Test Taking Tips:

Vocabulary

Tip 1: Look for other words in the passage that have a meaning similar

to the unknown word.• The passage often will give clues about the

meaning of the unknown word.• Example: Moe was obviously vexed; Larry had

never seen him looking so annoyed with Curly.

• Can you think of another word that means annoyed?

What does vexed mean?

• A. bored• B. irritated• C. idiotic• D. entertained

Tip 2: Look for causes and effects connected to the unknown word.

• Cause-and –effect relationships can sometimes give you clues to the meaning of an unknown word.

• Example: The amateur magician grew more and more chagrined as members of the audience yelled out the supposed secret to every trick.

• How do you think the behavior of the audience made the magician feel?

What does chagrined mean?

• Enthusiastic• Frightened• Confident• Embarrassed

Tip 3: Look for clues showing that the unknown word fits into a category.

• If a word appears in a list of things or in the description of a scene, you should be able to guess its meaning by the way it fits into the “world” that contains the other items .

• Example: The sculptor preferred to work with pliable materials such as clay, wire, and soft metals.

• What characteristics do the materials listed have in common?

What does pliable mean?

• Lightweight• Sturdy• Flexible• Colorful

Tip 4: Look for clues that point to the opposite meaning of the unknown word.

• Words such as but, despite, although, surprisingly, and not, can tell you a lot about what a word doesn’t mean.

• Use the information in the sentence to figure out the word’s opposite. That should give you a good hint as to what the word does mean.

• Example: What a shock! We had expected him to be morose, but he showed up at the party and danced until dawn, wearing a constant smile on his untroubled face.

• What words describe the opposite of morose?

What does morose mean?

• Late• Sad• Pleasant• Odd

Tip 5: Learn common root, prefixes, and suffixes.

• These four most frequent prefixes account for 97 percent of prefixed words in printed school English.

• Prefix Meaning Key Word• dis- not, opposite of disagree • in-, im-, il-, ir- not injustice, impossible • re- again return • un- not unfriendly

Four Common Suffixes:

• Suffix Meaning Usage• able, ible capable of portable - able to be carried

legible - able to be read

• eer, er, or person who mountaineer - person who climbs mountains

teacher - one who teachesadvisor - person who advises

• ize, ise to make harmonize – make harmonious revolutionize - make

revolutionary

• ous full of nauseous - full of nausea ludicrous - foolish