead of oneself
D. hearty eater; glutton
_____ 10. You may think you are the only one
_____ 4. Rumor has it that you can buy one of who feels cheated, but we are all in
those scooters for just chump change. the same boat.
A. cost of a loan for a scooter A. cheering for someone
B. sum of money returned as change B. suffering
from a larger bill C. in the same predicament
C. small amount of money D. cheated
D. large amount of money
_____ 11. Jay has gotten away with having
_____ 5. Bertha, the senior associate, agreed to Garrett do his homework for weeks,
show me the ropes at my new job. but someday he will pay the piper.
A. teach me how things are done A. be expelled
B. threaten to get me in trouble B. reap the consequences of one’s
C. lead me to the exit actions
D. order my supplies C. pay the teacher
D. be discovered
_____ 6. The salespeople came to the meeting
with a real dog and pony show. _____ 12. Georgia is kind of shy, but her sister
A. musicians and other entertainers Ginger is a social butterfly.
B. elaborate, showy presentation A. very active social person
C. carnival-like treats B. great dancer
D. effective sales techniques C. chatty person
D. busy girl
_____ 7. Well, that idea didn’t work, so let’s go
back to square one.
A. skip some of the steps
B. start all over again
C. try the idea again
D. forget it
_____ 8. Don’t pick a fight with Jake—he has a
short fuse.
A. bad memory
B. quick temper
C. strong uppercut
D. tendency to shout

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 28
Word of the Week
Vocabulary Questions on paraphrase (par> @ fr6z) v.,
standardized Tests restate something in different
words, retaining the meaning
Understand the concept In her paper about the founding
There are several different kinds of vocabulary questions that might of the United States, Kindra
appear on standardized tests. paraphrased several parts of the
Bill of Rights.
contextual Passages Paraphrase is a term commonly
One of the most common types of vocabulary questions will ask you to seen on standardized tests.
read a passage and then answer questions about particular words that
appear in that passage.
The word attack strategies you have learned in this program will
enable you to answer questions like this one. Use context clues, word
parts, and your knowledge of word families and origins to make an
educated guess about the meaning. Then consider the answer choices
and choose the one that is closest to your educated guess.
synonym and Antonym Questions Tip Use context clues such

as comparison, contrast,
Synonym and antonym questions give you a word and ask you to
cause and effect, restatement,
select the word that has the same meaning (for a synonym) or the and examples to help you “get the
opposite meaning (for an antonym). You must select the best answer gist” of unfamiliar words.
even if none is exactly correct. For this type of question, you should
consider all the choices to see which is best. Always notice whether you
are looking for a synonym or an antonym. You will usually find both
among the answers.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Read the passage below from “Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe. Then
identify the best answer to each question that follows the passage.
For the most wild yet most homely narrative which I am about
to pen, I neither expect nor solicit belief. Mad indeed would I
be to expect it, in a case where my very senses reject their own
evidence. Yet, mad am I not—and very surely do I not dream.
But tomorrow I die, and today I would unburden my soul. My
immediate purpose is to place before the world, plainly, succinctly,
and without comment, a series of mere household events. In their
consequences, these events have terrified—have tortured—have
destroyed me. Yet I will not attempt to expound them.

_____ 1. In this passage, succinctly most likely means
Just for Fun A. elaborately.
Write a paragraph describing B. recklessly.
a monster, ghost, or other C. briefly.
ghoulish creature that might live D. imaginatively.
somewhere in your house. In
_____ 2. The word expound most likely means
your paragraph, use five invented
A. explain.
words. Use context clues or
B. succeed.
familiar word parts to help your
C. overwhelm.
reader determine the meaning
of each invented word. Then
D. forgive.
exchange paragraphs with a _____ 3. An antonym for homely as it is used in this passage would be
partner and have your partner A. fancy.
use the context clues you have B. ugly.
provided to identify synonyms for C. homemade.
each of your invented words. D. gorgeous.
_____ 4. The best synonym for solicit would be
A. destroy.
B. solidify.
C. request.
D. question.
Tip Approach sentence sentence completion Questions

completion questions Sentence completion questions present you with a sentence that has two
by trying each of the first words words missing. You must select the pair of words that best completes the
in the first blank. Eliminate those sentence. The key to this kind of question is to make sure that both parts
answers that don’t make sense. of the answer you have selected work well in the sentence.
Then see which of the second
words from the remaining answers
works best.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE B
Select the best answer to each of the following sentence completion
questions.
_____ 1. It took me a full week to _____ the courage to confront that
_____ reporter.
A. generate…solicitous
B. annoy…biased
C. muster…malicious
D. decimate…indignant
_____ 2. The newscaster worried that the change in her hair color
would be too _____, but it turned out to be _____.
A. dramatic…imperceptible
B. intense…electrifying
C. distracting…different
D. important…essential
_____ 3. The musician’s _____ clothing and makeup caused parental
_____.
A. suggestive…approval
B. garish…censure

C. modest…outcry
D. immoderate…imposition
Tip Analogy questions can

Analogy Questions utilize many types of
Analogy questions ask you to find the relationship between two words
relationships. While synonyms,
and then to recognize a similar relationship in another pair of words.
antonyms, and cause-and-
Look at the example below.
effect relationships are the most
example commonly used, others include:
CAMERA : PHOTOGRAPHY :: general and specific (pasta :
A. paint : paint brushes spaghetti); part and whole (petal
B. easel : drawing : flower); age (horse : foal); tool
C. nail : hammer and associated action (scissor :
D. writer : computer cut); worker and tool (dentist :
drill); and symbol and meaning
In an analogy question, the symbols : and :: mean “is to” and “as.” The (flag : patriotism).
example above would be read aloud as “Camera is to photography as…”
Follow these guidelines for answering analogy questions:
1. Think of a sentence that relates the two words. For the example
above, you might think “A camera is a tool used in photography.”
2. Try substituting the words from each answer pair in the sentence.
“A paint is a tool used in paint brushes.”
“An easel is a tool used in drawing.”
“A nail is a tool used in hammer.”
“A writer is a tool used in computer.”
3. Decide which sentence makes the most sense.
4. If none of the options makes sense, try to think of a different
sentence that relates the words, and work through the same
process with the new sentence.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE c
Select the best answer to each of the following analogy questions.
_____ 1. HAPPINESS : EUPHORIA ::
A. joy : despair
B. denial : excuse
C. urgent : important
D. anger : fury
_____ 2. TORNADO : DESTRUCTION ::
A. hurricane : ocean
B. thunder : wind
C. windmill : electricity
D. wave : tsunami
_____ 3. HEART : LOVE ::
A. brain : vision
B. smiley : good will
C. flag : burning
D. television : entertainment

