Language Arts: Vocabulary Builder: Tier 2 Academic Words
Practice using academic vocabulary in reading and writing
Language Arts: Vocabulary Builder: Tier 2 Academic Words
Practice using academic vocabulary in reading and writing
Language Arts - Grade 6-8
- 1
Read the sentence: The scientist had to analyze the data before she could explain the results. What does analyze mean in this sentence?
Think about what a scientist does with data before making a conclusion.
Analyze means to examine something carefully by looking at its parts and details. - 2
Choose the best word to complete the sentence: The article used several examples to support its main claim, so the argument was very _____. Choices: random, convincing, fragile, silent.
The best word is convincing because the examples help make the argument believable and strong. - 3
Write an original sentence using the word contrast. Your sentence should show that you understand the meaning of the word.
Contrast means to show how things are different.
A strong answer will use contrast to show a difference between two or more things, such as: The essay will contrast city life with country life. - 4
Read the sentence: The teacher asked the class to summarize the chapter in five sentences. What does summarize mean?
Summarize means to tell the main ideas of something in a shorter form. - 5
Which word is closest in meaning to significant? Choices: important, tiny, confused, ordinary. Explain your choice.
Think about a significant event in history.
Important is closest in meaning to significant because something significant has meaning, value, or importance. - 6
Read the sentence: The speaker tried to persuade the audience to recycle more often. What does persuade mean in this sentence?
Persuade means to convince someone to believe something or do something. - 7
Complete the analogy: Cause is to effect as problem is to _____. Choices: solution, warning, detail, opinion. Explain your answer.
Look for the relationship between the first pair of words.
The answer is solution because an effect follows a cause, and a solution responds to a problem. - 8
Read the sentence: The author included evidence from an expert interview. What is evidence?
Evidence is information, facts, or examples that support an idea or claim. - 9
Write a sentence using the word interpret in a school or reading situation.
Interpret often means explaining what a text, chart, action, or symbol means.
A strong answer will show that interpret means to explain the meaning of something, such as: We had to interpret the poem and explain what the symbols meant. - 10
Read the sentence: The new rule will benefit students by giving them more time to finish lunch. What does benefit mean as used here?
Benefit means to help someone or have a good effect on someone. - 11
Choose the word that best completes the sentence: The two characters had a major _____ because they wanted different things. Choices: conflict, resource, summary, method.
In stories, this word often describes a struggle or problem.
The best word is conflict because the characters disagreed or struggled against each other. - 12
Read the sentence: The directions were complex, so we had to read them twice. What does complex mean?
Complex means made of many parts or difficult to understand. - 13
Revise this sentence by replacing the underlined phrase with one academic word: The group had to look at and think about the causes of the problem. Use the word analyze, evaluate, or describe.
Choose the word that means to examine carefully.
The best revision is: The group had to analyze the causes of the problem. Analyze means to study something carefully by examining its parts. - 14
Read the sentence: The conclusion of the essay should connect back to the main idea. What does conclusion mean in this sentence?
Conclusion means the ending part of a piece of writing, where the writer often restates or connects important ideas.