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 29
Word of the Week
convoluted (k5n v@ l2> ted)
Writing and Word choice
adj., overly twisted or complicated
As you experiment with using
Imagine that you are writing about an experience you had one morning
new vocabulary in your writing,
when you were out camping with a friend’s family. You describe how
avoid inserting extra words
unnecessarily, a practice
you stepped outside the tent before anyone else was awake, how you
that could make your writing
walked down to the lake while it was still enshrouded in mist, how
convoluted. something about that early morning birdsong made you feel that the
world was full of potential. When you finish your essay, you know
Convoluted comes from the you have really communicated the experience. Anyone who reads
Latin con- (“with, together”) and your essay will understand exactly how that morning looked, smelled,
volvere (“to roll”). In literal terms, sounded, and felt. You are incredibly satisfied with your essay.
convoluted means “all rolled up The way to achieve such accurate communication in your writing
together,” or “tangled.”
is to consider your word choices carefully. Was that fog on the lake,
or was it mist? Was the lake covered, enshrouded, or cloaked in that
mist? As you write, you will want to consider the nuances of a word’s
meaning to make sure it conveys exactly what you want to express.
Tip While the words covered,
enshrouded, and cloaked
may be listed in the thesaurus
Try It Yourself
as synonyms, each carries a ExErcIsE A
slightly different connotation, or In your notebook, explain how the following sets of words differ in
emotional association. A nuance connotation.
is a subtle distinction or variation.
Even synonyms have subtle 1. bitter / resentful / cynical
nuances of meaning. 2. confusing / bewildering / inexplicable
3. fatigued / tired/ exhausted
4. alone / lonely / forlorn
5. triumphant / victorious / exultant
Tip A verb expresses action
or state of being. An Vivid Verbs
action verb expresses physical Verbs express what is happening in your writing. Imagine that you want
or mental activity. Action verbs are to describe a deer moving through a field. You could simply write “The
usually more vivid than state of deer moved through the field,” but you could also have the deer bound,
being verbs. saunter, dart, browse, or mince through the field. What are the differences
among these ways of moving? Choosing your verbs carefully will allow
your readers to imagine more vividly the exact image you have in mind.
Tip A noun is a part of speech Precise Nouns

that names a person,
Just as vivid verbs help your readers imagine the action more clearly,
place, idea, or thing.
precise nouns allow them to visualize the people, places, things, and
ideas in your writing. Is the man in your story a fellow, a gentleman, a
bloke, a guy, or a churl? Is the house a cottage, a chalet, a farmhouse, or
a bungalow? Aim for the most precise noun you can find.

colorful Modifiers Tip While modifiers can
Modifiers are words that add meaning to or change the meaning of enliven your writing, too
nouns, adjectives, verbs, and adverbs. Adjectives and adverbs are two many modifiers will bog it down.
common kinds of modifiers. Using precise and colorful adjectives and Consider whether you can delete
adverbs adds color and intensity to your writing. a modifier by making the noun or
Adjectives modify nouns, telling specific details about them. verb it modifies more precise.
examples dark, lone spot

intense gaze
Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs.
examples limp gingerly
practically nonexistent
wander far away When using a thesaurus,
Tip
Prepositional phrases can also serve as modifiers: be sure to check a
dictionary or ask someone if you
examples are unsure of the connotations of
The mannequins with their empty, eyeless faces, frozen in their stiff the synonyms you find.
poses, presented an eerie sight in the dark, deserted warehouse.
Using colorful modifiers, you can let your readers know if the world
inside your head is frenzied, bizarre, tranquil, or silent. You can tell
them whether the woman turned suspiciously, eagerly, or angrily
toward the man beside her. Interesting modifiers bring your writing to
life.
Try It Yourself Just for Fun

ExErcIsE B Write a poem about the color
Rewrite the following sentences using vivid verbs, precise nouns, and purple. Use a dictionary or
colorful modifiers to paint a clear picture of each scene. thesaurus to help you find words
to express your feelings about this
1. Someone walked into a house in a place in America. color.
2. The weather was bad.
3. People moved into the building for the event.
4. A creature appeared.
5. The children played in a play area.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 30
Word of the Week
mangled (ma4> g@ld) v., to
Literal and Figurative Meanings
injure with deep disfiguring
wounds; to spoil or make Understand the concept
incoherent Understanding the difference between figurative and literal meanings
is an essential communication skill. A literal meaning is the concrete
Daina wanted to wear her green
sweater, but it had been mangled
or common meaning of a word or phrase, while a figurative meaning
in the dryer and was beyond
goes beyond the literal or concrete meaning. Someone who does not
repair. understand the difference between literal and figurative meanings will
stumble over figurative words and phrases. Consider the following
The word mangled is a Middle examples:
English word that comes from
the Anglo-French words mangler example My stomach fills with butterflies when he enters the
and mahangler, perhaps also room.
from mahaigner meaning “to literal meaning: The speaker eats butterflies when the
maim.” The sentence above has a person arrives. (incorrect)
literal meaning, while a statement figurative meaning: The speaker feels nervous when
such as “She mangled my heart” the person arrives. (correct)
contains a figurative one.
Writers use figurative meaning to create vivid, memorable images that
engage the imaginations of their readers. Figurative meaning enables
writers to explain ideas in new and inspiring ways.
example literal: The cool water satisfied my thirst.
Tip While being able to figurative: The cool water revived my body and spirit.
identify and utilize
figurative meanings is important Some important terms in understanding literal and figurative meanings
for readers and writers, overusing are metaphors, similes, idioms, and personification. All are examples
figurative meanings in your work of figurative language. A metaphor is a comparison between two
can confuse your readers. Using dissimilar items. A simile is a comparison between two dissimilar items
an appropriate combination of using the words like or as. Personification is the description of a non-
literal and figurative language in human object as if it were human. An idiom is an expression specific
your work will add vibrancy and to a particular language that cannot be understood literally. The first
interest to your writing without example in this lesson is an example of an idiom, since it makes no
detracting from clarity. sense that a person would literally have butterflies in their stomach.
Try It Yourself
ExErcIsE A
Analyze each of the following sentences to determine if the sentence is
literal or figurative. In your notebook, explain the literal meaning of the
figurative sentences by writing an alternative, literal version. Make sure
that the alternative sentence retains the original sentence’s meaning.
1. The children sat on a sofa of grass.
2. The sofa had grass stains on it.
3. My lawyers had a field day with the defendant.
4. The lawyer was walking through the field.

5. The ice cubes have melted.
6. He melted in her presence.
7. His mind raced over the answers.
8. Everyone raced to be first in line.
9. Truth flows from my pen.
10. The pen belonged to my father.
ExErcIsE B
Write a short paragraph about your day in the space provided below.
Do not use any figurative meanings.
Now, rewrite the paragraph and incorporate figurative meaning into

your writing.
Which paragraph do you prefer? Why?

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 31
Word of the Week
tremulous (trem> y@ l@s)
Figurative Language
adj., characterized by trembling;
affected with timidity; such as is or Understand the concept
might be caused by nervousness While vivid verbs, strong adjectives, and precise nouns help to create
or shakiness rich and enjoyable text, other techniques can be used to make writing
The tremulous puppy was
more interesting. Figurative language describes words and phrases
soothed after the vacuum
that are intended to be understood imaginatively rather than literally.
stopped and the house was quiet Writers use figurative language to make their writing more colorful and
once again. descriptive.
The word tremulous is an example The mountain kept its back against the blizzard as we
example of a colorful modifier. cowered against it like children tucked behind their
Synonyms of tremulous include mother’s apron.
aquiver, shaky, and trembling. In this example, the mountain sounds like a caring mother figure, but
Remember to be aware of the writer is not implying that the mountain is the speaker’s actual
different connotations when using mother. Instead, the reader should understand that the mountain
synonyms.
provides shelter, much like a mother figure. This example contains
more than one kind of figurative language. The most common types of
figurative language are as follows:
Personification is a figure of speech in which something not
human—an animal, object, place, or idea—is given human qualities or
Tip An extended metaphor characteristics. The example above contains personification in that the
is a point-by-point mountain has human emotions or motivations (protectiveness).
presentation of one thing as
though it were another. The examples The old barn glowered at the children.
description is meant as an implied The car coughed and sputtered, choking as it died.
comparison, inviting the reader We wanted to hear the bells sing before we left.
to associate the thing being A simile is a comparison using the word like or as. It usually suggests
described with something that is an imaginative similarity between two unlike things. In the example at
quite different from it. the top of the page, the comparison of the subjects to children cowering
behind an apron is an example of a simile because it uses the word like.
examples I’m as hungry as a bear.
Norah sings like an angel from heaven.
The morning air is crisp like dried leaves and ice
crystals.
Imaginative comparisons that do not use the words like or as are called
metaphors. Metaphors compare two unlike things and often appear as
noun phrases—for example, the phrase “heated argument” could also
be written as “the argument was heated.”
examples I’m a hungry bear.
Norah is an angel from heaven when she sings.
The morning air is dried leaves and ice crystals.

Try It Yourself Tip Use sensory details in
ExErcIsE A your work to make it
more descriptive and interesting.
Identify each of the following examples as either a simile (S) or a Sensory details are words or
metaphor (M). Then rewrite each simile as a metaphor and each phrases that describe how things
metaphor as a simile.. look, sound, smell, taste, or feel.
1. He was as lost as a rat in a maze.
2. My friend is a raving lunatic.
3. It was a vast forest, populated by evergreens as tall as

mountains.
4. I want to prove to my friends that I am like Babe Ruth on

the field.
5. She was a cat, leaping from rooftop to rooftop.
ExErcIsE B
Illustrate your understanding of the lesson by rewriting the following
sentences using figurative language. At least two of your sentences
should include personification.
1. Hector was a good singer.
2. The house was old.
3. The train could not stop.
4. The fire destroyed the mall.
5. Nisrene had been waiting for six hours.

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________
LEssON 32
Word of the Week
ingenious (in j7n> y@s) adj.,
Expanding Your Word Knowledge
showing or calling for intelligence,
aptitude, or discernment; marked Understand the concept
by cleverness and originality All of the word study activities you’ve done this year have helped you
to expand your word knowledge, unlock the meanings of new words,
We always knew Margo was
smart, but her creation was
and apply your word skills to new situations. Now you need to take
ingenious.
responsibility for applying this knowledge to your daily life.
Continue to read and listen actively and to keep track of new words
The word ingenious comes from you discover. Remember the following tips that can help you build your
the Latin words ingeniosus and vocabulary:
ingenium, which mean “natural When you encounter an unfamiliar word, use one of these
capacity.” Synonyms include techniques to determine its meaning
inventive, creative, and original. • Keep a word study notebook
• Use PAVE to learn and practice using new words
• When you encounter an unfamiliar word, use the following
techniques to determine its meaning:
– Examine context clues
– Break the word into its parts
– Check for diagrams, footnotes, and other text support
– Look the word up in a dictionary
– Ask for help
Tip You can learn new Try It Yourself

vocabulary by listening
to people talk. The key is to pay
ExErcIsE A
attention to how words are used Use one or more of the strategies above to determine the meaning of
in context. the underlined word in the sentence below. Then, on your own paper,
create a word study notebook page for the word. Include the word’s
definition, pronunciation, and origin, along with an example sentence
or drawing to help you remember it.
Rather than try to talk over her students, Mrs. Karasarides stood
quietly at the front of the room until the kerfuffle died down.
Become a collector of exotic, colorful words, and talk about the

words you are learning. Discussing the meanings of new words will
help you remember them. Not only will you be able to express more
precisely what you mean, but you will be able to entertain your friends
with unusual terms. You will also be helping to preserve the English
language in all its variety.

Try It Yourself Tip Once you learn a new
ExErcIsE B word, try to use it several
times within the next few days
Here are some quirky words to add to your vocabulary. Write a so that you become comfortable
sample sentence for each word. with it.
1. finagle: get by indirect means or by trickery
2. glabrous: smooth, even

Just for Fun
Create a word study website.
Sites such as geocities.yahoo.
3. bursiform: purse-shaped com and www.cybersoup.com
offer free webspace for personal
and educational pages. You can
include lists of unusual words,
4. puce: brownish-purple words that have interesting
sounds, word games, slang
dictionaries, and many other word
wonders.
5. carp: nitpick or complain about trivial things
6. sully: soil, stain, or defile
7. majuscular: a large letter, such as a capital
8. purfle: decorate the edge or border

Name: ____________________________________________________ Date: __________________

Using Word Attack skills on standardized Tests
Read the following passage and answer the questions that follow.
from Silent Spring
by Rachel Carson
The history of life on earth has been a history of interaction between living things and
their surroundings. To a large extent, the physical form and the habits of the earth’s
vegetation and its animal life have been molded by the environment. Considering
the whole span of earthly time, the opposite effect, in which life actually modifies its
surroundings, has been relatively slight. Only within the moment of time represented
by the present century has one species—man—acquired significant power to alter the
nature of his world.
During the past quarter century this power has not only increased to one of
disturbing magnitude but it has changed in character. The most alarming of all man’s
assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with
dangerous and even lethal materials. This pollution is for the most part irrecoverable;
the chain of evil it initiates not only in the world that must support life but in living
tissues is for the most part irreversible. In this now universal contamination of the
environment, chemicals are the sinister and little-recognized partners of radiation in
changing the very nature of the world—the very nature of its life. Strontium 90, released
through nuclear explosions into the air, comes to earth in rain or drifts down as fallout,
lodges in soil, enters into the grass or corn or wheat grown there, and in time, takes
up its abode in the bones of a human being, there to remain until his death. Similarly,
chemicals sprayed on croplands or forests or gardens lie long in soil, entering into living
organisms, passing from one to another in a chain of poisoning and death. Or they
pass mysteriously by underground streams until they emerge and, through the alchemy
of air and sunlight, combine into new forms that kill vegetation, sicken cattle, and work
unknown harm on those who drink from once pure wells. As Albert Schweitzer has
said, “Man can hardly even recognize the devils of his own creation.”
_____ 1. Interaction most likely means _____ 3. A synonym for lethal is

A. back and forth action or effect. A. loyal.
B. exchange of goods. B. damaging.
C. avoidance. C. deadly.
D. conversation among two or more D. significant.
parties.
_____ 4. The word that comes closest to the
_____ 2. A synonym for magnitude is meaning of irrecoverable is
A. depth. A. pollution.
B. size. B. universal.
C. government. C. irreversible.
D. building. D. sinister.

_____ 5. Alchemy most likely means
A. supernatural power.
B. reference to literature or history.
C. incredible danger.
D. method of transformation.
Analogies
_____ 1. GOOD : ANGELIC :: _____ 4. CONQUER : SUBJUGATE ::
A. bad : poor A. esteem : respect
B. glad : joyous B. slander : vilify
C. mean : human C. discern : observe
D. sweet: musty D. ponder : deliberate
_____ 2. GRIEF : DOLEFUL :: _____ 5. MUFFLE : SILENCE ::
A. melancholy : hopeful A. cover : report
B. greed : successful B. sound : alarm
C. anger : wrathful C. cry : hear
D. reaction : involuntary D. stymie : defeat
_____ 3. POLYGLOT : LANGUAGE ::
A. teacher : students
B. handyman : odd jobs
C. polygamist : children
D. mentor : drills
sentence completions
_____ 1. Unruly people will often become _____ 4. Although reviewers considered his
_____ if they are treated with _____ work _____ when it first appeared,
by those around them. the writer is now _____ for his
A. angry…kindness literary accomplishment.
B. calm…respect A. insignificant…revered
C. peaceful…abuse B. derivative…dismissed
D. dangerous…love C. brilliant…lauded
D. lucid…vilified
_____ 2. British _____ in India resulted
in widespread nonviolent _____ _____ 5. As a staunch _____ of our right to
throughout the country. leisure time, Jed had few _____.
A. investment…revolt A. proponent…friends
B. oppression…cooperation B. advocate…defenders
C. racism…reform C. opponent…duties
D. colonialism…uprisings D. defender…equals
_____ 3. _____ believe that war is _____.
A. Hawks…futile
B. Protesters…urgent
C. Pacifists…unnecessary
D. Generals…archaic

Answer Key
Lesson 1: Keeping a Word Study 2. a vigorous or rapid projection of many
Notebook, page 1 things at once
3. lying down
Try It Yourself 4. modest, free from ostentation or elegance
E x e r c ise A 5. animal life
Responses will vary. Students should include the
pronunciation, origins, definition, and a sentence Lesson 4: Using Context Clues, page 7
illustrating the meaning of the word they have
chosen. They may also include a drawing.
Try It Yourself
E x e r c ise B
1. The author uses examples to indicate that
Responses will vary. archetypal means “an idea shared among
members of a culture or other group.”
2. The author uses restatement to define cairns
Lesson 2: Word Study Skills in Reading, as “monuments consisting of piled stones.”
page 3 3. The second clause clarifies that escalated
Try It Yourself means “became greater.”
4. A cause and effect clue indicates that
E x e r c ise A
if anthropologists can’t make sense of
1. The word fetal probably refers to the unborn
something, that thing is extremely puzzling.
baby.
Enigmatic must mean “very puzzling.”
2. The words pregnant and development gave
5. The examples indicate that amphibians are
clues to the word’s meaning.
animals that are born in water but live on land.
E x e r c ise B
1. exist together relatively peacefully Lesson 5: Using Context Clues, page 9
2. set in motion
3. badly adapted or poorly suited to an Try It Yourself
environment 1. angered
4. a chord consisting of four notes (with an 2. natural; innate
interval of a perfect fourth between first and 3. depressed
last note) 4. moving clumsily
5. the study of speech sounds 5. avoiding the point
E x e r c ise C 6. studied
1. fragment, portion 7. chaos; frenzy
2. a net for catching fish 8. hesitant
3. having a smooth, rich flow 9. completely unaware
4. a woman’s ornate cap popular in the late 10. highly regarded
seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries
5. deficient in brightness; dull, gloomy Time Out for Test Practice, page 11
Lesson 3: PAVE—Predict, Associate, Using Context Clues
1. C. declare again as valid
Verify, Evaluate, page 5 2. B. having confidence in and exercising one’s
Try It Yourself own powers
Responses will vary. Definitions for each word 3. D. call to remembrance
are given. 4. A. marked by danger or insecurity
5. D. growing rapidly
1. to disqualify oneself to avoid conflict of
6. B. quality of enduring
interest
7. A. legacy; tradition
8. C pursuit of or search for something
80 level IV Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling © EMC Publishing, LLC
0080-0090_Gr09_vocab&spelling-AK.indd 80 4/15/09 12:29:17 PM

9. B. shine coming from within synonyms: counselor, tutor, guide, teacher,
10. D. custom-made advisor
11. D. vague 5. eloquent
12. A. calm definition: well-spoken; expressive
13. A. fastener synonyms: articulate, ardent, fluent,
14. B. fashionable poignant, passionate
15. B. easy 6. fiasco
16. C. pretended sickness definition: a total mess of a situation
17. A. extreme poverty synonyms: debacle, disaster, mess, shambles,
18. D. apologetic calamity
19. B. instinctive 7. profound
20. C. theory definition: having intellectual depth and
insight
Lesson 6: Reference Materials for synonyms: philosophical, thoughtful,
Vocabulary Words, page 13 weighty, deep, serious
8. exhilaration
Try It Yourself definition: a state of excitement and
E x e r c ise A happiness
1. wallow: to roll about in mud or filth; to be synonyms: delight, elation, joy, exultation,
stuck or mired in a situation or state of mind euphoria
that is difficult to get out of
2. mortify: to destroy the strength or vitality of; Lesson 7: Words with Multiple
to severly embarrass Meanings, page 15
3. chasm: a deep, steep-sided valley; a large
difference of opinion Try It Yourself
4. advocate: (v) to promote an idea, to speak E x e r c ise A
or argue in favor of something; (n) a person Sentences will vary. Definitions are given.
who promotes an idea or cause 1. n., an aromatic spice derived from nutmeg
5. cliché: a tired or trite phrase or expression; n., a heavy, often spiked staff or club used in
something that has become commonplace the Middle Ages
E x e r c ise B 2. v., to erect and fix firmly in place
Responses will vary. Possible answers are given. n., slope
1. detrimental 3. adj., marked by considerable departure from
definition: something that causes damage or the original; extreme
harm n., root
synonyms: harmful, damaging, injurious, E x e r c ise B
hurtful, risky 1. (k5m> paund) adj., composed of the union
2. lament of two or more things
definition: to express regret (k@m paund>) v., make larger or of greater
synonyms: mourn, grieve, bemoan, rue, intensity
deplore 2. (en> tr@ns) n., opening through which one
3. synthetic enters
definition: something that is not natural or (in trans>) v., to carry away with delight,
real wonder, or rapture
synonyms: artificial, fake, mock, imitation, 3. (mi> n@t) n., unit of time comprised of one-
unnatural sixtieth of an hour
4. mentor (m8 n2t>) adj., extremely small
definition: a teacher or advisor who takes
a particular interest in the training and/or
success of a student or young person
© EMC Publishing, LLC Exceeding the Standards: Vocabulary & Spelling level IV 81

Lesson 8: Review of Synonyms and 4. B. dismantle
Antonyms, page 17 5. D. want
Try It Yourself Word Meanings

1. B. purse
E x e r c ise A
2. D. analyze
Responses will vary. Sample responses are given. 3. C. scarce
1. synonyms: annoyed, miffed; antonyms: 4. D. bizarre
soothed, calmed 5. C. conservative
2. synonyms: youthful, juvenile; antonyms: 6. C. hefty
elderly, old 7. A. irate
3. synonyms: grin, leer; antonyms: frown, 8. A. overindulgent
grimace
4. synonyms: little, tiny; antonyms: large, Lesson 10: Spelling Correctly, page 22
gargantuan
5. synonyms: alter, modify; antonyms: Try It Yourself
reinstate, preserve E x e r c ise A
E x e r c ise B 1. balmy
1. ordeals letters that form long e sound: y
2. irresponsible definition: mild; soothing
3. cheap 2. decipher
4. deeply letters that form long e sound: e
5. seriousness definition: to figure out what something
means
Lesson 9: Connotation and Denotation, 3. keen
letters that form long e sound: ee
page 19 definition: eager; sharp
Try It Yourself 4. tedious
1. Strong-willed is more positive than stubborn, letters that form long e sounds: e and i
which has a negative connotation. definition: boring; dull; tiresome
2. Flighty has a negative connotation similar 5. leaping
to unreliable, whereas unpredictable is letters that form long e sound: ea
more neutral and can even be positive, as in definition: springing free
someone who is not boring. E x e r c ise B
3. Solitude has a negative or positive 1. vain
connotation, while loneliness is almost letters that form long a sound: ai
always negative. definition: useless; excessively interested in
4. Selective has a positive connotation—as in one’s own appearance
someone who is careful about what he or 2. gale
she eats, reads, and so on—while picky has a letters that form long a sound: a
negative connotation. definition: strong wind
5. Arrogant has a very negative connotation, 3. array
whereas self-confident has a positive letters that form long a sound: ay
connotation. definition: a display or range of something
4. convey
Time Out for Test Practice, page 21 letters that form long a sound: ey
definition: to communicate information
Connotation and Denotation 5. heinous
1. D. talkative letters that form long a sound: ei
2. B. eager definition: shockingly evil
3. A. travel

E x e r c ise C 7. trenches
1. f sound 8. personalities
forest, cliff, laugh E x e r c ise B
2. sh sound 1. crises
shining, chute, vacation, cushion, schnauzer 2. tomatoes, peppers, chives
3. j sound 3. analyses
jam, gerbil 4. sheep, children
5. alumni, c’s, s’s.
Lesson 11: Spelling Patterns I, page 24 E x e r c ise C
Try It Yourself 1. weird, shrieked, neighbor, disbelief
E x e r c ise A
2. chief, siege, believed, beige
1. irresponsible 3. conceited, succeeded, receding
2. gradually 4. proceed, conceded, exceed
3. cooperate 5. field, intercede
4. actually
5. unnecessary Lesson 13: Spell-Check Software and
6. skiing What It Fails to Do, page 29
E x e r c ise B
Try It Yourself
1. the y is preceded by a consonant; the y is
E x e r c ise A
preceded by a vowel
Responses will vary.
2. A. shabbier
B. boyish E x e r c ise B
C. airily When researching an author, keep in mind
D. flying that it takes time to find a quality, informative
E. employer site among the clutter and gigantic mass of the
F. coyly Internet. Web browsers are a great place to start;
most of the sites you will find there will be well
E x e r c ise C
organized and in-depth. The best sites are often
1. the suffix begins with a vowel; the suffix
those that the authors put together themselves.
begins with a consonant
When a writer creates a home page, you can
2. A. infringing
often find personal messages and anecdotes that
B. irately
allow you to get a real sense of who he or she is.
C. remoteness
Good secondary sites include those authorized by
D. distributed
the author or his or her agent, literary societies,
E. recuperation
publishers, and fans of the author.
F. arrangement
3. because the e makes the c or g sound soft
rather than hard Time Out for Test Practice, page 31
4. because otherwise they would be confused Spelling
with dying and singing 1. A. calendar
2. B. competitive
Lesson 12: Spelling Patterns II, page 27 3. A. embarrasses
4. B. extraordinary
Try It Yourself
5. B. attach
E x e r c ise A
6. A. heroes
1. sopranos 7. A. mischievous
2. crutches 8. B. temperature
3. apartment complexes 9. A. humorous
4. Tuesdays 10. B. repetition
5. bullies 11. A. weird
6. videos

12. B. recommends 4. interfaith: several faiths or religions joined
13. A. indispensable or considered together
14. A. surprised 5. midtown: middle of a town or city
15. B. harass 6. unknown: not known
16. A. eligible E x e r c ise B
17. A. cemetery 1. fatherhood: the condition of being a father
18. A. feminine 2. southerner: one who is from the South
19. B. conscience 3. relationship: the state of relations
20. A. amateur 4. preparedness: the quality of being prepared
21. A. parallel 5. scholarly: characteristic of a scholar
22. B. vengeance 6. hopeful: full of hope
23. A. sponsor E x e r c ise C
24. A. privilege Responses will vary.
25. B. committee
Lesson 16: More about Prefixes, page 37
Lesson 14: Morphemes—The Building
Blocks of Words, page 33 Try It Yourself
E x e r c ise A
Try It Yourself Sentences will vary. Definitions are given.
E x e r c ise A 1. area before the room
Responses will vary. Sample responses are given. 2. glow or good feeling that lasts after
1. proceed, progress, provision, prologue something is over
2. prospect, introspection, spectacle, spectator 3. something written after one is dead
3. project, reject, interject, conjecture, eject 4. an indicator before (in this case before the
4. specify, dignify, vilify, magnify, glorify disease culminates in death)
E x e r c ise B E x e r c ise B
1. stup, root, stun Sentences will vary. Definitions are given.
–ify, suffix, make or cause to be 1. to turn away or apart from something
cause to be stunned 2. to work together
2. pro, prefix, before or forward 3. to turn or move in separate directions
tract–, root, draw or drag
draw forward
3. serv, root, serve
Lesson 17: More about Suffixes, page 39
–itude, suffix, quality or state of Try It Yourself
state of having to serve E x e r c ise A
4. sheep, base word, animal that tends to follow 1. pollution
–ish, suffix, like 2. adoptee
–ly, suffix, in such a manner 3. frigidity
acting in the manner of a sheep 4. bachelorhood
5. correspondence
Lesson 15: Prefixes, Roots, and Suffixes, 6. defendant
page 35 7. amateur
E x e r c ise B
Try It Yourself 1. perishable
E x e r c ise A 2. vigilant
1. semiannual: half-year or occurring twice per 3. contemptible
year 4. asteroid
2. disassemble: to take apart or the opposite of 5. cosmic
assemble 6. crossly: resembling someone who is irritable
3. bimonthly: every two months

7. recklessly: resembling someone who is 7. hence: from this place; away
acting in a heedless manner origins: [Middle English hennes, henne,
8. toward: in the direction of from Old English heonan; akin to Old High
E x e r c ise C German hinnan “away,” and Old English hēr
Sentences will vary. Words are given. “here”]
1. glorify 8. jeopardy: exposure to or imminence of
2. standardize death, loss, or injury; danger
3. motivate origin: [Middle English jeopardie, from
4. hasten Anglo-French juparti, jeuparti alternative,
5. familiarize literally “divided game”]
9. legacy: a gift by will, especially of money
or other personal property; something
Lesson 18: Word Origins, page 42 transmitted by or received from an ancestor
Try It Yourself or predecessor or from the past
Word definitions and origins will vary slightly; origin: [Middle English legacie “office of
sentences will vary. a legate, bequest” from Anglo-French or
Medieval Latin; Anglo-French office of a
1. sequester: to set apart; segregate
legate, from Medieval Latin legatia, from
origin: [Middle English sequestren, from
Latin legatus]
Anglo-French sequestrer, from Latin
10. zeal: eagerness and ardent interest in pursuit
sequestrare, meaning “to hand over to a
of something
trustee,” from sequester meaning “third
origin: [Middle English zele, from Late Latin.
party to whom disputed property is
zelus, from Greek zēlos]
entrusted, agent,” from secus meaning
“beside, otherwise;” akin to Latin sequi
meaning “to follow”] Lesson 19: Root Families, page 44
2. banal: lacking originality, freshness, or Try It Yourself
novelty E x e r c ise A
origin: [French, from Middle French “of Sentences will vary. Definitions and explanations
compulsory feudal service, possessed in are given.
common, commonplace,” from ban]
1. take back; recall
3. bestow: to put to use, to put in a particular
2. cause to react; cause to call out
or appropriate place
3. marked by or given to forceful, persistent
origin [Middle English from be- + stowe
outcry; tending to call out forcefully
meaning “place”]
4. one that pleads the case of another; one that
4. clammy: being damp, soft, sticky, and
gives voice to someone else’s interests
usually cool; lacking normal human warmth
5. hobby; unpaid “calling”
origin: [Middle English, probably from
clammen “to smear, stick” from Old English E x e r c ise B
clæman; akin to Old English clæg or “clay”] 1. bene: good
5. ecology: a branch of science concerned with benefactor: one who does good things for
the interrelationship of organisms and their someone else
environments benign: not harmful
origin: [Greek Ökologie, from öko-/eco- + benediction: blessing; something that
-logie/-logy] promotes goodness or well-being
6. harmony: tuneful sound; the combination of 2. mal: bad
simultaneous musical notes in a chord malpractice: performing one’s job or
origin: [Middle English armony, from practice badly
Anglo-French armonie, from Latin malefactor: one who does ill toward another;
harmonia, from Greek, “joint harmony,” a criminal
from harmos “joint”] malignant: causing harm
malnourished: poorly fed

3. dyn: force, power 4. cracy: form of government
dynamic: energetic; forceful A plutocracy is a government by the
dynamo: someone who is energetic and wealthy.
forceful 5. crat: leader, member, or supporter of a
dynamite: a powerful explosive certain group or class
dynasty: a powerful group or family that A technocrat is one who believes in the
maintains power over a long period management of society by technical experts
4. ferv: boil or bubble
fervent: exhibiting or marked by great Lesson 21: Using Word Parts to Unlock
intensity of feeling Meaning, page 48
fervid: marked by extreme intensity of
feeling Try It Yourself
fervor: intensity of feeling E x e r c ise A
effervescent: bubbling, hissing, or foaming; Think alouds will vary.
showing liveliness or exhilaration E x e r c ise B
5. greg: flock or herd Responses will vary. Dictionary definitions
congregate: gather together provided below.
segregate: separate according to certain
1. prototype—an original model on which
features
something is patterned
gregarious: friendly
2. invalidating—to make invalid, to weaken or
destroy the cogency of
Lesson 20: Greek and Latin Roots, 3. despicable—deserving to be despised
page 46 4. entrenched—to place within or surround
Try It Yourself with a trench, especially for defense; to
establish solidly
E x e r c ise A
5. recriminations—a retaliatory accusation
Predicted meanings will vary. Actual meanings
are given.
Lesson 22: The Evolution of Language,
1. cryptology: the study of secret codes
2. epistemology: the study or theory of the page 50
nature and grounds of knowledge Try It Yourself
3. etymology: the study of word origins E x e r c ise A
4. gerontology: the study of aging 1. The man was very much in debt; he couldn’t
5. pathology: the study of disease even afford a new pair of shoes.
6. theology: the study of religious faith, 2. You’d better listen to your mother’s advice;
practice, and experience she knows what she’s talking about!
E x e r c ise B 3. Initially, I trusted the peddler to deal
Responses will vary. honestly with me, but eventually I
E x e r c ise C recognized he was a con man.
1. olig: few 4. Perhaps Jon will stop by on his way home, or
archy: ruler, ruling class perhaps he won’t.
Oligarchy is rule by a small number of 5. The peddler asked to speak with the man of
people, usually for selfish purposes. the house, but only the wife was available to
2. leg: law speak with him.
The legislature is the group of people E x e r c ise B
responsible for making laws. 1. eponym
3. pop: people 2. acronym
A populist is one who advocates for the 3. eponym
common people. 4. eponym
5. borrowed word

E x e r c ise C 4. from the Spanish el largato, meaning “the
1. leaning toward but not quite wrong lizard,” from el meaning “the” plus largato
2. event where everyone is trying to impress meaning “lizard,” assumed to come from
and court favor with everyone else vulgar Latin lacartus, from Latin lacertus,
3. unlicensed assistant teachers lacerta
4. small shop 5. from the Spanish cucaracha, meaning
5. conversation consisting of technical terms “cockroach,” from cuca, meaning
“caterpillar.”
Time Out for Test Practice, page 53 6.–10. Sentences will vary. Etymologies and
definitions are given.
Prefixes and Suffixes 6. from American Spanish pinto, meaning
1. A. half “spotted,” from obsolete Spanish, assumed
2. A. not to be from vulgar Latin pinctus; a horse or
3. B. three pony with splotches of white and another
4. A. too little; lacking color
5. B. later; after 7. from the Spanish incomunicado, from the
6. B. before; first past participle of incomunicar, meaning “to
7. A. –ize deprive of communication,” from Latin in–
8. A. micro– plus comunicar, meaning “to communicate,”
9. A. in– from Latin communicare; without means of
10. C. pre– communicaton
11. D. retro– 8. from Mexican Spanish sarape; a colorful
12. B. –en woolen shawl worn over the shoulders,
Root Families especially by Mexican men
9. from Spanish, from the feminine of junto,
1. root: dict; C. to say meaning “joined,” from the Latin junctus,
2. root: scrib/scrip; D. to write past participle of jungere, meaning “to
3. root: port; A. to carry join”; a council or committee for political or
4. root: fin; B. end governmental purposes, especially a group
5. root: aud; D. to hear of persons controlling a government after a
6. root: viv/vit; B. alive revolutionary seizure of power
7. D. uncertain how to act or proceed 10. from the Spanish guerrilla, from the
8. D. one who assumes complete control diminutive of guerra, meaning “war,” of
9. D. involving two variables Germanic origins akin to Old High German
10. A. disturbed state werra, meaning “strife”; a person who
11. C. divide into three equal parts engages in irregular warfare, especially as a
12. B. of more than one voice member of an independent unit carrying out
harassment and sabotage
Lesson 23: Spanish Words in English,
page 55 Lesson 24: English Words from French,
Try It Yourself page 57
1. from the Spanish guaba, guayaba, perhaps Try It Yourself
from Taino E x e r c ise A
2. from the Spanish hamaca from Taino Connections will vary. Etymology and definitions
3. from the Spanish huracán from the Taino are given.
hurakán
1. Etymology: Middle English from Middle
French covrefeu, referring to a signal given
to bank the hearth fire, from covrir, meaning
“to cover” and feu, meaning “fire,” from
Latin focus, meaning “hearth.”

Definition: a regulation meaning that certain 2. from German Schaden, meaning “misfortune,”
people must be off the streets by a certain hour and Freude, meaning “joy”; enjoyment
or businesses must close by a certain time obtained from the troubles of others
2. Etymology: Middle English sege, from Old 3. from German dumm, meaning “dumb,” and
French meaning “seat; blockade,” from Kopf, meaning “head”; blockhead
segier, meaning “to seat, settle,” assumed to 4. from German, from Old High German
be from vulgar Latin sedicare, from Latin farboten, past participle of farbioten,
sedāre, meaning “to sit.” meaning “to forbid,” from far, meaning “for”
Definition: a military blockage of a place to plus bioten, meaning “to offer”; not allowed
force it to surrender; a persistent or serious 5. from German from Fliegerabwehrkanonen,
attack from Flieger, meaning “flyer,” Abwehr,
3. Etymology: from Middle English virtu, from meaning “defense,” and Kanonen, meaning
Old French, from Latin virtut, meaning “canons”; criticism or opposition
“strength, manliness, virtue,” from vir,
meaning “man” Lesson 26: Register, Slang, and
Definition: conformity to a standard of Colloquialisms, page 61
right; morality
4. Etymology: from Middle French perjurer, Try It Yourself
from Latin perjurare, from per, meaning “for E x e r c ise A
the worse” plus jurare, meaning “to swear.” Responses will vary. Students should provide
Definition: to swear under oath to advice and offer suggestions that make the letter
something that is untrue more formal.
E x e r c ise B E x e r c ise B
1. Once we had told our dinner companions 1.–6. Responses will vary.
that we admired their clothes, we began to
eat. Lesson 27: Idioms, page 63
2. I looked for the book, only to discover that
it had been stolen! Luckily, my friend helped Try It Yourself
me in discovering the thief. E x e r c ise A
3. The peonies bloomed all around the house, 1.–5. Responses will vary.
hiding the large French doors that led into E x e r c ise B
the garden. 1. ahead of time
2. pounding the pavement
Lesson 25: English Words from 3. cut to the chase
German, page 59 4. break the news to
5. pick up the pace
Try It Yourself
E x e r c ise A Time Out for Test Practice, page 65
Predicted meanings will vary. Definitions are
given. Borrowed Words in English
1. line of extravagant talk; pitch 1. N. kitsch
2. took the goods of by force 2. K. déjà vu
3. barren; desolate 3. F. burro
4. broken 4. A. angst
E x e r c ise B
5. R. poncho
Sentences will vary. Etymologies and meanings 6. I. conquistador
are given. 7. O. lasso
1. from German Blitz, meaning “lightning,” 8. H. cocoa
and Krieg, “meaning “war”; war conducted 9. S. rendezvous
with great speed and force 10. B. vogue
11. T. wanderlust

12. C. bizarre 1. Resentful generally refers to someone’s
13. Q. patio feelings toward a particular person or group,
14. D. blitz whereas bitter and cynical refer to someone’s
15. P. omelet personality more generally. Of these latter
16. G. canyon two, bitter may have the more negative
17. M. gourmet connotation.
18. J. coyote 2. Inexplicable is the strongest of these terms,
19. L. flak followed by bewildering and then confusing.
20. E. buffet 3. Exhausted is the most extreme of the three
terms, followed by tired and then fatigued.
Idioms and Colloquialisms 4. Forlorn is the most extreme of these terms,
1. A. bring up a topic of dispute followed by lonely and then alone.
2. B. gossip; have a casual conversation 5. Exultant is the strongest of the three terms.
3. D. hearty eater; glutton Victorious refers to a victory over someone,
4. C. small amount of money whereas triumphant wouldn’t necessarily
5. A. teach me how things are done imply an opponent.
6. B. elaborate, showy presentation E x e r c ise B
7. B. start all over again 1.–5. Responses will vary.
8. B. quick temper
9. D. get ahead of oneself
10. C. in the same predicament
Lesson 30: Literal and Figurative
11. B. reap the consequences of one’s actions Meanings, page 72
12. A. very active, social person Try It Yourself
E x e r c ise A
Lesson 28: Vocabulary Questions on Possible sentences provided.
Standardized Tests, page 67 1. figurative / The children sat on a mound of
Try It Yourself grass.
2. literal
E x e r c ise A
3. figurative / My lawyers easily made the
1. C. briefly. defendant look guilty.
2. A. explain. 4. literal
3. A. fancy 5. literal
4. C. request 6. figurative / He was in love with her.
E x e r c ise B 7. figurative / His mind evaluated the answers
1. C. muster…malicious quickly.
2. A. dramatic…imperceptible 8. literal
3. B. garish…censure 9. figurative / I only write the truth.
E x e r c ise C 10. literal
1. D. anger : fury E x e r c ise B
2. C. windmill : electricity Responses will vary.
3. B. smiley : goodwill
Lesson 31: Figurative Language, page 74
Lesson 29: Writing and Word Choice,
page 70 Try It Yourself
E x e r c ise A
Try It Yourself Rewritten sentences will vary.
E x e r c ise A 1. simile; He was a rat in a maze.
Responses will vary somewhat. Have students 2. metaphor; My friend is like a raving lunatic.
compare their responses to those of their 3. simile; It was a vast forest, populated by
classmates. mountain-tall evergreens.

4. simile; I want to prove to my friends that I
am Babe Ruth on the field.
5. metaphor; She was like a cat, leaping from
rooftop to rooftop.
E x e r c ise B
Lesson 32: Expanding Your Word

Knowledge, page 76
Try It Yourself
E x e r c ise A
Responses will vary. Kerfuffle means “tumult.”
E x e r c ise B
Time Out for Test Practice, page 78

Using Word Attack Skills on
Standardized Tests
1. A. back and forth action or effect.
2. B. size.
3. C. deadly.
4. C. irreversible.
5. D. method of transformation.
Analogies
1. B. glad : joyous
2. C. anger : wrathful
3. B. handyman : odd jobs
4. B. slander : vilify
5. B. stymie : defeat
Sentence Completions
1. B. calm…respect
2. D. colonialism…uprisings
3. C. Pacifists…unnecessary
4. A. insignificant…revered
5. D. defender…equals

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Level IV

000i-00vi_Gr09_vocab&spelling-FM.indd 1 4/15/09 12:24:45 PM

© 2009 by EMC Publishing, LLC

Printed in the United States of America

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Unit 1: Word Study Skills and Context Clues

Unit 2: Reference Material and Clarifying Meaning

Unit 4: Word Parts and Word Origins

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Unit 6: Testing Vocabulary and Choosing Words

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Related Program Resources

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Create a Word-Rich Environment

About Spelling “Rules”

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0001-0079_Gr09_vocab&spelling-L1-32.indd 4 4/15/09 12:27:42 PM

Try It Yourself Tip After using PAVE to

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0001-0079_Gr09_vocab&spelling-L1-32.indd 6 4/15/09 12:27:43 PM

examples Sometimes, an author will give examples to help clarify the

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Time Out for Test Practice

_____ 1. reaffirm _____ 6. continuance

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Understand the concept I was hoping to sear the emblem

Try It Yourself Tip Many words have more

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2. Dennis’s prodigal behavior shocked his parents, who had raised

4. I am deeply, profoundly grateful for your kindness.

5. Josh’s wisecracks made it hard for the teacher to convey to us the

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Some dictionaries explain the differences in connotations between

Just for Fun

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Time Out for Test Practice

_____ 1. outgoing, gregarious, sociable, _____ 4. demolish, dismantle, destroy, raze

_____ 1. baby _____ 4. imitation _____ 7. forlorn

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Other Letter combinations

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Tip Being a good or a bad Try It Yourself

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Try It Yourself Tip Note that when adding a

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Tip Practice difficult spelling

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-sede, -ceed, or -cede?

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_ 1. reaffirm _ 6. continuance

_ 1. outgoing, gregarious, sociable, _ 4. demolish, dismantle, destroy, raze

___ 1. baby _ 4. imitation ___ 7. forlorn

_ 1. predict, dictionary, verdict, _ 4. final, finite, confine, define